Do they use a gun or a press or something else?  Is there a prefered method?

12ton+ press and Plinker's jig are the best I've seen.  You'll need another jig to do the trigger guard, but akbuilder.com can set you up.  Air tools are a bit too tough to control, and hydraulic squeezers are too cumbersome/pricey.

take care,
Tec

+1 on plinkers jig... I don't have mine yet but I have seen some rivets done with one and it absolutely does a fantastic job...

quarterbore.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=235#235

Quoted: 12ton+ press and Plinker's jig are the best I've seen.  You'll need another jig to do the trigger guard, but akbuilder.com can set you up.  Air tools are a bit too tough to control, and hydraulic squeezers are too cumbersome/pricey. take care, Tec

That address takes me to a construction website.  Are you sure it is akbuilder.com?

www.ak-builder.com/ak/trigger_jig.htm

This is a jig you can build or skip....

Quoted: Do they use a gun or a press or something else?  Is there a prefered method?

I guess it would depend on the type of equipment and tools you have access to.  Using a metal welding table in a maintenance shop, I laid the receiver on one side and used a pin punch through the top and set the rivets on the bottom.  Then I flipped the receiver over, moving it close to the edge of the table, and used a modified c-clamp to set the other side.  I notched the head of the clamp to fit inside the receiver, and welded a short stud on the end to bear down on the rivet shaft.  Worked great.

Quoted: Then I flipped the receiver over, moving it close to the edge of the table, and used a modified c-clamp to set the other side.  I notched the head of the clamp to fit inside the receiver, and welded a short stud on the end to bear down on the rivet shaft.  Worked great.

I'm having trouble picturing this... can you post  a picture of your modified c-clamp?

Quoted: Quoted: Then I flipped the receiver over, moving it close to the edge of the table, and used a modified c-clamp to set the other side.  I notched the head of the clamp to fit inside the receiver, and welded a short stud on the end to bear down on the rivet shaft.  Worked great. I'm having trouble picturing this... can you post  a picture of your modified c-clamp?

Yes I can, glad to do it...I'll have to retrieve it from work, and I'll snap a couple and post it.  Give me a day or two.