Update - U.S. built AK-74 floorplates

Would you concider selling me some of the prototypes you have in your picture. I'll let you know if they work..... :biggrin: The thing is I have a Polish Tantal and I'm short one U.S. part to be able to put original Polish pistol grip. I just ran out of U.S. parts. The only other part I could replace is the muzzle brake but I'd rather not. Replacing Tantals muzzle brake with a U.S. made would look "DUMB"

OK... going to ship some out. Let's say this is a PROTOTYPE test run, so that way no one gets upset if they suck. Those that have responded - I'll get some made this week and will try to have them ready to ship by next weekend... assuming nothing big happens at work. I just remembered I'm travelling later in the week so let's say within the next two weeks, just to be sure.

Thanks for the feedback so far! If they suck, I want to know why so I can make them better.

I wanted to touch on a few points...

- Dimples are indeed there to stregnthen the plate. Surprisingly, WITH the dimples, the 26 gauge sheet metal gets really stiff.

- Thickness is OK. 26- or 22-gauge is more than adequate for these. Mainly due to the dimples and side "rails".

- They should fit on any synthetic mag. I've got them on synthetic -74 mags and Bulgarian Waffle 7.62x39 (see the pics on my site). I am about 99% sure these will work on the Polish synthetic, but that's a good point. Want to try one to see?

- Stamp size. Picky Picky Picky! Seriously, I just picked up the 1/4" stamps because they were on sale at HF. I'll put 1/8" stamps on my shopping list.

- Round vs. Square hole. Until I get a better mass-production layout, the round holes will be standard. Surprisingly, the bending is the EASY part. The square hole and cutting are the hard parts because they suck up all the time. I can make these about twice as fast with a round hole. For now. I have some stamping ideas to kick around and I may be able to speed up the square holes and cutting tasks.

- Cost/packaging. I'm going to try to price these like the 7.62 floorplates that are out there. Since the AK-74 pouches come 4- to a pouch, I'm planning to sell these in 5-packs for $1.50 each. What do you think - Is $7.50 for a 5-pack reasonable? I don't want to make them too expensive and at the same time the shipping will be another couple bucks... then again I want to get "something" back for my time. What do you think - would $2.00/floorplate be too expensive you think? That would make a 5-pack $10.00 + s/h. So far, it seems like the speed I can make them at about 5/hour. That is $10/hour not counting tooling/supply costs... pricing is a bugger... I just don't want to feel like I'm ripping of my brothers-in-arms

I would be willing to pay $3 each for 10 plates
I would like them to have a square hole, and no markings
I don't mean to be particular but this is for a special one of a kind 5.45.

My krink doesn't need US parts due to it being a SBR

also consider these things

(1) sole source - no one else is making them
(2) Your time

With those 2 factors, I would say
$2.50 per plate 10 plate min shipped would be a fair price
Shipping will be $3.85 so that would make is $21.00

How is my math wrong?

10 plates for $25.00 shipped.
The cost of shipping is $3.85 since it will be under 1 pound and that is PRIORITY MAIL
So that leaves $21.15 (I rounded to $21)

Doesn't matter. Whatever price he sets, they will sell.
SOLE SOURCE.
Like me and Polish Laminated Pistol Grips.
I am the ONLY source for them in the US.

Anyway..... Pookie, my offer still stands.. I got $30 with your name on it

CHARLES

Pookie...
I did some thinking about the stamping setup.

I believe it would be possible to make a die that would do the following in one step

Cut the plate to size
Punch the square hole
do the 2 dimples.
Then you would only have to deal with bending the locking channels.

I guess you could do it in 2 dies
Die 1 would cut the plate to size
Die 2 would cut the square hole and do the 2 dimples.

I am gonna play around tommorow and see what I can come up with
To get the most money for the plates that would need to be as close to original as possible.

I got this idea from the sheet metal shop next door to my work.
They have a rig setup that cuts a retangle hole with 2 smaller retangle holes.
This is for a SMA (suface mount adaptor) which allows you to surface mount on a concrete wall electrical devices.

hcpookie said:

Hey is that a steel magazine? Seems to me the RPBUSA floorplates should work for those...

Click to expand...

I just tried it, it don't work. Tantal mag. is about 1/8" narrower
:bawling: