replacing furniture on an AK

[brucin 923]

Does anyone have any experience replacing the stock pistol grip and fore end on an AK? It looks relatively straight foreword. Some of the parts I've been looking at say may require fitment. I'm pretty handy so I'm trying to find out if I would need any special tools or could I get by with a Dremel and a drill press.

[Ian S 22]

Sandpaper should do it.

I mean the pistol grip is held on with a bolt up through the bottom of the grip and a nut dropped through the bottom of the receiver. Shouldn't be any fitment there. Stock has a couple screws, take them out and wiggle it off, wiggle the new one back on. Maybe sand the stock a little to fit.

The lower fore end slides into the receiver and locks in with the latch. That fitment might need sanding on either end.

The upper fore end rotates around the gas tube. There may also need some sanding there. But with upper and lower fore end, I'd try wiggling them to fit first. 

[brucin 923]

Thanks. I bought a Chiappa RAK 9 which according to the manufacturer will take standard AK furniture. The RAK 9 came with the fuggliest polymer stock/pistol grip I've ever seen but it also came with the hardware to install a standard pistol grip.

I really want to put traditional wood furniture on it. Would you recommend any particular seller? I found 1 Apex Gun parts.

[Ian S 22]

Apex is good. AK-Builder is good. I’ve had good luck with Gun Broker and forum marketplaces too. 

[RUTGERS95 890]

I forget who but on ar15.com there was a guy who did custom wood or rather, redid ak furniture.  I had an East German with blood read wood he did for me.  I'll see if I can find his contact information.  Best work I've ever seen, bar none.

 

 

[brucin 923]

Gunbroker stuff seems a bit pricy compared to Apex and AK builder is out of stock on a lot of products. I'll probably go with Apex blemish parts and refinish them myself for my own custom color.

Thanks for all the advice and recommendations.

[Ian S 22]

Awesome. I was expecting to see some wood sets for $25 or $40 but took a look out of curiosity and I’m shocked that furniture sets are going for what a parts kit should be worth. 

Getting a blemished set, sanding it down and staining whatever color you like is the way to go.

I had a polish set that needed a lot of cleaning. Took off the metal and cleaned all the rust. Sanded down the wood and chose the color I wanted off the shelf at Lowes. Then did 15-20 coats of hand rubbed tung oil. That’s definitely my favorite rifle now. 
 

Good luck. 

[CAL. .30 M1 2,101]

I have a full - AK stock set from the Bosnian conflict I was told and some spares - I can take pics if anyone needs them - 

 

Will trade for anything WW2 - Kabar - PAL knife - packs etc.

 

[brucin 923]

3 hours ago, CAL. .30 M1 said:

I have a full - AK stock set from the Bosnian conflict I was told and some spares - I can take pics if anyone needs them - 

 

Will trade for anything WW2 - Kabar - PAL knife - packs etc.

 

How about .38 or .357 ammo?

[CAL. .30 M1 2,101]

1 hour ago, brucin said:

How about .38 or .357 ammo?

I am pretty solid on 38 - is the 357 factory ?  if so let me know what it is - Ill get some pics later