Any AK gunsmiths in Northern CA?

[norcal240]

Looking for a gunsmith to remove the front sight from a saiga and press on a threaded front sight block. I have the parts and pins.

A shop quoted me $400 for labor, is that expected/reasonable for this type of work?

[12pewpew]

You can try Maraviov Gunsmithing in woodland. Craig does solid work and doesn't charge an arm and a leg.

[SVT-40]

Looking for a gunsmith to remove the front sight from a saiga and press on a threaded front sight block. I have the parts and pins.

A shop quoted me $400 for labor, is that expected/reasonable for this type of work?

Are you also replacing the gas block and installing a hand guard retainer?

Even doing the GB and HG retainer $400 sounds high.

[bugsy714]

Randall has a price list on his website akbarrels.com you can check it out there and see what he would charge to do it


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[norcal240]

Are you also replacing the gas block and installing a hand guard retainer?

Even doing the GB and HG retainer $400 sounds high.

[ar15barrels]

Nope, just the front sight.

Thanks guy’s I don’t mind a drive, i’ll check with Maraviov.

I charge $120 to pull off a pinned-on front sight and gas block, cut a handguard retainer locking notch and reassemble the gas block and front sight.
Front sight swap alone is $80.
Many people drive down to see me from the bay area.
I do the work while you wait so you only have to make one trip.

[SVT-40]

You might consider doing the gas block and installing the standard AK style hand guard retainer.

It will make your Saiga much more user friendly.

[BigPimping]

A few years ago, this board was loaded with AK knowledgeable peoples.

[bugsy714]

I charge $120 to pull off a pinned-on front sight and gas block, cut a handguard retainer locking notch and reassemble the gas block and front sight.
Front sight swap alone is $80.
Many people drive down to see me from the bay area.
I do the work while you wait so you only have to make one trip.

Does this process require refinishing?


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[xrMike]

A few years ago, this board was loaded with AK knowledgeable peoples.

There was a guy in the Santa Cruz mountains, or Aptos, or someplace near there, who lived in the woods with his machine shop... Can't remember his actual name, he was well-known at Calguns years ago, think his username was "M24 Armorer" (but not sure). He built a couple of AKs for me. Cool guy, kind of a salty bloke... Smoked a lot of cigarettes (and that's probably what killed him).

He also built sniper and precision long-range rifles to spec for the local police and SWAT departments. Suppressors too.

Anyway, if he was still on this earth, I'd refer you to him. But since he is not, I only bring him up to stoke the memory of a few old-timers here who might remember who I am talking about.

The 2 AKs he built for me were very fairly priced and each of them has NEVER had a failure of any kind in many thousands of rounds.

[ar15barrels]

There was a guy in the Santa Cruz mountains, or Aptos, or someplace near there, who lived in the woods with his machine shop... Can't remember his actual name, he was well-known at Calguns years ago, think his username was "M24 Armorer" (but not sure). He built a couple of AKs for me. Cool guy, kind of a salty bloke... Smoked a lot of cigarettes (and that's probably what killed him).

He also built sniper and precision long-range rifles to spec for the local police and SWAT departments. Suppressors too.

Anyway, if he was still on this earth, I'd refer you to him. But since he is not, I only bring him up to stoke the memory of a few old-timers here who might remember who I am talking about.

The 2 AKs he built for me were very fairly priced and each of them has NEVER had a failure of any kind in many thousands of rounds.

His Calguns handle was indeed M24Armorer.

When did he pass away?

[ar15barrels]

Does this process require refinishing?

Pushing parts off and back on the barrel will certainly scratch up the paint where the parts are sliding.
If you require a perfect finish, then you will probably prefer to refinish.

Part of a Rifle Dynamics $1000+ AK rebuild is painting the gun.
That's after the shorten and thread the barrel and swap out the gas block to a combo gas block/front sight and perm attach a muzzle device.

[xrMike]

His Calguns handle was indeed M24Armorer.

When did he pass away?

It was at least a few years ago, maybe even a couple years pre-Covid. I never did hear the details, just that he'd passed. I probably read about it in that "Calgunners who have passed" thread in the OT forum.

Sounds corny, but I think of him every time I shoot one of my AKs. Gave him a bottle of Glenfiddich when I picked up the 2nd one, because I liked the 1st so much.

[norcal240]

I charge $120 to pull off a pinned-on front sight and gas block, cut a handguard retainer locking notch and reassemble the gas block and front sight.
Front sight swap alone is $80.
Many people drive down to see me from the bay area.
I do the work while you wait so you only have to make one trip.

[AKSOG]

What ever happened to Nikoroshi?