So believe it or not, I dont just build Ak's. This here is righting an old wrong.
1903a3 National Ordnance receiver turd / hand grenade. Granted, I know this one is good, headspaced correctly, & has been shot a fair bit since the mid to late 80's. But it needs to be put back right for sentimental reasons.
Now 03a3 receivers are a bit of a bitch to find & ain't cheap when they do pop up. Especially a Smith Corona receiver. Which is exactly what I needed. Go figure. Enter the deactivated drill rifle. Was pointed to a company that sells drill rifles that isn't the CMP. Damn thing still cost more than most of the guns I own. But it is what it is.
The deactivation process for those who dont know is as thus.
1: jam a steel rod in the barrel.
2: torch a hole in the barrel.
3: cut the firing pin tip.
4: weld the firing pin hole in the bolt.
5: weld the magazine cut off in the off position so the bolt cant be removed.
6: weld the barrel to the bottom of the receiver.
Simple enough to reverse some of that stupidity.
First. Gingerly grind / file down the barrel to receiver weld. The barrel is toast. Grind away on that & then slowly hand file that back to the receiver. Leave just a smidgen of the weld. It'll break easily. For whatever reason, they used stainless steel for the welds. It doesn't really combine with the carbon steel of the rifle well.
Have the proper tools for this!!! Dont destroy the receiver with a dang pipe wrench!!! Mount it up in a barrel vise & mauser action wrench. Little bit of force & off it comes.
More to come folks.
1903a3 recovery & 1903 as well.
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Last edited by mattgunguy on Wed Jul 07, 2021 2:19 am, edited 1 time in total.
Screw communism