[tylernt]

I just built an AK from an NDS-3 receiver and a Romy G parts kit (plus some Tapco 922r compliance parts). This is the first time I have ever held, let alone fired and AK. The good news is, the rifle functions fine (after I figured out I had the hammer in backwards), but I have two issues.

First, the top dust cover is too short and tries to jump off the gun after a few shots. I have a recoil buffer on order, will that help take up the slack? If not, how to I make the dust cover stay put?

Second, my empties (Wolf polymer coated) are getting tiger-striped. I suspect it happens as the rounds rattle back and forth as they are stuffed into the chamber. Is this something I should worry about? Here is the worst one:

Most of the other cases aren't as bad.

Thanks!

 

[monkeyboy]

I'm afraid I can't help with the marked up cases. However I can help with the top cover. Both my father and I had the same problem on our first builds. We simply bent out the rear bottom edge of the cover a bit and now they fit nice and tight. Jon

 

[tylernt]

Cool

We simply bent out the rear bottom edge of the cover a bit and now they fit nice and tight. Jon

Actually that had briefly occurred to me but I wasn't sure if it would work... apparently it will.

Thanks!

 

[ken k]

I would not worry about the scuffed case`s

 

[Dick S]

Where did you get your rivets? BTW good work on your 1st build. Seems like each different manufacturer's receiver is a little bit different. My 1st build on Vulcan went great but the ejector needed to be hardened. The NDS seems to be ok but the bulgarian rivets I bought don't fit due to diameter of the swell head rivets being too large. Did you install the trigger guard rivets 1st followed by front trunnion with magazine in place to insure proper location, and rear trunnion last to insure top cover fit? On my NDS the predrilled holes seem to be correct but I have not finished assembly.

Dick S

 

[tylernt]

Where did you get your rivets?

I'm afraid I did a hybrid screw and U-Drive build. I know the U-Drive is controversial so I won't say any more on that topic.

The triggerguard is screwed on, I didn't even realize there might be fitment issues in that department and as it happens the Bulgarian mag I have clicks into place snug with ZERO fore/aft wiggle so I guess I just got lucky. I think the NDS-3 receiver does have a few minor dimensional issues as you mention -- there is a small gap between the front trunnion and the ejection side rail (which may contribute to my case tiger-striping), and there is a small gap between my rear stock and the receiver. NoDak no doubt makes the receivers a little big or small in some dimensions to fit a wide variety of parts kits. It works fine though except for the dust cover issue, so I have no complaints with the NDS-3 and I especially like the price.

If I had to do it over again, I might have egg-shaped the rear trunnion holes to tighten up that dust cover. Oh well, 20/20 hindsight, hopefully bending the cover will do the trick as well.

 

[dfariswheel]

Obviously, the cartridges are "chattering" against something sharp as they chamber.

I'd chamber a round, then carefully extract it and look for were the marks are.

This will help track down whether it's a sharp chamber edge, a sharp bullet guide, or ?????

 

[tylernt]

This will help track down whether it's a sharp chamber edge, a sharp bullet guide, or ?????

Bullet guide? I've seen a feed ramp on many of my other firearms, but my AK doesn't have one.

I think the Romanians only fired a couple of test rounds though my kit, if that -- there were no wear marks on the bolt or anything, so maybe it's just a brand-new gun wearing in. It seems to do the striping less the more rounds I chamber, a couple came out with only 1 or 2 faint marks. I did try a marked round like you suggested, and it seems to mark the bottom left of a round feeding from the right side of the mag, and if I stick my finger in the chamber, it does seem a little sharp around the edges by the breech. I'm guessing that firing steel-cased Wolf will wear down those sharp chamber edges eventually?

My top cover stays on now too. Thanks for the bending tip.