Luckily I bought one of ten of the original 5.56 AKS-74 M1A1 Bulgarian kits and had it built- to complete spec all the way down to the re-enforcement plate, factory stampings, single hump trigger etc.. I have probably over $3500 in it and was very proud then heard some good news recently that Arsenal has plans to re-release this very rare Ak once more. The original AKS-74 M1A1 is stamped sidefolder 5.56 Bulgarian circa 1996 which was only in production for a few months. The Arsenal BG museum doesn't even have one in their showcase for public display and there are no photos of this weapon on the net except the original factory photo which I can post here.

Anyway- heard that Arsenal may be planning to release the stamped 5.56 model with some minor changes, mainly the sidefolding stock mechanism which was originally an AK74 style, and the front sight which during original production started as a 74 but later was changed to an AKM front sight so as not to confuse the troops in the field etc. Somewhere between the Polish EM and the Russian 101.

If someone can help I can send a picture of the original factory Arsenal AKS-74M1A1 and a picture of mine if interested.

Creeper



 

Post a pic or three...please!  I bought one of those kits about four years ago, I guess and have been wondering what one earth to do with it.  Sell? Build?  Deifinitely build.  What did you use for host receiver?  Who did the build?  What is the finish?  What about factory markings?  More info -- please.  

Send me the pics and I will host them for you..

IM me for my emaill addy..

Mach 6- you better build that rifle. The damn factory museum in Bulgaria doesn't even have one on display. I know because the guy who built my rifle was just there while visiting for Kalashnikov's birthday- he was invited to dine with the man himself. My rifle was built by Ted Marshall, probably the only true AK smith in the country. His builds command the fees he charges because of the accuracy and detail of his work. Down to the machining of the mag well, single hump trigger indentations, special XYX markings, rivet head patterns, detail after detail. He is an advisor for several militaries for their R&D of AK weaponry. Several of his variants have been used in Poland, Bulgaria, Russia.

Also the kit you recieved would have to built by him because the importer did not put all the correct parts together for the kit- they piece mealed several parts and just threw them in because they didn't even know what was supposed to be with it. Only Ted would know which parts were incorrect, my kit had the following parts that were wrong; front sight, rear sight block supposed to be 47 pattern but 1000 meter, bolt carrier, grip re-enforcement plate which the importer left out, selector lever was wrong, topcover, gas tube, and internals which are 74 pattern but have to be used with a retarder (cut down for legality) for the single hump indentation in the reciever. Early pattern used the plum Russian furniture with 74 front sight block to differentiate the weapon against the standard 74 caliber rifle that it looked very similar to, later models used black furniture but had AKM front sights and AKM topcovers yet retained the 74 sidefolder etc. to differentiate. Remember very limited quanities of this rifle were produced- maybe less than a couple hundred ever left the factory but it was the Bulgarian attempt at a stamped 5.56 rifle, they later went to strictly milled on that model.  

Here are some markings I can give you, front sight marked with a crylic (spelling) "N", gas block "4", trunnion double circle code "10", with "24", selector markings are "AB", then "E, crylic N", not the same as the Russian markings at all- Bulgarians use a slightly variant alphabet. Topcover, carrier, bolt, all have last four of serial. Production years not marked for this model. You have to use a modified hammer retarder to work in the single hump indentation of the reciever, a grip re-enforcement plate which also is needed to get proper angle for feeding, the proper bullet feed ramp guide, .

Basically the whole reciever will have to be redone to exact specs, not the other way around that most idiot smiths build which is to fit the parts to the non-spec reciever. Rivets have to be countersunk, and each one has variance of pressure to form the proper rivet head shape. Selector and mag well both stamped for proper military accordance. Honestly I can't describe it all. If you have an e-mail address I would be happy to send you more info.

You can use any reciever but honestly Ted will charge you to re-machine, re-stamp, and re-cut to exact specs since no one makes or imports the proper reciever, not Global, not even Arsenal as they changed the design slightly. I used a pre-89 reciever and the only way you could tell what country it originated is by the markings which were moved to the bottom under the trigger guard. It is to exact spec. etc.

Here are some specifics as well- the AKS-74 M1A1 incorporates both 47 and 74 design into the implementation of the build unlike the AK101 which the Russians use almost exclusive 47 pattern, or the Romanians in their 5.56 rifle use a 74 pattern, and the Polish EM is 74 pattern. The Bulgarians used both for theirs. If you decide to sell your kit let me know- I will take it.

 Creeper

How do you post pics and why can't it just be sent like an e-mail picture?

Creeper,

You upload you picture to a host, i.e. photobucket or imageshare. Or if you have one your personal FTP space. After that you can use the insert image icon when posting and enter the URL of the location where you pic is.

If you need hosting space for your picture, I can upload it for you to my personal webspace. Shoot me an email to [email protected] Coltshorty has offered you to do the same. Small problem to work out and very curious for pics of the rifle.

Regards

Bas

Tagged

Creeper is emailing me pics, and I will host them for him.. I wanna see this real bad...

I remember back when K-Var had some kits that were .223.................did you get it from them? I wish I had bought a couple.........

Here are the pics...

Russian AK101





2nd Generation of the Bulgarian AKS-74M1A1





1st Generation of the Bulgarian AKS-74M1A1 clone.





