"LH AK" - Page 2

10 Bears · 05-04-2016, 08:44 AM

An 'in depth' tutorial! Well done!

4thIDvet · 05-04-2016, 08:57 AM

Good work their Marine.

Pretty sure the new Russian built AKs are compatible to shoot right and left handed? I guess Russian soldiers bitch as much as soldiers from other parts of the world and their Govt. got tired of listening to them.

Brightblade · 05-04-2016, 11:01 AM

If there ever comes a time when you're willing to part with the one you working on, please contact me.

I like it.

Diesel 88888888 · 05-04-2016, 12:32 PM

I know nothing!

Diesel 88888888

Thanatos · 05-04-2016, 05:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diesel 88888888

I know nothing!

Diesel 88888888

Sgt Schultz makes his appearance...

You may not "know" anything, but...

rumor has it that you may have left fingerprints in some conspicuous places.

I do not recall if you handled the first "LH AK" before Rick314 purchased it, but I seem to remember you sampling the Bulgarian SLR-95 that had the trigger group reworked...

What you know, and what can be proven in a courtroom are not always the same thing. lol

Thanatos · 05-11-2016, 05:01 PM

Slowly making progress...

Decided to use a Hogue overmolded pistol grip, and handguard. Ordered them up, and then fitted them. Ordered a ComBlock length black polymer buttstock from Kvar (gawd, I HATE that company, but sometimes you just gotta...), have fitted it as well.

The first "LH AK" that I built still had the hole in the receiver on the left side from the original safety/selector, with the steel spacer washed on the Izzy FAL selector blocking off the unsightly hole. On this one, I cut a stub of a trigger axis pin and welded it in place to not only fill the hole, but act as a "stop" for the selector...

No longer having access to a mig welder... I had a friend do the welding on the Izzy selector... and I guess I forgot to stress to use minimal heat. Oops... not only did he melt the outside, but he destroyed the tension in the spring behind the detent ball. sigh... Have another Izzy FAL selector on the way from Gunplumber; time to start from scratch on another selector. BUT... have ground down the welds on the trigger and have it fitted into place, with zero travel in the trigger when the selector is on "safe".

Time to cut an optics rail...

Ordered up a length of STEEL Picatinny rail, cut it to 4.25 inches long, then (since I live in an apartment with not even a table for a workbench) hand carved the rail to fit, using a cutting wheel on my Dremel to score the line, and a hack saw to make the cut. Not too bad having been done totally freehand, pretending that my lap is the "workbench", and my left hand is the "bench vice". Cleaning it up with files and sanding discs with the Dremel. The arc at the front matches the arc at the front of the rear site block. Will weld it into place, once all the detail work is completed.

Undercut the Picatinny rail where it cantilevers over the receiver cover to allow more room to install and remove the receiver cover.

Thanatos · 05-28-2016, 06:12 PM

Slow progress...

New Izzy FAL selector. Drilled a 3/16" hole into the selector, on the axis, to use a trigger in to lengthen the selector to match the width of the milled Bulgarian receiver. The selector in previous photos had been over-heated during welding, and relatively destroyed. This one has the detent ball and spring removed, and now the grooves in the barrel of the selector brazed up, ready to have a new groove cut to the AK trigger.
btw... If you try this at home? Best have a carbide drill bit - that selector has been hardened. It will kill a high speed drill bit in a heartbeat.

Used a Dremel sanding disc, then a file to shape the selector again... Used a micrometer to keep the barrel perfectly round (well... within .001", anyway). Zero'd the micrometer on the barrel next to the groove for the retainer clip, then rotated the barrel in the micrometer, showing where the brazed sections were "high", then carefully filed down. Don't have a lathe in my bedroom, but it gave me "something to do" while watching the NY Yankee baseball game.

Thanatos · 05-28-2016, 06:41 PM

The Picatinny rail is tig spot welded into place to the rear sight block.

Rail was milled to give a bit more clearance for the receiver cover to facilitate installation and removal. A gas tube cover with a Picatinny rail was installed on the gas tube to help in getting the rail on the receiver relatively square with the bore of the barrel.

