AK gunsmiths

[Shooter McGavin]

What AK gunsmith will work on an American AKM 47. I have a PSA pistol that I want to make into a rifle with a folding stock. There are a few near me, but one will not work on American made AKMs and the other seems to have gotten a bad reputation at treating customers like shit and not doing quality work.

 

[CageFighter]

try these guys... https://www.instagram.com/circle7armory/
Price estimates all through email at [email protected]

Jim @ JBI Armory was my go to guy, but he got health issues.

 

[_Windrider_]

Jim fuller of fuller phoenix. He works out of Haley Strategic now in Scottsdale.

 

[ChidJ]

You may already be tracking this but the price to get it converted will likely be close to the price of just buying another PSA rifle. I don't know how a professional will do it but if I was doing it on my own, it would involve grinding off the old rivets and removing the pistol rear trunnion, sourcing a folding rear trunnion and associated stock (not all folding stocks use the same rear trunnion), filling the existing holes in the receiver for the old rivets, drilling new holes for new rivets (rivet locations on the folding stock trunnion are different), rivet in the new trunnion, then refinish the whole gun because I don't see how they will swap it without damaging the existing finish in some way.

I'm just a garage gunsmith. It'd take me a day. A pro's time alone is likely almost worth about what you paid for the PSA AKP

 

[Shooter McGavin]

You may already be tracking this but the price to get it converted will likely be close to the price of just buying another PSA rifle. I don't know how a professional will do it but if I was doing it on my own, it would involve grinding off the old rivets and removing the pistol rear trunnion, sourcing a folding rear trunnion and associated stock (not all folding stocks use the same rear trunnion), filling the existing holes in the receiver for the old rivets, drilling new holes for new rivets (rivet locations on the folding stock trunnion are different), rivet in the new trunnion, then refinish the whole gun because I don't see how they will swap it without damaging the existing finish in some way.

I'm just a garage gunsmith. It'd take me a day. A pro's time alone is likely almost worth about what you paid for the PSA AKP

I had or still plan, up in the air right now, on having just the front trunnion, trigger guard, rear site base assembly, and railed dust cover moved over to a receiver (Rifle Dynamics) I have that is for folding stocks. Online research shows that it's cheaper than having a gunsmith take the current receiver and convert it over to a folding stock receiver.

I have acquired a PSA 103 chrome line barrel (FN), AGL trigger, PSA Triangle folding stock, PSA G3 bolt carrier, PSA rear trunnion for folding stocks with parts and a JMAC front site gas block combo. Also, SLR 10.5" rail and Ultimak gas block and OSS brake for my suppressor that I would like to have pinned to a 13.7" barrel. Then have it painted disruptive grey and black.

The idea is to get something like this:

(I do not want the gold bolt carrier)

(I do want the railed dust cover that the PSA AK P has)

Also, I have very little knowledge of the AK platform. To be honest it would probably be cheaper to talk to Meridian Defense or Rifle Dynamic and had them build what I want. I already have $1900 into this and figured it's gonna cost another $600 - $800 to get it all together and painted.

 

[Shooter McGavin]

try these guys... https://www.instagram.com/circle7armory/
Price estimates all through email at [email protected]

Jim @ JBI Armory was my go to guy, but he got health issues.

These are the two gunsmiths I mentioned, but not by name. In my research JBI has a bad reputation and Circle 7 Armory will not work on American made AKs, that's right on their FB page.

 

[Shooter McGavin]

Jim fuller of fuller phoenix. He works out of Haley Strategic now in Scottsdale.

I was hoping to find somebody locally, but that may not be possible. I may just sit on this project for a while.

 

[_Windrider_]

I was hoping to find somebody locally, but that may not be possible. I may just sit on this project for a while.

Understood. No one in this country Id trust more with an AK than Jim, meridian would be my next choice. Their volk is so sweet.

 

[CageFighter]

You may already be tracking this but the price to get it converted will likely be close to the price of just buying another PSA rifle. I don't know how a professional will do it but if I was doing it on my own, it would involve grinding off the old rivets and removing the pistol rear trunnion, sourcing a folding rear trunnion and associated stock (not all folding stocks use the same rear trunnion), filling the existing holes in the receiver for the old rivets, drilling new holes for new rivets (rivet locations on the folding stock trunnion are different), rivet in the new trunnion, then refinish the whole gun because I don't see how they will swap it without damaging the existing finish in some way.

I'm just a garage gunsmith. It'd take me a day. A pro's time alone is likely almost worth about what you paid for the PSA AKP

there is a diy step by step post about this on akfiles. think islandfocus2 did it.

found link...

My Zastva M92 conversion to 4.5mm side folder

My Zastva M92 conversion to a 4.5mm side folder This was an old project that I did back in 2012. I've always been a fan of the AK side folder. So rather than converting the M92 pistol to the traditional under folder stock, I decided to do a side folder. I also pinned and welded a barrel...

www.theakforum.net

 

[ChidJ]

It's a cool idea. I've done something similar on a Sharp's Bros receiver. But if you aren't doing it yourself, its gonna be tough to get it done. AK building is sort of a niche thing; a dying art. The guys left that actually have decent portfolios have long wait times and can be picky about the work they take on. Guys like Jim Fuller, Troy Sellars, Chase Sisgold... I don't know if any of them would tackle a custom based on PSA parts. Not that PSA parts are bad, per se. But there is a stigma associated with US made AK parts. Beware of the local "gunsmith" who says he can do it but has no evidence he has done it MANY times before. He'll (or she'll) more often than not just functionally destroy your difficult to source components