I picked up a fixed stock Legend off Gunbroker, that some previous owner had defiled by doing the following:
- Replaced the factory furniture with an ATI Fiberforce stock set
- Removed the lower stock tang by drilling the rivets, to accomodate the Fiberforce stock
- Removed the rear sight and spring, replaced them with a rail
- Removed the muzzle nut, replaced with a 74-style muzzle brake, which was 14x1 LH threaded, and secured by a set screw
- Removed the cleaning rod
Someone also fired the rifle with corrosive ammo, it appears, and didn't clean it afterward
, as the bolt carrier, from where the piston screws in, to where the part of the carrier that's visible in the ejection port when the carrier is forward begins, was covered in a carbon/surface rust coating. There was also surface rust in the gas tube and gas block. Thankfully, the chrome lining in the barrel and on the piston protected them. Also, I guess luckily, the previous owner didn't maim the rifle in any other way. All of the metal is in great shape.
I have the parts coming in today to restore it to its original appearance. Since it was already a 'Franken-Legend' when I got it, I wasn't concerned about spending a lot to get authentic Chinese parts. I just want to make it look like an AK-47 for a reasonable additional cost.
My first question is about the wood. I'm getting a Bulgarian milled wood set, that is supposed to have the checkered PG and all the metal. I'm planning to refinish the wood to make it look as close as I can to the dark color all of the fixed stock Legends I've seen have. I'd appreciate any recommendations on how best to approximate this color.
My other question is about installing the new lower tang. I have to remove the rest of the existing rivets, then drill the part of the tang that goes inside of the receiver. This should be pretty straightforward, but I don't have a press to crush the new rivets that come with the new tang. If anyone has any suggestions for a low-tech, low cost solution, I'd appreciate it.
For reference, here's what the rifle looked like when I got it:
http://home.comcast.net/~msu89dawgs/legend.jpg