AK barrel gas port not drilled

[Jamesconn]

I found a source for AK parts kits the average is about $130 for the kit and they sale barrels too for $70 but they say the gas port isn't drilled I'm not good at machining nor do I have equipment besides a drill.

How much would they cost if the gas port was drilled or how much would it take to get the gas ports drilled. I am talking about new barrels not used.

I am not looking to sell yet my dad just lacks a rifle in this category.

[CrazyPhuD]

I would wager the bigger issue isn't the gas port not being drilled but having to press the barrel into the trunion and headspace it properly. If it is a truly new barrel(and I believe most new kits are since the ATF says de-milled kits can no longer include the barrel). Then you're going to have quite a bit more work than just drilling the gas port. Check out the AK build sites about fitting sights, gas blocks, and pressing the barrel into the trunion/headspacing. With a kit(with matching numbers) that includes a barrel that work is already all done.

[Multigunner]

Ak barrels without a gas port sounds like just the thing for the 7.62X39 conversions of bolt actions that several members have posted of in the past. A major obstacle when using SKS barrels has been plugging the gas port in a safe manner.

[excess650]

Ak barrels without a gas port sounds like just the thing for the 7.62X39 conversions of bolt actions that several members have posted of in the past. A major obstacle when using SKS barrels has been plugging the gas port in a safe manner.

+1 I was going to say that if the port isn't drilled you'll have a manually operated (straight pull bolt) action that won't throw brass all over hell's half acre. Better yet it won't damage the brass during ejection!

I HAD a Chinese SKS 20+ years ago, and mine was pretty accurate. The AKs have never had a reputation for good accuracy, more of just a "spray and pray" type weapon.

I DO have a 7.62x39 carbine, but its a CZ-527. Its a flyweight bolt action, and super accurate!

[Multigunner]

+1 I was going to say that if the port isn't drilled you'll have a manually operated (straight pull bolt) action that won't throw brass all over hell's half acre. Better yet it won't damage the brass during ejection!

I HAD a Chinese SKS 20+ years ago, and mine was pretty accurate. The AKs have never had a reputation for good accuracy, more of just a "spray and pray" type weapon.

I DO have a 7.62x39 carbine, but its a CZ-527. Its a flyweight bolt action, and super accurate!

A friend has a AK he did a lot of custom work on, the most accurate of this type I've seen yet. It groups very well. Not indicative of the breed, but it does demonstrate that the AK can be accurate if its been blue printed and has a top quality barrel.

My Nephew has a very nice commercial AK, Rumanian I think, that also proved to be far more accurate than I would have thought possible.

Then again I've fired Chinese AK copies that you'd have a hard time hitting the ground with if you dropped it.

The 7.62X39 has a very short neck which can lead to accuracy problems if theres and problem with feeding. The rifle will always feed but if the magazine isn't a good one the bullet can end up canted and/or loosened in the neck.

I have an out of spec non restorable Lithgow No.1 action I've considered converting to 7.62X39.
These rifles have been converted by simply setting the shank of the original barrel back and using the foward section of .303 chamber as the chamber for the 7.62X39. If done properly theres no need to freshen the chamber.

[NuJudge]

Generally, it takes a press, plus some jigs and fixtures to assemble an AK from a matching numbers kit. There are two alternatives to a hydraulic press, one involving threading the holes where rivets are typically pressed, the other involving welding.

With a new barrel, not only do you typically not have the gas hole drilled, the cuts made in the barrel to lock the barrel in the trunnion, the rear sight block on the barrel, and the front sight block on the barrel, have not been cut. You probably also are going to have to worry about getting chamber headspace right. Drilling the gas hole is not hard to get right, so long as you have a piece of steel drill rod or a cleaning rod in the barrel while you are drilling, to make sure the drill stops where you want it to! Getting the grooves cut in the barrel for the various pins is hard to get right, which is why so many AK rifles have canted front and/or rear sights. There are various people who have expressed interest in taking your barrel, bolt, trunnion, front and rear sight blocks, making the barrel cuts necessary, assembling and getting headspace right, including this one (but I don't see it on their site right now):
http://ak-builder.com/index.php

There are Federal rules that require such firearms to not have more than 10 imported parts from a list of parts. If your barrel is not drilled, it is likely that it and your receiver are made in the US. You will have to have some more US made parts, which will cost some money. Read more about the list of parts here:
http://thegunwiki.com/Gunwiki/BuildAkVerifyCompliance

There are several forums where people talk a lot about assembling AK rifles, but this is not one of them. Some of these forums have regional forums or groups, and hold "build parties," where people bring equipment and help others build their kits. Several forums I am familiar with are:
http://www.theakforum.net/phpBB3/index.php
http://www.akfiles.com/forums/index.php