I remember years (decades?) ago there were a lot of threads on building AKs with screws or, more technically correct, bolts.  Can anyone give more info on that such as size, length, etc?

Thanks

So.... no?

I saw the thread about U-Drive bolts.  Whoever was selling the kit in EE is long gone, thought I can probably put one together from the info.  I am kinda iffy about barrel trunnion, though.

Screw builds were big during the days of already populated barrel kits and lack of commercially viable build tools. With the price/availability of kits today and the sheer amount of tools available to do a correct rivet build; there's essentially no reason to do a screw build anymore.

If you have an old kit with the barrel already in the front trunion and with a proper bolt for headspace. Screw builds work.

I have done several and they all work like rivets. Screws are actually stronger than rivets

I used 10-32 button head allen screws, for the front and rear

For the trigger I used #6 or #8 I cant remember with a nut on the rear and two plates that I tapped for the front.

After I put everything together and tested I used red loctite, then filled the allen heads with JB weld and sand to match the rounded head. I do remember that the rivet by the safety, I had to make the head smaller for it to fit right. I chucked the screw in a drill and ran it on a file till it was the correct diameter

Thanks for the info.  I take it I'll need to drill/tap the trunnions, then.

yes I found that I could press out the barrel pin and remove the barrel from the trunion with a gear puller and reinstall the barrel with angle iron and all thread.

I did this with only a hand drill and a dremal tool and a 6" vise

Pulling the barrel makes it easier the remove the old rivets and tapping the trunion. Otherwise you would have to get a taper tap to start then finish with a bottom tap.

I can see how you remove barrel pin and the barrel.  How did you reinstall the barrel with angle iron?

Also, for center support did you run a bolt through it or just the ends.  Looks like hammering down the rivet is doable without special tools.

For removing the barrel pin I used a old gas piston that I filed to the correct diameter. On the other side I used a nut that I shaped to match the tunion, with the pin going through the center on the nut. Put it all in the vise and squeezed away. Once the pin starts you can hammer it out.

Gear puller to press the barrel out of the trunion. Using pennys to protect the barrel face.

For reinstalling the barrel. I used 3 all threads 2 -5/8" and a 1/4" down the barrel. This was for a 7.62 barrel.

I cant find my rig or fully remember, if the fitted the trunion to sit flat on the angle iron. Basically 3 hole in a row. Pennys make cheap barrel protectors. Use the center to start then turn the sides one like a 1/2 turn at a time until the pin hole lines up reinstall pin.

Putting the barrel in the freezer overnight helps


Renting a ball joint press like this from Auto parts store would work instead of the vise. You would have to fit and make some of your own tools.

I bought a screw build with a 70s Romy G kit, with original barrel, for $300. Have a heat treated 80% receiver, scope rail and rivet kit.
A buddy went to the Rifle Dynamics AK build school and is willing to help me rebuild it.
Another buddy will install a gas adjustment screw and Cerakote it.
Have a couple of furniture sets, a WASR 10 set and an Atlantic orange fakelite (LOL) set.
Also have a Primary Arms Gen 3 3x Prism ACSS for it that I intend to mount with an RS Regulate mount.
At the muzzle I'll use a thread adapter for a Silencerco brake so I can go quieter.
It'll be a little modern, a little traditional.

Screw builds are garbage. There is absolutely no excuse to do this anymore. The information and tooling is available. Do it right.

If you're going to remove the barrel you might as well use rivets.  It's not too hard, I've done it with garage tools and no experience.  Just be patient, take your time and read / research a lot.  People on this site and others helped me and taught me a lot and the rifle came out great.  

My first kit was a screw build and after that I learned about rivets.

I love screw builds. I have done rivet builds just to be traditional. My go to AK is a Yugo 70 with screws. Works just fine. I removed the barrel and threaded the trunnions. I used metric Allen head screw (6mm I think) . The advantage I liked was I Cerakote my guns. I can do this and the parts get fully coated. Then I assemble.

I’ve done screw builds and u drives, at least five or six and all have been solid. Still have 4 or 5 barreled kits in boxes somewhere....... back when kits were like $100. I remember buying some for as low as $79 as they had some florist on them.

I built a couple of the Hungarian AMD-65's in a screw method build back in 2004 when that was the only way I could do it. Those rifles have since been taken apart & rebuilt with new receivers & rivets instead of screws. They are worth more & are a proper build instead of a screw build attempt. Since then, I have built many more kits, but never a screw build again since then. I did use red locktite on the screws so that they wouldn't unscrew, but had to heat them red hot to remove them. I used a spot welder to heat just the screw so as not to remove the heat treat from any original parts. Live an learn.