Probably a bad time to look, but... (Nickel-plated AK bolt carrier)

MagnumWill · January 20, 2013, 01:35 PM

I've been doing some looking around for an additional bolt carrier for my RPK. The one included with the rifle works just fine, but it seems after continued firing, the back post that resets the hammer seems to deform slightly, so I physically have to file it back or it may eventually interfere with the movement of the bolt. I would like to find a bolt carrier (with or without piston is fine) that's nickel plated. Does anyone know of a good source?

Dfariswheel · January 20, 2013, 08:04 PM

There are no nickel plated AK carriers.
Those that look like nickel are just bright polished.

You can buy a new carrier and have it plated. Instead of the soft and easily damaged bright nickel, I'd go with bright polished hard chrome. It's FAR more durable.
The steel is polished before plating to give it the bright finish, not after plating.

Professional gun refinishers like APW/Cogan and Ford's usually offer mirror polish hard chrome.

If the carrier is deforming that much, something is seriously wrong. Either the carrier is soft or the hammer is mis-shaped.
All AK's will deform the carrier tail slightly, but this is usually self-limiting. It usually gets just so much and no more burring.

The carrier tail doesn't really reset the hammer, it's the slam fire prevention safety.
The tail prevents the hammer from touching the firing pin until the bolt is locked.
Continue filing on it and you will deactivate the safety feature and the rifle could slam fire with an unlocked bolt.

MagnumWill · January 21, 2013, 10:11 PM

That's very good to know! I assumed they were plated; I will look into getting it hard chromed. I think the carrier itself may not have been hardened properly, since the hammer looks exactly the way it should. Once I get back to it (different state). I'll mike it out to see if it could take a layer of hard chrome. Thanks again!

Dfariswheel · January 22, 2013, 12:34 AM

Hard chrome is deposited in a layer around 0.0004" thick.
An AK is much more loose then something like a 1911 pistol slide and frame and 1911 pistols are very often hard chrome plated.
You really don't need to mike anything.

**JohnKSa** · January 22, 2013, 01:23 AM

Quote:

You can buy a new carrier and have it plated. Instead of the soft and easily damaged bright nickel, I'd go with bright polished hard chrome. It's FAR more durable.

I doubt either chrome or nickel will help if the steel is deforming. Plate it and it will keep deforming. A thin layer of metal over the top won't make any difference.

As the underlying steel deforms, the plating will likely come off--and for what it's worth, chrome will probably flake & chip before nickel will.

January 20, 2013, 01:35 PM	#1
MagnumWill Senior Member Join Date: March 18, 2009 Location: Central Colorado Posts: 1,001	Probably a bad time to look, but... (Nickel-plated AK bolt carrier) I've been doing some looking around for an additional bolt carrier for my RPK. The one included with the rifle works just fine, but it seems after continued firing, the back post that resets the hammer seems to deform slightly, so I physically have to file it back or it may eventually interfere with the movement of the bolt. I would like to find a bolt carrier (with or without piston is fine) that's nickel plated. Does anyone know of a good source? __________________ Those who hammer their swords into plow shares will plow for those who didn't...

January 21, 2013, 10:11 PM	#3
MagnumWill Senior Member Join Date: March 18, 2009 Location: Central Colorado Posts: 1,001	That's very good to know! I assumed they were plated; I will look into getting it hard chromed. I think the carrier itself may not have been hardened properly, since the hammer looks exactly the way it should. Once I get back to it (different state). I'll mike it out to see if it could take a layer of hard chrome. Thanks again! __________________ Those who hammer their swords into plow shares will plow for those who didn't...

January 20, 2013, 08:04 PM	#2
Dfariswheel Senior Member Join Date: May 4, 2001 Posts: 7,478	There are no nickel plated AK carriers. Those that look like nickel are just bright polished. You can buy a new carrier and have it plated. Instead of the soft and easily damaged bright nickel, I'd go with bright polished hard chrome. It's FAR more durable. The steel is polished before plating to give it the bright finish, not after plating. Professional gun refinishers like APW/Cogan and Ford's usually offer mirror polish hard chrome. If the carrier is deforming that much, something is seriously wrong. Either the carrier is soft or the hammer is mis-shaped. All AK's will deform the carrier tail slightly, but this is usually self-limiting. It usually gets just so much and no more burring. The carrier tail doesn't really reset the hammer, it's the slam fire prevention safety. The tail prevents the hammer from touching the firing pin until the bolt is locked. Continue filing on it and you will deactivate the safety feature and the rifle could slam fire with an unlocked bolt.

January 22, 2013, 12:34 AM	#4
Dfariswheel Senior Member Join Date: May 4, 2001 Posts: 7,478	Hard chrome is deposited in a layer around 0.0004" thick. An AK is much more loose then something like a 1911 pistol slide and frame and 1911 pistols are very often hard chrome plated. You really don't need to mike anything.