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How to make a Cardboard AK-47

by CVJX on December 14, 2008

Table of Contents

How to make a Cardboard AK-47 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Intro: How to make a Cardboard AK-47 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Step 1: Planning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Step 2: What you need . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Step 3: Drawing it . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Step 4: Get the parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Step 5: Cloning process! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Step 6: Glueing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Step 7: The trigger and the trigger guard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Step 8: Cleaning up and trimming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Step 9: Add details . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Step 10: Do something with it . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Related Instructables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-a-Cardboard-AK-47/
Intro: How to make a Cardboard AK-47
Nowadays, there are many people who are against gun violence. They say that guns are bad and always have a negative effect on a person who has been exposed to
guns. But what they are talking about is crap. If you own a gun you should be responsible for it and anyway, a lot of gun mishaps happen because of things like blinding
someone(with a pellet gun), which could have been controlled by the owner like by learning gun safety and teaching it to people to prevent bad gun related events.

The AK-47 is a very popular gun, appearing in virtually every action movie with terrorists and stuff. Many people know what it is and now, because of a school project
about revolutions and stuff that needed gun props for a war, I will teach you how to make a Cardboard AK-47!

Oh yeah, this is my first instructable and rating and offering constructive criticism will really help me. Okay, now let's get started!

Image Notes
1. The AK-47 in all its wooden glory... Stand and watch in awe as its pressed metal parts shine unto you their awesome power. Gaze for hours and hours on end and
wonder in deep thought on how such a magnificent assault rifle came into existence...
2. Add this thing too
3. And don't forget this too.
4. Add this thing to your Cardboard AK-47
5. The holes here too.

Step 1: Planning
One night, I was very bored. I was preparing for school but I noticed from my class schedule that there wasn't going to be school the next day because of some holiday.
But our project suddenly crossed my mind. I remembered that I was going to have to go to school tomorrow anyway because we had to shoot a video for a project about
revolutions. And my assignment for the project was to make guns and the first thing that came to my mind was an AK-47. (Even though it wasn't going to be invented yet
for at least another 80+ years at the time of the revolution (Spanish times in the Philippines.)

After Googling tutorials on how to make cardboard guns, all that came up on the results were a book on how to make an AK-47 out of paper (from the book). I didn't want
to buy it so I just drew a life-sized AK-47 based on a picture I printed out. Noticing the contrast of the wood compared to the metal parts on it, I noticed that it could be
constructed in sections, which would make everything easier than having to draw the whole AK-47 again and again.

Image Notes
1. Oh crap $30 for a paper model kit... Although probably of high quality, it would take longer to build and to arm your army of cardboard aliens!(aliens using AK47's?
Huh?)

Step 2: What you need

For this instructable, you need:
*Cardboard, make sure you have a lot. Its really annoying to run out once your already "in" into making your project.
*A Pen knife (Box Cutter)
*A Cutting Mat
*A Ruler( I used a metal one since if you use plastic or wood, sometimes, the cutter slices them, rendering them useless for very precise applications)
*Scissors
*Pencil (sharpened of course.)
*Glue gun
*Glue sticks that are compatible with the glue gun
*Time and patience

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-a-Cardboard-AK-47/
 Image Notes
1. Box Cutter
2. Metal Ruler
3. Scissors
4. Cutting Mat
5. Glue Gun
6. Time and Patience. I used about 40 minutes for the first one and like 30 minutes for the second one because I knew what to do next.
7. Glue Sticks
8. Cardboard (and lots of it)
9. pencil?

Step 3: Drawing it
Get your cardboard and draw a life sized replica of an AK-47(without all the other details like triggers).
Based on http://www.ak-47.us/AK-47info.php , an AK-47 is 870mm long so just base it on that.

Step 4: Get the parts

From your drawing based on a picture from the internet(like this one) or a book or something, cut out the parts individually, (Barrel, handle thing, banana magazine, the
big long part, the grip and the stock) and clean it up by smoothing off rough edges and stuff like that.

