Need new AK furniture

[Jeffenwulf]

I bought a Maadi AK last weekend that has been through a fire (and functions fine), but the hand guards are a bit warped and bubbled. It also has a cheap looking ATI skeleton stock on it. I want to replace both with something American with a little more quality. I'm open to all suggestions. I've been looking at Ironwood stuff, but their website ordering system doesn't seem to exist. Does anyone have other recommendations or experience with Ironwood?

[KLRANGL]

I went with a Tapco foregrip and a K-Var stock. Tapco is American and cheap, but K-Var is mostly bulgarian

www.cheaperthandirt.com has a few other options floating around...

http://www.tapco.com/catalog.aspx?id=15
http://www.k-var.com/shop/home.php?cat=251

edit: and when I said cheap, i meant in price not quality ;)

[Hawkeye_FH]

I have Tapco all around on my Romanian, with a folding stock and SAW grip in dark earth. It had a nice clean look, and made of quality materials. Mine already was equipped with the furniture when I bought it, but I looked it up and if I remember correctly it complete set runs around $130.

[Destructo6]

Kvar sells the same furniture that comes on the Arsenal series rifles and is very nice.

[myhres]

Floridagunworks has some nice furniture at least that is what i am looking at to upgrade the crappy Tapco folder i got on my AK

[Que]

I've had plastic on my Romanian and have gone back to original refinished wood and couldn't be happier.

[sevensixtytwo]

I don't know about you guys, but I want some pics of this fried ak!
Now! :D I'm excited.

[Bart Noir]

Might it not be a good idea to replace all the springs in that toasted AK?

The heat can change the temper of steel. I'm not saying any steel was damaged but who really knows?

Bart Noir
Who is waiting for a thread about 'which is better in a fire, milled or stamped?'

[ttman]

yes post pics! an AR15 would have melted into a puddle :D

[Jeffenwulf]

Pics -

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o4/Jeffenwulf/100_7106.jpg

Here are a couple closeups of the damage:
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o4/Jeffenwulf/100_7108.jpg
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o4/Jeffenwulf/100_7109.jpg

I'd like to add in a bit of the history here ... first, a story about the fire:

Flames engulf Action PawnPosted On: Wednesday, Aug. 27 2008 12:44 AM
Herald/Sarah Moore Kuschell
Firefighters try to put out a blaze at Action Pawn on Fort Hood Street in Killeen Tuesday night.
From staff reports

The Killeen Fire Department responded to a possible tree fire at 9:39 p.m. Tuesday behind Action Pawn on Fort Hood Street and Central Texas Expressway.

When they arrived at the scene, firefighters realized the Action Pawn building was on fire instead.

Initially, firefighters entered the building, but they were quickly called out as it became engulfed in flames.

Killeen Fire Chief Jerry Gardner said officials were worried the building, which contained live ammunition, would collapse, so they began fighting the flames from outside and above.

At 11:15 p.m., aerial trucks from Killeen, Fort Hood and Harker Heights were still fighting to contain the flames and prevent the building from collapsing on nearby structures, including a Shell gas station next door. Electricity was shut off in the area.

Hundreds of people gathered in the Wendy's parking lot and at Eisenhower National Bank to watch firefighters try to contain the blaze. Officials diverted all Fort Hood Street traffic from Central Texas Expressway to the Gold's Gym parking lot while firefighters worked.

The cause of the fire is unknown.

Gardner said initial reports showed Action Pawn's security alarm had been triggered shortly before firefighters arrived on scene; however, he said the fire could have triggered the alarm.

Gardner expected the fire department to remain on site until mid-morning to keep a watch on any hot spots.

Once the fire is out completely, an investigator will enter the building and attempt to determine a cause as well as account for all the ammunition in the building, he said.

That may be a difficult task, according to Ron Kelly, the gun department manager at Action Pawn. He said the Fort Hood Street store is among the top five largest pawn shops in Texas. "Whatever was left of the gun department is gone," he said.


This makes me happy since I have an AK that survived this:
(beware: I've only watched a couple seconds because the idiots talking were irritating, best seen on mute)
part 1 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1CwAzEVxZs
part 2 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2YELmcfDDQ
part 3 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSXkOvaofcQ

So - it has some history, for $435 before tax I think that having a little slice of indestructibility in my life is nice.

[ttman]

nice;)

[a7mmnut]

I would personally never own a gun that damaged. If bluing ever does stick to it again, the integrity of the steel's strength is totally at risk-as well as the shooter. That said, I replaced all the wood on my WASR with Tapco equip.
44246

-7-

[Tucker 1371]

Funny, you and I were almost in the same boat. My SAR2 recieved a substantial amount of smoke damage a few weeks ago and some of the metal is slightly discolored, the stocks were fine though, just had to be cleaned up. The metal is getting refinished as we speak.

You could try http://www.gunbroker.com, they've got some really nice looking wood stocks up for grabs on there.

If you want to keep it synthetic I'd go with Tapco.