[AZAK]

The new SER V rifles come with the Bulgy bubble-gum grips, and I'm inclined to replace that with a beech grip that matches the other Ironwood furniture on the rifle.

I wanted something with texture, so Matt Shuster at Ironwood suggested their #FPG grip w/ flat checkering and a ferrule spacer where it meets the receiver. FWIW, this grip is called "Fat Milled" but I'm not sure if that refers to the checkered mill-work (since its the only pictured grip set up that way) or that its meant for a milled receiver (read on). I've written back to see if they make the checkered grip without ferrule.

The SER V rifles were not put together to be historically perfect, but I want to remain true to the Bulgy style, and I'm wondering about the ferrule spacer-style grip. Looking at many pictures (man, this site is a great resource!) certain patterns emerge, and I'm seeing that grips w/ ferrules are very common on milled receivers and the "non-ferrule" grips that are flush to the bottom of the receivers are most common on stamped receivers, although there is cross-over in both directions.

I might also be seeing a pattern of the grips w/ ferrules being more common with Russian furniture and less so with the Bulgarian style, but I'm not sure about that.

OTOH, Troy says he likes the black K-VAR unit (#AK-212) best on this gun!

Thanks, your opinions are greatly appreciated.

 

[Richard W.]

All "real", factory wooden AK grips, including Bulgarian, had ferrules.

Grips that don't have a ferrule are either made from plastic (Bakelite, polyamide, etc.) or they're aftermarket wooden grips.

 

[AZAK]

Thanks for that, I'll admit I like the look with the ferrule, particularly since it continues a theme of ferrules on the foregrips and the buttplate on the stock.

I wonder how the finish of the metal ferrule provided w/ the grip will compare with the other metal surfaces.

 

[Richard W.]

If you're used to looking at real AK furniture, PGs without ferrules look funny. What's more, I don't think the factories would have bothered with them if the grips weren't prone to splitting without them.

I don't know what ferrules Ironwood is using. He's got a forum here where you could ask. I'm going to guess that he's using NOS Chinese "fat" ferrules because they're the only type that's available in any large quantities. The finish on those is standard military black oxide.

If you're replacing a foreign grip the parts count isn't an issue. I'd look for a real one rather than some aftermarket copy. This is a fat Bulgarian grip I sold last year.

 

[AZAK]

Good point, and nice looking grip. I think I need to find another!