I’ve had a numbers matching 1986 AKS-74U kit sitting around now for about 3 years. In that time I have managed to obtain (took 9 months) a custom serial numbered 74U-LLC receiver for the kit with the name of my trust engraved on the receiver. I also have 4x Tula orange bakelite magazines for the weapon.
The issue is the barrel. I have not been able to find a 5.45x39 barrel with the correct twist rate for use with this kit. I picked up a 16" Bulgarian AK-74 barrel some time ago, but my reading has shown that the twist rate would be too slow to stabilize 7N6. I have tried to buy a Bluejack barrel with the correct twist rate, but I’m always a day late and a dollar short. Now it seems he has announced that he’s not going to make anymore Krink barrels.
I am really at a cross roads here. I have always wanted a Krinkov, but at this point I have about $1600 worth of parts tied up in this kit that has been sitting in the safe for years now. I am not sure if I could even sell it with my trust name engraved on the receiver. Whom ever purchases it would have to have that “wiped” by a smith/welder and re-engraved prior to registering it as an NFA item.
I have noticed 5.56 Krink barrels are available from KVAR. I already own a 5.56 AK (thanks to LAV for the inspiration) that I love and has been very reliable through the years. What does everyone think about building this Krink as a 5.56? I could convert the Tula bakelites to 5.56 mags pretty easily, or sell them and the Bulgy barrel and use the profits to fund the build. I think there is something to be said about the current/long term availability of 5.45x39. As much as I want this gun to be accurate build wise, I want to be able to find ammo for it in 10 years.
Like I said, I am not sure what to do here. Thoughts?
If your still into the build, I would get active on AK forums and let it be known what you are looking for…If you let the money do the talking, someone will cough one up. The good ole’ days are gone, but there is a lot of stuff in country. Stay diligent/good luck.
Still really debating moving forward with a 5.56 barrel. If I knew I could reload 5.45, or it was being produced domestically I would be a lot more into the idea of keeping the original caliber. Maybe I am making ammo availability into a bigger deal than it really is, but I just haven’t seen squat for 5.45 lately.
Is it just totally blasphemy to build a 5.56 krink?
I’ve never been a “purist”, I lean towards the practical side… However, I am well stocked in 545, so I see your point on ammo. BTW, Wideners has Russian spam cans in right now, and has only been out a few weeks here and there during this ammo fiasco. I think if I wanted 556, I would stay with the AR platform, just my 2 cents.
You COULD get a krink 5.56 barrel from K-var. But they’re for a 23mm receiver, not a 22mm like the one you have. It could work, but I’d hold out for a 5.45 barrel. Just keep your eyes peeled on akfiles and the akforum. One will turn up, but as was said, you’ll probably pay a premium for it.
Essentially YOU are the manufacturer. You can’t obliterate that any more than you can “wipe” the serial number. Basically you’d have to cut it down to a parts kit again and sell without the receiver.
Got your PM Serious, also thank you for the kind words. Turns out they really don’t seem to just give away MS’s in Mechanical Engineering. I’ll give him a call here once I nail down some gainful employment (waiting to hear back on 2 interviews). Hopefully next week if all goes well.
It is encouraging to see 5.45 available right now at Wideners. Might be all of the encouragement I need to finish this thing in 5.45.
I have fired FA AKS-74Us as well as semi 5.56 SLR-106Us and 7.62 SLR-107Us. I found I much prefer the 5.45 in such a small form factor. Half the fun of a Krink is the “pneumatic-nailgun-like” recoil. I guess I am talking myself into the best course of action here.
It’s not yet registered. I didn’t want to send in the Form 1 until I had everything ready to go. As it stands at the moment the receiver is a title 1 firearm with an additional engraving.
As suggested above if you want a 5.56 krink your best bet is to sell the parts-kit and receiver; buy a Arsenal 5.56 krink.
If you keep looking sooner or later one of BlueJack’s barrels will pop up for sale. There are different versions. I believe the V5 is the latest version. My krink is built on one of Dave’s receivers, he went through great lengths to make those receivers as close as possible to the originals. I also have a BlueJack’s V5 krink barrel in mine and it shoots great.
I was one of Dave’s first customers to order an AKS-74U receiver. The reason I bought it was because of the authenticity. I could have gotten an NDS receiver which would have been functional, but not nearly as correct. I religiously followed his “build” thread on The AK Forum…then I lost my job and well the rest is history lol.
From my understanding there are 2 versions of the Bluejack krink barrel, V5 and V3.5. Both have the correct twist rates, etc. but on the V5 the gasport is on a land, and on the V3.5 it is in a groove…or visa versa. I know the V5 is supposed to be closer to the original design. I would take either for mine.
You are right about BlueJack’s versions of the krink barrel. You will be fine with either one, I doubt you will see any issues with the older version of his barrel. From what I understood the Soviets started drilling at that location to avoid chrome chipping with the 5.45. I doubt that will be an issue in semi.
I originally bought a Bulgarian virgin krink barrel but the Tula trunnion was larger and I could press the barrel in by hand. I thought about having it knurled but decided Bluejack’s barrel was the best route.
If I see either version for sale I’ll let you know.
That changes things. I thought it was on the registry. However if you manufacture it for “resale” then I think you are required to mark it as the builder. I know shop manufacturers who previously were not required to do so, now must mark even Title 1 firearms.
