Better AK than TM for less than $600

[Azriel_Strife]

Hey guys, this is a guide to get the gears turning. Iv'e worked out average pricing for all parts required and you can build a AK for less then the price of a stock TM, and to top it off it's better in every way. Here's how it works.

Step (1) Buy a "Kraken" from anyplace you like, I choose SIR cause they are cheaper. We'll be buying the Kraken because we want the barrel assembly, sights, and Gearbox until we choose to buy a high end box.

Step (2) Go to RedWolf and pick the metal body of your choosing, I like the ones that come with a metal front set and metal accessories. Also (if you feel you want it) choose a nice wood/tactical kit. The Kraken's furnishings are ugly but very rugged, This isn't required but with the money you save not buying a TM you'll probably want to upgrade to a nice kit.

Step (3) Once you have all the above at your home you just need to install them on the Kraken. If you chose the metal body kit with all metal accessories and front set, you'll have a fullmetal AK. If you also chose the wood kit the gun will be almost completely free from plastic aside from small parts on the trigger switch and battery connectors. The gun is solid as a rock with a half descent box in it at this point.

Total cost so far is $365-$375 with the cheaper options on redwolf. You have a bit more to play with if you want to go with more expensive parts.
Kraken = $180 with shipping
Metal Body Kit + Wood Kit = $185 with shipping (shipping includes wood kit as they are sent in the same order)

You could throw in a tightbore barrel for your AK, maybe a hop up. The Kraken is really accurate without a tightbore but why not? That should get you up to around $400. They will throw it all in one box for you to save shipping. The stock Cyma box shoots around 360FPS, with a tightbore you'll probably pick up a few more FPS and get around if not more than the advertized 370FPS.

Now all thats left stock in the Kraken is the outer barrel and the mechbox. The stock Cyma box should work well for a year or so. My nephew uses my old Kraken nearly every weekend to play and it's 16 months old and no less than 30,000 rounds have been through it. It's never been torn down for maintenence in this time. Feel free to play the stock box for as long as you like, save up for a better box down the road and replace it when you like.

So to recap, you've spent around $400 bucks on your gun so far and it's bombproof with a middle of the road gearbox in it that fires reliably at 370+FPS with a good rate of fire. A TM costs around $570 + Shipping and is bone stock @ 280FPS. So far we're doing very well and we have quite a bit of headroom in replacing that gearbox with a good used one.

Do some shopping around for a good used gearbox and upgrade it when you like, a TM reinforced box with Classic Army gears is a good choice. Throw in the spring from the Kraken box to keep your velocity around the same as the Cyma, or leave the stock CA spring for increased ROF at the cost of some velocity. Keep in mind that Metal Bodies CAN be confiscated at the border if you decide to order from RedWolf or another out of country site. For a bit more money you can get one from within Canada, but they are tougher to find.

Hope this got your gears turing guys, Iv'e ordered my Kraken and I'm ordering my other parts tomorrow. With any luck this is going to be a reliable gun for quite some time.

Cheers!

[vatek]

Just remember that when you're ordering metal bodies from the states, they can and do get seized by customs. YMMV, as usual.

[ancorp]

FYI metal bodies are restricted items. Not a good idea to just order up.

And yes, Kraken is the way to go. OR get a parts kit that has the essentials (trigger guard, outer barrel, front and rear sights, takedown lever, and stock trunnion), and you can buy the rest (a lot of people replace most of the rest, except the gearbox, which is about $40-60 used on ASC) elsewhere. I.e a metal body, metal front end kit, bolt, top cover, etc.

Cheers,
Alex

[Azriel_Strife]

Perhaps one should just get the metal body and front set off ASC then, but the price goes way up. Where would I aquire an affordable metal body?

[Crunchmeister]

I totally agree that this is the way to go as well. However, as others have mentioned, you can't import metal bodies, so you'll be buying from a Canadian source and that will add some cost to the gun. But I agree. For the same price as a brand new stock TM, you could have a fully upgraded, metal body Kraken.

[Amos]

Doing a custom build for my friend

Before Krink:

Kraken AK - 215

Redwolf:
ProWin AK Chamber for Marui AK - $19.99
RH65 Hopup BUcking - $14.00
Systema Spring Guide with Bearing VER III - $15.30
Area 1000 Cylinder Head for Ver III Gearbox - $9.50
Prometheus Metal Piston Head for TM AEG - $19.00
Area1000 Oilless Bearing A15 (6mm Bushing) - $9.50
Deep Fire Shim Set (0.12, 0.3, 0.5) - $3.50


Ebay:
Large Tamiya Connectors: $10



Ehobby:
ACTION AK Airsoft AEG Wood Grip & Handguard A-MB-AKW-02 - $77.99 shipped.

Metal Body:

Wood kit:


Total: 550ish


After Krink:

Appropriate Tightbore Barrel (need barrel measurement first) - $30-50 (can be used)
Appropriate Cylender to match Barrel Length - $15


When you've got more money to spend:

Autoback bolt kit, Custom Steel plating


Edit: If anyone wants a kraken to do this with... I can get you one PM me or refer to my thread in the buy & sell section (If you're not age verified you can fuuuuuuck off )

[Azriel_Strife]

Where can you get a good TM compatible Metal AK Body and Front Set? Thats one of the things that I'll absolutely want since my nephew cracked his body by knocking the gun over.

The AK on sir lists it at 300 fps with.12 , it looks like the ones a bass pro but that seems odd.

Also how much is it all said and done on sir?


Im doing a full metal and full wood kracken ak47 for under 300$ as long as I can find one at bass pro that is.

[Azriel_Strife]

It's $182.xx after shipping and taxes, pretty good deal. The listing at 300FPS has to be wrong.

[Azriel_Strife]

Where can a guy get a good TM compatible Metal Body from within Canada? Does anyone know of any websites where they sell them?

[RacingManiac]

receivers for rifles are just like guns, when you go through the hoops to bring them in this will not be any cheaper than TM....good thing is though I guess is that it'll be metal...

[Coma]

It'll run more than a stock TM, but not by much. Its also full wood and metal. It took $1100 to take my stock TM, make it full metal and wood, the internals, and other various and sundry work.

Kraken or even JG are worthy project AEGs.

[Azriel_Strife]

So.. Anyone know where I can get a metal body in Canada? I have lots of head room price wise, I just need to find a place that sells metal bodies in Canada.

[RacingManiac]

If no one has them for sale(maybe huang may move into AK metal body cloning next? I heard he may have SIG stuff this year sometime), your next best bet is to get a retailer to import them, with all the associated overhead costs....

[kuchervano]

Originally Posted by Azriel_Strife

So.. Anyone know where I can get a metal body in Canada? I have lots of head room price wise, I just need to find a place that sells metal bodies in Canada.

You should ask it three more times, seemed to be working.
Metal bodies can be had from robots, 007 Airsoft or A&A Surplus through special orders, if they feel like it, and you are willing to pay arm, a leg, and a firstborn child. ASC Wanted section may yield a desirable result, though unlikely. Thats where "legal" options end.