Image Notes
1. Stock thing
2. Grip thing
3. Banana Magazine
4. Barrel thingy
5. Handle thing
6. Big long part thingy
7. Draw a life sized version of this(870mm) and cut up the sections individually.

Step 5: Cloning process!

From the parts you cut up and cleaned up from your life sized drawing on cardboard of an AK-47, you will now use them to make the gun have some thickness.

WARNING: DO NOT glue these original parts to the gun unless you don't want to make another AK-47 without drawing another life sized copy. Save them if you want to
make another AK-47 so you can just trace them.

Get your board and place the stock thing on top of it.
Trace it several times making sure to use enough of the cardboard so you don't waste any.
Recommended number of layers(layers of cardboard): 6

Repeat for all the other parts:

Long part
Recommended number of layers(layers of cardboard): 5
Banana
Recommended number of layers(layers of cardboard): 4
Handle thing
Recommended number of layers(layers of cardboard): 7
Grip
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-a-Cardboard-AK-47/
Recommended number of layers(layers of cardboard): 5
Barrel
Recommended number of layers(layers of cardboard): 3

Image Notes
1. Put the parts from the original drawing on cardboard and trace several times. Cut them off after
2. Camera Strap.

Step 6: Glueing
Now that you have all the parts together, with the glue gun, glue each part you cut individually on top of the other.
After make sure to seal up the sides well so it won't break when handled.

Now after about 10 minutes, glue the stock to the long part.
Now, in order, here is how you should glue them to the long part so the they won't get messed up easily (they won't get bent or folded when gluing other parts)
Glue the Handle to the long part
Glue the Banana to the bottom of the long part
Glue the Grip to the long part
Glue the Barrel to the long part.

Wait for it to dry for like 15 minutes.

In the next step, we will make the trigger.

Image Notes Image Notes

1. Stacked pieces of the AK-47, but already glued together. 1. put a lot of glue on the parts so they won't fall off easily
2. electric fan :)
3. Edge of trimmed piece.
4. I glued a long "string" of cardboard here to make it look and feel better.

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-a-Cardboard-AK-47/
 Image Notes Image Notes
1. another shot just to make sure... 1. Glue these together.
2. wheel
3. Glue these together, just make sure to get some in the seams.
4. The long part
5. Stock
6. Handle thing

Step 7: The trigger and the trigger guard

Get a thin but long(ish) piece of cardboard. Squish it between your fingers to flatten it a bit.
This will be the trigger guard. Don't make the length exact so you can actually glue it to the grip thing and the bottom of the long part. Anyway now, Glue it to the grip
thing, folding it a little so there is some support.

Make a trigger, just a piece of cardboard shaped like a half crescent. Glue it to the bottom of the long part right before it meets the trigger guard. When it is dry, glue the
rest of the trigger guard to the long part.

Step 8: Cleaning up and trimming

Wait for a few minutes so the glue dries before trimming the bad cuts and the weird fuzzy parts of the cardboard gun. Glue in weak parts like the parts which are thin and
reinforce them with a bit of board to make them more sturdy.

Image Notes
1. trim these to make it look cleaner.
2. Make this hole thing. I know the hole is badly cut but it is because my parents told me to sleep already and I had only a little time to finish the gun model.
3. this is the one for the project(school)
4. Reinforce the trigger and the trigger guard with a bit more board.
5. Add more glue here because when we filmed in school, it got disjointed with use.
6. Make sure you can see this from the top of the "long part".
7. The long part
8. Mysterious orb
9. plastic chair leg

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-a-Cardboard-AK-47/
Step 9: Add details
Okay. Now I know that my AK-47 doesn't have much detail but my excuse is that I had to sleep already because my parents told me to because they have to wake me up
early because I had to go to school. And, I had a blurry picture but now that I have found this picture, you can decorate your Cardboard AK-47 with safeties and stuff to
make it seem more realistic.

