Classic Firearms has some complete Hungarian AMD 63 & 65 AK47 for $500 and a Hungarian AMD 65 AK47 kit for $320. In today’s world that’s cheap. Pre-2008, you could get them for $100. I’m hoping for the Russia AK’s to start coming in soon!
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Well, if it’s from a financial stand point, the completed one will be cheaper, or breakeven at best if you already own the tools to complete the build and current law does not allow for the kit to be built at DMS, which is really B.S.
Current regulations as determined by an agency, which can enforce it as rule of law. But the actual laws don’t speak to the issue.
The 2nd Amendment is clear on individual rights. Rogue governmental agencies with their rules have infringed on those rights and are illegal and unconstitutional. BUT, they hold the power and the recent govermental environment has allowed those unconstitutional and illegal rules to infringe on our rights and take away our freedoms by threat of jail and confiscatory fees. That’s why the fight for freedom is never finished. Those in power will always infringe on our rights. Patience with the current governmental administration is in order. I know there are many gun rights groups looking to over-ride these rules in the coming months. Send emails and letters to your representatives. That’s how you get your voice heard.
That being said, you can’t manufacture a firearm or parts of a firearm at DMS, but you can assemble one. The AK kit needs a lower receiver. If you wanted an unregistered AK, you would need to get a flat and bend it at home. You could also purchase a registered lower and assemble your AK though. That would come in at about $400. Good for today’s environment, but just 8 years ago you could build one for about $150.
I would look at using one these (or similar kit) for a build:
All of the hard bits are taken care of. You don’t have to waste any money on furniture or a trigger you don’t want. Just be sure all the parts you are getting are 922® compliant.
http://www.tapco.com/section922r/
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Nice, this should be awesome.
Yes, I know that it is not technically illegal, but for the current safety of DMS it might as well be, which is very unfortunate, but I do hope that change in the near future with the new political climate.
I think you would still be hard pressed to build it for cheaper than you can buy it, and I have nothing against building one, as I have a whole stack of ak kits, most of them from 2006 or so. I even have a receiver already registered for my sbr amd65.
Cost wise
Decent reciever $100-120 (FFL fees)
Rivet kit $5-10?
US trigger group $25-30?
US gas piston or other part to complete parts count - $20?
Granted it has been a few years since I priced the above items, and you will still need rivet setting tools, and please don’t tell me you are considering a screw build…
Also, I am not a fan of using US made magazines for 922r compliance, as that means you are stuck with only using US magazines for compliance.
If it is determined that you can use anothers tools to build with, I have most of the needed tools I would be happy to let you use, or maybe we can have a build party at DMS.
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Yah I agree, building your own is no bargain. It’s just the satisfaction of doing it. If I just wanted to shoot one, purchasing a competed one is the way to go.
I’ll keep my eye out for this and if the BATF gets thumped back soon, it could lead the way to a community build!
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It would be good motivation for me to build a few more of my kits, heck I still have a Romy “G” kit with original barrel that I only gave $80(2005-06) or so for, and the Tantal with accessories wasn’t much more.
I am still torn between buying most of the receivers or building them, either way I would want them fully heat treated, I just keep debating the best diy option for that.
On another note, I bet the powder coating oven would work great for some of the bake on gun coatings/paints 
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Yep Romy $80-$100 kits just 10 years ago…Lol AK Builds were big back then, until the last 8 years. So cheap to build and so much fun to shoot.
I saw where a lower was completely heat treated in a kiln and I thInk quenched in oil?! Not sure about the quenching, but I know they heated it up in a kiln to harden the complete lower.
I have a dxf file for a flat that I have refined that could be cut out on the plasma. I don’t have a bending jig, but I have a dxf on that too.
I think being able to do community builds again, would raise Hatcher’s from the dead! 
Oh yah - the powder coating would be fun to play with on a build…especially if I had a Romy sitting around that I had $80 in it.
Yep, heat in a kiln and quench is the general gist of it. Now, preferably you want to either purge the kiln of oxygen, or use stainless foil wrap to prevent oxidation, and then there is the heat warping issue. All can be overcome though, and that is part of the fun of it.
Man, if I had access to the DMS resources when most all of the parts kits were cheap…
I always wanted to build a 1919A4 kit, but didn’t have the extra cash when they were cheap, and now it is hard to justify the current cost.
My hope is that some of the ATF regulations will be relaxed or done away with and that we will see some cheaper, original barreled kits being imported again.
Yes me too…I’m hoping the Russian kits! I would love to experiment with a full heat treat too. Cut out flats on the plasma and bend’em up and try diffferent techniques to refine. That would be fun.
Man, at the top of my list right now is a VEPR 12…love to build a Russian Saiga VEPR 12.
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