I realized I am about one step (one part) away from being able to build up a pretty sweet hybrid AK mutant post sample thingy in our shop, and can use some input from the masters of AK knowledge out there.
The goal is a 5.56 AK that has a standard rear trunnion, takes standard AK furniture (not the odd polish front handguard setup), will use a suply of Circle 10 5.56 mags I have in the post, and is a post sample that can fire 3 round bursts and full auto. Also have a combined front sight gas block, going to thread the muzzle 1/2 x 28, and well, you get the idea. Bascially a Beryl without the quirky forend setup.
Where I am currently at is a Century Arms Tantal receiver with front and rear trunnion and trigger guard installed (came that way). trunnion for some odd reason has a 22mm diameter barrel bore hole, Century built I guess...
I have a K-VAR 16" 5.56 AK barrel with a 23mm trunnion journal, and all the rest of the bits to populate it. I can turn the barrel down if needed. I also have a Tantal burst kit, hence why this looks to be an intersting post sample build.
So here is the options I have to finish the build:
I have a spare Galil bolt and AKM carrier
I have a WBP made 5.56 AK bolt and a tantal carrier which I thought would work together, BUT apparently the Polish in their infinite wisdom decided to use a different bolt stem diameter on the 5.56 bolts that is larger than a typical "small stem" AK-74 botl and smaller than a "large stem" AKM bolt.
So I have three paths I figure I can take:
1. Hope to source a 5.56 WBP AK bolt carrier. Only source I know of is Arms of America and they are out of stock (I am reaching out to them to see if they happen to have a blem/used/spare laying around the shop)
2. Hope to source a 5.45 AK-74/Tantal bolt which should work for 5.56 from everything I have ever read, assuming headspace works out. Of course 5.45 bolts have suddenly become unobtanium in the last few months, and/or VERY expensive.
3. Get a Romanian/Hungariam AKM front trunnion which should have the 23mm front barrel journal hole, and also should work with the Galil bolt. This of course is the most radical, and I am wondering if anyone has ever done anything crazy like this, and/or if there will be magazine fitment issues, etc. Front trunnions are easy to source right now, so this seems to be the cheapest and easiest path of least resistance, assuming the front trunnion will actually work and the barrel would headspace out correctly with the Galil Bolt. "Easiest" path right now, but also the one most likely to run into an unexpected hiccup.
Of course Option 4 would be sell the pile of parts, and just get a converted Saiga in 223 and modify to take the burst/full auto selector kit and be done with it quick and easy.
Any advice or thoughts would be appreciated!
Sven
Manticore Arms