Image Notes
1. The AK-47 in all its wooden glory... Stand and watch in awe as its pressed metal parts shine unto you their awesome power. Gaze for hours and hours on end and
wonder in deep thought on how such a magnificent assault rifle came into existence...
2. Add this thing too
3. And don't forget this too.
4. Add this thing to your Cardboard AK-47
5. The holes here too.

Step 10: Do something with it

I used it for a project and I'm going to display it on some wall or something. You can decorate it or paint it realistically or even burn it. Or you can even make a lot of them,
sell them and make money, or have a fake war. Its up to you.

Watch out for my next instructable and don't forget to comment and rate! Thanks for reading! :)

Image Notes
1. Unseen (because of the camera) Instructables Website.
2. Messy Table
3. The one I made for the school project. It is not life sized like the second one.
4. The life-sized AK-47 specifically made for this instructable because I did not have enough time to document the making of the first AK-47 (the one for the school
project)

Related Instructables

Pineapplebobthegreat's
knex M-74 Ak 74u by the AK 47 Semi- My nerf ak47 by
AK-47 (Photos) (Photos) by vengeful aug automatic timeshifter1
fddffff (Photos)
by bluestripe (Photos) by
by CraftySNAK3 PineapplebobTheGreat Kaas_nl

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-a-Cardboard-AK-47/
Comments
50 comments Add Comment view all 85 comments

hamada80 says: Mar 21, 2011. 11:35 AM

(removed by author or community request)

hamada80 says: Mar 22, 2011. 7:16 AM REPLY

Nice job dude ! i tried this one http://www.filesonic.com/file/16789971/AK47-papercraft.rar but i found it unscaled not 1/1...

CluainnFhada says: Feb 19, 2011. 9:27 AM REPLY

*Sigh*
Barrel-22.7
receiver(well the metal and wooden thing in the middle)-41.6cm
and the stock- 22.7 cm
handle thing(wooden thing I thought was part of reciver?)-15.1cm

the grip-9.5cm
banana magazine-20cm at longest possible measurement.

Measurements! Usefulness!

Blue Mullet says: Jan 11, 2011. 3:55 PM REPLY

Awesome!!!

king kolton9 says: Aug 17, 2010. 2:53 PM REPLY

could you put the measurements for the one you used for someone in grade school

ymliman901 says: Jul 26, 2010. 10:10 AM REPLY

the long part is called the recevier btw

davison112 says: May 8, 2010. 11:58 AM REPLY

i made a battle rifle using this technique, ty mate! (halo 3 BR)

ZeRoBurrito says: Jan 29, 2009. 12:31 AM REPLY

pretty badass... how long did it take you?

farzaan_123 says: Mar 9, 2010. 4:40 AM REPLY

8 mins max

CVJX says: Feb 2, 2009. 6:58 PM REPLY

About two hours each. Its pretty easy, but the cutting of the pieces is hard.

Little Einstein says: Feb 27, 2010. 12:42 AM REPLY

Really cool. Can you send me a really good template by replying and attaching it?

PS: What grade are you in?

aj01-01 says: Nov 5, 2009. 10:49 AM REPLY

nice build,
i'm actualy working on an AK-47 model
i'll be constructing it of mostly cardstock though like the rest of my guns...I have found that cardboard construction generaly leaves a lot to be desired

MotaBoi says: Oct 29, 2009. 2:04 PM REPLY

you can dowload the template for the ak47 here:

http://download128.mediafire.com/vmnjmec12ojg/rycnldoidfm/AK47-papercraft.rar

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-a-Cardboard-AK-47/
 jstar257 says: Sep 26, 2009. 6:56 AM REPLY
but does it have working parts ???

bounty1012 says: Sep 30, 2009. 2:19 PM REPLY

No.

ey55maan says: Sep 11, 2009. 11:51 AM REPLY

You led me in under false pretext. I thought it would actully look like the one in the top picture.

