I think for later painted, pinned barrel milled bulgys the correct stock is the bakelite if you want that look. Needs new gas block, fsb, rear tang for standard t3 stock. Mill slot for the sling loop. To have it done really well, i feel its worth sending to professional builder to have it done all the way.

 

Thanks ak74dude, this is what i have. Do I need to replace the gas block and fsb?

 

Yes, the gas block and FSB will have to be replaced to be correct. The gas block is missing the cleaning rod retainer and the FSB is missing the bayo lugs.

 

The fun part about these is that the Bulgarians tended to use whatever was around furniture wise. Bakelite with the salmon stock is probably most correct. I have early Russian hard wood on mine right now.

 

I have an Arsenal SA 93 and I want to find out more about it. What is the most popular configuration used to deban an Arsenal SA 93? Does anyone have pictures of the correct Bulgarian furniture used and is it wood, bakelite, or polymer. I have the the stock with the thumbhole which I hate. I would like to maximize the value of my rifle, so what do I need to do?

Sorry to say but as a collector if you change anything that can't be changed back you will lose value. The only way to truly maximize the value of something as rare as the SA-93 would be to leave it as delivered.

 

Wow... Thanks. I thought adding the rear tang and having a slot milled in the receiver for the sling loop added value, but knowing that it won't I'll just install some ironwood furniture and call it a day.

 

I wouldn't worry too much about value by converting it. If the gun was new in the box and unfired with all the accessories than I can see leaving it. But beings how it's not debanning it will increase the value.

Here is a pic of my Bulgarian reweld. This is common of what 80s Bulgarian military issue rifles looked like (minus the bakelite grip and mag).

 

Did bulgarian rifles with the bakelite HGs and salmon stock usually have salmon or black poly grips? I've seen them both ways.

 

It depends on the collector as to who values what.

To some a scope mounted on a top cover is very appealing. To me I am asking the seller where the original top cover is.

AN SA-93 is considered one of the best semi-auto AK47 pattern rifles ever imported into the US.

In the early 1990's when these rifles were made in Bulgaria for the US market there were also Bulgarian mil spec/full auto models sold to foreign governments. Most of those in early to mid-1990's had one of two furniture options...

1 - A combination of orange AG4 or bakelite handguards with a brown plastic buttstock and pistol grip - I have photos of those in use in Croatia and Bosnia.

OR

2 - They implemented the "then new for Bulgaria" black finned plastci handguards and buttstock. I've got photos of those in use in Iraq.

As previously stated the front sight base (cast type with raised number would be correct) and gas block with 45 degree gas port would need to be changed out. I'm not aware of a vendor that has the correct style in stock at the moment, but cruising the forums one can usually find the correct parts over time.

The original SA-93 barrel most likely has enough material to thread the barrel for a muzzle nut.

The receiver needs a lower tang riveted in place to properly mount the correct type buttstock.

Some would install wood furniture on it. I prefer wood on a blued AK47, but not the painted ones. It is a matter of preference.

If you are looking to sell the rifle, best leave it alone and sell it as is.

 

deban it correctly, these are great rifles! Most of your parts can be found on k-var website. The gas block is can be found used(bulgarian) or new polish-t3
Finding a new bulgarian gas block is very difficult. This will be worth the investment. please don't take the ironwood shortcut

 

I agree with the other posted opinions. I think it's a matter of personal preferences. I never cared for the look of the ban era rifles, they just look like they are missing things (which they are).

I build rather than buy my AKs and would de-ban it myself if I owned one. If you had the work done by someone with AK experience, I don't see any loss of value. As posted I tend to think it would increase in value. Plenty of good AK smiths here on the forum. I would avoid the local fudd rifle and shotgun smith. Being dissatisfied with my local smith experience got me started building my own, maybe that might be an option for you too.

You definitely have a solid base rifle to build on and I think if you ended up with something nice looking like the rifle 22many posted you'll enjoy it much more.

 

You'll find about a 50/50 split on debanning rifles like this as far as how value is affected. Personally, I think a deban done properly brings the value up since that's what most would want to do anyway. It's kind of like Saiga conversions though. A lot of people think they have the ability to do it well and end up making a mess.

Though with something as uncommon as the SA-93, it's worth sending off if you aren't well versed in modifying AK's. I'll tell you, it is a damn big job. It's simple in theory, but getting the lower tang slot cut is a multi-hour task if you don't have access to specialty stuff like a broach or at the very least a mill with a lot of Z axis. I would not do it again. Mine came out great, but I was very, very meticulous in measuring and laying everything out. My hands were sore the next day from filing.

Here's my slot after I was through with the brunt of the work. I cleaned up the edges a little more, but as you can see, it's a lot of material to remove. Also, the receivers don't appear to be uniformly hard, so you'll get areas that are way more difficult to get through.

 

I've had both wood and the plastic on my de-banned Sa-93 and while I prefer wood, this particular set of furniture is too worn to match the condition of the rifle.

It's real Bulgarian wood, and newish sets are very very scarce.

 

Thanks for all the info guys. Who do you guys recommend as far as builders?

 

Take a look in our vendors section.

Of course there is always that guy in PA.

 

How do you deban an SA93? Like this: Replace the gas block and front sight base, thread the barrel, drill a hole in the lower handguard retainer for the cleaning rod, file out a slot in the receiver for the lower stock tang, rivet in the lower stock tang, cut a slot in the receiver and install the sling loop and swap out the mag latch for a milled one if you want it Type 3 origional, fit and install new furniture to your liking: Bulgarian or Russian or whatever you prefer. Finish up with paint, Gun Kote, or whatever finish you like. This is what a properly debanned SA-93 will look like and is a really kool rifle! Supposed to install 5 US made parts to be 922r compliant. Easy way is a Tapco trigger group and a Mag-Pul magazine, that gets 6. Finished product is one hell of an AK. Unless you have the tools and metalworking / gunsmithing experience best to farm it out to an experienced person: PS: whatever you invest in it you will have one hell of a top of the line AK rifle!

 

I purchased all genuine Bulgarian parts for my SA93 debanning project including the rivets....

The rifle i purchased came with the salmon polymer furniture which i did not care for as well as the original thumbhole stock. I sold all of those parts including the nutered take-off parts and used that money to have it debanned professionaly. I think i only eneded paying $50 extra when it was all said and done. i have it dressed with Polish wood (the only non Bulgy parts used) and Circle 10 leather sling.

 

In general it is really depends.

Original AK 47 in Bulgarian Army was with wooden furniture in 60's and 70's. In mid 80's all guns go trough " upgrade" and wooden parts was changed to bakelite handguard and and plastic grip in salmon color (typically hand guard and grip but not the stock which stays wooden) . Black plastic (with lower quality) was used for "training" (marked УЧ - from Учебен) weapons. Than in late 90's they start to change stock with red plastic one. Today is a really hell of a mixture - part are with black polymer part are with old salmon... I have few ex service weapons at my work and I can make some pics if you want.

 

Pics would be great if you can post some.

 

Just picked up an SLR 95. Same components needed as for a 93? Bulgarian AKM GB and FSB? Maybe a new HG retainer? How does the sling loop attach?

 

For SLR 95 the gas block and front sight are different than SA93.

 

I'll just leave this here: