AK Tutorial: Building an AK

Pistol
(updated 04-09-2020)

These directions are for the advanced builder who already has
successfully built and refinished a standard size AK. This project
requires lathe turning, milling, threading, welding, and silver
soldering. This tutorial does not cover riveting, headspacing, barrel
pressing, or wood and metal refinishing.

These instructions are for building an AK pistol with 9-3/4″ barrel

from a Romanian “G” parts kit, a K-Var Bulgarian (or US copy)
7.62×39 Krinkov Gas piston, and a NoDak Spud NDS-3 AK receiver.
Other countries of origin or other calibers have different size and
shape barrel components. These measurements are exclusively for
the for the Romanian 7.62×39 with the Bulgarian Krink 7.62 piston.
All dimensions are based off the gas piston length.

It is a violation of the National Firearm Act (NFA) to manufacture a

rifle with a barrel shorter than 16″ without paying a tax. The Short-
Barreled Rifle (SBR) manufacturing tax for an unlicensed home-
builder is $200. Some states do not permit SBRs.

It is a violation of the NFA to manufacture a handgun with a front

pistol grip without paying a tax. The NFA classifies such weapons
as “Any Other Weapon” or AOW. This category covers firearms that
are not machineguns, destructive devices, short-barreled rifles, or
short-barreled shotguns. Thus “Any other Weapon. The Short
Barreled Rifle (SBR) manufacturing tax for an unlicensed home
builder is $200. Some states do not permit SBRs.

While the NFA restricts the minimum length of a rifle barrel to 16″,
there is no maximum length for a pistol barrel. Therefore we can
manufacture an AK style firearm with a barrel shorter than 16″ so
long as it does not have a shoulder stock (SBR) or front pistol grip
(AOW).

You must use a virgin receiver or a receiver that was previously a

pistol. As the manufacturer – you determine whether it will be a rifle
or a pistol. Once manufactured as a rifle, a receiver may not be
disassembled and rebuilt as a pistol (but a pistol can be converted
to a rifle).

An individual may manufacture legal firearms for personal use.

Manufacture of firearms for purpose of resale requires a Type 7
Federal Firearms License.

I have covered the federal laws related to the manufacture of AK

pistols. The 1994-2004 Assault Weapons Ban restricted the
manufacture of pistols over a certain weight. Some states adopted
the federal ban, but kept the laws after the federal ban expired in
2004. Make sure there are no state laws prohibiting your
manufacture of an AK Pistol.

Gas Tube and Upper Handguard