Arsenal SLR107FR Khyber Pass style (pics)

[Zane Zackerly]

I posted this thread in the Bulgarian section several months ago. Since it's a Khyber Pass style rifle I thought I'd post it here too since some people might not have seen it in the Bulgarian section.

A lot of people seem to really want to install the red Russian laminated furniture on their AK's. The Russian stocks do look nice, but I've always been more partial to the blonde Romanian laminated pieces. After acquiring the upper and lower handguards from an AKforum member, I replaced the polymer handguards. The Romanian lower handguard required minimal hand fitting to get it to install. It was, however, slightly warped, and required a little elbow grease to get the front handguard flange to slide over it. I also had to gently tap the handguard flange retaining lever in place with a brass hammer. The upper handguard was a drop-in fit with no hand-fitting. I only had to install the tensioning spring from the parts box prior to installation.


For this conversion, I decided to use K-VAR's glossy plum pistol grip to go with the laminated stocks. The glossy pistol grip is a slightly darker shade of plum than the matte pieces, and can be mistaken for black indoors.

Of course, the rifle's original polymer folding stock was replaced with a Bulgarian triangle stock.

The rifle is 922(r) compliant in this configuration using US-made floorplates and followers on the magazines.

All in all, I think I like the laminated handguards the best. I'll keep the black polymer stocks handy for times when the rifle may suffer some rough handling, but other than that I'm liking the "oooh's and aaaah's" I get when I show off this rifle with the laminated grips. The leather sling just seemed to complete the picture.

NOTE: Since this thread was originally posted I've installed a set of Polish laminated handguards and a K-VAR US-made muzzle brake. The fancy blonde Romanian handguards have been moved to my safe queen.















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[JOHNO]

Great pics!

The versatality of the 107 series is awsome.

[Billy Mays]

I can't see the kyhber in it?

[Zane Zackerly]

Laminated handguards, triangle folding stock.....I know most "official" Khyber pass rifles have the standard muzzle with slant brake, but there are so many variations....

I believe JOHNO is getting ready to build a Khyber pass rifle with a muzzle brake similar to the AK74 style on my rifle.

I see Khyber all the way! (Maybe I should put fancy colored tape on the stock or something?)

[Billy Mays]

(Maybe I should put fancy colored tape on the stock or something?)

Yeah it'd make it actually alot better...

Kyhber pass AKs originated from men making AKs with their bare hands, not from switching out handguards on a $1K gun...

[Zane Zackerly]

(Maybe I should put fancy colored tape on the stock or something?)

Yeah it'd make it actually alot better...

Kyhber pass AKs originated from men making AKs with their bare hands, not from switching out handguards on a $1K gun...

LOL....didn't know there was a rule book. Ironic that you're trying to enforce rigid standards on a rifle that by definition goes against the rules. I'd bet there are plenty of real Khyber pass weapons that started out as military-issue rifles, but to be a true "Khyber Pass" rifle by your definition I'd have had to put it together from hand-carved parts in a home workshop.

It's a "replica". Can you say "replica?"

It was actually another member of this forum that first described my rifle as "Khyber Pass" style.

But thanks for ruining my thread like an ARFcom'er, anyway. Hope I can return the favor someday.

Always gotta be a critic somewhere.

My preference would have been to consider it the "other" Red Dawn gun, since the so-called AK-74's in the movie were actually 7.62x39 guns. But then I guess you'd have to criticize it for not having Maadi handguards and an orange magazine.

You've trashed not only me but other people who've done the same thing to their AK.

[Sid_Vicious]

The gun looks good!

[Billy Mays]

LOL....didn't know there was a rule book. Ironic that you're trying to enforce rigid standards on a rifle that by definition goes against the rules. I'd bet there are plenty of real Khyber pass weapons that started out as military-issue rifles, but to be a true "Khyber Pass" rifle by your definition I'd have had to put it together from hand-carved parts in a home workshop.

No, just make it look somewhat Kyhber... Russian handguards, ducttape, some shiny beads??? Anything there are thousands of pics.. and you didn't do anything but change the handguards. You can't just change one thing and call it a clone.

It's a "replica". Can you say "replica?"

Wow, that's rude. Treating me like I am 12 years old? This is a discussion forum, If you want to go and degrade people do it somewhere else, again, discussion I can criticize you all I want. I am not resorting to name calling like you are.

It was actually another member of this forum that first described my rifle as "Khyber Pass" style.

