AK-74 - heavy barrel?

[jason41987]

i was wondering if its possible to even have a heavy barrel on an AK, all parts seem to be geared towards a specific diameter barrel... even if a custom barrel could be made it would seem finding parts for that barrel (rear sight base, forearm retainer, gas block etc) are very difficult to find.. perhaps saiga-308 front end parts, RPK parts

ive heard of people using FAL gas blocks for heavy barrel builds.. anyone hear of this?

[Fishbed77]

...nevermind - I mis-read your post.

[jason41987]

it kinda bugs me there isnt more aftermarket for fresh builds, but i can understand how most AK owners arent building their own and due to the AK needing special tools in order to assemble that builds simply wont be as popular as they are for something like an AR15 which needs little more than a couple hand tools (i have to give the AR15 tons of credit for that).. but it would be nice to have a heavier barrel option

what im considering doing for a heavy barrel option is get an RPK-74 front end parts and trim an RPK barrel down... or a custom contour using an FAL gas block if its possible

[eodinert]

What would be the point? Just to make the rifle heavier? There isn't any ammunition that will shoot 'match grade'.

I've seen a few people make heavy barrel AKs in an attempt to make them as accurate as ARs. After spending a lot of money, they all fade quietly into the background.

[seanc]

What you're describing sounds like a Vepr. Is your question "where can I get Vepr parts or part kits"? To that, I don't know. They're not exactly common, even with the recent imports in the last year by Wolf.

[jason41987]

eodinert, i should have mentioned in my original post that this is a 5.56mm build, and ill be working out my own load based on the 75 grain a-max bullets.. so yeah, itll actually be capable of firing match grade ammo

id like to retain the AK74 look if possible, so im thinking i might just get the saiga 308 rear sight block and gas block, since it uses the 90 degree gas block, it would still retain the look of the '74, but give me a heavier contour

so.. is what would be considered a medium contour by AR15 standards be worth it, if using match grade 75 grain loads and a wylde chamber?.. i think so, this would give a very large improvement in accuracy as seen by rifles like the vepr, but still be a real AK

[Ben Dover]

It seems to me that adding weight to an AK 74 defeats one of it's primary purposes. That being a very light, ergonomic carbnine.

[jason41987]

someone gave me an idea that i kind of like, of not increasing the entire profile of the barrel, but the portion between the trunnion up to the gas block by using a milled AK47 rear sight block and bolt on handguard retainer for a .730" barrel up to the gas block, machine down to fit the gas block, then straight to the end of the barrel machined down to fit the front sight block

since i will be using 75 grain handloads chambered in .223 with a wylde chamber, this larger profile of the barrel should give me a considerable improvement in accuracy and heat dissipation

[eodinert]

Worth it, in what way?

If you want to challenge yourself on an interesting and unique project, I say go for it. If you want it to be as accurate as an AR15, it won't be.

[jason41987]

what i mean is this... if the barrel between the trunnion and the gas block is .730", and after the gas block is machined down to .592, it would increase rigidity and heat dissipation

but if i purchased a different gas block, lets say one off a saiga .308, the barrel contour would be .730" between the trunnion and the gas block, and .712 between the gas block and the front sight

so what im asking is with .730" thickness between the trunnion and gas block, how much more of an improvement in accuracy and heat dissipation if any would there be between a .592" and .712" barrel diameter between the gas block and front sight?

ive seen heavy barrel AKs using RPK barrels capable of 1-1.5MOA, but since an RPK barrel wouldnt work right on an AK-74 due to the 22mm trunnion and other issues, and pre-made .223 barrels for the AK arent the greatest, i have to have a blank custom contoured anyway, even if i remained with the standard contour... so the cost to go heavy barrel is purely in what it will cost me for the larger front end parts

[jason41987]

im trying to figure out which AK would be most equivalent to what im trying to achieve.. not many real AKs out there in 5.56mm, but there is one very high quality AK in 5.56mm, the polish beryl/archer rifle

the beryl/archer rifle claims 1MOA accuracy, and when looking at the profile of the barrel i learned they use the same barrel profile of the tantal rifle, which is even thinner in profile than the bulgarian AK-74 barrel.. what the polish did differently on the beryl/archer was used a high quality, well made hammer forged barrel

so with the higher quality barrel i have to have made anyway since im building this conversion on a 22mm, i should be able to achieve the 1MOA without having to go with a thicker barrel.. so i can just reuse all the front end parts i already have

[platform]

i was wondering if its possible to even have a heavy barrel on an AK,

This is what the Veprs are

http://www.rrcfirearms.com/pd-vepr-a...ted-barrel.cfm

heavier receiver/barrel.

I do not know if has practical value in accuracy or longevity

they are definitely heavier than the AK 74