Jon_L 6 Posted May 21, 2014 Report Share Posted May 21, 2014 So my AK builder has had my AK-74 kit that I wanted built into a 5.56 rifle for a little over 14 months and I need a 5.56 front trunnion for Bulgarian rifles. The barrel I gave him was 23mm but he said he could make it fit into a 22mm trunnion if he needed to. So if anyone can bail me out with a link, or PM me if they have a spare (this is NOT an ad) I'd be very grateful because I can't find these things anywhere (KVar, but they're out of stock). Thanks in advance, Jon Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mancat 2,368 Posted May 22, 2014 Report Share Posted May 22, 2014 (edited) There are a few problems with going to a Bulgarian 23mm trunnion - which for all intents is just a normal AKM trunnion. - The AK-74 bolt is incompatible with the trunnion, so you'll need a Bulgarian 5.56 bolt as well. This also means you need a different bolt carrier now, because the Bulgarian 5.56 bolt is AKM spec and won't work with the AK-74 carrier. - AK-74 bullet guide is not compatible with the trunnion, as the camming surface on the bullet guide is wrong for the short-lug lockup of the AKM trunnion. So now you need a Bulgarian 5.56 bullet guide as well. He would be better off taking the barrel to a lathe and reducing the chamber to 22mm, allowing you to use the existing trunnion, bolt, and bullet guide.. However the setback of the barrel chamber will also be wrong, as the short-lug Bulgarian barrel needs to be pressed further into the trunnion in order to headspace, due to the short-lug vs. long-lug design differences between the Bulgarian 5.56 barrel and the AK-74 trunnion. This will require the gas port and barrel components to be repositioned for correct fit. It's not like this has never been done before, but a lot of people have avoided the 23mm Bulgarian barrels with AK-74 parts because of the amount of work involved. If you are going to build with a Bulgarian barrel, you're actually better off to start with an AKM parts kit of some type - a complete Bulgarian 23mm barrel assy and bolt is practically a drop-in into a complete AKM receiver & carrier group. AT this point the build is no longer cheap or simple, and you might as well have just bought an SLR-106 Edited May 22, 2014 by mancat Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jon_L 6 Posted May 22, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 22, 2014 (edited) Don't worry, I'm feeling that I should have bought one new by now, but I'm too committed at this point. It appears someone in the shop took too much off the trunnion so he's looking for another without any luck. He's put it on the shelf until he can locate one, which is why he sent me the email. I have bought a different bolt and carrier to make this all work, now I need a new trunnion. You're saying a standard 7.62 AKM trunnion will work, if the correct bullet guide is installed? Edited May 22, 2014 by Jon_L Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mancat 2,368 Posted May 22, 2014 Report Share Posted May 22, 2014 (edited) I believe the only difference between a standard AKM trunnion and the Bulgarian 23mm 5.56 trunnion is that the Bulgy trunnion has slightly wider "ears" where the barrel pin installs, as the late model Bulgy rifles have a wider than normal RSB. This shouldn't matter if using the AK-74 RSB. The Bulgy 5.56 bullet guide is awfully similar to a standard 7.62x39 guide, but I doubt the geometry is the same. Edited May 22, 2014 by mancat Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jon_L 6 Posted May 22, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 22, 2014 I'll ask him if that would work. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jon_L 6 Posted May 29, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 29, 2014 Well, it looks like I'm in the market for a 5.45 barrel to complete this rifle. Anyone know of a cheap one? $100 is a bit much, considering I saw them for much less way back. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mancat 2,368 Posted May 29, 2014 Report Share Posted May 29, 2014 Unfortunately $100 is a pretty average ballpark for a basic US-made AK barrel - maybe even a little low. Spring for chrome-lined, only $10-20 more. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Arik 565 Posted May 30, 2014 Report Share Posted May 30, 2014 (edited) Well, it looks like I'm in the market for a 5.45 barrel to complete this rifle. Anyone know of a cheap one? $100 is a bit much, considering I saw them for much less way back. HAHAHAHA!!! Thats funny! Have you kept up with the barrel prices? HAve you heard of the BARREL BAN? ALL surplus barrels have dried up since 2005 when the barrel ban went int oeffect. Those who bought them cheap and still have them are not selling cheap. Avg price for a good surplus barrel is over $200. New Bulgarian barrels from Kvar is close to $300. Even good American ones are closer to $150 - $200. A Shitty American out of spec one might be around $100. Its possible to do the converssion you're talking about but its just not practical. I have one that was done the opposite of yours. When 5.45 was near impossible to find people were converting Norinco 84S 223 AK into 5.45 AKs. Even then you needed a skilled gunsmith. Mine is a Norinco receiver with a Bulgarian front end. Edited May 30, 2014 by Arik Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mancat 2,368 Posted May 30, 2014 Report Share Posted May 30, 2014 it should really not take that much work for your gunsmith to take the chamber to a lathe to make it 22mm, adjust component position on the barrel for any necessary setback changes that will occur with using a short-lug barrel in a long-lug trunnion, and drill a new gas port. the old one probably doesn't even need to be welded up - it should be covered by the extension on the gas block journal. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jon_L 6 Posted May 30, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 30, 2014 It was my only option when all the 5.56 AK rifles dried up when Obama was re-elected... Now they're frickin' everywhere and I'm like, "shit." Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mancat 2,368 Posted May 30, 2014 Report Share Posted May 30, 2014 then sell the parts and buy an SLR-106, Saiga .223, or Sig 556. unfortunately I think you already have a nice gunsmithing bill at this point. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jon_L 6 Posted May 30, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 30, 2014 Nah, he was very great about everything, He's only charging me for the 5.45 build and nothing else he's done. And yes, I still want a 5.56 but right now my gun locker could use this Bulgarian beast. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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