How hard is it to add a side scope mount rail to an AK?

[fiat128 0]

I've got a pre 1994 ban Norinco MAK-90 that doesn't have a side mount rail for the scope. How hard is it to add one of these? I saw on a vendor site one that is mounted with screws instead of rivets.

 

Specifically I'm wondering if you have to align it with bore somehow or if you just mount them as well as possible and then the adjustments are made when you mount the scope?

 

I'd appreciate any advice anyone has. I'd like to put some optics on my MAK but I need the mount first.

 

PS: Sorry if this has already been covered but I couldn't find anything on the search.

Edited September 8, 2011 by fiat128

[G O B 3,516]

I used the rail from my wife's S.410 on my 'rusty Romy' kit. The Romy rear trunnion arms were too short to reach the scope rail, the Saiga trunnion has one rivit that passes thru the reciever and the scope rail so I used the Saiga rear trunnion. To align the rail with the bore, I installed the rear rivet, the one that goes thru the trunnion arm and ALMOST set the rivet. Made it tight but not too tight to move the sight rail with a hammer and wood block. Then using a vernier mike to measure I rotated the rail on that rivet until it was parallel with the top rail (top of receiver), clamped it tight with vice grips then drilled the receiver and riveted them and finished the first rivet.

I was using a virgin receiver not a complete gun so you may have some of the holes already there and they may or may not work with your gun. Hold the scope rail on the side of the receiver and see what works for your application.

[datrowl 111]

I would think by secureing the gun in a vise, and laying a level across the barrel to get it spot on... then moveing said magnetic level to side of reciever and getting it spot on again, marking you a referance line with a china pen or chalk marker, and useing that mark as your referance point for drilling one should be able to line the side rail up fairly easily with the barrel... all that should be needed then would be a coupla holes drilled, some rivets or round head screws and small nuts with red locktite....

 

the real question should be... do the rails run perfect even with the barrel or have a slight slope to them to accomidate the optic sitting so high and haveing to basicly aim down by 3 inches to intersect the muzzle ..... even that though should be correctable by a shim which is a pretty common fix for ak optic issues

 

 

just remember, the longer the level, the truer the read... not sure i'd try it with anything shorter than a 16 or 18 inch and surely not with one of the 6 or 8 inch home improvement store specials that can be bought for 4 bucks

 

 

proceed with caution, measure twice, drill once and be ready to have it screwed up anyway is my motto

 

 

if worse comes to worse, alot of AK builder websights sell a template that'll have all the holes marked for a flat to drill the rivets.... one of those should get ya spot on without question and still cost less than paying an AK builder to do it with the added benifit that you could resell it or keep it for use later if you were ever inclined to start kit building or something

[G O B 3,516]

Mine came out spot on.

[Scott Kenny 144]

I think that even PSO's have a way to shim them for *when* the drunk Russian at the factory mis-aligns the rail.

 

Now, for a picatinny rail scope mount, it's really pretty easy. Once you have the rail attached, put a scope on and head out to the range. Shoot, and see where your point of impact is at 100 yards. Don't try to battle-zero at 20 or something, do a true 100-yard zero. You should be within about 20 scope-clicks. If you aren't, then you need to shim the mount. Unscrew the two screw that hold the rail onto the mount, and use .001" of shim for every 1" at 100 yards (assuming you're using one of the Kalinka mounts). Make sure you use aluminum for your shim, brass will react galvanically.

 

Drill whatever holes you need to get the shim centered on the screw, AND any pins go through the shim. Tighten everything back down to about 20 in-lbs and you're done!

[Deadeye 325]

I think the side rails are not a solid mounting system for past 50 yds just my opinion.

[Horse 39]

Can you give any exact reasons and proof why your opinion is that way?

 

Over 70 years of data suggests otherwise.

[Deadeye 325]

Well the reciever metal is thin and just 3 rivets alow the scope to flex side to side to much for my liking. With my 308 side rail. tight tight on the rail. I could grab the scope and move it side to side and it was flexing the rivets and reciever. Just my opinion ther are a lot more solid options out there.

[Mephis 82]

Well the reciever metal is thin and just 3 rivets alow the scope to flex side to side to much for my liking. With my 308 side rail. tight tight on the rail. I could grab the scope and move it side to side and it was flexing the rivets and reciever. Just my opinion ther are a lot more solid options out there.

 

 

Excuse me, but, do you realize that the receiver of any AK style stamped gun flexes?

 

The thing isn't being flexed when you're pulling the trigger unless you're pressing on it or resting it very hard against the scope its self while firing. But hell, anything touching a gun affects accuracy, why do you think there's free float forends?

 

Using an NPZ PO4x24-1 on my saiga 308, I've detached and reattached it may times and have put quite a few rounds through it between 100 to 150 yards. The zero has never shifted, and it's always been dead on. Yes it flexes, that is normal. If it didn't flex then you might want to start worrying, because your receiver might be overly hardened during heat treating and likely to crack.

Edited October 18, 2011 by Tombs

[Scott Kenny 144]

Yeah, even with the huge 6.5-20x Vortex scope, my PSL is repeatable. She holds zero, even when you swap scopes midway through the shooting session!

 

Have you seen the high-speed footage of a PSL firing? The barrel waves up and down about 6"!

[netpackrat 566]

In this thread over on Gunco.net I described the method I used to mount side rails on a couple of AKs, aligned with the barrel. Range results indicate it seems to have worked acceptably well. I probably wouldn't bother with the side rails anymore, and would go with the TWS rail instead these days, if you have one of the AKs that it will fit.