Where to start?

MikeSlater said:

I am intrested in building myself an AK, where do I start. Order the parts kit, what else is needed besides parts kit & barrel?

Click to expand...

Bosco said:

so yesterday i did a lot of reading about building an AK out of a parts kit and now a lot more makes sense. i didn't know that the kits were actual guns with the receivers cut up and that's why you have to send it off to bambam so he could drill out the rivets.

Some kits are already demilled. The ones that had the original barrels generally were not.

so now that i have a better understanding of how it all works, which kit should i look for? i looked through that thread with all the websites but nothing explains which kits are good and which aren't. i've read it's best to get a kit with all matching serial numbers so you're not just getting used parts.

Matching serial numbers has nothing to do with a kit being used. It only guarantees that the parts all came from the same gun originally.

which kits work with that cheap NDS-3 receiver?

The standard AK pattern receiver like a Romy G, Egyptian Maadi, etc.

how do you know how used the rifles were before they were turned into kits?

You don't. The selling company should give you a condition of the kit. Some will say unissued (new) and others will say good, etc.

how do you know which parts are the american ones and which are the foreign ones?

They're marked US or with the American company's name. Otherwise they're foreign because they can't be proven to be US.

which parts are best used as US and which are best to keep foreign?

It doesn't work like that. You have limited options and some are easier and/or cheaper to replace than others. It also depends if you want original wood/bakelite furniture or if you want something tactical looking or maybe even new specialty wood furniture.

i apologize about the multitude of questions. i'm just getting excited now because i'm ready to find the perfect kit and order it. just not sure which one is a good one.

Click to expand...