I don't have a factory Arsenal SLR but I'm building a 5.56 AK-74 from Bulgarian kit. The kit included the modern Bulgarian style side rail. The side rail has countersunk holes in it, and at first glance it appears that the holes are intended to take a swell neck rivet with the factory head on the outside, and shop head on the inside of the receiver. However I see that most Bulgarian SLR rifles have a flat head on the outside, but this could simply be a ground-down factory head of a swell neck rivet.

You guys with SLR rifles, could you please take a look at the inside of the receiver on the left hand side and give me an idea of what the side rail rivets look like, as well as the front rivet for the rear trunnion (shared between trunnion and side rail)?

I'm trying to decide if I want to form the shop head on the outside of the rail, and hope that it fills up the countersunk hole, or if I want to go ahead and place a swell neck factory head on the outside, then file down flat as needed.

Thanks

Just after posting this I came across some images of rivets at K-Var, including a flat head swell neck rivet, which I do not have any of. It looks to me like this is the type of rivet intended to be used with this rail. I may either order some or just make my own from some spare swell neck round head rivets.

check akbuilder.com, he may actually have the specific rivets you need. If not, email them and ask if you don't want to make your own.

I ended up having to order a spare set of rivets because I accidentally pushed part of the rear trunnion forward when riveting, requiring a partial demill, so I will end up with enough swell neck rivets of the appropriate length to make my own for the side rail.