Virginia Gun Owners Forum - VGOF

The FSB was pretty easy. I used my press tool to support the FSB and used a couple of pennies to protect the barrel crown. The tolerance was TIGHT... it didnt move until I heard a loud BANG and then it jumped a few millimeters... then it went out smooth. Got it out most of the way but I ran into an obstacle.. how to get it completely out? Seems a 10mm socket is perfect for pressing the barrel the rest of the way out. Next the gas block...

My apologies for my long absence. Anyway...next is the Gas Block. Not as easy, though.

I used a small pipe tool to wrap around its collar. But the darm support point broke and I had to cut it off..

Here is the barrel ready to be repoped. I eyeballed the alignment then used a string from the rear sight to the front sight to see if all the parts lined up... they did. Now I press on the gas block.. Once the GB is on you MUST make sure the gas port lines up with the gas port on the barrel.

So I take an appropriately sized drill bit.. and make sure it goes through... Its important to do this... the gas port is critical to the rifle cycling rounds. If its too small (by being misaligned), it wont cycle reliably.

If it would have not went through I'd just press it off and realign it. Use a flashlight to make sure the alignment is correct laterally and vertically.

Another check to do is put on the upper gas tube to make sure it aligns. The bolt carrier and gas piston should be in as well to make sure they cycle smoothly. Now to get the FSB on... a little tougher but not too bad. Now the barrel is looking like it should.. Time to drive the pins back in.

Now that the pins are in... (a lot of hammering involved). The "un-neutering" of the barrel is complete, and it will now hold a cleaning rod and bayonet like Mikhail would have wanted it to. Now we should focus on the reciever.

Here is my trigger guard jig and reciever. Yeah its been a while since the receiver showed its face... but hopefully it will be made whole again I have preplace the rivets in the holes with the guard and selector stop.. (make doubly sure the selector stop is on the correct side) Place it on the press and get ready to crush. NOTE: since this is a Chinese AK there is only one rivet per side of the TG. Normally you can place all 5 rivets, including the rear in the jig and press. Not so here... I have to use one pair of the jig's rivet dimples and the do the rear rivet in a separate operation.
I find doing the TG first is easiest. You dont have to crush the rivets around the lower rails... and since this flat uses RPK rails... they are HUGE and might get in the way.

Here are the crushed rivets. Now for the rear... And its done... Now its time to fire up the spot welder. More pics shortly.