While working part time in a local shop, I jumped at the chance to pick up my first Chinese AK at a good price.  I was even more happy to discover that it is a straight cut receiver.  My AK experience up until this rifle has been primarily with  my SAR-1 and SGL31 so, I have a few questions.
1) Do any shops offer welding up the fangs on the FSB for the bayonet and the loop for the cleaning rod on the gas block?
2) If I have to replace the FSB and GB to get a bayonet lug and cleaning rod, are there Chinese units around and/or are the Bulgarian '47 components I've seen around workable for this application?
3) As far as compliance w/o threading, do I just need 5 pieces to ditch the thumbhole stock?(I just got a PolyTech blonde stock in from Finland that's itching to be installed )



I'll post more pics later when I get farther along with the conversion.

1: i don't think so. :(

2: yes there are chinese gas blocks and front sight blocks available... the bulgarian ones are way cheaper though. Yugoslavian m64/m70 gas blocks and front sights will also fit.

3: without a threaded barrel you only need 5 u.s. parts. I'd recomend trigger group, pistol grip, and a magazine follower. That would be the cheapest. If you want to use a special pistol grip you can always swap the gas piston i guess.

NOS PolyTech blonde stock arrived from Finland and needs a bit of inletting by the trunion for a proper fit. Also picked up a blonde PolyTech crosshatched pistol grip but, my grip screw is too short and won't reach the block the the receiver.  Does anyone have a source for the long Pistol grip screw other than K-Var?  They are kinda high on shipping.....

After that, swapping in the G2, using US floorplates&followers and I'll be in business.

ETA-the std length grip screws are too short(the one from the ban-era thumbhole is even shorter). I think I need at least 4.5"
.

Cope's carries them too, $3.99 - not sure on the shipping.  Listed under "Polish Tantal grip screw".

i think shipping from copes is always $9.99. It was that  for 2 30round mags i ordered and the a butstock cleaning kit i bought a week later...

Yep - I think you're right.  I grabbed a few things during one of their "free shipping" episodes - usually around a holiday.  Labor Day is in a few weeks, if a guy wants to wait and see if they do it again.

I'm in the market for the Chinese hooded FSB and GB as well.  Anybody have a source?


 

They are hit or miss.

SKSman.com has Type 53 chinese front ends:
Its not the closed front sight, but it is chinese spec, and it is threaded. Will accept Type 1 bayonets; This is what I got for my MAK-90
http://www.sksman.com/part/AK%20parts1.php

I'd love to see how this turns out. I have it's twin brother!

So did you strip the parts off the assembly, or did you completely dismantle and rebarrel your MAK-90?  Got pics?


 

You can find those same barrel assemblies for $125-$150 on gunbroker and other forums. Basically, both the Chinese and the Bulgarians copied the Russians when it came to Type III pattern rifles. So only a hardcore collector will notice the difference between a Chinese gas block and a Bulgarian. The FSB is a little tricky since Chinese FSB's are like the Bulgarians, but they're hooded. Since this is for a Mak-90 I would just go with the Bulgarian parts since they're the least exspensive. Spending a bunch on original Chinese parts for a Mak is a little fruitless from a retail point since no matter how many hard to find parts you get it still won't be worth as much as a 56S or its pre-ban brothers.

I just put the whole barrel assembly, minus the rear sight trunnion piece in my MAK.

pics?

Before the barrel swap, next to its bakelite cousin.