[AK74FAN]

I am ready to order my blank as I have just finished drilling out all of the rivets on my amd-63 kit. Which blank receiver in everyone opinion is better the Bent Metal or the ACE?...Is the only difference between the two price?

any help is greatly appreciated

josh

 

[Winn R]

I've used the Sgt. Freedom, an unknown, laser cuts and the Ace.

My preference is the Ace. I've been happy with guns made from the light bents(earlier mod), heavy bents, and the welds.

 

[to far west]

I've completed two with the Ace Blanks and am very happy with them. The templates sent along with them were accurate and the price was right. Next time I am going to try the blanks from coldsteel.

 

[erikk]

I have used both ACE and Coldsteels bent blanks. Both are good. Ace is a little easier to work with because of the thickness of the metal but coldsteels come pre marked, mag rough cut and dimpled. If you don't have a dimple jig then go with Coldsteel. Then you can make your own rails and not have to worry about the lower lip

 

[yosuthnmasa]

I have used both ACE and Coldsteels bent blanks. Both are good. Ace is a little easier to work with because of the thickness of the metal but coldsteels come pre marked, mag rough cut and dimpled. If you don't have a dimple jig then go with Coldsteel. Then you can make your own rails and not have to worry about the lower lip

Very good point Erikk. Or, you can go with Coldsteel and not worry about the dimples and buy the lower rails too. I'm sure there's a bit of a learning curve on the rails too...Probably not too much though. I've already bought the tubing and just need to cut it out now. I've used 2 of ACE's, but would like to give Coldsteel a try as well. This guys seems to be pretty straight up and is offering some pretty decent prices as well. Or, try both!

 

[AK74FAN]

blank

Very good point Erikk. Or, you can go with Coldsteel and not worry about the dimples and buy the lower rails too. I'm sure there's a bit of a learning curve on the rails too...Probably not too much though. I've already bought the tubing and just need to cut it out now. I've used 2 of ACE's, but would like to give Coldsteel a try as well. This guys seems to be pretty straight up and is offering some pretty decent prices as well. Or, try both!

Where do I find the coldsteel receivers? I have never heard of them...can someone give me a link?'


thanks josh

 

[DaveGP]

Here's some blank links:
Ace - http://www.acearms.com/cgi-bin/ccp51/cp-app.cgi
Bentmetal - http://bentmetal.homestead.com/bentmetal.html
Coldsteel - http://www.coldsteelsolutionsincorporated.com/
Erik & Denzil Arms - http://www.eandd.us/

 

[leper]

i'll give a review of the coldsteel i bought
i got it a few months ago when they first were offered. i emailed the guy when i recieved it and he offered to refund my money, but i never got around to sending it back. none of the surfaces were 'flat'..either convex on the bottom or concave on the sides, both in the center portion of the reciever. the top bends, i would'nt call them rails, were of different height by about .050 if i remember correct. and when i squeezed the front trunnion in with a vice, it spread the top out a good half inch on either side, being to narrow in the front, the rear trunnion fit ok. the only thing i liked about it was it was made from thick stock, i was going to not bother with the center support.
this is merely a review, not a flame. perhaps the later versions have the bugs worked out

 

[leper]

and speaking of bugs, were the problems with the heavy ace blanks resolved? thanks

 

[yosuthnmasa]

and speaking of bugs, were the problems with the heavy ace blanks resolved? thanks

Heavy ace blanks? I guess I've not been around long enough to have heard that one. To thick, as in you had to shave the front trunnions like the Global receivers? I am in the process of finishing an AK and haven't had any problems with my ACE blank.

 

[leper]

heavy, as in heavier materiel. couple months ago, someone here that the new style ace blanks were cut funny..maybe some one else remembers that post

 

[Gun-nut]

I've built a SGT Freedom, ACE, Homebuilt and Factory. The ones I'm working on right now will be the 'Homebuilt.' Another 74 and a AK in 9mm. The Homebuilt's are 16 gauge welded. A little thicker, but well worth it.

I like the ACE Bent but it was a little too thin and would warp too easily when working with. The one nice thing about the ACE though, was that most of the metal for the upper rails was gone. I haven't tried the newer ones.

Cheers,
Gun-nut

 

[ak'sr4me]

Coldsteel blank

I just received my blank from coldsteel and I am quite impressed with it's quality. It is .065 thick and I see no reason why I will have any problems with this build. As a matter of fact, I may just be putting my welder away and stop building my own receivers. This is the first blank I have bought in my opinion that I feel is made out of heavy enough material to make a gun that can take some abuse. The ace, bent metal and A&D products that I have tryed, I felt were too thin and had a tendency to distort and even dimple when the screws were tightened. Even if I only use coldsteels blanks as a shell and an easier way to come up with my top rails and build a shell to go over it, I can see this product saving me lot's of time. I think he has already put 30 dollars worth of work into the blank by fitting the rear trunion for what ever application you require and dimpling the mag well and rough cutting it so the price of 30 dollars for the blank is a steel. Coldsteel that is!!!!!!! Just my 2 cents worth, but I have been told that what I think and 25 cents can buy a cup of coffee. {"If a man hasn't discovered something that he will die for, he isn't fit to live} ak'sr4me

 

[leper]

thanks for a review of a much improved reciever. although the one i recieved was useless, i DID like the heft factor of it.

 

[ak'sr4me]

I think he may be talking about the weld pack ace has. It is 3 pieces and needs to be welded. I built an amd 65 using one. Very heavy duty but you have to make your own top rails and either bolt or weld them on. Actually it is based on the same principle as the way I build my receivers, only I use additional side plates to cover the top rail piece that you have to fabricate, thus increasing the thickness of the receiver even more. I don't know if any of you have seen the roderus video on how to build a homemade receiver, but I was amazed, after winning a copy of in on ebay, how much it mirrors my techniques. And here I thought I came up with something new. Ak'sr4me

 

[Coldsteel]

leper-

Just came back to this site this month, great site! Anyway, I understand you were unhappy with your blank purchase. Please feel free to return it to us and I will send you another one. I try to QC every blank that goes out but its possible that inadvertantly, received one that was "not my best". I would appreciate your giving us another try, I would like another chance to make you happy with our product. Email or message me with your name and what it was that you originally wanted and I will get it started. I will reimburse you for your shipping cost of returning the blank.

CM (Coldsteel)

"A people willing to surrender liberties for security are worthy of neither"

 

[555th]

leper-

Just came back to this site this month, great site! Anyway, I understand you were unhappy with your blank purchase. Please feel free to return it to us and I will send you another one. I try to QC every blank that goes out but its possible that inadvertantly, received one that was "not my best". I would appreciate your giving us another try, I would like another chance to make you happy with our product. Email or message me with your name and what it was that you originally wanted and I will get it started. I will reimburse you for your shipping cost of returning the blank.

CM (Coldsteel)

"A people willing to surrender liberties for security are worthy of neither"

I've never built with one of your products, but I think you're doing a great job and I really like the way you back it up!! :thumbup1: :thumbup1: :thumbup1:

 

[leper]

i sent my old cs reciever back to cold steel on 8 aug, a month and 2 hurricanes later, i recieved a beauty in the mail today. nice square corners, even surfaces, true, square, ect. thanks for the greatly improved product, and i would have no problem recomending one to anybody. thanks again