[erikk]

I am trying to get a amd 65 build going but can't fine any rails. Anyone know where I can get them. Don't EVEN mention Joeken, they been jerking me around for almost a month!!

Thanks

 

[hcpookie]

Got a dremel? You could make your own...

I got some metal from aircraftspruce.com & they came out quite well....

http://pookieweb.dyndns.org:61129/AK/docs/construction/rails.htm

 

[erikk]

I have read alot of your threads and if I had 1/10th of your tallent I might take a shot at it but unfortunally I think it is out of my league. This is my first build and I am just trying to keep my head above water. Maybe if I had a set to look at I might take a shot at it. I am still trying to find out how to spot weld properly. Thanks for the reply

 

[sniper69]

Have you checked to see if tapco has any in stock? Hopefully soon k-var will have more in stock. I could sell you a pair of k-var rails if you need them and can't find them in stock anywhere (I bought a few sets when they had them in stock). Also if you were to make your own do you need an outline to follow, dimensions, pictures, etc? I have some I could scan and email if you wanted to look at them. Hope this helps.

 

[hcpookie]

Well I would call myself "lucky"

There are also some templates up in the library section...

http://www.gunco.net/forums/showthread.php?t=71

 

[ErikJL]

I have no talent or machining skills whatsoever either. Just a guy with a dremel, drill press, jig saw and motivation It's actually pretty easy to make rails.

 

[hcpookie]

Hrm. Seems like rails are getting more difficult to find these days. I need to play with mine, because the metal is slightly thicker on this tubing I purchased. Assuming they work OK w/o extra filing, I would be interested in making either a jig or something to produce these. I took about 30 minutes per set. Would be nice to get that down into a pattern, so as to produce 3-4 sets per hour. In a day's work, one could build what, 30 sets? Hrm more ideas for the milling machine....

 

[erikk]

Checked out the prints. Is one part made from 056-57 and the other .35-36? In other words I need to get two different size tubings? Im not too swift with blueprints but if Sniper sells me a set to go by I will try to make my own. What the hell, might as well jump in with both feet! Before I get through with this sucker I will have a full machine shop and maybe even a rifle that works!!

 

[hcpookie]

That's the spirit!

I played around with the fit of the bolt carrier to the rails, made from 0.49" thick stock - it seems to fit OK. The only thickness issue is the ejector, because technically the bolt carrier sits above the rails. So the ejector slot that is machined in the bolt carrier fit on mine OK with the material. You may need to use a dremel stone to thin that part down slightly.


Here's where I got my tubing:

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/mepages/4130square.php


1x1 OD: 0.049" $4.400/per foot

I bought 2 feet of it, so for $12 I have enough material for about 6-8 rail sets, if my measurements are correct.

The next thinner size is .035". That's just under 18 gauge I think. Honestly, I think either size would work. The K-Var "factory" rails are thinner, about .030" Heat treatment of the ejector is going to compensate for thinner material.


If you are feeling adventurous, you could use normal sheet steel, then heat & bend it yourself...

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/mepages/4130sheet.php

Either way, just be sure you have a few spare reinforced cut-off disks for your dremel. It REALLY sucks breaking the last of your disks halfway through, then having to drive to Home Depot. Ask me how I know Oh if you want to do it really really fast, you could use an angle grinder! I used my 5" grinder with a cut-off disk and zipped right through them!

What I did is to enlarge the hunterwarrior template in Paint Shop Pro until the printout measured correctly to the ruler in the program. Then I printed it out, used spray adhesive to stick it to the metal, then used it as a rough template for cutting. You'll need to clean the metal off with alcohol to get good adhesion. That helped me a great deal, vs. using a sharpie to trace out the lines.

 

[sniper69]

Checked out the prints. Is one part made from 056-57 and the other .35-36? In other words I need to get two different size tubings? Im not too swift with blueprints but if Sniper sells me a set to go by I will try to make my own. What the hell, might as well jump in with both feet! Before I get through with this sucker I will have a full machine shop and maybe even a rifle that works!!

sent you an email in reply to yours. I don't have a problem selling a set.

