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What do I need to finish my parts kit?

Every person will have a different list of items due to the fact that there are so many different 922r parts that can be used to make up the seven total needed.

The first thing you need to know is that

  • Parts kits do not come with receivers, receiver flats or 80% blanks.
  • Parts kits do not come with new rivets to assemble the kit
  • Parts kits do not come with instructions to assemble

Here is the short list before getting into the details.

  1. Receiver
  2. Rivets
  3. 7 total USA 922r parts

Yes, that sounds easy doesn't it?  Well it is once you decide the way you want it to look when you are finished.

RECEIVER

So starting with needing a receiver you need to figure out if you which avenue you want to persue. 

  • We do not sell 100% complete receivers.
  • We do sell receiver flats
  • We do sell 80% bent blanks

If you are buying a 100% receiver you do not need a center support.  If you buy a receiver flat or bent blank you need a center support.  When buying a center support match the center support to the thickness of the receiver.

  • If you are buying a receiver flat you will need tools to bend the flat and weld the bolt guide rails in.
  • If you are buying a 80% bent blank the main hammer, trigger, center support and trigger guard holes need to be drilled.  Tools will also be needed to weld the lower bolt guide rails.
  • If you buy a 100% receiver the rails will already be welded in the receiver as well as having the center support installed.

So now you have looked at the choices for the receiver that doesn't come with a parts kit.  Depending on what state you live in and how many you want to build yourself you need to decide what route you want to take. 

Tools needed to get your receiver built from a flat:

  • Flat bending die
  • Spot welder or MIG/TIG
  • Spot welding lower tong
  • OPTIONAL - Rail Alignment Fixture
  • Riveting tool for center support

Tools needed to turn your 80% bent blank into a useable receiver:

  • OPTIONAL - Blank drilling fixture
  • 5/32" Drill, 5mm Drill, 7mm Drill 7/32 Drill, Dremel Tool
  • If not using our drilling fixture to drill hammer/trigger pin holes undersized drills are reccomended and reaming to 5mm and 7mm afterwards.  Drilling holes in sheetmetal with a regular drill bit makes a triangle shaped hole.
  • Spot welder or MIG/TIG
  • Spot welding lower tong
  • OPTIONAL- Rail Alignment Fixture
  • Riveting tool for center support

Rivets or Screws

I'm more into trying to get people to build their AK's to look better than store bought or backyard builds so I will always say to use rivets.  But... if you are only going to build one, don't have a big bank account and don't care if it looks like original then it might be a better option as far as money goes.  I've had customers say they had screws back out even using Loctite and ended up welding the screw head to the receiver.  One of the other drawbacks is how the receiver is dimpled into the trunnion to help lock it in place when riveted originally.  Try taking a receiver stub and front trunnion with the rivets removed apart by sliding the trunnion forward.  It can't be done since the two holes at the magwell are physically locked with the receiver sheetmetal.  On Bulgarian AK74's four of the front trunnion rivets are countersunk for this purpose.

Tools needed for a totally riveted AK:

  • Barrel press kit for removing and installing the barrel
  • Riveting tool for front trunnion, rear trunnion and center support
  • Trigger guard riveting jig

Tools needed for a screw build:

  • Use a good 10-32 tap not junk from the hardware store or Lowes/Home Depot/Menard's
  • LocTite
  • Allen wrench

922r and you

Once upon a time AK's used to be able to be imported as semi autos and everybody was happy.  Then they magically turned evil and started scaring politicians.  So part of turning fear into law gave birth to the  18 USC 922r.  I'm sure we all were safer then... ok, maybe not. 

Ok, this will only apply to our beloved AK's and I'm only going over stamped receivered ones since that's what parts kits we sell.

The simple way to look at 922r is that you need 7 US made parts.  I get all kinds of calls about people thinking they need 10.  The law says no more than 10 import parts.  An AK that accepts a screw on muzzle attachment has 17 countable parts.  If it has no threads then it only has 16 countable parts.  So the math is easy now 17-10=7 or 16-10=6.

There are countable parts that are not made in the US due to the prohibitive cost of manufacturing in the USA.  I will just go over the parts that are easily bought from any source right now.

  • Barrel - All of our kits come with a US made barrel
  • Muzzle attachment
  • Bolt
  • Bolt Carrier
  • Gas Piston
  • Pistol Grip
  • Hammer
  • Trigger
  • Disconnector
  • Magazine (3 parts are countable mag body, follower and floor plate)
  • Front Handguard
  • Buttstock
  • Receiver
  • Front Trunnion

With that list in mind you can decide which parts to replace. 

Here is a small section FAQ info (I'm leaving out the question part)

  • A standard US made trigger group counts as three parts unless stated otherwise.
  • The front handguard set only counts as one part (I would assume the lower is what counts)
  • Rivets, center support, rear trunnion and trigger guards do not count (notice they weren't in the list above?)
  • Modifying an import part doesn't make it US compliant
  • Pistols do not need 922r parts