Jump to content

Recommended Posts

I've been eyeing the DDI AKs and very tempted to "pull the trigger" but now I'm glad I didn't because they have exactly the rifle I want coming in a few months, and it will be 100% US made.

 

post-4831-0-93080200-1454879267_thumb.jpg

 

post-4831-0-58856400-1454879570_thumb.jpg

 

http://jerkingthetrigger.com/2016/01/15/ak105-style-gas-blocks-in-production-at-ddi/

 

Edited by Darth Saigus
  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Wow, very nice and thank you.  I wonder if they will have a version with the front site up on the barrel end where it belongs plus the option of having an adjustable and cleanable gas block.?  American Walnut linseed oil finish natural wood would be very nice also.  Also a true left hand version?

Link to post
Share on other sites

Since I plan to cut and pin the barrel the front sight gas block is exactly what I want. 

 

Not to worry though.  I seriously doubt DDI is going to stop making old school AKs..

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

The wannabe Saiga is made in China. Instant NO-GO. The wording and mash up in the interview on the receiver hinted towards forged but they said milled which relates to the receiver. All they had to do was say FORGED TRUNNION and I would be on board for an all US made AK just because. Import all that chink shit you want. It just makes our Saiga's worth so much more.

Edited by Stryker0946
  • Like 3
Link to post
Share on other sites

Why would they make the rifle in the U.S., but have the shotgun made in China? It doesn't make sense.Furthermore,hopefully they will have a 5.45 AK offering in this configuration, I imagine they will.  

 

Market share. They are building the rifles for the bigger market. I don't think DDI developed the chinese shotgun. I think the company more or less had the product ready to go and approached them as an importer, then DDI requested things like the left side handle, dimples, and dovetailed front sight. 

 

DDI is building their brand around good quality, so I expect these will be better made than a lot of the conjecture implies. While I am sure they cherry picked the samples for shot show, the people who handled them said the internals looked much better than the Kitties.

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

I was pissy, not drunk! Chink shotgun =NO GO. I was a little tired but the interview was unclear if they were talking about a forged receiver or trunnion.

 

Does the rifle have a forged or cast trunnion? I could not find the answer in the video or the website. Nor online.

 

Can't think straight when tired and cranky. I'll try again for the answer later. If it's cast, I will pass. The novelty isn't worth my beautiful face. Ha ha.

Why would they make the rifle in the U.S., but have the shotgun made in China? It doesn't make sense.Furthermore,hopefully they will have a 5.45 AK offering in this configuration, I imagine they will.

 

Because it's easy to build a decent AK and difficult and expensive to tool up and make a Saiga.
Link to post
Share on other sites

IIRC neither.

 

I think I saw a factory tour a couple months back in which DDI the guy had some CNC mills making trunnions. He said something about the reject rate on surplus ones messing up delivery schedules and screwing up the bottom line. Basically it was cheaper to mill them from bar stock to higher spec than deal with rejects and having to sort several different standards to fit parts. Even theoretically identical national kits had variances which meant fitting and modification for assembly, which is expensive.

  • Like 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

Forged VS milled is less important than WHAT was forged or milled. The properties and alloy of the steel is more important than how it was formed.

Forged from GOOD steel is always best, but forged from 'boron steel' is FAR weaker than milled plow steel, and will crack and fail far sooner.

Link to post
Share on other sites

IIRC neither.

 

I think I saw a factory tour a couple months back in which DDI the guy had some CNC mills making trunnions. He said something about the reject rate on surplus ones messing up delivery schedules and screwing up the bottom line. Basically it was cheaper to mill them from bar stock to higher spec than deal with rejects and having to sort several different standards to fit parts. Even theoretically identical national kits had variances which meant fitting and modification for assembly, which is expensive.

Forgings starts life out as bar stock. The forge process is either cold or warm forged metal. Basically the forge press smashes the metal to tighten the micro grain stucture of the metal, final machining will be required on bar stock or forged parts. Bar stock or forgings with the correct alloy (metalergy chemistry) along with proper heat-treatment will be a good choice over cast metal. I think most folks would surprised how many parts are cast metal in the AR-15/10 rifles.

