The UK's Finest Independent Forum for Shooters and Gun Owners. Est 2010.

As long as the gas block hasn't been fitted to a S5 weapon it's fine. You don't need to weld it up, just don't drill the barrel.

There has been a some "relaxing" of the sec5 parts thing but I think you would be lucky to find an RFD that would be prepared to source all the required parts for you......I could be wrong but it would be a lot of work and the end result would only be as good as the person putting it together.As the barrel is pressed into the front trunnion and the rear sight block, gas block and front sight all pressed on and pinned there is quite a bit of scope for bending the barrel on an AK build, lots of folks in the States have bent barrels or fitted sight blocks/gas blocks/front sights that are canted.
Various tools can be made to do the riveting (modified bolt-cutters are quite popular) but again it is easy to make a mess of it, especially if the receiver blank needs drilling etc.

While it is easy to think "it's an AK" not all AKs are created equally.....if for example you sourced a complete bolt assembly you would need to know if it was from an AK-47 pattern rifle or an AKM pattern rifle or indeed an AK-74 pattern rifle (all different!) , is it Russian,Romanian,Polish,Chinese etc and will it fit the bolt carrier you sourced (again all very similar but subtlety different) etc.The other problem is a barrel......I believe that in the States parts kits do not come with the original barrel, the original barrels are often gas cut and the gas block etc are sometimes supplied on the barrel stubs, so either a newly made US barrel would have to be sourced (without a drilled gas port) or you'd have to find a barrel maker over here that would make a new one to the correct dimensions....and don't forgot that the barrels on factory built straight-pull AKs are already chrome lined, handy when shooting corrosive Berdan primed milsurp.

Other members on here will have more of an idea regarding the importing side of things parts-wise but as I said I think it would be a real headache to source everything and build it......believe me I've thought about it as I would love an AKM built on an original 1960's part kit myself.

Have a peruse of the site below, it will give you an idea of what a US parts kit includes and what tools and jigs etc are used....

http://ak-builder.com/index.php

And you won't be able to import any Russian or old Russian federation/Soviet made parts until the DTI start liking them again.

Mattnall wrote:And you won't be able to import any Russian or old Russian federation/Soviet made parts until the DTI start liking them again.

I've got loads of stuff from Russia such as AK and Dragunov handguards/stocks, spare trigger springs etc, optics and other items despite the sanctions, it is primarily new products direct from JSC KalashnikovConcern and JSC Tulsky Oruzheiny Zavod (Tula Arms Plant) that are sanctioned so older stuff from private sellers isn't really a problem.....incidentally and somewhat surprisingly Vyatsko-Polyanskiy Mashinostroitelniy Zavod, more commonly known as "Molot" and producers of the Vepr-12 shotgun and RPK squad support weapon etc, aren't on the list of sanctioned companies.

Some really great information thanks folks, looking at that site there does seem to be a lot more differences between different nations manufacturing than I was expecting. I wonder if the Molot people are not best mates with Vladimir Putin or they have just fallen through a gap?

Also when you buy parts from a private individual do you need to go through a RFD for everything or just for the pressure bearing? bits, bolt, barrel, receiver, trunnions anything else?

You can but face to face from an individual as long as you have an open slot for the pressure bearing part on your FAC, they enter it on accordingly and you will both need to advise your firearms department of the acquisition/sale. Going through an RFD makes it marginally easier as the parts can be shopped to him to save you trecking across the country.

I have been looking into a diy gun myself, but still have much research to do.

If I were to make my own bolt action for example, I assume I would need an open slot on my licence for each part (ie bolt, action and barrel) as well as for a rifle (also I assume each part needs the calibre attached?

Also I've been told that when building the parts you can build it to about 90%, then have an fao come round to do the last cuts and have them write it onto your licence , is this correct or is there a different way to do this? (As the wait for visits from my fao take several mo th usually)

Before I was an RFD I discussed a build with my FEO so he and the office was aware and asked him at what stage things should go onto my FAC and his rather cryptic answer was 'Only you can know that'

Best thing is have a chat with your licensing team.

deciduousedan wrote:Also when you buy parts from a private individual do you need to go through a RFD for everything or just for the pressure bearing? bits, bolt, barrel, receiver, trunnions anything else?

I wouldn't buy any pressure bearing parts from a private individual.....strange packages from Russia will surely get you on someones "watch" list!.

A guy in Ukraine that I got some Soviet AKM handguards and a stock from sent me an email asking if I would be interested in 150 Soviet-era AKM's direct from Arsenal storage that he needed to shift for $200 USD each if I had the lot and arranged shipping!!!......I very quickly sent him a polite but firm email pointing out the finer points of UK firearms law and and a very definite No Thank You in big letters!!!.