How to Build an AK-47
Part Two of our series on US AK47 builders
- Matt's home shop AK47 building method

Update 11/09/05
From: http://rtccom.net/~mattb/ak_build.html

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    Here's the first batch of pics. I decided to "practice" on the trigger guard rivets, since if I make a mistake here it's not as critical (the trigger guard will not be tapped, I just have to get the bolts through it and secure them inside the receiver with either a tapped metal plate, or nuts). I didn't have much time to work on it, so I just got one rivet out and started on another one.

The Victim

Here's the rear half of the gun: buttstock, trigger guard, rear trunion (not really visible in this pic, it's the block of metal that fits into the inside of the receiver and holds everything together), and part of the remnants of the old receiver. First order of business was to drill out the rivet holding the trigger guard to the rest of the assembly.

Trigger guard, removed, rivet still in

I tackled the rivet wit a 1/8" bit that came with an assortment of Dremel accessories I got. It went kinda slow but did a pretty good job on the rivet. I finished it off by taking my Dremel to the face of the rivet inside the receiver, with a high speed cutting wheel. Then I punched the rivet out of the receiver. Works, but I'm gonna have to come up with a better method when I get to the rear trunion, as I don't want to have to remove the barrel (hopefully when I get a slightly larger bit that more closely matches the diameter of the rivet, the rivet will come out better).

Success!

After a bit more work, the rivet could be tapped out fairly easily.

The seperated parts

Now to get those four rivets out of the front of the trigger guard........

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