Drugnov Parts kit questions...

[DarkRose]

Always liked the look and feel of the Drugnov/PSL rifles, and was surfing around last night and found a place that had a parts kit with trunions, and a receiver w/o trunions... For a total cost of less than buying the complete rifles I've been seeing...

Questions... Special tools/skills needed? How hard are these to assemble? From the looks of what I could just see in the photo, I'd mostly be worried about barrel headspace and such, or is it already set like an AR or something?

Just looks like another possible fun project...

 

[Mosinguy]

I don't have any parts kit experience, but my guess would be that it shouldn't be any more complicated than an AK build. Obviously different gun but I'm talking about work involved/parts needed.

 

[Clay]

its the same as an AK build with a few minor differences depending on the receiver you use with it. That being said, yes it requires some special tools since you have to be able to press the barrel out and crush rivets. You would need a hydraulic press of some kind, and some way to crush rivets with the press, OR make a riveting tool from a set of bolt cutters, plus some other small pieces and parts.

Not hard, but probably cheaper to just buy the assembled rifle most of the time.

 

[DarkRose]

Never done any AK build either, just AR and tinkered some on 1911 (nothing specialized, no fitting, etc.)

Had an FAL parts kit I was going to build but traded it off a few years ago, then prices went way up... <sigh>

Just didn't know what specialized tools/skills would be needed, mainly in the barrel/headspacing department.

 

[DarkRose]

its the same as an AK build with a few minor differences depending on the receiver you use with it. That being said, yes it requires some special tools since you have to be able to press the barrel out and crush rivets. You would need a hydraulic press of some kind, and some way to crush rivets with the press, OR make a riveting tool from a set of bolt cutters, plus some other small pieces and parts.

Not hard, but probably cheaper to just buy the assembled rifle most of the time.

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As in pop rivets? Or actual rivets? (arbor press with fitting maybe?)

Press the barrel out? Hmmm... arbor press might work nicely there with the right fixture... Too bad I don't have easy access to one at the moment...

Mainly asking all this because I've seen complete guns going ~$600, and found parts kit for $350 and receiver for $100 I think, so it SOUNDED good at $150 savings...

 

[TREETOP]

It's not a Dragunov, but Centerfire Systems has PSL kits and PSL receivers both for pretty cheap. Add the correct scope, a couple mags, the build parts/tools and refinishing and it'll put you right about the same price as one already built, but complete PSLs are getting more scarce it looks like and building one would be a cool project.

 

[whiskeytangofoxtrot]

Buy the PSL, it is less of a headache, and you will be money, time, and patience ahead.

 

[DarkRose]

It's not a Dragunov, but Centerfire Systems has PSL kits and PSL receivers both for pretty cheap. Add the correct scope, a couple mags, the build parts/tools and refinishing and it'll put you right about the same price as one already built, but complete PSLs are getting more scarce it looks like and building one would be a cool project.

I think that's what I was actually looking at...

What is the difference between the Drugnov and PSL/FPK?

 

[Clay]

big, HUGE difference.

Dragunov (aka SVD) has more in common with an SKS than an AK.

The PSL is an overgrown AK.

 

[jmiller676]

big, HUGE difference.

Dragunov (aka SVD) has more in common with an SKS than an AK.

The PSL is an overgrown AK.

Why the SKS is FTW.

 

[duffman0286]

Oh build one i just finished mine its a great project they dont require any us comp parts but i high reamind you use a US made norak spud reciever (square back) over the stock romak 3 receiver. (this receiver fixes the hard slam of the bolt carrier on the rear trunnion unlike the built ones you can find. However you have to use a Romanian style rear stock i used a wasr-10 thumb hole stock. Far as riveting this gun there are two methods you can use using the ak builder rivet tool but pricey at $250 or a aircraft rivet dies you will need the full set around $25 for the set and use a rivet gun or air chisel. you can make or buy the bucking bars needed for the build there not to bad on price. Some people modify old rail road tie spikes for the trigger group or you can buy ak builders for $55. You will have to make a brass or other soft metal piece to push out the barrel with out tearing up the lip on the chamber. its much easier than it sounds and there are some great write ups and videos out there. but the you tubes are the best. there are also conversions to convert to the furniture to the svd stuff. use a tapco g2 double hook trigger and it will be quite the plinker ( the stock trigger group has terrible trigger slap). ill post some picks of my build in a few. But buy a parts kit while you can and build what you really want.