Another of the above clone





Last one

Very nice, that's a 5.56mm AK that would catch my attention

Terrific! This has been a significant contribution to the forum.  Well done. What was the host receiver?  My kit was the fixed stock version.  I think I will scrounge for a BU folder and make an AKS74M1A1.  I believe the 5.45mm trunion should work with monor tweaking, according to some folks I spoke with tonite.

It's a 7.62 Trunnion on the front, 7.62 AKM Sight block to 1000K on the rear sight not a 74, in fact the only 74 pattern parts are the front sight for the gen 1, the topcover for gen 1, and sidefolding stock.

Host reciever was a Norinco 84s reciever but was completely re-worked. Notice all factory markings were moved under the trigger guard, magazine feed ramp was redone, single hook area with single hump re-done, basically the shell was completely re-worked, even has X Y markings etc. The only way you could tell it apart is the thickness and the factory markings under the trigger guard. Even the mag dimples on the side were re-done. The build fee alone was $1700 to have it re-worked to factory spec, not including parts and donor reciever. This was built before the ban sunset so now days I think I would find a good com-bloc copy for the donor and have Ted re-work it, move all factory markings to the bottom, and add all factory markings to the reciever etc.  

Creeper

Very cool AK! I could kick myself for not getting a K-Var kit when they had them back then..........

Very nice looking weapon

beautifl!

maybe I'm not understanding this, but I've always seen the sling attachment on the buttstock of all later AKs on the other side...

-mark

When this rifle is in production I WILL buy one.

I hope Arsenal produces a copy of the AKS-74M1A1..........If they do, the old Arsenal jar that Templar suggested gets emptied really quick!!!!

Oh hell...........I guess I better double my contributions to the Arsenal jar then...........do you think there will be folders without the fsb and 74 brake?

Quoted: Quoted: I hope Arsenal produces a copy of the AKS-74M1A1..........If they do, the old Arsenal jar that Templar suggested gets emptied really quick!!!! I'm pretty sure that's what they're going to be building......

Either way i will be pleased...........thanks for the info Templar

First thank you ColtShorty14 for helping me get my pics up!!!! The pic of the Gen 2 AKS-74 M1A1 with AKM front sight and AKM topcover is straight from Arsenal BG about seven years ago when they had the kits up for sale- that is the picture that was with the kits!! Funny thing is Arsenal BG doesn't even have a sample of this rare stamped model in their private museum.

Ted Marshall checked when he was there for big K's b-day this past year. He even spoke to their head engineers about my rifle- which they were kicking themselves in the arse for not keeping a few for samples. Luckily he found out what markings were to be on it from his contacts as well as some of my contacts. Who else can build an AK to that degree when they talk to the head engineers of the manufacturers in the country of origin as well as getting a personal invite to Kalashnikov's birthday to dine with the man himself.


Well glad you guys liked my 5.56NATO AKS-74M1A1 Gen 1 with Plum Russian Furtniture and 74 front sights. They used plum furniture on the Gen 1 only because they wanted to differentiate it between their factory 74's but later switched to the AKM front sight on the Gen 2 and kept some plum furniture around then used that on their 74 rifles.

I still have not had the pleasure of taking her to the range but Ted did and said she holds about 1.5MOA with the irons off the bench at 100 meters, not yards. So very pleased to say the least. I got all Code 10 Bulgarian parts for this baby including mags, cleaning kit etc. the one in the picture is a polish EM I believe but not sure. Finding parts was not an easy task but it's good to have connections- Tantal was an amazing source for various parts to correct what the importers improperly left out.  

If you were lucky enough to buy one of the AKS-74M1A1 kits back in the day either the Gen1 or Gen2- and I mean over seven years ago then please do yourself a favor and have Ted Marshall build it- he is the best detailed AK smith in the business. Otherwise cross your fingers and Arsenal does have plans to re-release this bad boy once more.

Creeper

Here are some links so you can see how good these guys are at getting parts and building. Look at Ted Marshall's link to see him out with Kalashnikov himself this past winter. Just cut and paste these links or someone can hyperlink them for me since I'm a tech moron.

Here is a good link to Tantal's Website and Ted Marshall's website. Tantal is an AK guru with a knack for  finding hard to find rare parts and has some really cool links. Ted is by far the best AK smith in the industry and one of a few people I know who travels to com block nations on invitation from their military directors for his R&D work. He builds some nice AK's to say the least.

http://www.tantal.kalashnikov.guns.ru/

http://www.marshall-arms.com/


Here are some old prices- mine required a bit more since it was a complicated build. If you can get a more exact reciever his prices come down but I used a Chi-Com 84s, not exactly com block with a bunch of parts out of the kit that had to be hunted down to replace, Tantal helped us out there since K-Var wouldn't honor something bought so long ago, nor did they have the parts in stock anymore.

Marshall Arms AK Type Weapon Build/Conversion:
$550 Basic Build-Folding stock
$150 Chinese conversion to weld and machine
$ 50 “YXY” and L&R selector reliefs- also half moon pin recess on right side
$ 25 Mag loading ramp in mag well
$ 20 Machine mag well to Russian specs.
$125 Move markings to bottom of receiver
$ 75 Full factory engraving
$ 30 Trigger bumps-double or single whatever needed for Bulgarian
**Duplicate Bulgarian Markings. Metal surfaces parkerized and painted with a high quality enamel paint. All extra pricing for anything just call me.