AK74 Kit Build Progress

[Uranium238]

I did some cosmetic work to my Bulgarian AK-74 this weekend. I have attached a couple of pictures, one was when I first opened up the kit and laid out the dust cover, barrel assembly and furniture out on the floor. The next two are after it was painted.

I used two coats Duplicolor High Heat Engine Enamel 500F in semi-gloss black. After the paint dried for about 4 hours, I took my propane torch to the painted parts and heated them up EVENLY, but not too hot though! Just enough to get the metal to burn your hand on touching it.. Over curing will cause the paint to come apart. The blow-torch trick was something I used to do when I painted intake manifolds and valve covers on my cars. It has worked everytime as far as durability in engine heat. However, I knicked both sides of the barrel installing the handguards. I may touch it up later, or may consider them the first wear spots!

Feel free to have a look. I will update this thread as I progress... I am bending my flats tonight and doing the reaming. Tapco mag rebuilds came in on Saturday. When I opened the zip lock package they were secured in, I was greeted with a spring to my face! I am going to lance my own mags just as I did with my AR.

[DemocracyEnaction]

looks good.

[Uranium238]

My biggest dilemna right now is lining the rails up with the front trunnion. Online DIY guides for AK47 builds state that using a 15/64" drill bit will line up the rails when fitting it in the gap between the top rail and where the bottom rail will sit to line it up perfectly with the front trunnion. My receiver is still still flat and unbent. When I slid the trunnion on one side of it, it would not take a 15/64" to line up the lower rail, but rather a 5/16"!!!

Will that tolerance change once the rail is bent, or do AK74 rails just sit lower than an AK47?

[69Mach1]

What flats are you using? The 15/64" work well with the AK Builder "prebent and step down top rail" flats.

[Uranium238]

AK Builder flat. This is why I'm confused. Is it taking the bigger bit only because it's not bent yet and I placed the trunnion against it while flat?

[69Mach1]

Bend it first.

[Uranium238]

I will bend tonight. I am borrowing one of those bending jigs where you tighten the bolts to bend the flat. If it works, I will buy one for myself. Last one I saw was on Gun Broker; which is actually the very same one I am using tonight. I hope that seller has more of them!

[tujungatoes]

Like mach said bend it first. I find that occasionally you'll have to go a size larger or smaller due to variances between kits. No big deal, just eyeball down the trunnion bore to make sure it's level with the trunnion and zap it.

[Uranium238]

It took me almost 3 hours last night to get my AK74 flat bent using this cheap *** jig. I had to take a rubber mallot and straighten the walls out of the flat! First off, the damn thing went through crooked and I had to back it off and readjust it! Next thing you know, the carriage bolts provided with this kit stretched and gave way. Not to mention, there wasn't a recess cut into the steel to keep the squared off area below the head secured in the steel plate. This caused the flat to literally "walk" while I was tightening the bolts in sequence! Sequence...yes that's a next one on the list, why is sequence left to right? Why not inside out? It appeared to straighten out better when when I tightened inside out the second go around after the adjustment! In the end i was hammering that got it close and level enough to actually call it a receiver. It's hard to tell how straight it really is though and I don't know if I should trust it as being perfect for the build. I am going to buy some grade 8 hex bolts, nuts and washers to reassemble the tool to see if I can bend a Krink flat tonight.

No pictures were taken last night as I was about ready to go ape s**t after the way the thing practically destroyed my flat!

[Uranium238]

Here are pictures of the jig I used that came from Gunbroker.com

Pics are not mine and make it look really easy to bend!

[Uranium238]

Two more..

[Uranium238]

I think I need some help here...

After seating the newly bent receiver into the trunion, I tried to test fit the dust cover and it doesn't seem to want to fit into the groove in the rear sight block. Is this because the receiver may be bent crooked? If I look at it from the rear , it looks like the top rails are level but, the bottom looks a little angled and I mean, very slightly.

[tujungatoes]

Sorry to hear about your jig woes. I know it's more expensive, but the ak-builder jig really is the way to go.

Not sure exactly what the problem with the top cover is. I think we need some pictures. I know for a fact you can have a receiver that looks like a snake and it will still work.

[wash]

I haven't looked at your pictures but your struggle is why people like using an AK Builder stamping setup and a hydraulic press.

If your receiver came out straight, you should be able to save it.

Back in the day when almost all bending jigs sucked and Tapco flats were the only game in town, people would buy several flats hoping that a few would bend nice.

If I were you, I would try to find an experienced AK builder to help you or else find a 5.45*39 Saiga to study. It's hard to get things right if you don't have a known good reference.

[Uranium238]

I can't be sure the receiver is straight completely. If it's crooked still, I may slap the bars on it again and beat it as straight as possible with my rubber mallot again and pray it comes out right. When I get back, I will take some pictures and see if I can fit the cover again without everything else installed in the receiver.