 

[Clay]

Oh build one i just finished mine its a great project they dont require any us comp parts but i high reamind you use a US made norak spud reciever (square back) over the stock romak 3 receiver. (this receiver fixes the hard slam of the bolt carrier on the rear trunnion unlike the built ones you can find.

the receivers are pretty much the same, the only difference is the nodak allows the use of standard AK style stocks, where you are pretty limited with the Romy version.

as for the hard slam, the only thing that "fixes" that is the correct light ball (147 grain) ammo. Heavy ball will create issues over time. All AK bolt carriers smack the rear trunnion, the heavy ball hits harder and has been shown to break the rear trunnion loose.

 

[duffman0286]

the receivers are pretty much the same, the only difference is the nodak allows the use of standard AK style stocks, where you are pretty limited with the Romy version.

as for the hard slam, the only thing that "fixes" that is the correct light ball (147 grain) ammo. Heavy ball will create issues over time. All AK bolt carriers smack the rear trunnion, the heavy ball hits harder and has been shown to break the rear trunnion loose.

Nodak Recievers are out there any not quite limited just yet but will be in next year or so. They are made for TGI and they are a shorter reciver almost by a inch so the spring retain much more engagement. but another improvement is the use of a m1a recoil spring stacked on top of xd hand gun spring. both show great improvements for you guys that fire heavy ball ammo. but the reciver doesnt need fixment for the bolt carriers like the rommy 3's so if thats not a selling point i dont know what is. and on the head space issue if you buy the centerfire kit with matching number and trunnions it shouldnt be a issue but always good to double check with a set of gauges or at least the live round way if your not willing to spend the money on go/no goes.

 

[duffman0286]

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[duffman0286]

Here is a picture of the nordak style receiver note its not a curved style like the rommy 3's and this is a wasr 10 thumb hole stock

 

[Shootin'IN]

Always liked the look and feel of the Drugnov/PSL rifles, and was surfing around last night and found a place that had a parts kit with trunions, and a receiver w/o trunions... For a total cost of less than buying the complete rifles I've been seeing...

Questions... Special tools/skills needed? How hard are these to assemble? From the looks of what I could just see in the photo, I'd mostly be worried about barrel headspace and such, or is it already set like an AR or something?

Just looks like another possible fun project...

The build is almost the same as an AK 47 build with the exception of the barrel & barrel pin is nearly impossible to press out.
It takes lots of tooling, jigs, fixtures and such.
I would not attempt it without a good press 12 ton or higher.
No they are NOT head spaced like ARs, you will need to check head space.
It is great fun to build but if I had it to do again I would buy one not build.

 

[duffman0286]

The build is almost the same as an AK 47 build with the exception of the barrel & barrel pin is nearly impossible to press out.
It takes lots of tooling, jigs, fixtures and such.
I would not attempt it without a good press 12 ton or higher.
No they are NOT head spaced like ARs, you will need to check head space.
It is great fun to build but if I had it to do again I would buy one not build.

I also had a little trouble pushing out the barrel pin but still didnt take me longer that 5-10min to push it out ( i used a ak builder press tool to do it) however it not a hard tool to rig up modifying a old worthless socket and a harden oil stock rod stock. a press is a must the bigger the better(not because you need the beefier press buts it ground clearance. the biggest problem i ran into was demilling the rear trunnion these rivets are very hard some press out fine others need drilling and then pressing there really not that many jigs and fixtures you really need unless your planning on building a whole lot of ak styled guns. most just make jigs out of scrape lying around i strongly suggest building your own its alot of fun and you learn alot.

 

[TREETOP]

On the subject of headspace, how important/difficult is that considering the 7.62X54R is a rimmed cartridge?

 

[Mosinguy]

My (lowly) opinion would be to have someone headspace it anyways, it's better to destroy a $129 Mosin than a $600 PSL you built from parts. I doubt that it would be a big problem, but expense wise I'd err on the side of caution. My

 

[Clay]

If you buy a matching kit, odds are it will headspace fine in the existing configuration. Find someone who will let you borrow a set of gauges to check it.

Heck, even some of the non-matching kits Ive play with the head space was good with out moving anything.

Worse case you might have to put some weld into the groove on the barrel and the barrel pin to set headspace.