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Yes, but not every milled part is milled from a casting or a forging. Some are just from raw rectangular sections of steel. Those of course can come from the mill with a huge range of properties. 

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Milled from a forging that approximates the final shape creates a grain flow that follows the shape of the part. Milled from a forged billet is what most forged parts really are, that is just a big hunk of steel mashed to compact the crystalline structure. Then you have milled from a hunk of rolled steel, Then there is cast.

 

ALL ARE OBSOLETE!!!

 

The advent of 3D (additive manufacturing) will make most of the above as anachronistic as button down basketball shoes!

Link to post
Share on other sites

Milled from a forging that approximates the final shape creates a grain flow that follows the shape of the part. Milled from a forged billet is what most forged parts really are, that is just a big hunk of steel mashed to compact the crystalline structure. Then you have milled from a hunk of rolled steel, Then there is cast.

 

ALL ARE OBSOLETE!!!

 

The advent of 3D (additive manufacturing) will make most of the above as anachronistic as button down basketball shoes!

 

printed assembly is very slow compared to forgings or cast and with rare exceptions has far less strength than the MIM that gun people ignorantly like to crap on. (There's MIM and then there's MIM... A good casting can be stronger than a mediocre forging.)

 

p.s. I play with 3d printed stuff and micro milling on a regular basis. I'm not really up to the CAD skills necessary to generate my own G-code, but I am up to speed with the hobby and industrial aspects of these methods. Printing is good for complex shapes you can't get a tool inside. It's also good for one off manufacture of things which don't need to be strong. For everything else, it is weaker, more costly and slower.  However, there has been some good tech in printing ceramic molds for injection molding complex shapes you can't do with other tools, and having high precision casting which don't need internal galleries, etc. Milled out. i.e. places you couldn't get a tool into. Then the ceramic is sonically shattered and washed out of the casting.

  • Like 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

I've been eyeing the DDI AKs and very tempted to "pull the trigger" but now I'm glad I didn't because they have exactly the rifle I want coming in a few months, and it will be 100% US made.

 

attachicon.gifDDI-AK-proto.jpg

 

attachicon.gifDDI-AK-proto-2.jpg

 

http://jerkingthetrigger.com/2016/01/15/ak105-style-gas-blocks-in-production-at-ddi/

 

 

Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 7 months later...

2-3 weeks out now.  I'm pretty damned excited about a US AK with properly forged parts.  I hope it lives up to the hype.

 

Quote from DDI on ackfiles:

899 MAP on base gun. So add a folding stock is 5O bucks more. If we get CHF barrels then another 50 bucks more if my price holds.

 

I don't think a grand is out of line.  Street price should be a bit lower once the rush is over.  Assuming there isn't an executive order banning semi-autos before then...

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ig2n_g8jVxg&feature=youtu.be

Edited by Darth Saigus
Link to post
Share on other sites

I choose not to focus on that. 

 

There was money to be made and I'm all for capitalism so I can't fault them for making some money, even if the product isn't something I'm interested in.  Putting their name on it does diminish the brand imo but their trademark, their decision.

 

I still want one of their forged AKs.  Cut and pin the barrel for a nice handy package.  I think they should offer a pinned version as a factory option.  Only problem is choosing a muzzle device that would have broad appeal.  Just not a 74 brake PLEASE.

Link to post
Share on other sites

You don't like the '74 brake?

 

Mostly I think a modernized AK should be threaded in one of the common thread patterns so you have your choice of comps or cans without any stupid adapters. Comps are simple tech and should be cheap.

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 3 weeks later...

Rob Ski takes a look at the 47S.  Everything looks great.  He thinks they should have used "modern" barrel threads.  I have no problem with the use of 14-1 threads.  Standard AK and lots of options if you want to change it.

 

But here's the BIG surprise...  Weight is 6lb 4oz. 

 

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
  • Chatbox

    Load More
    You don't have permission to chat.
×
×
  • Create New...