Here is the gyst of what I am interpreting from some of the builders. Keep in mind that this is only my perception of what is going on:
After a few e-mails and a couple of calls to the smiths that I know are capable of building an H.K.
style weapon, I get the feeling that with the complexeties of the stamped metal weapon inherent in the G3 etc as opposed to the straight forward AK style weapon, with it's looser clearances that the smiths would rather pound out 2-3 Aks in a days work than do one G3 style weapon.
It's a matter of economics.
They can thread a hundred barrels a day and be done with them and make as much, if not more than they can fiddling with a G3 for a couple of days and pray that it is aligned and barrel timed just right etc.
It is not my intention to bad mouth these good smiths that are out there trying to make a living.
They are doing exactly what I would be doing if I had to endure 10 years of feel good legislation and were attempting to make a living.
This is their area of expertise and their reputations on the line. I will wait my turn patiently until it is my turn to either have a weapon custom built or buy one from a company like ORF or see if JLD can keep up with demand and still turn out a good product.
It is not my intention to bad mouth these individuals in any way and hope my perceptions are not taken as a flame or a swipe at a good bunch of people.