Projekt

Automat Kalashnikova Modernized - AKM assault rifle. Note that the stamped receiver has small indents above the magazine instead of the machined cuts on the earlier AK models. Other noticeable features are the thumbswell on the lower handguard, checkered pistol grip, and (although unclear in this photo) the ribbed dust cover. I'll save the grenade launcher for another project.

By the 1959 the AK was modified again, this time more extensively, and was consequently adopted (after trials) as the AKM (Avtomat Kalashnikova Modernizirovannyj - Kalashnikov Automatic rifle, Modified). The key changes were the introduction of the stamped receiver instead of the milled one, and improved trigger/hammer unit, that introduced a hammer release delay device (often incorrectly referred as a rate reducer). Other changes were the redesigned, slightly raised buttstock and the pistol grip, and the addition of the removable muzzle flip compensator. This spoon-like compensator is screwed onto the muzzle and used the muzzle blast to reduce muzzle climb during the burst fire. The compensator could be replaced by the screw-on "PBS-1 noiseless firing device", generally known as a silencer. This silencer required a special, sub-sonic ammunition with heavier bullets to be used. Another change from AK to AKM was a slightly improved rear sight, with settings from 100 to 1000 (instead of the 800 on AK) meters. Both 800 and 1000 meters, however, are way too optimistic for any practical use, since the effective fire is limited roughly to 300-400 meters, if not less.

The AKM rifle was widely exported to the pro-Soviet countries and regimes all around the world. Manufacturing licenses along with all necessary technical data packages were transferred to many Warsaw Pact countries (Bulgaria, East Germany, Hungary, Romania, Yugoslavia) and to some other Communist countries, like China and North Korea. Some non-communist, but friendly countries, like the Egypt, Finland and Iraq, also received these licenses. The AK is the only firearm ever that was depicted on the national flag - the Mozambique flag features a distinctive silhouette of the Kalashnikov rifle.

***Just so readers understand, there are soooo many buttstock and handguard variations out there for sale. Be aware that certain buttstocks will not mount to the Marui reciever very easily so be prepared; it really depends on which one you choose. Also - when looking for a slant muzzle break, be sure to purchase one with a 14/1 left hand thread. Also, realsteel pistol grips do NOT fit without extensive modding.

This is my starting point. If I just left it alone, I'd still be quite happy with it. Tokyo Marui made a splendid AEG with the AK47 and with the plastic furniture painted, it's got a great look. You can see the older style to the reciever and the other details.

The buttstock used here is actually a Bulgarian type purchased from Global/Arsenal. It's shape comes very close to the original butt found on the stock rifle. The tang almost meets perfectly and several test fits proved that it would mate to the reciever with some modification. These pics show the test fitting stage once the forward section was drilled out. Yes, 2 different colored pistol grips are tested

These photos show the buttstock in it's "halfway" stage. I used a 1 inch paddle bit to bore out the stock. This wood is very dense and hard. I found it very difficult to drill out and this step took much longer than anticipated. Have patience and plenty of beer on hand. Far right photo shows the intended battery destined for this stock - a 9.6volt 1700mah battery from Long Island AIrsoft.

Took a break and decided to clean up the workshop... alright, at least the workbench. Got myself a coffee and cleaned up. I grabbed my box of gun parts and started taking inventory. You need stuff like this to work on AK variants. Most of it is from Iraq but some I got in trades and some was ordered online. A nice mix of goodies - can't wait to build a type 56 using the Chinese front sight/bayonet combo.

Back to business.

With a brand new bit in the drill, I continued boring out the stock. The better quality bits work much better on this very hard and dense wood so spend the few extra dollars and make it easier on yourself - trust me.

I still broke a sweat just from nervousness; I didn't want to go too far or accidentally rap the spinning bit against the inner wall of the stock. Any slip and the projekt would be ruined.

As you can see here, a good hobby vise is a must.

I'll try to break down this series of photos so you can see the progress at this stage: First pic shows how much of the trunion is removed - not too much and it came off easily with the Dremel and cut-off wheel. 2nd pic shows the Guarder reciever cover purchased from Long Island Airsoft. The realsteel part doesn't fit so best bet is with the Gaurder jammie. 3rd pic shows the black Bulgarian buttstock as well as the one at right with paint removed. I used fine sandpaper, some goof-off degreaser, and a wire bristled brush to remove the paint. Buttstock at the back is the painted Marui part. 4th pic, top row - file and chisel... can't hurt for this projekt. pic 5 bottom row - the battery is on it's way... almost in there. I stopped at this point as I felt I needed to tend to the handguards a bit more before retiring to bed. The lower handguard got a wood dowel fitted inside the cleaning rod sleeve. I used wood glue to secure it. Once dry, I cut it to size and adhered the marui plastic retainer with Goop adhesive. I did this to aid in support for the lower handguard where it would meet the reciever. Then, the gas tube was shimmed for better fit of the upper handguard. I called it a night and got me some shut eye.

