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home made bullet guide


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sorry for the crappy cell phone pics.

i know this has been done before but i couldnt find much help when i searched for info.

 

i went to Lowes yesterday, picked up a Kobalt brand tap and bit combo (8-32), a Dewalt brand Cobalt material 7/64" bit (i probably didnt need this but after reading all the horror stories of broken bits and using Cobalt bits because the material is so hard, i decided to get one in the closest size they had available to #8 which was the 7/64"). a 3/4" x 3" black plumbing nipple and a package of 8-32 flat head machine screws. i spent less then $11.00 including tax and a few hours of my time.

 

i started with the Cobalt 7/64" bit and drilled the hole in the trunnion, yea it went thru like butter, no joke!

i then took the #8 bit out of the combo pack and reamed the hole, it also went thru like butter. (this what makes me think i might not have needed the $3 7/64" bit but whatever)

i then took the pipe nipple and clamped it down in the vice and cut off the threaded ends with a grinder using a thin cutoff disk.

then i cut the center section of the nipple length wise in half.

then took one half of the nipple and cut a section out of it approximately 3/4" wide.

after some filing and cutting off some more material and test fitting repeatedly along the way, i ended up with this....

post-20217-12551096853536_thumb.jpg

 

i used a bastard file and beveled all the edges, focusing more so on the feed ramp side and the barrel side.

at this time i also drilled thru the bullet guide, using a few different size bits. starting small and working my way up to a bit that was just a tad larger in size then the head of the screw that will be recessed into it. with each size larger bit, you want to remove even less material, so as to create a contour that is roughly the same shape as the screw head....

post-20217-12551098515649_thumb.jpg

 

i then tapped the hole in the trunnion. it is a tight space and the tap is short. i couldnt use a standard t-handle to drive the tap and my normal use of a ratchet and socket to turn the tap just wasnt working either. this is some hard steel.

i ended up using a c-clamp to pressure the tap into the trunnion, while i turned it with a pair of vice-grips. this worked out great for me. the pads on the clamp allowed the tap to seat in it, without wandering around on me. working slowly and listening to how the tap was cutting, biting into slowly (WD-40 as lube) and backing off liberally, it worked out great and i was done in about 5 minutes.

post-20217-12551104506174_thumb.jpg

 

i then painted the finished bullet guide, for looks and also to show any rub spots that might occur.

only one tiny little light spot of contact at the lower right of the screw, which can be remedied with the bastard file.

ended up with this...

post-20217-12551106549785_thumb.jpg

 

whoever else decides to tinker with their own, i have one bit of advice. test fit... test fit.. test fit.

 

i've still got to test the surplus mags for function, which i'll update later.

 

does anyone have any opinions about how far the guide sticks out into the magwell? (from what you can tell with the crap quality pics)

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no dremel needed. all i used was an angle grinder with a cutoff wheel to cut the nipple to rough shape and size. then a round coarse bastard file to fine tune it into shape.

 

i had to do a tiny little bit more filing on it last night, as well as file down the screw head a tad but now it works and cycles all 6 of the surplus 30's from round no.1 to no.30.

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No Grinder either. Eventually I will just get Dinz's BG kit. Another month or so for saving $30.

 

My sons party ($200) comes first and his Buck BB Gun 022.gif and Karoke CD-G's (ex bought him $150 machine).

 

Got my Thermold 30's and QS guide (not board approved) at this moment.

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Dinzags BG is very nice looking and was at the top of my list.

then i decided that since it is a such a small part and i like to tinker, i'd give it a go and see what happens.

if i can find my damn'd digi cam, i'd post some new higher quality pics.

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ill be making one of these after work tomorrow, i have a nearly unlimited supply of 3/4 nipples at my disposal. Being a plumber has its perks from time to time (even though 1 nipple is more then enough for a few guns)

 

i think i'm going to use a brass nipple, it will be much easier to fit/file and should last the life of the rifle. I might just make 3 or 4 of them while im at it..

 

any thoughts?

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"any thoughts?".....go for it.

you'll end up with a piece that is about 1/2" to 5/8" square (roughly).

 

when filing the feed lip side of the guide, make the ramp as long and flat as possible before filing into the screw hole. a short, steep ramp can bump the rounds up too high and cause some feeding issues. atleast it did with mine, as thats how i had it at first.

 

you can also file the chamber side so it slides under the barrel if the nipple material is too thick.

 

looking at the face of the chamber, there will be a notch on the right side at about 4:30/5:00. dont install the guide any higher to the right then that notch.

 

i also recommend installing a surplus mag in place before drilling for placement of the guide (something i didnt do). this will give you a better idea of how far out the guide needs to be. you can obviously file more off if you end up to far out, adding to it is the hard part without starting over.

 

if i did it again, i would probably drill a hole in the bullet guide 1st, test fit with a mag in place, then mark the trunnion. i'm retarded and did it bassackwards.

 

good luck post pics when you're done, or of your progress in here so anyone else searching has more info to reference.

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I got it cut and shaped today. Tomorrow ill smooth up the rough edges, drill, tap and countersink her into place..

 

took about 25 minutes to do..