I have one of those laser bore sight tools that is cartridge shaped, and placed in the chamber to shine the laser through the bore of the barrel. I have a red dot sight order that should arrive in a couple of days. Will center the red dot in its adjustment, attach, then light up the bore sight tool. Need to get the red dot and the bore sight tool in agreement - then finish welding the rail into place. Easier to make corrections/adjustments in the Picatinny rail with just the spot weld.

Because the Valmet receiver cover mounted rear iron sight is about 1/2" higher than the original rear sight block mounted iron sight, I have another front sight block to take the top 2/3 of, and weld to the bottom 2/3 of the existing front sight. Will be a similar process... checking alignment with the bore sight laser, before completing the welding of the "reverse-sectioned" front sight block. Kind of the reverse of the '50s hot rod style "chopped top"...

10 Bears · 05-28-2016, 09:50 PM

Well done !

Thanatos · 05-30-2016, 02:54 PM

Who knew that USPS deliverers on Memorial Day?

Cheap ass "Leapers UTG" red/green dot optic was just iberated from my mail box... Chambered the laser bore site tool, lit up the red dot optic, then brought the windage square with about 1/2 turn on the adjust. Guess that means that the Picatinny rail is square with the barrel, eh?

Was just focusing on the wall across my bedroom; about noon here. This evening when it gets dark, I'll try it out as far as I can still see the bore sight tool's laser dot. On the wall across the room, the green dot of the optic appears about 3" above the red dot of the bore sight tool - about the same height above the bore as the center of the optic. At 100' or more... it should be able to come right in with minor adjust... confirming that the Picatinny rail can be welded in place.

After the rifle is operable, before the finish is applied, we'll see where point of impact is, and do a proper adjust on the optic. Just do not want to do the complete weld until I have confirmed that the rail is properly aligned (within adjustment of the optic).

10 Bears · 05-30-2016, 08:55 PM

Yep, almost time to feed the beast!

Thanatos · 05-31-2016, 04:23 PM

More progress...

Installed a trigger group into the receiver this morning... had to trim of the corner of the right hand leg of the trigger so that it would clear the extended pivot of the Izzy FAL selector. Almost zero movement of the trigger against the selector... just as I wanted. MUCH less travel with the selector on "safe" than a normal AK-47.

Next, used a Sharpie to carefully mark the selector barrel where I needed to cut the groove so that the trigger group would release in the "fire" position. Cut it first with a fiber cut-off wheel on my Dremel, then cleaned it up with a hand file. Took several test fits, filing a bit more each time. Found success with a .040" cut/groove into the barrel of the selector.

A little detail clean-up, then the selector will be ready to apply a finish.

2rogers · 06-02-2016, 09:31 PM

Great project!

Thanatos · 06-09-2016, 04:16 PM

Current state of progress...

Have brazed the steel Picatinny rail to the rear sight block... am smoothing out the brazing until it is perfectly smooth, ready to apply the finish to the rifle.

Need to do:

1: Thread the muzzle so that a brake can be attached. Have a new style AK-74 brake and adapter from Gun Plumber... waiting for the 14x1.0 LH die to arrive, and the "Threading Alignment Tool"

to keep the die square with the barrel while cutting the threads. This Bulgarian barrel was purchased during the time when imported barrels could not be threaded so that those terrorist inspired muzzle attachments could NOT be employed.

2: Raise the front sight until it is square with the rear sight, approximately 1/2". Have located another Bulgarian front sight, will cut and braze sections of the two into one that is the proper height.

3: Install the magazine release lever and spring. NOT looking forward to this... anyone got a "trick" as to an easy method? Has been about 15 years, and it seems a bit more difficult than I remember...

4: Test fire... and then...

5: Disassemble the rifle and send it off to Robar for them to apply the finish. No Brownells AlumiHyde for this rifle... enough time and effort into it to warrant a real finish.

{edit to add}... also need to use a drill press to put a couple dimples into the side of the receiver for the detent in the selector, in the "safe" and "fire" positions...

