SJGE: Lost license, still need a 'smith

[Alles]

Greetings:
SJGE has lost their ATF license and they're lucky the customer service police didn't yank it earlier! Grr...

My husband has been involved in the OLL buys since December of last year. One of his acquisitions was a Yugo Underfolder receiver for which I bought him the parts set from Akron Armory as a birthday present. For Christmas, he wanted it assembled. All well & good.

The receiver was purchased at the Gun Exchange, and rumor is John was the best to 'smith to assemble it. On Wednesday the 13th, I called to speak to him about it, and he had technical questions. We had several conversations, including one where I conferenced in my husband to deal with personal preference and the options John had to offer. I specifically mentioned I wanted it for Christmas and John said that was achievable.

We live in San Francisco, so I called John today before we left the house. I reminded him of who I was and affirmed that he would be available at the shop. So we drove the hour to San Jose and waited around for him to be available. The wait wasn't unbearable - he's obviously in demand and it wasn't an issue.

He opened the box of parts and told us that the ATF revoked their license yesterday, Friday the 15th. He said the shop was closing as of the 31st and there was no way he'd be able to get it done by then.

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot??!?!?

I'm thoroughly annoyed, disappointed and how am I going to make my husband's Christmas a happy one?
- he could have told us before we drove an hour down and an hour back
- he said he could have it by Christmas and then he can't do it by New Years?

So, polite nonetheless, I requested a recommendation. He said look on CalGuns.

Gents - will you help me out? I need a reputable 'smith to assemble an AK Yugo Underfolder for Christmas.

[CALI-gula]

...Gents - will you help me out? I need a reputable 'smith to assemble an AK Yugo Underfolder for Christmas...

How much assembly? If they lost their license, they have a whole host of other worries to go through over the next 4 weeks, and I can understand why they would now reject taking on the assembly.

Good luck.

.

[Alles]

Configuration

As far as SJGE losing their license goes, of course they'll have to worry about other things - my only beef is they should have told me when I called to confirm we were coming down.

But as to the required configuration:
Originally my husband wanted it as a bolt action, but after playing with the parts set he wants a fixed-stock no pistol grip. He's actually considering a MonsterMan grip.

It's a receiver, a box of parts and needs someone who can:
1) put it together in a sane & legal fashion - compliant to all state & federal rules
2) take out the existing rivets attach the new receiver
3) Do any necessary headspacing
4) Refinish it
None of this do I want done on my kitchen table...I love him dearly but we need to eat dinner somewhere - unless of course he wants to take me out...

Any thoughts & input are appreciated!
Alles

[icormba]

SJGE has lost their ATF license

[JHC]

I don't think we have any "real smiths" in the area willing to do an AK build but you might find a willing Calgunner to "help" you assemble it. Getting it done in the next week including a finish might not happen though.

Also I dont think you could legally use the monsterman grip with a fixed underfolder because you could get a "pistol style grasp" if you tried hard enough. His best bet is to go bolt-action in my opinion. I went this route on my Romanian underfolder.

[CALI-gula]

The MM Grip looks to be a safe bet - haven't tried it.

.

[NeoWeird]

Alles, first I want to say sorry. I know what it's like to try and get a firearm project finished on a deadline for someone else and have it snagged and halted so close.

There is still plenty of time. A good smith could probably demill, rivet, blast, pakerize, and assemble an AK in a couple hours if they focused on it and were all set up. So you have time if you find a competant smith for it.

There IS the option of having a forum member here build it for you. Quite a number of people here have build their kits and have the tools to do them in their garage. At best you could have it built, then take it to a local gunsmith and have them pakerize it to the proper finish and you'd be done (or have the same local perosn who built it pakerize it as it only takes a tank and range top to pakerize if you have the chemicals).

From the sounds of it you do NOT have any type of tools, equipment, etc to even start this project (like a grinder, drill press, etc). That's ok. You could go to Home Depot and for $30-50 get a dremil, a hammer, and a punch and demill the parts kit yourself (this will take some time, but grinding the rivet heads off with the sanding drums and/or cut off wheels would be the longest). This could save you time while you look for a person to assemble it. Honestly, a no-pistol grip underfolder would be a bad idea, because it would seem the wire stock would be a pain to hold as a butt stock. If it were me I'd either go the bolt action (as you mentioned earlier) OR go with a fixed magazine varaint and get a muzzle device that will bring the length to 30 inches with the stock closed. It does NOT have to be permanently attached, so you could just screw it on and be done. Someone with a lathe could even make you one to spec for fairly cheap, or one of those AK-74 style breaks may be just what you need (not sure on lengths so I can't say for sure, sorry).

I wish I could help, but I live quite a bit away. I do know there are some people here who have built AKs in the bay area and its surrondings, so I am hoping someone will come forward and help. Best of luck to you and the build, and I hope it gets done in time. I am sure he will love it.

ETA: Keep in mind that if you do go to a forum member to have them build it, and they are NOT and FFL, then you MUST stay there with them while they build it. Otherwise you gave the rifle to them without going through an FFL and you committed a crime. The parts kit can go to anyone for demilling/preperation though. It's the receiver you have to stay with, or that must go to an FFL.

[Alles]

Good to know...

Getting it done in the next week including a finish might not happen though.

- Agreed, but if I could just line someone up and have it "underway" that would be enough.
Also, JHC do you hit the legal length limit with your underfolder and how?

Thanks for your help!

[nearsightednate]

Hi. Look up James Meddux on this forum here:
jemaddux - http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/member.php?u=6546

Tell him your situation and see what he says.

Nate

[notsodopeydwarf]

and they're lucky the customer service police didn't yank it earlier! Grr...

No real surprise. I stopped in to ask about an OLL no more then a few weeks ago and was quoted $300 for the stripped receiver and transfer. More then a little on the pricey side for me. . . , and they might be able to order one in a week or so.Not that they seemed real interested in making a sale.

The dogs tied up out front seemed friendly.

[FatKatMatt]

I hear Grammaton helps people with their AK's, if you want to ask him.

You could also put a Saiga trigger group and stock on it so you can have a comfortable detachable magazine setup... It only costs about 30-40 bucks for a stock and trigger group. Also, I hope you researched federal 922r requirements and have all the compliance parts.

[Alles]

Keep the ideas coming!

Thanks for the tips thus far, and keep them coming!

[SemiAutoSam]

Here is james contact information

http://www.jemaddux.com/index.php

[rickffp]

This is very interesting considering that when I called today to inquire about my NDS receiver that has been on order for several months there was no mention of the license SNAFU. Time to cancel that CC deposit.

[JHC]

- Agreed, but if I could just line someone up and have it "underway" that would be enough.
Also, JHC do you hit the legal length limit with your underfolder and how?

Thanks for your help!

When building it as a bolt action you only need a legal length of 26 inches, I put an AK74 style brake on it and it came up to about 27.