Ak-builder flats

[revco33]

I have a few questions. Can't seem to find any info on it.

#1. Which flat would be the best to buy from ak-builder for most AKM's? Like Maadi, Romy, Polish. Should I get the thickness of 1.5mm or 1mm?

#2. I want to keep this receiver for building later. What steps need to be completed so that I can just take it to a builder and go from there? Do the front and rear trunnion holes need to be drilled out or can it be done later? Or will it be a hassle because of heat-treating?

p.s. I will be taking it to a builder just to get it ready for later.

Thanks guys!

[Alex$]

Whatever kit you have determines the flat that you need to buy.

For standard AKM pattern rifles there isn't much difference, buy the 1mm.

1mm versus 1.5mm depends on the kit and origin of country. 1.5mm are bit more fun to finish.

At the cost they are, I would buy a couple now and save for later, either finished or in stock form. You can always buy parts/kits later and add to the receiver.

[kcstott]

Take to a builder as in an FFL 07?

You know you can do a one on one build and be done in a day with a complete rifle ready to test fire for less then a third of what an 07 would charge to build it for you. and you will be building it so you will know exactly how it works and why

[zeddy]

1: regular ak47 7.62 flat . Maadi, Romy, polish will all work. I've build a maadi and two romys from those flats. I would get 1mm for the regular akm rifle.

2: get the flat, without holes, when you get a kit, bend, drill all holes then heat treat. you can get them with the holes but risk the chance with the holds not lining up. Only one flat with holes matched perfect out of the three.

What I do first is mark the rear trunnion holes with the trunnion before bending the flat. The front trunnion, I use the trunnion hole locater after its bent. If I was you, Id find a parts kit first then buy the appropriate flat. Flats will always be readily available.

[zeddy]

1mm versus 1.5mm depends on the kit and origin of country. 1.5mm are bit more fun to finish.

1.5mm are REAL fun

[Alex$]

I built my own "grasshopper" style jig. Works great on 1mm. When I decided to start with 1.5mm flats I had a problem...

I own a lot of tools, I even bought a lot for the AK hobby. Sadly I don't own anything that will take bar stock down to the ID of a 1.5mm AK except files. Yes, I filed the die for 1.5mm flats from the same stock I used for 1mm die.

Get the Romy RPK flat in there, bend away and bent the damn die! Flat came out perfect after a little "persuading" in a vice and hammer and bucking bar.

I now have a larger 1.5mm flat die. (yes it was hand filed)

What we do for "hobbies".

1.5mm are REAL fun

[osis32]

Take to a builder as in an FFL 07?

You know you can do a one on one build and be done in a day with a complete rifle ready to test fire for less then a third of what an 07 would charge to build it for you. and you will be building it so you will know exactly how it works and why

truer words havent been spoken. if youre gonna invest in the tooling to bend you might as well go all out and get everything else because otherwise its useless except to bend and drill. you will not build just one. especially with this new bs looming. I dont know your budget for tools but if youre just getting started pay for a tutor then see what it takes and start buying tools.

[revco33]

I've had a previous ak built by a builder. Nice experience. I basically want a NDS-1 ready to go, but want it built up from a flat. I will buy a kit down the road. I want the receiver before any Deleon crap comes flying at us! The NDS-1's my buddy and me used fit our ak's perfectly, Maadis. I am wondering if bending a flat will produce the same effect or is it better to leave it un-heat-treated and trunnion holes undrilled. Sorry. I'm new to this information. Need some schooling.

Also, what actually constitutes a complete receiver? Is it the bending or the welding?

[kcstott]

AK's don't have lowers, they are only receivers as there is no upper to an AK other then the dust cover.

I can attest that building from a flat is perfectly fine with the correct tooling. Many people here have either bought their own tools or borrowed from us at build parties or one on one builds. Flats build very nice weapons better then a lot of Arsenal builds and rival that of the so called Pro's and BY the way they use the same tools we do bought from the same people

nothing really constitutes a complete receiver. Its any work done beyond what you bought as a 80% that counts.

If you get a prebent flat and drill one hole in it it is no longer an 80%

if you fold a flat it's no longer a 80%

It doesn't have to be finished to be considered a firearm. if it is in anyway beyond the level of completeness from the manufacturer it's a firearm

[revco33]

Thanks for the info kscott. i misspoke, receivers. lol

[CarterPewterschmidt]

I've had a previous ak built by a builder. Nice experience. I basically want a NDS-1 ready to go, but want it built up from a flat. I will buy a kit down the road. I want the lower before any Deleon crap comes flying at us! The NDS-1's my buddy and me used fit our ak's perfectly, Maadis. I am wondering if bending a flat will produce the same effect or is it better to leave it un-heat-treated and trunnion holes undrilled. Sorry. I'm new to this information. Need some schooling.

Also, what actually constitutes a complete receiver? Is it the bending or the welding?

Which builder do you speak of?

[TATER313]

The builder would need to have another nds receiver to build it for you (or other reg receiver), if he built it from a flat he would have to send to an FFL with appropriate Data engraved on receiver, (manufator, serial#, etc) You would have to register it and wait the 10 days. You would be better off if you went to one of the AK gurus in your area like KCScott advised you to do.

[TATER313]

Builder

Which builder do you speak of?

There is a guy in Tennessee my friend uses, here is the link. http://www.inrangec2.com/ They do great work, he has had several rifles built $300 +. that was a few years back.

[ar15barrels]

Ak-builder flats

I want to keep this receiver for building later. What steps need to be completed so that I can just take it to a builder and go from there? Do the front and rear trunnion holes need to be drilled out or can it be done later? Or will it be a hassle because of heat-treating?

If you just want receivers on the shelf, get the 1mm akm flats without trunion holes.
Bend them, but don't heat treat them.
You want them soft for drilling all the holes and tweaking while fitting trunions into them.
Full heat treat is done after welding in the rails, but before any riveting is done.
Spot heat treating can be done after riveting.