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Posted: 10/25/2012 11:14:47 PM EDT
[Last Edit: thirtycal][Edited]
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Someone on a different thread asked me to post, so I thought I'd show the work necessary to convert a Saiga/Legion SGL-31 (from Arsenal) into an AK-74M.
I had to do all of the rear-end metalwork to fit the folding hingeblock and the front latch cutout, drill the latch pin hole, and mill in the 'faux punch press' dimples on the GB and FSB. Then I spot-welded the PG reinforcement plate, welded over some of the unnecessary stampings, and did the rivet work, and then refinished the whole mess. I also needed to clean up some cosmetic issues caused by K-var's use of a huge mallet and 1/8" punch that left small circular pock marks around the magazine latch pivot pin - had to sand down the damaged metal to remove the marks, remove the old pivot pin, and install a new pivot pin (correctly expanding the ends with a "ball-bearing squish" rather than just beating the crap out of it with a punch). Besides the metalwork, it's not a super-hard build, since the SGL-31 is mostly built already - just alot of details. It started off life as an SGL-31: 
Here's how I mark the cuts for the rear trunnion, using layout fluid and a scribe...: 
...After the cuts are made (using a dremel cutoff wheel and hand files): 
Here's the left side after riveting in the rear trunnion - correct Russian flat head rivets...: 
...And the right side - correct Russian flat head rivets, with single formed round head thru rivet: 
...And the inside heads (flat, as I believe would have been the factory rivets, although I'm not entirely sure...) 
Here's how I mark the cuts for the front latch...: 
...And after a bit more drilling and filing: 
Here's the latch pivot, marked and ready to drill...: 
...And here it is step-drilled with the pivot pin installed. Just right (not too deep; just deep enough for the head to lay flat!): 
As for finish work, I blasted it with 70-grit Alox at about 75psi, parkerized everything with Brownell's very good Zinc-phosphate solution, and then sprayed on about 5 very very thin layers of 50/50 satin/flat black Norrell's MolyResin. The key is to keep the metal preheated to a very consistent temp (about 150 seems to work) while applying the paint. This is what 'sets' the gloss level of the paint. The cooler the metal is when the paint hits it, the glossier it will be. A final bake at between 300-320 degrees for 1 hour cures the paint for immediate use. I didn't get too crazy welding up all of the markings - but since I do plan to do the selector markings (someday when I get an engraving machine), I did weld up the 'S' and 'F' markings. I didn't notch in the auto-selector position, but I guess when/if I do the engraving I'll take care of that then. Here's a photo of that just after welding: 
Here's the finished product: 
I couldn't help but put the -103 (bottom) in the shot with the new -74M (top). Brothers in different calibers: 
This was an easier build than the AK-103; the hard part of course is the rear end work (shoulda wiped off my oily fingerprints before taking the photo: 
I hear that TurboThis is doing this folder conversion work for $100! I have no idea how he can do that and make money. This took me about two full days in the shop with nothing but a drill press and some files to get the holes cut and everything riveted. My hat is off to T-this if he can do this is two hours :hail: . Here's the left side - couldn't help but white out that Izzy logo! 
