We took a Romanian AK47 parts kit, and spent a few hours putting it back together into a real looking rifle with many features of a real rifle. This is a great movie prop, re-enactment rifle, training aid or as we are using it, a great piece of wall art.  This can't shoot bullets and many of the internal parts are not installed so it's legal almost everywhere. Of coarse check your local laws before attempting to build your own dummy rifle

   This is not intended to be a how to guide, it is an interesting comparison of two methods of home building the AK style rifle. This article / overview was taken from a discussion between two members of AKfourm.net, My-Rifle and Tapeo1.
    They were both answering the question

"Am I going to be better off buying an underfolder or am I better off buying a parts kit?
I just want the underfolder to shoot, not collect"

   This is a home made AK47 Bull Pup design. Made to his own custom design, not a mock up of an existing one being mass produced somewhere. We saw this one and asked the builder if we could feature it, we know many will be interested in such an original design with such a detailed write up of it's creation. Thanks to KY-AK for the permission to feature this Bullpup AK47

About the project

  ...one can pretty easily acquire a "parts kit", which is a (generally) more or less complete AK, sans receiver. Several US companies make new semi-auto receivers, and there are a lot of US companies making parts so you can legally assemble your AK... Click Here for the full update

11/09/05

   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 ... Click Here for the full update

11/11/05

   Some more progress.....got the trigger guard and safety lever stop free yesterday, and just now got the front trunion free ... Click Here for the full update

12/23/05

     Lots of new stuff to report. Now for some pics and further details on these exciting new developments ... Click Here for the full update

1/04/06

     The furniture is finished. What I didn't realize is that Tru-Oil is not *just* oil, but contains some kind of finishing coat ... Click Here for the full update

2/22/06

     The receiver arrived!!! I've currently got two front trunion holes drilled in the receiver. The first one was off rather badly, so it's pretty egg-shaped now to fit. :/ But the second one was dead-on.... Click Here for the full update

3/02/06

    OK..........it's done.....and fired! I planned on updating before now, but again, I felt more like working on the AK than working on the page, heh.

Interview with Chris Horn
Licensed US AK47 manufacturer

     I met Chris Horn at a Gun Show in Mesa, AZ in June 2005. I knew Chris' work through JoeKen ads in Shotgun News. And I had also seen and inspected some of his AK47 pistols and rifles on display by JoeKen at a Phoenix Gun Show in 2004. His work was unique, felt solid and I assumed they would be great fun to shoot.

How to build an AK47

     We worked with Chris Horn as he builds AK47 rifles and AK47 pistols at his workshop near Flagstaff, AZ. Since no one in the US has the same equipment they use in Russia or Europe, US builders have developed multiple methods of building their US made AK47s.