 

here are a few pics

IMAG0167.jpg

IMAG0165.jpg

IMAG0166.jpg

 

even with it not being screwed in it cycled all of my AK mags flawlessly (my factory 10rd mag need to be modified in order to work)

 

Ill shoot it tomorrow after i get it screwed in and ill post a range report

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I just made mine a few days ago. Started with a Sch.40 3/4 pipe nipple. I got a bit technical though and used a boring bar and a lathe to cut the groove for sliding under the barrel. After I got the length right and filed enough off of the passenger side that the bolt closed fully, I super glued the guide into place. I used a #29 bit and drilled straight down through the guide and the trunnion. Knocked the guide back out and tapped the trunnion for 8-32TPI. Drilled the hole through the guide with a #17 bit, then countersunk the hole.

 

Here where I got a bit tricky. I knew the bolt head still wouldnt sit flush so I tightened it in till it was snug and scribed a line across the head and onto the guide. Removed the mess from the gun again. I then clocked the marks with the line on the head being slightly clockwise from the line on the guide. I used a sanding drum on a dremel to shape the screwhead to the guide.

 

Then I heat treated the guide. Probably didnt need to but why not.

 

Slipped the guide back in, put some red Loctite on the threads, and snugged it all back up.

 

Works great. Took a couple hours of screwing around but I did it on the clock so.... :super:

 

 

this post is worthless without pics:

 

DSCN7723Small.jpg

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good stuff guys, thanks for putting the pics and info up.

how that brass one coming along, anymore updates?

 

i went through 180rds today testing mags and not one issue at all. tried 6 different steel mags and they all fed all 30rds.

i forgot to loctite the screw in the guide and didnt have an issue from that either. i checked it after every mag and it never came loose.

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Yeah, this is some really great info here. Even though I would love to get a BG from Dinz, all I have is PayPal, and an extreme budget. This will definitely help out. My only concern is how long it will last (more than likely a LONG time) and the steel's durability. But judging by MM's testing it seems to work quite well.

 

I love home made stuff.

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...Then I heat treated the guide. Probably didnt need to but why not...

Frank, thanks for this info and your picture.

Two questions for you... what are the approximate dimensions left to right and front to back of the piece of nipple? (dimensions "A" and "B" on the attached jpg)

How did you heat treat it?

post-14207-1255879241123_thumb.jpg

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...Then I heat treated the guide. Probably didnt need to but why not...

Frank, thanks for this info and your picture.

Two questions for you... what are the approximate dimensions left to right and front to back of the piece of nipple? (dimensions "A" and "B" on the attached jpg)

How did you heat treat it?

 

I just diddled with it until it fit... I can grab some measurement next time I'm in the basement. It goes way higher on the side thats hidden in the pic.

 

For heat treating, we have a small kiln at work that is purged with argon. Im not supposed to mess with it but I stayed late one day to um... fix on one of the machines.... lol. :ph34r:

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good stuff guys, thanks for putting the pics and info up.

how that brass one coming along, anymore updates?

 

i have to get back down to the hardware store tomorrow to pick up another screw. I bought a button head screw, but it doesn't clear the bolt. But hey you live, you learn, and you try not to fuck the same thing up twice lol

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I installed my own BG today, and I want EVERYONE who is going to do this know, TEST FMJ & HP's! Mine feeds FMJ's flawlessly, but still jams when using HP's. I made mine a bit too shallow. So DO MAKE SURE that HP's will work before doing the final install.

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Shallow may not be all the answer! A Dinzag guide is very shallow, it may be position in relation to the feed angle.

 

After I installed my Dinzag, all mil surp mags worked fine (after I moded the latch). New Tapco's did not (hell didn't even fit!) Had to file them to fit. But still the feed angle was to shallow. I did the opposite of what you'd think to fix the angle. Instead of file on top of the rear mag catch if filed on the bottom, which allowed the rear of mag to lower (also loosened mag fit on latch) but corrected a shallow feed angle. FMJ's and Hollow points feed, no problem!

 

So angle is critical as well as height and extension from rear of barrel.

 

What's incredible, is the old raunchy mil spec mags are sloppy and loose but (will proper guide) feed great!

 

Did you file down the mag latch?

Edited by Fluid Power
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  • 3 months later...

Update:

Saturday, i ran a couple of 20rd mags full of Brown Bear hollow points thru it with the homemade BG, no issues to speak of!

Also, since i installed the BG, i have ran a few hundred more rounds of FMJ from all of my steel 30rd mags and have had no issues to report.

I still have not put any loctite on the screw holding the BG in place either and it has not worked loose at all.

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Update:

Saturday, i ran a couple of 20rd mags full of Brown Bear hollow points thru it with the homemade BG, no issues to speak of!

Also, since i installed the BG, i have ran a few hundred more rounds of FMJ from all of my steel 30rd mags and have had no issues to report.

I still have not put any loctite on the screw holding the BG in place either and it has not worked loose at all.

 

 

I didn't locktight my Dinzag BG for a few months (a few hundred rounds) and had no problems either, but when I was done and refinished I figured better safe than sorry.

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  • 1 year later...

Okay, so i'm bumping this thread up to see if any of the guys posting in here have any updates on their home made BG's?

 

Mine is going strong with ~15 different 20 and 30rd surplus mags. Feeds flawless with FMJ, HP and SP ammo. And i havent cleaned the rifle in over 2500rds (i bought it new)

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