OK guys - I'm a long time AR15 guy that has had 1 MAK90 for about 12 years and put maybe 20 rounds through it.

It has a very large thumb hole stock, long barrel and a permanently attached bipod.  The furniture is a dark brown color.

I have been thinking about adding a pistol grip.  Can you tell me how this is done properly? Do I need to buy a US made parts kit? I have researched the site and read 10 US parts, 6 US parts etc etc.  I'm confused.   Any help would be great.

Get a U.S. stock set and a U.S. trigger group. This will give you 6 parts which only 5 should be needed but 6 wont hurt and will allow you to thread the muzzle and put on a non U.S. break if you choose. Other things to think about are slant cut norinco receivers may be more difficult to find a stock for check out ironwood stocks. Not all Norincos are slant cut but alot are. Also is it milled or stamped? If its milled your only gonna need 4 U.S. parts or 5 with a break.

Excellent info - thank you!

Stamped receiver and it is not a slanted version.  

Now let me throw this at you - being fairly handy with wood work, when I look at the stock and place a straight edge on it I dont think I would have any problem simply removing the thumb hole portion, sanding it and refinishing it.  I gues my work wouldn't count as US made would it?  Anyway - just a thought, I guess I better buy the proper parts and keep the receipts.  Thanks again.

MAK90 I had was one of the first.

It was a stright stamped - I converted everything over using TAPCO.com

They got a great price, and even though mine was a good shooter - it's got a smoother trigger with the G-2 set you get from them.

With a bipod I am betting he's got the National match one with a lil longer barrel with a milled receiver...

Regardless check out tapco - although the folding stock did break on me - I returned it - and they sent a new one out 4 days l8r - no questions asked :)

Check and see if you barrel end cap at the FSB has a cap over threads.  Mine did - but the detent/flash hider retainer was still there!

You can get a threaded AK flash hider from bushmaster for only $9.95 as they are on sale - you can carefully grind out the tig wled that holds it on - and even better is the flash hider is also USA made and counts as a additional compliant part!

Best of luck - btw send pictures of it with stock off, and the muzzle and I will try and offer you any info I know - also lots of AK info at redstararms and k-varcorp - just google them for a link.

Best of luck!

Quoted: MAK90 I had was one of the first. It was a stright stamped - I converted everything over using TAPCO.com They got a great price, and even though mine was a good shooter - it's got a smoother trigger with the G-2 set you get from them. With a bipod I am betting he's got the National match one with a lil longer barrel with a milled receiver... Regardless check out tapco - although the folding stock did break on me - I returned it - and they sent a new one out 4 days l8r - no questions asked :) Check and see if you barrel end cap at the FSB has a cap over threads.  Mine did - but the detent/flash hider retainer was still there! You can get a threaded AK flash hider from bushmaster for only $9.95 as they are on sale - you can carefully grind out the tig wled that holds it on - and even better is the flash hider is also USA made and counts as a additional compliant part! Best of luck - btw send pictures of it with stock off, and the muzzle and I will try and offer you any info I know - also lots of AK info at redstararms and k-varcorp - just google them for a link. Best of luck!

you're right on track - it's the National match version with the extra long barrel.  
it is straight stamped though.

You mention the barrel end cap - I have looked at that thing for years and wondered if it was threaded under there - it has a detent pin that wont budge that looks like it is keeping the cap from turning if it is in fact threaded.  WOW great info - thank you

OK the cap - first it's left handed threaded...

Second - you are looking at about 3/4 tig welded all the way around - and the detent wont budge cause its about 90% all the way pushed in!

Yes you can do this - invert - and ever so carefully using a fiber type cut off wheel - the good ones on a dremel - cut ever so slowly. - keep mostly to the cap side and straight up and down to the front sight block.

I didn't hurt my threads at all - and its way in - btw - tape up as much of the FSB as you can so if/when the weel jumps out it doesnt scratch it up like mine hehe

OK - listen - remember to remove you act like normal tightening k?

get it down a good amount - look at the front and see the thickness - then guestimate - and all on the weld cut - but not too deep

Using vice grips - lock on to the thread cap - and make sure the front sight block is locked into a good vice - or somebody has a good grip on it with a big pipe wrench... - be careful - it will snap off when ground down and close enough - but dont force it!

a dremel has a thin cutting wheel and generates little heat - and if careful - it will fit perfect - any extra weld can be touched off using wheel like grinder - but get a $9.95 flash hider soon - I think they are going to stop carrying them - left handed ak thread ?

its a pain and I slowly picked at mine for like 2 days - but taking your time is best way

on replacing the trigger group - it's a pain with the shppards crow - which holds the pins in - don't remove it - you don't have to!

get the kit g-2 perfect fit - then take like a flat - see how the sheppards crow pushes this way on each pin - theres onnlt 2 - apply a lil pressure and knock it out with a punch/should go easily by hand - no hammer needed - also you can do either - no order - but hammer with spring is a pain - you CAN take hammer out by turning it and spring sideways - and you can replace it same way.

once switched out - oil all good before installing - place spring ends back over the rear same as it was - check to make sure clear - and test function - way smoother :)

L8r

Oh yeah - when putting back the trigger grp - and hammer pins - do same thing with flat screwdriver - push inside receiver down on it, so the pins go in easy - you will see what I mean - and theres no need for a hammer.

They really welded on the caps - but good thing is the threads are perfect under there - cause bead is down nicely on mak90's

the piston is a pain - and with the flash hider and stock and pistol grip - it will be enough parts to not need to do - redstararms has a great walkthrough on it though :)

man - thats sounds scary.

let me see if I have this right.  

You cut between the cap and the FSB all the way around including cutting through the detent pin?  And you guesstimated the depth to cut?  Then when you got on it with the vice grips it twisted off the remaining steel that you didn't cut through and then it un screwed the rest of the way?  man - you are braver than I am.  Thanks for the detailed info - if I get up the nerve i will give it a go this weekend and update. Maybe I should send it to a pro that does this stuff for a living.

OMG dont cut the detent pin! you need it!  plus its on the top - the weld should be at like 2 o clock and like 10 o clock - roll it over - cut weld

Look I will try and send ya pics, I hate things like caps - so for me it was do or cut lol

But if you have seen the end - you would know the threads are way in there - its not a problem really.

your staying on the wled - SVAE detent - protect it!

Your trying to make it so you don't cut all of weld, but enough so you snap rest clean off - it was easy - what state you in?

ok looking from front its kinda like this

                         ***
                       *      *  <-------the barrel threads have more clearance then this in center of
                         ***                    the lower circle which is the cap
                       Detent is up here
and the cap is like
                    *****
   ---->      *           * weld starts here or so and goes around to other side
                **           **
                  *           *
                    *****

OK pictures - I will get ya pictures - I just want it to go smooth for ya :)

Man I really appreciate your help but listen to this.

I just got the rifle out and this is what I have

The thread cap and barrel are flush at the crown

The detent pin that is on top and protruding out from the FSP is loose and almost falling out.
There are absolutely no weld spots - it looks like it is glued on or something - but they sure didnt weld it on.  When you look at it, it looks as if the detent pin is the only thing keeping the cap in place.