AK Sponsor
Posted: 1/20/2007 10:23:37 PM EDT
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Is it really worth it to build your own AK??? I have been looking at kits and it seems for the kit and the receiver it comes out to around $300-350. I just bought a WASR-10 for $350 and it was already assembled. Why would I want to build one? Is it really that much better? Thanks for everyones help! |
Deja Vu..... www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=4&f=51&t=92603 |
You can build one for less than $300 provided you have the needed tools. But even then you could go under $300 probably. Lets figure it out. 1) $99 romy "G" kit 2) 100% receiver from NoDak $55 shipped 3) rivet set $9 4) Century arms compliance kit (FCG, gas piston, PG) $45 5) bolt cutter rivet tool (100% needed tool unless for screw build) $50 6) homemade barrel removal/install tool $15 Those 6 items comes out to be $223, add or take a few $ for shipping costs. So for around $250 you will have a fully functional AK-47. For a first time build (that I have yet to do but planning to do soon) that is the best deal you can find for an AK. Research takes untill you feel satisfied that you could do it (it really isnt all that hard from what I have seen/read). The assembly would probably take less than a day if useing a 100% receiver for a first time build. So not only do you get a good rifle for a low cost, you also get the pleasure of being able to say that YOU built it. That last part is what I am wanting to be able to say. Anyone out there can buy an AK, but how many can really say that they built it with thier own 2 hands? Dont answer that  The ones that can REALLY say that are the ones who make their own receivers from a blank sheet of metal bought at their local metal supply store. Hopefully the kits will be around long enough for me to be able to get close to that part. Should be fine as long as kits minus receiver and barrel cut with all barrel parts comes with it are imported soon like with the Galil and other rifle kits now. But the reason I am building my own is for the pleasure of doing it myself, the total cost of the rifle. I am personally looking at around $300-$350 for my build. It is a yugo m70ab2 underfolder. I have seen alot of underfolders sold completed for at least $500+. |
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As a side note: Going into the garage to work on the gun by myself or with my son is extermely theraputic. I get to leave the silly women (wife and 2 daughters) in the house so I don't get pummled with inane questions and requests, they can watch their damn LifeTime channel shows. It gives me and my son a nice MANLY thing to do together. We learn how to use the tools, and when we are done we have something to be proud of, built with our own hands, mistakes and all. Money can't buy that kind of satisfaction... |
+47/74!!! |
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I think the one thing you guys leave out is the tools required to build an AK. If you have them, then sure it's cheaper to build. But to go out and buy all that is necessary to build one AK would make it way more expensive than buying one. To keep it practical, most people don't have the tools, so if they are going to look at a kit then they have to keep in mind how much is it going to cost to buy the receiver (either already folded or flat) and then send it off to someone to put together and finish. This is what it costs, roughly: Kit: anything from $99-$300 (just depends on what you're looking for and quality). Receiver: about $65-$100 G2 kit: $35 Having it put together and putting on a finish: $200-$250 (can be up to $300 if they need to add parts) Keeping it on the cheap end would put you around $450 for a gun. For the OP: One thing to keep in mind. Going this route is a bit more expensive, but you'll have a higher quality rifle vs. the WASR. Plus, if you can actually pick your kit (visually) you can get exactly what you want. |
Look at my previous post. That is costs to me to finish build. This is my first build so I dont have any of the tools needed. I have listed the prices for the tools that I will need. You dont NEED a 12 ton press to do a build. And if you send it off to someone to build it for you then yes, it will cost alot. All you really need are the home-made barrel removal/install tool (cost of less then $15 for materials), the bolt cutter rivet tool if useing rivets, and maybe 30 min and $5 to modify a slab of steel for a rtrigger guard rivet tool. If useing a $99 romy G kit you can fully assemble the rifle without any of those expensive tools for around $200-250 final cost. Just because there are people who sell those expensive jigs and tools doesnt mean that they are 100% needed to do a build, there is plenty of things you can do to improvise. |
You're right Hydrosonic, I kind of glanced over your post, my bad. One other thing came to mind that I wanted to comment on, is that unless you really understand how to actually build an AK you can fuck it up in the works. There have been a couple of members that have tried making their own and screwed them up. If you screw it up you're either out a receiver, or possibly the kit, depending on what you do. |
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This is also a valid point. But with any DIYer every mistake is knowledge gained so not always a loss. You would also be surprised at how much can be learned just from reading articles and other peoples posts about building AK's. Everything that I know now I have learned either from here or reading stuff on the net. It is suggested that you learn as much as you can about building an AK before you actually do it. BTW, in my post that had price estimates there would be a couple of other tools that would be needed, but hose can be rented or borrowed from friends fairly easy. For removing the old rivets a drill press is highly recomended to be used so you dont egg the trunnions. You can buy a tabletop drill press for around $50 or rent one for roughly $10 a day or something like that, or even maybe a local metal shop woul let you use thiers or drill out the rivets for you for a small fee. There are many ways around shelling out hundreds of $$$ to do just a couple of builds. I plan on building as long as the kits and money allow. Once they start selling kits with nothing but "virgin" barrels is probably when Ill stop building seeing as how with "virgin" barrels you would have to do everything to the barrel, other than rifleing, youself or have someone do it for you. Right now you can do builds cheaply, in the near future that may not be the case. |
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i'm about to do one with U-drives, all i've needed so far was a hammer and dremel. I've got other stuff at my disposal- but the u-drives really simplify things. Since rivets are only for shear strength anyway- i the udrives fit the bill, and are much easier to install with the same cosmetics. way easy. i'm doing a romy g kit on a nodak receiver- i'm in for about 250 i think once all is said and done, and it's going to be BEAUTIFUL. i've refinished the wood with excellent results using a tutorial from the BIY board, and am going to duracoat it. well worth it, IMO- but i'm a hands on guy. if you do home/auto repairs with a checkbook then it's probably not for you- ymmv. |
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