New Builder Intro/Help

[Skymcgee]

Hey everyone i'm new to the forums so I thought id jump on and introduce myself while I wait for a build party to pop up in my area. Name is Sky McGee and I live in Frazier Park CA, about an hour outside of LA.

I just bought my first Romanian Ak 47 G kit, which is actually my first attempt at building a gun. I have already removed the heads from all the rivets and removed the scrap from the old body. I was wondering if theirs anything left for me to do at home to get it ready for a build party..I have already started to refinish the furniture according to the guide I found here and its looking great so far but seeing as the soonest build party posted at the moment is june 25th I'm hoping I can find a few more things to do. Any suggestions? Here is what i picked up, please let me know if i am missing anything! Thanks for your time.
--Sky

-Romanian Ak 47 G kit
-AK Center Support for 1mm Receivers
-AK Rivet Set (Fixed stock)
-Red Star Arms FCG Pin Retaining Plate
-Solar Tactical GEN 2 AK Magazine Lock
-Standard AK47 Fixed Stock 7.62 Flat, Top Rail Bent, Stepped and Trimmed
-10rd AK-47 Magazine
-G2 Single Hook Trigger
-Aluma-Hyde II Matte Black
-Hogue AK-47/AK-74 Rubber Grip

[KALIDAWG8996]

Looks good as far as parts go...you may need a U.S. muzzle brake and U.S. pistol grip of some sort depending on whether your barrel is foreign or U.S. made.

If possible, you can also demill your trunnions completely unless you don't feel comfortable doing so. It will help you save time when completing your kit.

The more you can get done on your own....the better.

[4thSBCT]

welcome, and congrats. there are plenty of sick and twisted individuals here to help you progress your illness.

[Milspec714]

welcome, and congrats. there are plenty of sick and twisted individuals here to help you progress your illness.

Oh so very true...

[tujungatoes]

If you have a drill press, you could drill out the rear trunnion rivets. That's the most time consuming part, and will speed your progress at the build party.

[Skymcgee]

Looks good as far as parts go...you may need a U.S. muzzle brake and U.S. pistol grip of some sort depending on whether your barrel is foreign or U.S. made. If possible, you can also demill your trunnions completely unless you don't feel comfortable doing so. It will help you save time when completing your kit

The Romanian kit i bought came with the original barrel, Does it require the muzzle brake? About the front and rear trunnions, I tried to hammer the rear one out but had no success, which i hear is common on the Romanian kits. I could try to drill them out but i would have to do it with a vice and hand held drill so i don't feel very comfortable with it. As far as the front goes, I have no idea how to safely drill the rivets out with the barrel in, or how to remove the barrel for that matter so i just took the rivet heads and scrap metal off and put it aside.

welcome, and congrats. there are plenty of sick and twisted individuals here to help you progress your illness.

Glad to hear it! Im already addicted and all i'v done is sand some wood and Dremel some rivet heads off..Cant be a good sign..

[tujungatoes]

The Romanian kit i bought came with the original barrel, Does it require the muzzle break? About the front and rear trunnions, I tried to hammer the rear one out but had no success, which i hear is common on the Romanian kits. I could try to drill them out but i would have to do it with a vice and hand held drill so i don't feel very comfortable with it. As far as the front goes, I have no idea how to safely drill the rivets out with the barrel in, or how to remove the barrel for that matter so i just took the rivet heads and scrap metal off and put it aside.

unless the magazine you bought is US made you're going to need one more us part to be 922r compliant. If you just found yourself saying "WTF is 922r" then you need to read this I don't recommend using a hand drill to remove the rear trunnion rivets. Don't worry about the front ones right now. They will cone right out after the barrel is removed.

Glad to hear it! Im already addicted and all i'v done is sand some wood and Dremel some rivet heads off..Cant be a good sign..

It only gets worse. Sorry...you're doomed

...

[Skymcgee]

Yup the mag is Tapco 10 round. I made sure to have the required number of us parts for the 922r. And yeah i had no intention of actually trying to hand drill it haha, just crossed my mind for a second...or 2

[SamsDX]

And yeah i had no intention of actually trying to hand drill it haha, just crossed my mind for a second...or 2

Depending on how steady you are, the hand drill might work better. SJGunguy wrote up a tutorial on it, and I think he said he prefers using a hand drill over the drill press because of the degree of control you have: http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/s...d.php?t=315001

I only had a hand drill available to me at the time so that's what I used, and it worked, when I wasn't breaking drill bits. I broke several black oxide and titanium coated bits after I dulled the cutting tip and overheated it. After getting frustrated, I started dripped plenty of cutting fluid on to the workpiece and used cobalt bits, and that seemed to do the trick.

It's mentioned in the build party tutorial and the rear trunnion rivet demil tutorial, but the key is to grind the rivet heads flat after removing the receiver, center punch, and using progressively larger bits (starting with 1/8, working up to 5/32, then 11/64 as necessary). This also applies if you're using a drill press, so do whatever is comfortable - the final advice I've always received is take your time and do what works best for you.

Welcome to the addiction!

[Fern]

I started my addiction by purchasing a drill press for my first build. Don't fight it.

[Skymcgee]

I started my addiction by purchasing a drill press for my first build. Don't fight it.

Haha cant say the thought hasn't crossed my mind. Luckily my buddy has one I can use so i bought a back up rear trunnion that I'm going to practice/learn on first, then if I feel comfortable ill press out the barrel and get the front and rear trunnion rivets out.

[Skymcgee]

It's mentioned in the build party tutorial and the rear trunnion rivet demil tutorial, but the key is to grind the rivet heads flat after removing the receiver, center punch, and using progressively larger bits (starting with 1/8, working up to 5/32, then 11/64 as necessary).

Welcome to the addiction!

Awesome! Thanks for the Bit measurements was about to start looking for them.

[Fern]

Ya, just take your time and go approximately 1/3 the way from both ends with the drill and punch from there. They key is to use a snap punch to to center the drill bit. If the punch mark is not perfectly centered, do it a couple more times at an angle towards the center to work the mark towards the center.

[straykiller]

I started my addiction by purchasing a drill press for my first build. Don't fight it.

its the truth, for me it was a hundred bucks for the browning tools, then a dremmel for the sten, then over 6-700 for ak builder tools, then a drill press, 20 ton press, and now a mini lathe. lol it starts adding up but dam is it worth it. nothing i would honestly rather spend my money on haha

[reyna12]

Frazier Park, yo!