I resumed working the 3rd round inside the stock - not with just the file and chisels, but also with a specially made bit. I used an ordinary hex bit extender along with a cylindrically shaped sanding bit. The sanding bit was not a hex bit so I had to mate the 2 using some PC-7 adhesive. Once dry, the new bit enabled me to get more power sanding within the stock, speeding up the whole process.

Well, my specialized bit turned out to be best for fine sanding and I had to continue with more drill bits of various sizes. I accidentally pierced a small hole through the side of the stock with my chisel.
Nothing that couldn't be filled with putty so I wasn't too concerned. It was, however, painfully obvious that this 3rd round of stock work would turn out fruitless. I decided to hold off once more and carefully plan my next strategy with the drill bits. I needed some longer ones and this meant a trip to the hardware store. I also considered my backup stock; it might be needed if I kept slipping and hacking though the wood. Ughhh!

Bet you guessed by now that I'm updating this page with each visit to the workbench ;-)

So, after 25 years or so of serious model building, I finally decided to get myself a Dremel tool extension tool. This really helped in getting into the side walls where I was having a hard time sanding and filing. I wore my Bolle tac goggles for most of this as the sawdust and smoke was quite intense. I plan on extending the tool with some flat steel stock to get deeper inside. I put the projekt on hold once more once I realized that another spade bit (perhaps 1/2 inch) would help move things along. Even with my small chisel mishap (far right pic) I consider round 4 a success.

I really like the asthetic quality of a worn finish. The effects of extensive use on an AK variant are really nice to see when reproduced on an airsoft version. One of my goals with this modification is not only to just replace the plastic furniture but also to create a more realistic finish.

I turned to all the photos I have saved as reference as they give me an idea as to how I should approach this projekt. They also serve as inspiration to continue. It's just too easy to leave the whole thing on the workbench and just use another AK for skirmishing.

It's exciting to see the modern Russian soldier still turning to the older 7.62X.39 calibre AKM. I still have images in my head of all the old 60's era Soviet troops with steel helmet and wool overcoat running across smoke filled battlefields - all the great pics in the black and white print that I've saved for so many years.

When I see photos like these of special police units still using the AKM, my motivation gets a re-charge and it's off to the workbench once more.

Many Russian police units prefer the older calibre for work in urban areas. The reason being that this round is less prone to ricochet and yeilds great results against built up cover such as cinder block walls, etc. This photo was used with permission from russianarms.info - thanks Dmitry!

In order to properly modify Tokyo Marui's AK47 into the more modern AKM, I would have to commit to some very serious workbench time. Since time is always in short supply, I planned to simply modify this AEG in 2 steps. This, being the first, deals with the simple details. I was determined to add realsteel wood furniture with a ribbed dust cover from intruder shop. Also, an AKM style slant muzze break, and the new brown bakelite hi cap mag sleeves, also from intruder shop. The plastic pistol grip from Nortia Enterprises was also a nice touch. All but the wood go onto the rifle without a hitch, so I guess the main emphasis of this article is on the wood modifications.

With several sessions of boring out the buttstock, I have come to the conclusion that the only battery I will get into this thing is the 9.6 volt, 1100 mah nunchuck type. My regular 9.6 batteries will have to be reserved for my AK74 and other planned projekts. I suppose I'll have to run around the woods with 3 extra batteries in my kit isntead of the usual 1 or 2. No biggie - this is airsoft. It's all about being flexible.

Time to get this the wood onto the rifle and get it finished. Now onto the final steps of part 1. This is where things get really interesting.

*** Keep in mind, a metal front end from TGS housing a 9.6 volt 1500 Mah battery isn't a bad plan either. This would eliminate having to bore out the buttstock. I know several airsofters who swear by this method.

Just an option.