Just because someone says I have a Corvette, does that make my Honda Accord a Corvette? lolwhut

But thanks for ruining my thread like an ARFcom'er, anyway. Hope I can return the favor someday.

Always gotta be a critic somewhere.

My preference would have been to consider it the "other" Red Dawn gun, since the so-called AK-74's in the movie were actually 7.62x39 guns. But then I guess you'd have to criticize it for not having Maadi handguards and an orange magazine.

You've trashed not only me but other people who've done the same thing to their AK.

And that's where I stop, I merely posted some criticism on your AK, if you can't handle some poster posting some helpful criticism on it maybe you shouldn't have posted it?

And I am not going to continue to argue with you, as you clearly can't even resort to state a coherent statement without name calling like some 12 year old kid.

[Zane Zackerly]

What you fail to see is that you completely insulted me and my rifle by implying that it wasn't good enough or that just because it didn't entail hours of work that it doesn't qualify.

But you don't care about that do you? As long as you think you are pointing out to the world how smart you think you are then you could care less who you insult.

That is uncalled for. As you pointed out, this is a discussion forum. Instead of "discussing", you decided to treat my rifle as if it were soiled toilet paper.

In my book you're no better than a person who trolls a "for sale" thread by saying, "I wouldn't pay that price for that piece of junk."

You could have just kept it to yourself if you didn't like it. There are many, many rifles I've seen on this forum that I haven't liked, but I have been discreet enough to hold my peace and not publicly embarass the person.

[larryp]

Beautiful weapon! To add my 2 cents the general definition of a "kyber" style rifle is a 7.62 x 39 rifle with an ak74 triangle folder and sometimes other AK74 parts such as a 74 style muzzle break like Osama bin Laden was photographed shooting. It doesn't have to be hand made to qualify as a clone or is the SER done a while back not a "kyber" since it was ready made rifle?

[Turbothis]

i would rock with that thing!

and billy, your quoiting skills are crazy mad. i am still working on simple spelling....

[xarmy96]

SWEET!!!

[Zane Zackerly]

Thanks for the comments, guys.

I don't want anyone to think I'm knocking the BFPU type of Khyber Pass build; I'm just saying we all bring different interests and skill levels to this.

It's kind of like building armor models (which I used to do). Some people diss you for building a model that has no weathering or broken fenders, etc., and yet I consider modelers that make a "clean" version as legitimate as those who make a heavily battle hardened model.

I'm PROUD of the fact that my conversion probably took a total of twenty minutes to do, and that includes minor hand-fitting to the muzzle brake and lower handguard.

My conversion can be put back to factory configuration in about five minutes.

[henn]

Fine lookin rifle!

[bbb22183]

[Gunsforhire]

That thing is a beauty..I am seriously loving that rifle..

[Howzit]

Sweet!
Throw a Bakelite in that badboy and it'll look even sweeter!

[badka2ma]

while there are many weapons being built in the khyber pass and have been done so for over a hundred years, for the most part a "khyber pass" ak is considered a 7.62x39 with a side folder attached. while the definition may be no different than the "krinkov" name being given to the ak74su, it is what it is here in the u.s.

dolling it up with beads and tape is not necessary in my opinion.

[AKBLUE]

It seems about 90% of the Khyber Pass rifles I've seen in pictures and films are of a non-standard nature with a mix of parts and frequently highly modified or adorned. Fairly instantly recognizeable for this reason and appearance. Part of the arms building heritage of that region it would seem for over 100 years. They appear to be the masters of mods to firearms.

[mrkermit]

That is a great looking rifle, hands down. I do like the style, but I didn't see what we consider a "Khyber" rifle in all of Afghanistan (Kunar/Laghman/Nangarhar) when I was there. Most ANA guys just carried around old russian AK's with adorned with nails and tape ....and sometimes, on special occasions, they even had bullets in their magazines.

If you'd like me to "add character" to it for you, please let me know! Again, fantastic piece.

[Brazos]

OP, thats a nice rifle. But what I look for in a Kyber is a 45 degree gas block...so that sticks out at me, but thats just me.

The rst of the features are good to go.

[akolleth]

I was seriously drooling on those pics for a while

Very nice

[ironeagle16]

Sweet rifle I am certain there is one just like it in a pakistani store right now. It just has not been "personalized" by the individual yet.

[Armed Ferret]

Looks great, Zane.

My KP has a romanian vertical foregrip lower HG, and no upper HG at the moment, along with a CAA ergo grip.

yours looks nicer, I promise.

[Zane Zackerly]

Thanks for the comments, guys.