[Andyman]

Well, I think my project plans are far enough along that I can start a build thread for the Mpi-km and Mpi-kms72. I started collecting parts for the build about to years ago from AA-OK and various sources. It got thrown off track when I lost a bunch of parts in the mail when they were being sent from Germany. Luckily, the Apex kits came out a little while ago and I bought a couple kits to fill in the kits that I assembled that were missing some parts. These builds will be sort of a "tribute" to my host father from my exchange year in Germany. He was in the Wachbattalion Felix Dzierzhinsky and served in Berlin in the mid-80's. (84-86 I believe) Ironically, he did not like shooting the AK much at all and preferred the EG Makarov. (he is a very good pistol shot but refuses to shoot my AK's, lol)

The Mpi-km is a 67 dated Y-prefix kit that will be getting a real Mpi-km barrel that I was lucky enough to secure.

The Mpi-kms72 is a 76 dated kit that I will be using a Romanian barrel with after I get it profiled to specs (see my WTB services thread :grin: ).

Both will be built on 74u LLC (Dr1553) receivers. The '67 receiver is currently being made and the '76 receiver will be manufactured once dr gets the slanted font stamps for the selector markings. Mario at POHF will be doing the actual builds with either GunDoc doing the bluing (I still have to contact both of them).

This will likely be a long work in progress since I am a soon-to-be poor college student and have way too many projects in the works. I will go, as I have so far, 1 step at a time. I am worried about one thing though: I have heard from others that the Romy barrels are often not wide enough in diameter for the EG trunnions and are a slide-in fit. I tried mine on the two trunnions that came with my APEX kits and one trunnion fit right and the other slid right on by hand. I haven't tried the barrel with my AA-OK '76 and '67 trunnions yet because they have the barrel stubs in them which I can't remove. I really don't want to have a Romy trunnion engraved after all of the work I've done so far so the question is: if the Romy barrel is a slide fit in the trunnion, can I still use it? Maybe use an oversized barrel pin?

Thanks for the help and interest in advance. I'll try to take some pics and find some older ones that I took.......

andy

eta: here is a thread about the first receiver dr1553 made for my '67 kit:

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=125613&hilit=andyman's

He has since started over with a new flat because he insists "he can do it better now". I am not complaining :grin: and am very impressed by what I have seen so far in his dedication to providing a quality receiver to build on. I can't wait to be one of the first to build on a 74u LLC receiver!

 

[jonpo]

You can always knurl the chamber end to make it a tighter fit in the trunnion

 

[Andyman]

looking forward to seeing those builds. I have three east german builds in progress as well. I think I will stick to Soviet and East german AKs exclusively...no time or money for all the other variants.

Thanks, I actually have an Mpi-ks in the works too. I have everything I need for it now except the bolt and carrier. I am trying to make it all EG. I am focusing on the Soviet and EG variants as well. I have a Russian/East German RPK to do also (not to mention my Soviet Type III EG contract rifle clone).

After those three I still have the Egyptian AKM, the Albanian and the Chinese Type 56 from German deact rifles....

I seriously have a problem. :sad:

btw, I am glued to your build thread for the sbr 7.62 Mpi-km variant. (sorry. but the model name escapes me at the moment) That will be sweet when its done.... :hail:

@ Jonpo, thanks for the great idea! Have you ever heard of anyone knurling an AK barrel to get it to fit? I don't see why it wouldn't work....

thanks
Andy

 

[jonpo]

Knurling is commonly used to tighten up loose components. I had a loose Egyptian gas block and it was suggested I knurl it. Well, i didn't do it as I had another barrel to use, but that's what everyone suggested. I had a thread about it a little while back. Several people wrote and said they did that before and had good results. I know for a fact that many people have done it with EG trunnions and Romy barrels. I believe turbo might have done that kind of work for someone here was well.

Personally, I would rather find a larger barrel, but that may not be a choice in some situations. Write Turbo and see how much he would charge.

 

[Andyman]

Knurling is commonly used to tighten up loose components. I had a loose Egyptian gas block and it was suggested I knurl it. Well, i didn't do it as I had another barrel to use, but that's what everyone suggested. I had a thread about it a little while back. Several people wrote and said they did that before and had good results. I know for a fact that many people have done it with EG trunnions and Romy barrels. I believe turbo might have done that kind of work for someone here was well.

Personally, I would rather find a larger barrel, but that may not be a choice in some situations. Write Turbo and see how much he would charge.

Thanks for the info! A member here has offered to de-mil my AA-OK assemblies so I can see how the barrel fits. I'll go from there keep everyone up to date. If they don't fit I'll probably go with knurling the barrel as I tried 2 romy barrels in that one trunnion and neither fit so I think that means that none will. I guess, if the trunnion doesn't fit my barrels right I could take it to a gun show and check fit on random barrels there! :grin: we'll see.....

I hope to get some pics up today.

thanks again
Andy

 

[AKMfan]

It got thrown off track when I lost a bunch of parts in the mail when they were being sent from Germany.

Yeah,how well I remember this,I lost $60.00 as well and got nothing,so much for that. :sad:

 

[Turbothis]

i love knurling
i can get .020" or more to make it fit. lol