[AtomicYJ]

I got one of the AoA paratrooper RPK kits and would like to build it up as a 5.45 gun. Parts I’m assuming I’ll need to get will be:
- 5.45 bullet guide from an AIMS-74
- AIMS-74 bolt and carrier
- AIMS-74 rear sight base and put the RPK leaf on it
- AIMS-74 gas block for the 90* gas port
- slabside Romanian RPK receiver

My questions are:
- is the barrel profile for the 5.45 gun the same as the 7.62 gun?
- are the barrel threads 14x1 LH or is it 22mm like the AIMS-74?
- is an AIMR birdcage an appropriate muzzle device?
- are the selector markings infinity, 1, 3 like an AIMS-74?

Thanks,

Danny

 

[KSlay1988]

Caliber conversion is not really "plug-and-play" but it is doable, and people have done it
For the RPKs it can be an even bigger pain in the ass, only because of lack of parts...
-- The Front trunnion wont be plug and play with the 545 bolts because of their lugs and stuff,
-- The barrel profile is different (but not too bad)
-- The Receiver is different for the 74

I would PM Techno, he was doing one of these a few years back...

 

[KSlay1988]

To answer some of ur actual questions,

the threads are 14x1LH and if I were to do one I would use the AIMR bird cage

 

[AtomicYJ]

Caliber conversion is not really "plug-and-play" but it is doable, and people have done it
For the RPKs it can be an even bigger pain in the ass, only because of lack of parts...
-- The Front trunnion wont be plug and play with the 545 bolts because of their lugs and stuff,
-- The barrel profile is different (but not too bad)
-- The Receiver is different for the 74

I would PM Techno, he was doing one of these a few years back...

I’ll PM him, I saw his post from a couple of years ago with one reply. Would you happen to know what is different about the barrel profile? Also, would a RPK 74 receiver be closer than a Romanian RPK receiver?

Thanks

 

[AtomicYJ]

To answer some of ur actual questions,

the threads are 14x1LH and if I were to do one I would use the AIMR bird cage

Thanks for confirming that. I already have an AIMR flash hider , one step closer!

 

[KSlay1988]

You can get Recreator RPK74 receiver right now and have him put on whatever selector marks you want

 

[AKBLUE]

None of the barrel components will interchange from the AK 74 pattern., not the front or rear trunnion.

 

[AZAK]

Fairly sure you just need the barrel components in your kit. 7.62 and 5.45 RPK barrels/journals are more or less the same on the outside, just the bore that's different. BTW, AIMS74 gas blocks have a 45 degree gas channel, not 90. The gas port in a Romy 5.45 barrel is 90 degrees, but the hole is positioned for a 45 degree GB. If you use a Bulgarian RPK barrel the pre-drilled gas port won't be in the right position to intersect the GB, but that can be overcome by pocketing the barrel to route the gases forward.

Don't forget, you'll need a Romy 5.45 RPK pouch, five 40rd Romy 5.45 mags and a 14x1 threaded 5.45 BFA to complete the accessory set. :wink:​

 

[AtomicYJ]

Fairly sure you just need the barrel components in your kit. 7.62 and 5.45 RPK barrels/journals are more or less the same on the outside, just the bore that's different. BTW, AIMS74 gas blocks have a 45 degree gas channel, not 90. The gas port in a Romy 5.45 barrel is 90 degrees, but the hole is positioned for a 45 degree GB. If you use a Bulgarian RPK barrel the pre-drilled gas port won't be in the right position to intersect the GB, but that can be overcome by pocketing the barrel to route the gases forward.

Don't forget, you'll need a Romy 5.45 RPK pouch, five 40rd Romy 5.45 mags and a 14x1 threaded 5.45 BFA to complete the accessory set. :wink:​

That’s a relief. So I *should* need a romanian rpk barrel blank and have it finished in 5.45. I thought the gas port in an aIMS-74 block was drilled slightly different, but if that’s not the case that is awesome. That leaves the only sticking point being the rear sight base. If an AIMS-74 one won’t work I’ll need to reprofile one for 5.45 so the range increments are correct.