05-04-2016, 08:57 AM	#17
4thIDvet slug Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Astor Florida Posts: 48,454	Good work their Marine. Pretty sure the new Russian built AKs are compatible to shoot right and left handed? I guess Russian soldiers bitch as much as soldiers from other parts of the world and their Govt. got tired of listening to them. __________________ God Bless Americas Veterans. All who are serving and have served.

05-04-2016, 08:44 AM	#16
10 Bears Moderator Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: E-Da-How Posts: 137,846	An 'in depth' tutorial! Well done!

05-04-2016, 11:01 AM	#18
Brightblade Paladin Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: apparently the wild west Posts: 2,509	If there ever comes a time when you're willing to part with the one you working on, please contact me. I like it.

05-04-2016, 12:32 PM	#19
Diesel 88888888 slug Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 35,836	I know nothing! Diesel 88888888

05-11-2016, 05:01 PM	#21
Thanatos Grunt-o-saurus Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: I Corps Posts: 5,973	Slowly making progress... Decided to use a Hogue overmolded pistol grip, and handguard. Ordered them up, and then fitted them. Ordered a ComBlock length black polymer buttstock from Kvar (gawd, I HATE that company, but sometimes you just gotta...), have fitted it as well. The first "LH AK" that I built still had the hole in the receiver on the left side from the original safety/selector, with the steel spacer washed on the Izzy FAL selector blocking off the unsightly hole. On this one, I cut a stub of a trigger axis pin and welded it in place to not only fill the hole, but act as a "stop" for the selector... No longer having access to a mig welder... I had a friend do the welding on the Izzy selector... and I guess I forgot to stress to use minimal heat. Oops... not only did he melt the outside, but he destroyed the tension in the spring behind the detent ball. sigh... Have another Izzy FAL selector on the way from Gunplumber; time to start from scratch on another selector. BUT... have ground down the welds on the trigger and have it fitted into place, with zero travel in the trigger when the selector is on "safe". Time to cut an optics rail... Ordered up a length of STEEL Picatinny rail, cut it to 4.25 inches long, then (since I live in an apartment with not even a table for a workbench) hand carved the rail to fit, using a cutting wheel on my Dremel to score the line, and a hack saw to make the cut. Not too bad having been done totally freehand, pretending that my lap is the "workbench", and my left hand is the "bench vice". Cleaning it up with files and sanding discs with the Dremel. The arc at the front matches the arc at the front of the rear site block. Will weld it into place, once all the detail work is completed. Undercut the Picatinny rail where it cantilevers over the receiver cover to allow more room to install and remove the receiver cover.

05-28-2016, 06:12 PM	#22
Thanatos Grunt-o-saurus Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: I Corps Posts: 5,973	Slow progress... New Izzy FAL selector. Drilled a 3/16" hole into the selector, on the axis, to use a trigger in to lengthen the selector to match the width of the milled Bulgarian receiver. The selector in previous photos had been over-heated during welding, and relatively destroyed. This one has the detent ball and spring removed, and now the grooves in the barrel of the selector brazed up, ready to have a new groove cut to the AK trigger. btw... If you try this at home? Best have a carbide drill bit - that selector has been hardened. It will kill a high speed drill bit in a heartbeat. Used a Dremel sanding disc, then a file to shape the selector again... Used a micrometer to keep the barrel perfectly round (well... within .001", anyway). Zero'd the micrometer on the barrel next to the groove for the retainer clip, then rotated the barrel in the micrometer, showing where the brazed sections were "high", then carefully filed down. Don't have a lathe in my bedroom, but it gave me "something to do" while watching the NY Yankee baseball game.

05-28-2016, 06:41 PM	#23
Thanatos Grunt-o-saurus Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: I Corps Posts: 5,973	The Picatinny rail is tig spot welded into place to the rear sight block. Rail was milled to give a bit more clearance for the receiver cover to facilitate installation and removal. A gas tube cover with a Picatinny rail was installed on the gas tube to help in getting the rail on the receiver relatively square with the bore of the barrel. I have one of those laser bore sight tools that is cartridge shaped, and placed in the chamber to shine the laser through the bore of the barrel. I have a red dot sight order that should arrive in a couple of days. Will center the red dot in its adjustment, attach, then light up the bore sight tool. Need to get the red dot and the bore sight tool in agreement - then finish welding the rail into place. Easier to make corrections/adjustments in the Picatinny rail with just the spot weld. Because the Valmet receiver cover mounted rear iron sight is about 1/2" higher than the original rear sight block mounted iron sight, I have another front sight block to take the top 2/3 of, and weld to the bottom 2/3 of the existing front sight. Will be a similar process... checking alignment with the bore sight laser, before completing the welding of the "reverse-sectioned" front sight block. Kind of the reverse of the '50s hot rod style "chopped top"...

