Anyone dealt with bent-metal?  I hear cold steel is good, but its considerably more expensive and, from what i hear, slow on delivery.  What about bent metal?  DOesn't have the dimples, but I can do those easily.  I'd like to hear some feedback on both of these companies.  Thanks!

I received a Coldsteel RPK receiver today.  As noted on their website it took 4weeks from the time of order to delivery. It sure is a solid receiver.  Seems very well made.  I think it was worth the wait.  I slipped my front trunnion into the front of the receiver.  It appears to need very minor fitting.  OAL was 10.25" so there should be no need to trim it.  It came with a schematic type blueprint and a template, along with some other literature.  I'm not going to use the template.  I will lay out the location of the various holes according to the print.  That way will be more accurate than the template. Don't have to worry about stretching the template and getting the holes off center. Now I need to find a 7mm. and a 5mm. drill bit for the hammer and trigger pin holes.
I can't help you with the bent metal receiver.

the std ak .050 balks I received have needed trimmed in all cases, but the bends were very precise and width was exact. only top rail trimming was necessary after building. Btw, shipping was awesomely fast, as I sent the money order out and received the blanks exactly 6 days later..FWIW

Quoted: It came with a schematic type blueprint and a template, along with some other literature.  I'm not going to use the template.  I will lay out the location of the various holes according to the print.  I can't help you with the bent metal receiver.

Was this a good quality print, ie one of the reverse engineered ones around here, was it a military drawing, or what?  At this point i think a high quality print that I can trust more than those I've downloaded would make me go with them.  I'm am uneasy about using a reverse engineered print since the tolerances are so open, I want the nominal dimensions.  

I vote for bent-metal.com  of course I'm biased

Robert Ibe

Bent - Metal +1. Quality product, excellent customer service.

joedoran

Essentially, the template was only a sheet of paper.  Nothing I would want to use as a template.  There is a print with the dimensions given from the rear of the receiver and the top of it. Since  this is a .064 receiver I feel that the template will not give me the correct  placement if affixed to the receiver. I would rather measure and mark the locations of the holes. As far as the trunnion holes, I locate them when the trunnions are in the receiver itself and then drill them.  I don't know if the prints are reverse engineered.  In any case, I have an original Maadi ARM receiver to use to double check, in addition to the Global Trades receivers.    

BentMetal....made a great RPK with one.

does the bent-metal blanks have the dimples in the mag well pre stamped?
anyone have a picture of their blanks? i dont see any pictures on their website.