Poor Man's Galil ARM (7.62x39mm / Stamped Receiver)
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NorincoKid
- Posts: 786
- Joined: Wed Jul 18, 2018 4:40 pm
- Location: Spring Hill, Hernando County
I've been more active on theakforum & ar15 than anywhere and only recently (after 12 years) signed up for akfiles haha. I'm following the ironcustoms thread over there now, good stuff... but I'm adding this here as it's where this recent bug bit me to build something in the same realm as yours... I'm waiting on an ARM kit to come in but I do have my SAR. I've decided to pull an old flat out out of the dust bin I never finished for the stamped ARM build and I've got a "free" DDI receiver I got in a buy one get one free thing from centerfire a couple of years ago... shit just sitting in the drawer... perfect for a poor mans galil 
. Speaking of which, their SAR kits are 250 right now and an absolute steal, mine was nice.
So those pulled $20 yugo barrels from Centerfire... the Serbs used a similar AK47 profile on their barrels as well (at least up to the GB/handguard retainer journals), I've got one with a beautiful bore, the gas blocks for SAR sits on the original GB location perfectly from what I found when I pressed it on. The AR/ARM kits seems as if they would line up just about right with where most M70 rifles have their gas port drilled out & the length of the gas tubes. The SAR I will need to turn down a little bit of material on the virigin barrel so it sits back just enough for the gas tube. I'll have to relieve some material on the yugo barrel for another handguard retainer slot and deal with the previous FSB & Retainer pin/cut out but I'm doing this on the cheap I'll wing it for now. I'm going with 16 inches on this SAR build but I might do a 3rd as a pistol and cut down another cheap yugo barrel. I thought about using a Vektor R4 Handguard on the Yugo barrel but measurements/pictures seem to suggest these sit about half an inch further forward than where the Yugo retainer is so I'll just avoid doing that whole mess. Those are hard enough to find anyways.
Doing 2 projects at once here - ARM will be on the standard AKM Flat, Yugo barrel + one of those Ironcustoms rear trunnions for galil stocks &/Or Get creative on a milled stub. SAR will be built on the virigin 47 barrel on the DDI "Khyber" receiver with a Triangle stock and throwing a sight rail on there as well fuck it why not? The reinforcement plate spot welded will definitely give it a little more beef when I cut in to this thing for the selector. I'm probably going to put one of the plates on the ARM build as well, I've got a bunch of old polish akms ones from prior builds.
. Speaking of which, their SAR kits are 250 right now and an absolute steal, mine was nice. So those pulled $20 yugo barrels from Centerfire... the Serbs used a similar AK47 profile on their barrels as well (at least up to the GB/handguard retainer journals), I've got one with a beautiful bore, the gas blocks for SAR sits on the original GB location perfectly from what I found when I pressed it on. The AR/ARM kits seems as if they would line up just about right with where most M70 rifles have their gas port drilled out & the length of the gas tubes. The SAR I will need to turn down a little bit of material on the virigin barrel so it sits back just enough for the gas tube. I'll have to relieve some material on the yugo barrel for another handguard retainer slot and deal with the previous FSB & Retainer pin/cut out but I'm doing this on the cheap I'll wing it for now. I'm going with 16 inches on this SAR build but I might do a 3rd as a pistol and cut down another cheap yugo barrel. I thought about using a Vektor R4 Handguard on the Yugo barrel but measurements/pictures seem to suggest these sit about half an inch further forward than where the Yugo retainer is so I'll just avoid doing that whole mess. Those are hard enough to find anyways.
Doing 2 projects at once here - ARM will be on the standard AKM Flat, Yugo barrel + one of those Ironcustoms rear trunnions for galil stocks &/Or Get creative on a milled stub. SAR will be built on the virigin 47 barrel on the DDI "Khyber" receiver with a Triangle stock and throwing a sight rail on there as well fuck it why not? The reinforcement plate spot welded will definitely give it a little more beef when I cut in to this thing for the selector. I'm probably going to put one of the plates on the ARM build as well, I've got a bunch of old polish akms ones from prior builds.
Last edited by tyrvidar on Sun Jan 31, 2021 1:57 am, edited 5 times in total.
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NorincoKid
- Posts: 786
- Joined: Wed Jul 18, 2018 4:40 pm
- Location: Spring Hill, Hernando County
That SAR on a M70 barrel is going to be tricky if keeping it 16” long.
You’ll need a new gas port (which leaves the original one just chillin’ exposed) or swap the piston and gas tube for a AR/ARM and use the original port.
Edited to add:
NM, saw where you said virgin barrel for the SAR.
