NHM-91 Ugly Duckling...What to do with it?

1908 Views 18 Replies 10 Participants Last post by JaketheSnake, Jul 18, 2008

doubleclaw

Discussion Starter · Jul 16, 2008

I just got a fairly well-used and slightly abused NHM-91 for a pretty good price, and I'm considering two courses of action for it:

1) Replace the barrel assembly with one from Polytech Parts, or similar, and use it as a beater/shooter

2) Send it off and have a Khyber Pass style build done on it with the abovementioned replacement barrel.

I don't care for the long barrel, and the rear sight housing is heavily rusted, along with the rear sight leaf and top cover, but still operable. It sat in the guys's attic for well over a decade, but it turned out to be in surprisingly good shape after some CLP and elbow grease.

I think this would make one heck of a good project rifle, or maybe even a "battlefield pickup" build.

Will post pics later.

1 - 19 of 19 Posts

vatolocal

· #2 · Jul 16, 2008

I would part on a polytech parts barrel and call it good.

Stazi

· #3 · Jul 16, 2008

I turned mine into an RPK style rifle. Threw on a Romanian stock set, replaced the pistol grip, piston and FCG and flash hider for US versions and then put on a AES-10B take-off bipod on it, which worked out well as it is short enought to suit the shorter NHM-91 barrel (which is shorter than a true RPK barrel).

doubleclaw

Discussion Starter · #4 · Jul 16, 2008

vatolocal said:
I would part on a polytech parts barrel and call it good.

Yeah, that's what I'm leaning toward.

Would a Euro barrel fit, I wonder?

Krinkfreak

· #5 · Jul 17, 2008

doubleclaw said:
Would a Euro barrel fit, I wonder?

No. European is 22mm and Chinese is 19mm.

will36

· #6 · Jul 17, 2008

Is the barrel shot out? If not just pull it and have it cut down and machined for the new fsb location and thread the barrel. you would be suprised how well metal will clean up with a good bead blast.

doubleclaw

Discussion Starter · #7 · Jul 17, 2008

7

The barrel is actually in very good shape internally, with no pitting or damage that I can see.

The previous owner is a bit of a "bubba," and it looks as if he's tried to dremel off the spot welds holding the muzzle nut, with none too great results.

The worst rust is on the rear sight housing and the leaf, and a bad pitted spot on the top cover; the rest of the rifle is ok.

I have replaced the badly waterlogged wood with some old furniture i had lying around, and it doesn't look too awful.

I've just got the bug for another regular length AK, I guess.

Here's a couple of pics of the rusty areas.

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doubleclaw

Discussion Starter · #8 · Jul 17, 2008

OOPS

doubleclaw

Discussion Starter · #9 · Jul 17, 2008

OOPS

Madtechcool

· #10 · Jul 18, 2008

NHM 91 Short Barrel Conversion

:smile: Check some of the posts from the past and look at the conversion that BigAl did with an NHM. He shortened the barrel and made a "fat" barreled ak out of one and boy does it look sweet. It's in the chinese section so it shouldn't be to hard to find. Big Al, step in here and show 'em what ya got as I know your out there somewhere. If I had a link I'd post it but I'm sure that Big Al will step in here sometime.

Mad Max son of Madtechcool

BigAL

· #11 · Jul 18, 2008

Thanks Madtechcool!

http://www.theakforum.net/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=49987

This was my NHM91. All depends on how much $$ you want to put into it.

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doubleclaw

Discussion Starter · #12 · Jul 18, 2008

Dayum! That's nice, man!

Did you have to dismount the barrel to do that?

The reason I ask is that if I end up keeping the barrel I have, I want to replace the complete rear sight housing. That might end up being slightly cheaper than a new barrel, headspacing and all.

BigAL

· #13 · Jul 18, 2008

yes, but it's no big deal if you have a press.

doubleclaw

Discussion Starter · #14 · Jul 18, 2008

No have press; I live in an apartment. :sad:

xarmy96

· #15 · Jul 18, 2008

Make it look like mine does in this link......

http://www.gunsnet.net/forums/showthread.php?t=340375

:shock:

JaketheSnake

· #16 · Jul 18, 2008

What I did with mine.

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doubleclaw

Discussion Starter · #17 · Jul 18, 2008

I've got an RPK stock on it now, and a set of handguards from I don't know where, but I'd like some better furniture for it, as well as a replacement rear sight housing and sight assembly.

Those pics have got me warming to the idea of just keeping it as an RPK clone.

Where can I find RPK furniture that will fit this rifle, or that can be made to fit with a little elbow grease and sanding tools?

So, if I pull the barrel to replace the rear sight housing and related parts, will that effect the headspace? I'm thinking that it shouldn't, because the barrel is going right back into place, pins and all, but I've never messed around with this level of maintenance before, so it's Terra Incognita for me.

catsailer40

· #18 · Jul 18, 2008

what a coincidence... i have a chinese RPK flash hider that would go well with the gun... :smile:

JaketheSnake

· #19 · Jul 18, 2008

doubleclaw you can install standard RPK furniture on the rifle. I have Russian laminate on the one above. The only modification needed is the the lower handguard. The retaining plates for real RPKs are much larger than the NHM models. NHM models use standard AK47/AKM retainer plates.

To fit the RPK handguard to the NHM retainer plate was easy, I just used a simple box cutting knife (essentially an exacto blade) to fit the wood.

1 - 19 of 19 Posts

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