05-28-2016, 09:50 PM	#24
10 Bears Moderator Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: E-Da-How Posts: 137,846	Well done !

05-30-2016, 02:54 PM	#25
Thanatos Grunt-o-saurus Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: I Corps Posts: 5,973	Who knew that USPS deliverers on Memorial Day? Cheap ass "Leapers UTG" red/green dot optic was just iberated from my mail box... Chambered the laser bore site tool, lit up the red dot optic, then brought the windage square with about 1/2 turn on the adjust. Guess that means that the Picatinny rail is square with the barrel, eh? Was just focusing on the wall across my bedroom; about noon here. This evening when it gets dark, I'll try it out as far as I can still see the bore sight tool's laser dot. On the wall across the room, the green dot of the optic appears about 3" above the red dot of the bore sight tool - about the same height above the bore as the center of the optic. At 100' or more... it should be able to come right in with minor adjust... confirming that the Picatinny rail can be welded in place. After the rifle is operable, before the finish is applied, we'll see where point of impact is, and do a proper adjust on the optic. Just do not want to do the complete weld until I have confirmed that the rail is properly aligned (within adjustment of the optic).

05-30-2016, 08:55 PM	#26
10 Bears Moderator Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: E-Da-How Posts: 137,846	Yep, almost time to feed the beast!

05-31-2016, 04:23 PM	#27
Thanatos Grunt-o-saurus Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: I Corps Posts: 5,973	More progress... Installed a trigger group into the receiver this morning... had to trim of the corner of the right hand leg of the trigger so that it would clear the extended pivot of the Izzy FAL selector. Almost zero movement of the trigger against the selector... just as I wanted. MUCH less travel with the selector on "safe" than a normal AK-47. Next, used a Sharpie to carefully mark the selector barrel where I needed to cut the groove so that the trigger group would release in the "fire" position. Cut it first with a fiber cut-off wheel on my Dremel, then cleaned it up with a hand file. Took several test fits, filing a bit more each time. Found success with a .040" cut/groove into the barrel of the selector. A little detail clean-up, then the selector will be ready to apply a finish.

06-02-2016, 09:31 PM	#28
2rogers Senior Member Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 3,504	Great project!

06-09-2016, 04:16 PM	#29
Thanatos Grunt-o-saurus Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: I Corps Posts: 5,973	Current state of progress... Have brazed the steel Picatinny rail to the rear sight block... am smoothing out the brazing until it is perfectly smooth, ready to apply the finish to the rifle. Need to do: 1: Thread the muzzle so that a brake can be attached. Have a new style AK-74 brake and adapter from Gun Plumber... waiting for the 14x1.0 LH die to arrive, and the "Threading Alignment Tool" to keep the die square with the barrel while cutting the threads. This Bulgarian barrel was purchased during the time when imported barrels could not be threaded so that those terrorist inspired muzzle attachments could NOT be employed. 2: Raise the front sight until it is square with the rear sight, approximately 1/2". Have located another Bulgarian front sight, will cut and braze sections of the two into one that is the proper height. 3: Install the magazine release lever and spring. NOT looking forward to this... anyone got a "trick" as to an easy method? Has been about 15 years, and it seems a bit more difficult than I remember... 4: Test fire... and then... 5: Disassemble the rifle and send it off to Robar for them to apply the finish. No Brownells AlumiHyde for this rifle... enough time and effort into it to warrant a real finish. {edit to add}... also need to use a drill press to put a couple dimples into the side of the receiver for the detent in the selector, in the "safe" and "fire" positions...