ACR Forum banner

AK Magazine Lower Conversion!!!

16K views 40 replies 13 participants last post by  badairborne 
#1 ·
I want to start off by saying that you cannot stop me from trying this. I am not a machinist, a gunsmith, or an armorer. I have a dremel, a toolbox given to me by my father when I was 8 or 9, and a trip to Lowes in my future. I've been doing my homework about the AK lower proposed by Magpul, and will be doing my humble best to recreate it by modifying a factory lower. I will be adding one design of my own; one little part that will connect the AK mag release to the button of the original mag release. Im planing to make this part from stainless, because its the right mix of strength and workability, but I'm open to suggestion. I'll be cutting down the mag well, adding pins for the forward AK mag catch, sanding the inner walls of the mag well wider, and of course adding room for my part.
I am well aware that this is ambitious, and I would like to hear any ideas anyone has, especially anyone who has tried something like this before. I'll be picking up my second ACR on monday, and will post pictures with my ideas soon.
 
#4 ·
Thats a really good point bigdog. I've never handled a Galil or their mags but I know they use roughly the same mechanics. This is an even better idea since I do not yet have a 7.62x39 bolt or barrel. Ill be grabbing one of Argonauts bolts soon, and my smith in orlando will probably end up doing the barrel. I will be canibalizing the parts from the barrel assembly on the second ACR for the conversion. So yea, Galil mags will let me start by testing with my OEM bolt and barrel while I wait for the other parts, assuming they are roughly the same dimensions as 7.62 AK mags. Thanks!
 
#5 ·
I hears an AK lower is coming out soon,i heard this from a guy who knows a guy,whos sister he know at BM.said release date is soon.:p
 
#9 ·
The mag release is of my own design, and when I can manage to create a drawing that does it justice, I will post it. It will be a single piece that catches the rear shelf of an AK mag, and is retracted with the use of the existing mag release button that we already know and love. It will be an internal part, only visible by looking up into the mag well. It will sit in the groove left behind by the removed bolt catch. The catch for the forward shelf of the mag will be a large(ish) pin pushed through the entire lower, much like a roll pin, however I have considered grinding the top of this pin to be a bit flatter to make a more positive catch for the mag, which would require a solid bar of metal to be used. This will be in the top front corner of the mag well, aligned to ensure correct hight of the top rounds in an inserted mag.
Just to clarify, I have not started any fabrication or modification of any parts. I would like to have a solid design before I do something I can't undo. As soon as I make the first move, there will be pictures here.
 
#11 ·
theres one for sale om the forum also.i wish somebody would make some good mags.
 
#13 ·
Alright, so I've been thinking it over for a month, and unfortunately I don't believe my mag release part will work. It would have relied too heavily on spring tension to keep the mag in place, meaning that if enough force was applied, or the mag was too heavy, it could drop on its own. Obviously that is a no no. so I've decided to pin a traditional AK mag release in the bolt catch channel, for the sake of reliability. Since the AK platform follows the KISS philosophy, AK mag conversion should should follow suit I suppose.
 
#15 ·
Sorry if I posted this thread prematurely. I wanted to get as much input, and put as much thought into this as I can. I have two ACR's, so I can only try this once, without it costing me a ridiculous amount. I have an Argonauts bolt, and as funds allow I am adding the ejector/extractor parts. I have an Email into Marvin to do a barrel conversion. I sent him my proposed parts list for a 14.5 (or so) pinned 7.62x39 barrel. If/when he says he can do it, I will buy them and send them to him. I want to have a working x39 conversion (bolt/barrel) before I start mod'ing my lower. Obviously this may take some time.

One thing I have noticed that gives me hope, is a certain cutout in the back of the trunnion right above the front of the mag well. It seems to be the perfect spot for the front AK mag catch, as it creates a little ledge when the lower is connected. You can feel it if you stick your finger in the top/front of the mag well. This may be a provision in the design (by Magpul or whoever else) for a future AK mag lower. The top of the lower will actually serve as the forward mag catch, in this case, so I may end up reinforcing it.
 
#19 ·
I have seen that lower on GB. It's been on for a while. I'll grab it soonish (funds permiting), since that would be the safer route. I figured since I'm using the hardware off my second ACRs barrel to do the x39 barrel, I wouldn't have two functioning 5.56 guns anyway.

And yes, Duc, from all the mock-ups I've done it seems it will hold the front of the mag at the perfect position. The rounds should be at an agreeable hight, and the only movement I can imagine, is the mag rocking slightly forward, less than a quarter of an inch upward at the front mag catch, which will angle the rounds up towards the chamber a bit, which I can't see hindering feeding. This would only be possible when the bolt was open, and would only be likely if the gun was upside down. If such movement did cause reliability problems, I would find a way to secure it. As long as the rear mag catch is secure, the rounds should be kept fairly still, and at a correct hight to allow the bolt to strip rounds consistently.

It all looks good in my head, but I won't know for sure until I try it out.
 
#20 ·
Git er done'
 
#22 ·
So for a while I wasn't sure I was going to actually try this, but motivation struck me recently and I started to chop away. Since I doubt anyone will be following in my footsteps, This is more of an update on my progress than a how-to. I have a 40rnd 7.62 steel AK mag that I was told was made by SGM, two 30rnd 7.62 US Palm polymer mags, and two 35rnd 5.56 Israeli Galil mags. At this point, all of them can rock into place at a hight appropriate to feed rounds. I do not yet have a mag catch in place. I have held them in place and cycled the bolt with the barrel removed (I do not yet have a 7.62x39 barrel) and it stripped rounds reliably. The original Magpul idea had a bit of a mag well. The US Palm mags, and many other polymer mags, have ribs that stick out quite far. Too far, I'm afraid, to be compatible with Magpul's concept. So when I chopped the entire mag well off, I made it flat up to the top of the lower, only sparing the thicker parts that butt up against the upper.
Ruler Wood Bumper Office ruler Automotive exterior

Keep in mind that this started life as a brown lower that was dyed black, so as I cut the brown shows. So I've ben grinding away at the plastic, removing part of the bolt catch channel, and making enough clearance for the mags to swing up into place.
Air gun Trigger Wood Automotive exterior Gun barrel

It's not pretty yet. Thats for sure.
 
#24 ·
At first I thought the front mag ledge could just grab the piece of the lower between the pivot/takedown pin holes, but after a few mock ups I noticed that it was scratching the plastic there, meaning it could/would wear with repeated use. So I ground down a 1/8" steel rod to make it flat on one side, and dug a bit of a trench in the front of the lower for it. this also dropped the hight the mag sits at, which I needed a little bit for reliability reasons. So I just slathered that trench with JB Weld and popped that shaft in there, so right now I'm letting it dry.
Wood Hand tool Tool Natural material Bumper
Wood Rolling Auto part Hardwood Metal
Finger Thumb Tire Nail Wood
Wood Office supplies Writing implement Flooring Nail

I also widened the whole mag well because some mags where a bit tight against the walls, but I did it a bit too much. Once again, JB Weld to the rescue.
 
#25 ·
I'm also actually modifying the stanag mag catch, spring, and roll pin to serve as the AK mag catch. Hard to explain.

I will be updating this thread with my progress, but I'm done working on it for tonight. Stay tuned.
 
#27 ·
This is great. Maybe once you get this working, you can combine thoughts with the other member working on lowers.

I really think an AKM lower would do wonders for people who love the ACR, and those on the fence.

Once I make the move to TX, I was thinking of selling all types of ACR stuff online as a small, side gig. Something like this would be great for that.

Sent from my ADR6410LVW using Tapatalk 2
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top