 

[Oldgunner]

Try these people. Their laser cut flats and rails look really good.

http://www.eandd.us/products.htm

 

[555th]

I just ordered 2 sets from Tapco. They arrived today and the ejectors look like they have been hardened . @ $9 ea. set.here's the link:
http://www.tapco.com/product_information.asp?number=AK0667&back=yes&dept=215&last=13

 

[eldogg]

http://www.gunsnet.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=175269
carbon steel-must be hardened, per buddy at tapco

yes, i surf :headspin:

 

[555th]

http://www.gunsnet.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=175269
carbon steel-must be hardened, per buddy at tapco

yes, i surf :headspin:

Thanks for the link. After looking closer at the ejector rail, I believe the heat marks are made from being laser-cut as opposed to the other rail being stamped out. I'll harden it before I install it. I surf gunsnet,too. I can't believe I missed that one!

 

[yosuthnmasa]

Try these people. Their laser cut flats and rails look really good.

http://www.eandd.us/products.htm

I checked the link that you listed for the rails. Looks like he sells them, but I was having a hard time trying to figure out how to order them. This guy has got some pretty cool tutorials on an AK build. I really don't want to order any from Tapco given that they are not heat treated. If I'm not able to acquire any heat treated ones anywhere else, I may go ahead with the Carbon-Steel.

 

[Winn R]

The Tapco rails only have the mag stabilizer on one side.

Is this thought to be sufficient?

 

[hcpookie]

FWIW, I asked the same thing in the "did I goof" thread, because I ground my rails w/o the stabilizer.

SD/7.62 said as long as you have "ANY" stabilizer you'll be OK. I am going to dimple mine, so stabilizer rails would be redundant...

 

[7.62x39]

Try these people. Their laser cut flats and rails look really good.

http://www.eandd.us/products.htm

I wouldn't buy squat from these stiffs.

They screwed over everybody who bought their version 1 blanks.
The version 1's were cut incorrectly, the ends were squared to the bottom instead of the top.

I didn't notice this until after I paid another $20 to get it welded.
They acknowledged the error and corrected it in version 2.

But they would not do anything to help out the guy's who had the early versions. In fact these A-holes wouldn't even give me the courtesy of a reply.

All I asked them for, was to replace the blank, I told them I'd eat the welding charge.

I now have a $50 paperweight and a strong dislike for these people. :angry:

 

[yosuthnmasa]

FWIW, I asked the same thing in the "did I goof" thread, because I ground my rails w/o the stabilizer.

SD/7.62 said as long as you have "ANY" stabilizer you'll be OK. I am going to dimple mine, so stabilizer rails would be redundant...

Was just doing an inventory of all my parts to make sure I had everything I needed. Looks like I forgot about my rails. I've decided that with all the tools I have invested in, I might as well go ahead and try to build a few of these rails myslef. I don't have much money to lose in them. My thoughts are similar to Erik. I'll buy a set and also use the diagrams to help me build them. I think I'm going to go ahead and order some of the tubing as well. If I ordered some of the Tapco rails as a guide, will they be ok with my build if I'm using an ACE receiver? I noticed you guys mentioned dimples. Are you referring to the ones on the sides? If so, my ACE blank doesn't have this. Would their be enough "stability" for me with a set of Tapco rails? Would it be best, if I'm going to try and build a few of these, to try and hunt down a set of rails that has stabilizers on both rails? That way, the ones I'm attempting to make can be made and modeled after ones that have stabilizers on both rails? Last, if I buy the thicker steel tubing, does the ejector still have to be hardended, or is this only necessary with the thinner style tubing?

 

[Winn R]

http://www.gunco.net/forums/showthread.php?t=942http://www.gunco.net/forums/showthread.php?t=942


try this