building an ak parts kit

[JTD]

hello to all

i have been throwing around the idea of building an AK 47 under folder and have no idea how to rivet and and would like to know if any body had any ideas and tips and tricks


please help

[El Laton Caliente]

There have been several methods of riviting. I've seen everything from pretty much just a hammer to expensive aircraft air and hydralic riviters. One of the best home methods is a rivit jig(s) and a 12 or 20 ton Harbor Freight bearing press. Warning! You are about to spend about as much or more on tooling as you would buying a single rifle.

Riviting tools for sale and vid's on how to use them: http://ak-builder.com/index.php (good guy to deal with!)

[Schuetzenman]

IMHO, if you can't build your own tools, just buy the weapon assembled. The reason is what El Laton C. just said, lots of money for the tooling to get set up to do it right. It's not like the kits are $120 bucks anymore, their over $300 and they don't have the original barrels so you will have to Heaspace the US barrel into the Trunion. If you were to want to build 6 or more then MAYBE it would be worth while. With compliance parts you'll probably have $600+ in each weapon you build and then you'll still have to finish them so they won't rust. Once you get over 6 bills for them you might as well just buy it already made IMO. When the kits started going up over $200 a kit I saw the writing on the wall and sold all my tooling, except for the Harbor Freight press. Anybody want to buy an Orange 12 ton bottle jack press?

[El Laton Caliente]

Now, on the other hand... You can sometimes get kits that are not in production. You do get a different prospective of the hobby. Once good at it, you can many time build a better rifle than you can buy.

Reloading used to be a matter of economics, but is now a matter of accuracy and quality. It is about the same with building.

[El Laton Caliente]

Anybody want to buy an Orange 12 ton bottle jack press?

I'm actually using mine as a bearing press...