I decided to not only adhere the buttstock to the tang and reciever, but I also wanted to further secure it by adding a machine screw straight throught the narrow part of the butt. This involved using the hole in the top part of the tang, and drilling out a new hole in the lower portion (pic 2). I was careful not to mess up the wiring as shown in pic 1. Pic 3 shows me sanding down the burrs from drilling and counter-sinking the hole for the machine screw. You can clearly see in pic 4 that the screw needs to be trimmed once in place. I used PC-11 (marine grade) adheseive in tandem with this screw. Photo on the right shows where I had to add Quicksteel epoxy putty to the buttstock from the INSIDE. This is to reinforce the hole caused by the drill bit.

Originally, I planned on using some wood stain on the stock. I opted for an acryllic and oil paint combination since I felt I could not only keep the wood coloration consistent with the handguards, but also add a touch of "laminated" wood grain to the butt. I simply used some thinned down liquitex paint in medium viscosity to start. Dampening the wood helped the thinned paint to flow across the stock. In this manner, I could add grain where I felt it was needed and remove it with a damp rag if it got too harsh. Thing to remember - it dries much lighter and becomes very subtle. Subtle is what you want for the next step. Probably should have cleaned the workbench again. Whatever. A coffee can kept the paint free from sawdust and other debris.

Now for the oil paint. Burnt Sienna oil was rubbed brushed on in a thick coat and then the excess gently removed with paper towels. This allowed the paint to simply add a patina or tint to the wood. With the painted grain and original color showing through, the end result is quite convincing. While the paint was still tacky, I used some raw umber on the ends and blended it towards the center. The end result is pretty convincing.

*** Oil paints take weeks to dry. Even when it seems it's fully dry, handling the wood too early results in red-brown color left on your hands. Don't rush it. If you don't have another AEG to use, better stick with acryllics. Experimenting with a piece of scrap wood isn't a bad idea.

Once the stock dried completely, I mounted it to the reciever using the previously mentioned adhesive and machine screw and nut. I was sure to add a lockwasher to provide a more sturdy bond. Once the adhesive dried, I painted it black so it would basically disappear into the reciever and stock. While it dried I studied photos of the real deal. The remaining details need to be addressed and pics like these are perfect. At right you can see the completed rifle awaiting some clear gloss to the stock. Anyway, I trimmed off the reamining screw with my dremel and buffed it down with sandpaper. This also got painted balck along with the PC-11 adhesive.

Nabbed a quick photo just before a skirmish. I absolutely love the finish. The glosscoat on the butt makes the color really intense and matches the handguards even better. I added my numbers to the stock with some ochre guache paint. The dust cover got it's beating with sandpaper and acryllic paint rubs, along with a spray of clear flat. The mag sleeve in brown just adds to the realistic look of the AKM. Most non-Russofiles don't care much for the plastic pistol grip or the brown mag - but then again, they don't care much for the AK series either.

Good - fine by me. Wouldn't be as much fun if everyone liked this.... makes it special.

With the stock mounted and secure, I fielded the AKM and I am proud to report that this modification was a success. The buttstock is surprisingly strong and the overall appearance is very nice. The feel of the thumbswell on the lower handguard is excellent. While it may not be as impressive as most Guarder (Intruder Shop) AKM kits, it is still very pleasing to the eye and certainly not a common AK variant. In fact, I still don't seem to see another AK like this one at any skirmish.

At left is a photo of me taking aim at paper targets during a break at a local airsoft event.

My only criticism at this point is that I should have probably changed the 120 spring to a 100. The 9.6v 1100 mini just doesn't push my .23 ammo quite far enough. Rate of fire is fine... a bit more range would be better. Still, I am very impressed with both the strength and asthetic appeal. Looks even better with the "Big Dave Custom" PBS surpressor. Vey nice addition to a very nice rifle.

It is clear that this AK variant is still in sevice and has been since it's introduction is 1959. This allows for it's use in so many airsoft and re-enactment impressions.

At left, members of Vityaz with assorted weapons. Man in the center totes an AKM while preparing for patrol in Chechnya.

This weapon also served time in Czechoslovakia, Afghanistan, and everywhere the Russian military stationed troops. War is serious business and these are serious men.

While I love this version, I am still looking to improve it. The modification from Toky Marui stock AEG to this AKM has been quite successful but I still hope to improve not only the details like reciever, front and rear sights, gas block, etc,... but also add more distressing to the metal parts. Also, I have discovered that I might have more potential on the field if this were to become an AKMS (folding stock version) and allow me to stow a larger battery for better performance. Part II will deal with these details and alternative modification.