Yeah a Yugo will work for AR/ARM you'll just have to cut a new HG retainer slot.
You’ll need a new gas port (which leaves the original one just chillin’ exposed) or swap the piston and gas tube for a AR/ARM and use the original port.
Edited to add:
NM, saw where you said virgin barrel for the SAR.
Yeah a Yugo will work for AR/ARM you'll just have to cut a new HG retainer slot.
Last edited by NorincoKid on Mon Feb 01, 2021 7:01 am, edited 1 time in total.
Excellent article, thanks for sharing!
I've been doing a bunch of Galil research. going the .556 route costs me about $1150.00; going the 7.62 route (using the Childers receiver, Iron Curtain trunnions and barrel) costs me about $1050.00. YOUR way is definitely the poor man's way to go, but I don't think I'll have all the know-how to pull it off.
So... question for you (I tried to PM you, but couldn't figure it out, just joint this forum because of your article)... since you're the NorincoKid, you might know... I've got a Norinco Hunter (the one with the weird trigger and mag release). I read that they are a great platform for a Galil/7.62 conversion. Do you know anything about that kind of conversion? The Hunter I have got bastardized by some previous owner (wood furniture gone, and pretty beat up), so I wouldn't feel bad to do a conversion with that, using a Galil parts kit.
If you've got some links for research, or some personal experience you wouldn't mind sharing, I'd totally appreciate it.
And whatever works best on here, PM me, or have me start another thread?
Thanks
I've been doing a bunch of Galil research. going the .556 route costs me about $1150.00; going the 7.62 route (using the Childers receiver, Iron Curtain trunnions and barrel) costs me about $1050.00. YOUR way is definitely the poor man's way to go, but I don't think I'll have all the know-how to pull it off.
So... question for you (I tried to PM you, but couldn't figure it out, just joint this forum because of your article)... since you're the NorincoKid, you might know... I've got a Norinco Hunter (the one with the weird trigger and mag release). I read that they are a great platform for a Galil/7.62 conversion. Do you know anything about that kind of conversion? The Hunter I have got bastardized by some previous owner (wood furniture gone, and pretty beat up), so I wouldn't feel bad to do a conversion with that, using a Galil parts kit.
If you've got some links for research, or some personal experience you wouldn't mind sharing, I'd totally appreciate it.
And whatever works best on here, PM me, or have me start another thread?
Thanks
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NorincoKid
- Posts: 786
- Joined: Wed Jul 18, 2018 4:40 pm
- Location: Spring Hill, Hernando County
Years ago I had a chance to get a hunter for a (at the time what I would consider reasonable) price. I wish I did.
If you have one, its arguably the best way to get a 7.62x39 clone up and running.
The Galil gas block should be, for the most part, a direct replacement for the Hunter one. Ditto with the gas tube, and top cover. The bolt carrier will swap over, and your original bolt will fit (maintaining headspace).
The trigger parts shouldnt be too big of any issue.
The trigger guard might be interesting. Its been a long time since I've had one in my hands but I think the ones I saw used 2 rivets, not 4 like a traditional AK or Galil would. But there are ways to work around that.
As for the stock, if you get a decent "stub" from your Galil donor parts kit, you can cut the rear end of the Hunter off and weld the Galil stub on, and blend it. Not super difficult, probably harder to make it "pretty" than it would be to make it "sturdy"
Damn, NorincoKid, I can't believe I missed this thread back when it first came out. Here I am still trying to convert a 20" Saiga into a PSL clone.
I think yours is a much cooler project.
I think yours is a much cooler project.
Funny you should mention it, I recently saw a Norinco Hunter at a gun show in the Atlanta area and remembered thinking how great it would be to turn into a GALIL clone.NorincoKid wrote: ↑Tue Apr 12, 2022 11:13 pmYears ago I had a chance to get a hunter for a (at the time what I would consider reasonable) price. I wish I did.
If you have one, its arguably the best way to get a 7.62x39 clone up and running.
The Galil gas block should be, for the most part, a direct replacement for the Hunter one. Ditto with the gas tube, and top cover. The bolt carrier will swap over, and your original bolt will fit (maintaining headspace).
The trigger parts shouldnt be too big of any issue.
The trigger guard might be interesting. Its been a long time since I've had one in my hands but I think the ones I saw used 2 rivets, not 4 like a traditional AK or Galil would. But there are ways to work around that.
As for the stock, if you get a decent "stub" from your Galil donor parts kit, you can cut the rear end of the Hunter off and weld the Galil stub on, and blend it. Not super difficult, probably harder to make it "pretty" than it would be to make it "sturdy"
My posts kill threads.