Take a look at this AK...

[sfwdiy]

...and tell me how hard it would be to put together something similar. I'd actually prefer it with a fixed stock instead of a folder and the suppressor would be fake, obviously. How does one get a shortened gas tube and barrel like that?



Pic from the Idaho Armament website.

Sorry for my ignorance, I'm not terribly familiar with AK builds.

--Ben

[jumbopanda]

You buy a parts kit. That's a Yugo M92, and kits cost a lot these days. A similar but slightly more expensive alternative would be a Bulgarian AKS-74u 5.45x39.

Or if you're ****ing awesome, you convert a regular AK parts kit:

[sfwdiy]

Or if you're ****ing awesome, you convert a regular AK parts kit

I'd like to be ****ing awesome, but something tells me that a good portion of said awesomeness involves access to a machine shop, so that's a no-go. Plus, isn't it a major pain in the arse build a rifle from a parts kit? It still requires a fair amount of labor/tools, even if you have a finished receiver instead of a flat, no?

--Ben

[diddler]

I'd like to be ****ing awesome, but something tells me that a good portion of said awesomeness involves access to a machine shop, so that's a no-go. Plus, isn't it a major pain in the arse build a rifle from a parts kit? It still requires a fair amount of labor/tools, even if you have a finished receiver instead of a flat, no?

Jumbopanda, your picture link isn't working!

Ok, building an AK from a kit, yes its work, yes, more work than assembling an AR from parts. You need to make or borrow a couple tools, mostly for riveting the trunions to the receiver. On top of that you need access to a fair bit of "standard" tools that you may or may not have around the house. Plenty of AK build tutorials available online, practice your google-fu and spend time poking around akfiles.com

If you're set on building an AK (and it -is- fun!) then resist the urge entirely to start out building anything special your first time out of the gate. Keep it simple, buy a Romanian "G" kit and a NDS-3 receiver, its certainly the cheapest route and you'll end up with a fine rifle. (well, depending on your ability to work with your hands and tools) After you have that experience under your belt, then move to more challenging projects.

You'll see people talking about assembling AK kits using screws or welding, I'm of the traditionalist opinion that its totally incorrect and should be avoided. Huge argument threads on this topic all over the 'net. When you distill it all down, the only reason people consider anything besides rivets is they're too cheap and/or lazy to just do it the original way using rivets. 'nuff said.

I actually just posted this link into a similar thread, I just built what appears to be a shorty rifle using a Romy G kit, the main thread for that build is here:

http://www.akfiles.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36096

You can bomb me with other specific questions if you'd like.

Quick answer, shortening a standard length kit is entirely possible but it takes work. Bit of machining. bit of welding. Lots of dremel/bench grinder/belt sander time. Rather than getting one of the expensive short barrel kits that are out there I chose to start with the cheaper Romy G kit both for cost and because I wanted to retain the inherent accuracy and velocity of the full length 16" barrel.

Once I get the darned fake silencer done, I'll post some pics. I love the concept because to anybody not in the know it looks like a fully automatic, short barrelled suppressed folding stock AK, when in reality its none of the above!

Ryan

[darkest2000]

I'm having a bulgarian AKS-74U clone built up as we speak from a parts kit and NDS receiver, should be complete today or wed...we'll see