Kush_Slayer says: Mar 24, 2009. 12:03 PM REPLY

i want to buy a real one

PKTraceur says: Aug 17, 2009. 6:46 PM REPLY

1800 for the gun, plus a 1000 dollar license to own ONE fully automatic rifle, 100 dollars to get into a range that allows fully autos, and another 100-750 if
you actually want to service it.

Also, NATO rounds are expensive as hell.\

Loving to put the light on things,

bombmaker2 says: Sep 8, 2009. 12:40 PM REPLY

u can mod them to full auto

madhops0620 says: Sep 4, 2009. 8:00 PM REPLY

You mean if you plan on buying it legally :)

Kush_Slayer says: Aug 20, 2009. 7:41 AM REPLY

or you could get a semi auto only one for ~$600 and the ammo isnt that expensive($.25 per round compared to the $1 per round that regular hunting
ammunition is)

PKTraceur says: Aug 20, 2009. 8:46 AM REPLY

Dude, shotgun shells are a dollar apiece. Hunting rounds are less than 50c. But, I mean, come on, who wants a Civ AK-47? (Did you know that
.50 BMG rounds can be more than 4.50 a piece? They come in boxes of ten.)

hobzez says: Sep 9, 2009. 2:54 PM REPLY

wow to me thats really cheap

Kush_Slayer says: Aug 21, 2009. 9:45 AM REPLY

where i live all hunting rifle ammo is $1 or more, shotgun shells range from $.23 to $1 depending on what kind of shot it is .50 BMG ammo is
about $3 a round where i live i would have bought a civilian ak but i bought an sks instead

CVJX says: Aug 23, 2009. 3:57 AM REPLY

Whoa, I didn't know it was THAT expensive to own/maintain a gun. Do you really have to renew your license every year?

PKTraceur says: Aug 23, 2009. 6:12 AM REPLY

Oh, no, no way!

We are talking about fully automatic AK 47's which need a 1000 dollar automatic weapons license renewed every 1 or 2 years, plus
the actual gun which can go well above 1800... But, You can buy a Ruger10/22 or an SKS for... hmm... 200? 300? Then a look-alike-
conversion kit for a hundred, or two hundred... but it's still a Civ Ak, meaning only semi auto. Generally the AK kits use real parts from
an AK that were CNC'd. (Laser cutting stuff)

But, if you just want to go hunting deer, a decent remington rifle would be about 580, then a good scope would be 30-50, gun oil, 2.50,
A case of ammunition, (A case is 50 boxes, boxes contain 25 or 20 rounds. A round is, well, a bullet.) can get up to 80-90 cents a
piece for a 30-06 catridge, which Im assuming Kush_Slayer is shooting.

I own a Mossberg 500, (A shotgun,) and the shells are less than a rifle catridge! I can get 25 shells for 7 dollars!

But truly, shotguns and rifles don't require much matinence, only after you shoot them should you clean them.

Anyways, *steps off soapbox* you should get one. Or even a BB or pellet gun, those are great fun as well.
-PKT

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-a-Cardboard-AK-47/
 Krinkov says: Sep 2, 2009. 6:05 AM REPLY
A civilian transferable AK-47 would set you back around $16,000 and require a one time $200 tax stamp. The $1000 dollars you
mention is for a license to sell fully automatic weapons. The license would allow you to own dealer sample weapons, weapons that
are not transferable to civilians.

jocko777 says: Sep 4, 2009. 8:51 PM REPLY

i may be wrong but i can get ak47 all day long for aout 1/16th of that price perhaps its where you live . try these guys too bad i
cant get a discount for sending them customers . of course if you are talking fully automatic thats different but i still dont think
the price is that high .these guys sell a lot of stuff .arizona is a fairly lenient state http://www.jgsales.com/index.php/rifles/ak-47-
and-rpk-rifles/cPath/209_214

jocko777 says: Sep 4, 2009. 8:53 PM REPLY

sorry the gun dislayed and all the other types run about 400- 700 dollars

Krinkov says: Sep 5, 2009. 9:15 AM REPLY

Just do a search for class 3 weapons and you will see you can't even get a civilian transferable full-auto MAC 10 for
less than $3000.

