I have a supply of builds and rivet sets and am ready to do my first build.  However, I have no clue where to use each rivet.  Can anyone help me out?

On the standard ak, you have two long rivets for the rear trunion. When removing the original rivets from the rear trunion you will probably have to drill through them and then remove what's left with a punch.

The other long rivet is for the center support, and it has a spacer that it goes through. This center support rivet has a flatter head than the two rear trunion rivets, which is designed to set on the safety/selector side of the reciever and allow easy selector movement over it. You want to make sure this rivet goes in from the selector side. Which way the other long rivets go in the rear trunion does not matter.

On a standard front trunion you have six rivets, with two of 'em being a swell neck design (in "correct" rivet sets). These two swell neck rivets go in the two rearmost holes on the front trunion (one on each side of the reciever). You may notice that the holes for these (in the front trunion) are countersunk some which is for the swell neck of the rivet.

I have bought rivet sets from various suppliers and some have included regular rivets for these holes as opposed to the swell-neck design. I do not know that it matters if you use either design.

And for the trigger guard you have 5 regular rivets.

I would have to look at an underfolder or sidefolder assembly (and their trunions) to figure out what goes where. I have not done any of them.

I actually have a few builds to this point of riveting in the trunions. I did one with the AGI bucking method and I'm not happy with the way it looks. I am waiting for some rivet jigs to come available before I finish the other kits.

Hope this helps.

Sorry, was thinking about something else.

Quoted: I did one with the AGI bucking method and I'm not happy with the way it looks.

What is the AGI bucking method?

AGI=American Gunsmithing Institute

They have an instructional video on how to build an AK, which includes blueprints for tooling, etc.

Problem is, its more expensive to have their tooling made than it is to buy better tooling offered elsewhere, and I think there are many other options which produce a better build.

AGI uses a "bucking bar" & "bucking block" to do the rivets. You basically are squishing the rivet with a hammer and bar. Requires a second person's hands to do. One of the front trunion rivets they install with the rounded head on the inside of the trunion. IMHO, that is bunk.

I ground flat all my rivetheads on that first build so they all sort of look the same shape. Not as nice as a "factory" rivet look.

They use a hammer instead of a shop press to make the reciever, too. No matter how careful you are in bending with the hammer and bucking bar, you will not have as smooth a finish like what a jig and a shop press will give you. But, you can get really nice & tight bends with the AGI method, which helps in not elongating the trigger hole on the driverside.

I got interested in building, bought the AGI video, started getting tooling made, paid off all the tooling, and then found the various build sites online.

Moral of the story, spend the time researching online & asking questions on forums like this, THEN buy what you think you need.

"Stupid is, stupid does." - Gump

"You gotta be tough to be stupid." - Ugly