 

[AtomicYJ]

None of thebarrel components will i ter hange from the AK 74 pattern., not the front otpr rear trunnion.

I have an md 63 and AIMS-74 kit and the front and rear trunnions are interchangeable in my akm receiver. I would imagine, but could be wrong, that the rpk ones would be interchangeable as well since the romanians rechambered their stuff instead of licensing the AK-74 design from the Soviet Union

 

[AKBLUE]

I have an md 63 and AIMS-74 kit and the front and rear trunnions are interchangeable in my akm receiver. I would imagine, but could be wrong, that the rpk ones would be interchangeable as well since the romanians rechambered their stuff instead of licensing the AK-74 design from the Soviet Union

The OP is indicating in his initial post., using the AK74 components from an AIM vs the RPK barrel components.
These will not interchange.
The RPK components will work as long as the barrel is profiled correctly and the gas port located properly.
Yhe RSB ramp will not be proper but not that large of a deal.

 

[AtomicYJ]

The OP is indicating in his initial post., using the AK74 components from an AIM vs the RPK barrel components.
These will not interchange.
The RPK components will work as long as the barrel is profiled correctly and the gas port located properly.
Yhe RSB ramp will not be proper but not that large of a deal.

I understand now that the barrel components won’t interchange. I just reread that post and now I get what it was saying. The AIMS won’t fit an RPK, I read it as romy RPK wouldn’t fit romy RPK-74

 

[Stottman]

Back in the day, people were taking Romanian RPK trunnions and converted them to 5.45 rather easily.

 

[AZAK]

Not to discourage your project, but I considered doing this and in the end decided the devil was in the look-alike details and decided to build the para RPK in 762. There will likely be a small number of 5.45 RPK kits eventually, so I’m hoping and waiting for those.

 

[AKBLUE]

Cloning from other parts and/or caliber change can be challanging and rewarding.
But it does take some mental mock up and investigative work.
One off barrel profiling as well.

I'm thinking on a Zastava M82 5.56 RPK clone build.
Kinda have it sorted out but collecting parts before jumping on a bulged 5.56 receiver.

 

[myst173]

There's a couple of us collecting up parts to build these.
Barrel is going to be a custom job, you'll need a 5.45 blank with the right length and have it profiled to fit the components and the trunnion.
Unless you are going for a 5.45 paratrooper build you'd be a lot better off keeping the 7.62 paratrooper built up as a matching gun (at least price wise for thoughts of future value) and just getting a later year RPK kit to build off of.

Me personally, I've collected up an unmarked bolt, unmarked carrier and am going to take a later model 7.62 rpk kit for the base of the build. I'll mark the bolt and carrier to match the serial of the kit. Going with a later rpk gives you the correct bipod, lhgr, etc.

Accessories are hard to run by, not many 40 round 5.45 mags have made it over here, you can get 30 rounds easily, but 20 and 40 round 5.45 rommy mags are expensive. TPinFL had some mag bags, I got one from him, not sure if he has any left or not, PM him if you're interested. Cleaning rod is gonna be a bitch to find, you may end up having to use a 7.62 one just for looks.

 

[AtomicYJ]

I‘ve thought about the value of the kit, but I still like the idea of an 89 dated 5.45 RPK to go with my ‘89 dated md. 86 clone. I tested and AIMS bolt in my trunnion and it appears to lockup fine. I think the only modification to the original parts kit would be modifying the trunnion for the 5.45 bullet guide. I don’t think any other parts would have to be. I plan on getting AIMS parts and having them renumbered to match and a having a barrel made.

Btw what is the correct designation for the Romanian 5.45 RPK? I’ve seen PA md. 89 and PA md. 93 floating around the internet.

Accessories woukd beba pain. But the hunt for them is part of the fun for me.

that 5.56 Yugo RPK project sounds awesome I would
be interested in learning more about it.

 

[AKBLUE]

Romanian slabside receiver., unless the magwell is uncut it will not be the right width for a 74 magazine. Too wide.

Have to figure out the barrel setback due to the disparity of 7.62 trunnion and 5.45 bolt head based on lug width.

 

[jekbrown]

PM md. 93, I believe.