These days it's pretty hard to do anything that hasn't already been done 100x better by Ted, Mario, etc... I really struggled once I saw some of the work Ted had done recently to weld over the GB and FSB pins. I really wanted to try that myself, but since I only have a MIG welder (not TIG), and since I've already tried welding cast steel on other projects (with terrible results), I couldn't bring myself to risk it. So instead I just kinda blended the pins a little but left them visibile. See guys this is why Ted gets the big bucks :wink: . One thing I never finished on the earlier -103, and this new -74M was fitting the correct pivot pin in the rear hingeblock - I had been using a hinge pin I turned myself and it was a loose fit. I finally took the time to correctly ream the hinges to fit the very slightly oversized 5.5mm pins that came with the hinge block kits (oddly, they measured 5.51mm instead of 5.50mm). Now both the -103 and -74M have correct parkerized factory hinge pins and a nice snug, wobble-free fit. That was the last step before I could call both of those rifles "complete": 
Here's what the the metal looks like after an agressive "Izzy-style" Zinc-phosphate (parkerizing) job: 
The reason I post this is because I believe the Zinc park is a key part of how to deliver a convincing Izhmash finish. For some reason the texture/grain of the phosphate seems to affect the overall 'gloss level" of the paint that gets applied over the top of it. If you paint a mirror smooth surface, then you'll end up with an unconvincingly 'glossy' surface once the paint dries. At least thats what happens when you use a paint with teflon in it (like Molyresin or Guncoat I presume). The photo shows a bunch of little crystal reflections in the sunlight. Looks like dust on the metal, but it's not. The photo also shows how quickly parkerized metal will rust - that orangeness near the serial number is the early stage of oxidation that formed less than an hour after taking the metal out of the clear rinse water and drying it in a 150-degree oven. You'll also notice oil at the barrel pin. It never stops coming to the surface; but fortuantely the Norrel's paint isn't bothered by it if you cure the paint correctly. BTW, here's the 'before' photo of the monkey-like mag latch installation procedure (perpetrated by, I'm assuming, the good folks at Arsenal/K-Var) - see the above parkerization photo for the' after I fixed it' photo: 
-Thirtycal |
Thirtycal, you were one of the biggest inspirations for me to build my own AK's. Just recently I was trying to figure out how to rivet in the bullet guide on my Saiga (don't like the drill and tap method) without destroying the rotation rivet and then I stumbled on your method with the hardened pin. Worked perfectly! Thank you for documenting your projects!
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"Nothing says 'come to my tree stand for a good cornholing' more than a Browning Buckmark sticker on your oversized truck." - dport
"Tactical" is a mindset, not an equipment list.
"Tactical" is a mindset, not an equipment list.
You're only making it worse for yourself!
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TN, USA
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I've always thought you were one of the best builders I've ever seen, even more so because you aren't a pro who does it for a living. I haven't seen anyone with the skills and attention to detail that you have just for the sake of the hobby, I've been an admirer for a long time now.
Z |
Снайперская винтовка Драгунова
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Originally Posted By TX-Zen: this for sure! I wish I had your patience. I can do some pretty good conversions, but just fixed stock. I tried once upon a time and failed miserably...I've always thought you were one of the best builders I've ever seen, even more so because you aren't a pro who does it for a living. I haven't seen anyone with the skills and attention to detail that you have just for the sake of the hobby, I've been an admirer for a long time now. Z |
Global Warming Hoax Skeptic before it was cool
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Great thread thirtycal. I'm going to set the toggle on this thread and keep it out of the archives. The green arrow next to the thread title in the forum page. Any time you want to get back to this thread, click on My Topics thirtycal. Everyone else will have to do a search or go to the last pages in this forum to find this thread.
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Selling agent for Algores carbon credit scam.
Shooting and Reloading, one hobby feeds the other.
Shooting and Reloading, one hobby feeds the other.
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Originally Posted By sdrake100:
You do it better than a lot of "pro" builders out there. Thanks for sharing! Well done. You should teach Jim fuller how to do that. The worst retrofit I have ever seen, he personally did. |
I am a slave to my creations.... my image cannot be seen in them, but they bear my heart and soul - evl....
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Originally Posted By BlenderWizard:
And where can I find turbothis? His house. 
http://mygunsnorthwest.com/index.html |
"Nothing says 'come to my tree stand for a good cornholing' more than a Browning Buckmark sticker on your oversized truck." - dport
"Tactical" is a mindset, not an equipment list.
"Tactical" is a mindset, not an equipment list.
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Originally Posted By rhodeislandben:
i would love to a 105 conversion in this detail. Me too  . This started off as a -105 build but after I got all of the parts for it, I ended up not liking the look of the extended break - I can't have SBR in my state - so I gave up on that idea and just built it as a -74M (which turned out to be alot easier obviously).
Originally Posted By rhodeislandben:
#1 legendary home builder.tier one ak dudes make the hobby so much better for all of us.thanks to all of your kind. As for the 'legendary' comment - Ha! Thanks that's probably a bit much but I will say that my key talent is "patience', not necessarily 'skill'. 
-Thirtycal |
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