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Posted: 4/25/2007 5:18:44 PM EDT
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Screw builds are my choice because that's best for me. I accept that screw build criticism ranges from the aesthetic to the integrity of the attachment and I can understand the aesthetic--screws don't look as original as rivets, but the integrity issue may not he an issue at all. I built a nice Romy G side folder that I sold to a co-worker after he bugged me for a month. He has a place in Virginia where the lucky dog can shoot off his rear porch. He's gone through so much ammo that Dan should send him a Christmas card. Recently, he brought it back for me to install an Ultimak and admitted he hasn't gotten around to cleaning it and just sprayed WD40 into the innards when it "started to act up and get sluggish." I'm guessing 3,000 rounds? Maybe more. Every screw was tighty tight, but I decided to see just how tight. The rearmost screw that attaches down by the mag well has the least amount of threads due to the relative thinness of the trunnion. A T-handled hex driver twisted like a pretzel and the screw didn't budge. Like most screwers, I use red loctite. I also took a tip from the guy at my local tool supply house and bought the loctite pre-treatment. In addition to getting the parts squeaky clean, it coats the screw and hole with some chemical that actually enhances the adhesion. Worked for me. 3.000 rounds isn't all that much compared to an "issue" AK that has gone through the rigors of field combat use, but it's the most I personally am aware of. It speaks well of the screw build. HTH |
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I have two kits sitting in my house waiting to get built as well. These will be my first for the AK47s and my confidence factor is next to zero compared to what i had with my AR15s that i set up the lowers. i thought that one way to maybe make it easier to build would be to go the screw route instead of the traditional way. thanks |
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Any builder whether screw, rivet, or u-drive could write a book on their experiences and recommendations. Much has already been posted and your best bet is to take some time and go to the popular AK forums and do searches on screw builds. You will find personal experiences as well as links to some good instructional postings. Just remember, you are building a firearm, not a model airplane. If you f up the model, it crashes and you say "ah shit." If the firearm crashes you say "ah shit, take me to the hospital!" Here's some general points: Making your own is not always cheaper than buying, especially the first build where you are "tooling up." Screw builds require a drill press. I know, there's lotsa folks who just used a good old hand drill. There's also folks who align the front end of their car with kite string. Screw builds require good drill bits and taps. Use the proper bits (# bits, not inch bits) for 8x32 and 10x32 screws. Spend the extra money for quality taps. You don't need a whole set...just 3--8x32, 10x32 and a 10x32 bottom tap. If you pull the barrel, you won't need the bottom tap. One of the reasons I started screw builds is because I didn't want to pull the barrel. The front trunnion has holes which if drilled out too deeply will cut into the barrel shank. In order to get the most threads in these shallow holes, a bottom tap is used which is intended for situations where the hole is not open on both ends. Unless your budget is held together with a shoe string or you really want to bend a receiver or fool with installing rails and heat treating, buy the correct 100% receiver for your kit. That means No Dak Spud's DCI receiver and maybe a couple week wait, but you'll get a quality receiver with the same number as your kit. If money is not an object, i.e., you have an extra $70, and you haven't demilled your kit yet (that means you haven't ground/chopped/hammered out the rivets), I recommend sending your kit to creatoro0203 who lurks over at akfiles.com. He will completely demill your kit, drill and tap all the holes to include pulling the barrel and deep drilling the front trunnion, and include a full set of quality screws and the all important trigger guard plate which makes things sooo much easier. To me, demilling is like diaper changing. Once you get it down pat there's no need to keep doing it. I demilled my first two kits and sent the next three to creator. Once the build is done and test fired, you must loctite the screws. The most important thing when using loctite is the screw and hole must be squeaky clean. Use q-tips and acetone or better yet the loctite pre-treatment. If you want to make a screw build look like a rivet build, fill the acetone cleaned screw heads with two part putty epoxy and file them smooth. Finish by painting the tops of the screws with a flat black pen stick. Never assume because it functions properly on the bench that it will also work at the range. But if it doesn't function properly on the bench, it most likely won't at the range either. Breaking in your rifle can only do so much. Unless you are a purist (and there's nothing wrong with that), build it with the parts you like even if it means mixing countries or using a part that looks like it came off an AR15. This applies to anything wood, sights, muzzle attachments, etc. Keep it legal. Mind your parts count. A USA magazine counts as 3 US parts. Always keep it with your rifle and when afield or at the range, always keep it loaded. Also always have a friend with a rifle (same caliber) that does not need a USA mag to be legal. That way you can toss him the Yugo/Bulgarian/Polish/Chinese/Azerbijan/Uzbekistan/Bosnian/Russian magazine should the occasion arise. Most importantly, make it fun! HTH |
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