PKTraceur says: Aug 23, 2009. 6:14 AM REPLY

Also, a very fun program to play with, http://pimpmygun.doctornoob.com/

-PKT

CVJX says: Aug 25, 2009. 11:50 PM REPLY

That's a lot of money for something you can't really use as self defence as quickly as like a handgun or something. How much
is a license(for owning guns in general, not for the actual gun) anyway?

PKTraceur says: Aug 26, 2009. 4:09 AM REPLY

Uhh... Nothing as far as I'm concerned. The Second Amendment gives you the right. Assuiming, you aren't in the USA, I
won't rant about how our goverment sucks. -PKT

PKTraceur says: Aug 26, 2009. 4:10 AM REPLY

I'm unsure what the license is in european countries, or otherwise. -PKT

mudler says: Aug 19, 2009. 1:37 AM REPLY

hew cool idea althougth i do have some sugestion it alot stronger and a lot more effective to do it as one piece and it doesnt look to real but other wise good
job

Jehosephat says: Aug 11, 2009. 11:39 AM REPLY

Very nice job with this assault rifle. Continue to experiment with different types of guns, and you can be on your way to make some pretty good-looking
props. I would like to see more of a handgun tutorial if you can fashion some. Thank you for posting the instructable. Regards, Jehosephat

CVJX says: Aug 13, 2009. 5:03 AM REPLY

Thanks, I'm currently busy with school right now, but during my free time I just conceptualize and draw what I would probably construct next. I would
probably make a handgun like you said but nothing is set in stone yet right now. Thanks again for the descriptive comment. :D

Jehosephat says: Aug 15, 2009. 1:05 PM REPLY

No problem CVJX. Just giving out ideas for everybody so we can have really nice-looking props. I just wish people would have more variety in what
to make. For example, everydody does Berettas, Desert Eagles, or stuff made of K'NEX. TT.TT Thank you if you can do other stuff, Jehosephat

maxwellsmart23 says: Apr 21, 2009. 2:51 PM REPLY

you could paint it to the actual colors to make it look even better

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-a-Cardboard-AK-47/
 CVJX says: Aug 13, 2009. 5:18 AM REPLY
I don't have paint now and I don't have money now too :D.

Foghat Leghorn says: Jun 2, 2009. 5:41 PM REPLY

haha i give you props for making it through this without knowing anything about the parts of a gun:) still pretty sick im gonna try this with other guns

CVJX says: Aug 13, 2009. 5:03 AM REPLY

:D. I will make something(also a gun) then paint it.

ILIKEPIE333 says: May 9, 2009. 8:54 AM REPLY

can you post the project video or pics?

CVJX says: Aug 1, 2009. 10:44 PM REPLY

There ar several pictures on the instructable.

ILIKEPIE333 says: Aug 3, 2009. 2:30 PM REPLY

the movie about revolutions

ILIKEPIE333 says: Aug 3, 2009. 2:30 PM REPLY

I mean the project that you made it for (you said so in step 10) Do you have any footage or pictures of what you used it for (a movie?)

CVJX says: Aug 13, 2009. 5:17 AM REPLY

No, I don't want to embarrass myself here :D, and the video is only about the Spanish times in the Philippines and since I did not know how to
make any other gun, I just made the AK-47. :D

ILIKEPIE333 says: Aug 13, 2009. 8:34 AM REPLY

lol

Foghat Leghorn says: Jun 2, 2009. 5:34 PM REPLY

what are we sopposed to cut out? paper template? paper?

CVJX says: Aug 1, 2009. 10:50 PM REPLY

Print out the picture, get the measurements of each part, do some math to find out the proportions of the gun.
gun pic ratio of gun pic to real gun x gun pic measurements = real gun meas.
real gun

view all 85 comments

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-a-Cardboard-AK-47/