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Tonight's Saturday Night Gun Pron gives me a chance to catch up on a big list of projects I had "on hold", mostly waiting for parts to arrive, of enough spare time to make it to the range.

A couple of $1 funky metric screws finally arrived, allowing my to complete my American AKM project with the proper Bulgarian side-folding stock.

The stock is both well-designed, and crude in construction. I disassembled it, and ground and polished the bearing surfaced in the hinge assembly so it opens and closes smoothly, but still has that "snap" to it when it locks in either position. A generous rubber bumper in the top loop of the "buttplate" keeps everything solidly locked in the closed position, with no wiggle, rattles, or steel-on-steel contact.

The only thing really modern on this carbine is the PWS muzzle attachment. The original sov-bloc slant-cut attachment was worse than useless, in that it increased noise, muzzle blast, and recoil. Of course, the sights are as miserable as ever, but I suspect the intended users of this style of weapon never learned how to aim, anyway.

I finally had a chance to run a few magazines through the stainless steel CZ75B. That almost didn't happen because I managed to pack up everything I needed, except the magazines. A dozen mags at home, and not one with me at the range. :)

Fortunately, they found another stash of MecGar magazines for the CZ75B, so I was able to buy one on the spot. This was the first rounds I fired from the gun, and it's not too shabby, especially for me. :)

I may have to set aside the classy Hogue aluminum grips, and get some plain ol' rubber ones. The polished stainless steel is just too slippery for me to get a firm enough grip to operate the slide without major effort. The stickier rubber grips should allow me to push the frame forward with my right hand, while pulling the slide back with my left. A minor quibble for what is turning out to be the best-shooting 9mm out-of-the-box that I've ever owned.

You say that slant muzzle brake is worthless? I swapped one of these on a buddy's rifle yesterday and it was LOOSE. In fact, it was loose enough that we wondered if bullets were actually striking it upon exiting the bore. I swapped it with a brake made by TAPCO that looks nearly identical to the birdcage brake on several of the ARs here. Actually, he bought two brakes... both made by TAPCO. One looked like the birdcage brake, except slightly less in diameter with narrower cuts. I put that one on his daughter's rifle. We're going to shoot them today. One needs to be zeroed, and the other we're interested in seeing IF the old brake actually got in the way. :-) Did he do well by buying the TAPCO parts? I appreciate your opinion buddy. :-)

Awesome looking Ak variant 300 ....well done. May I suggest one thing to consider doing IF you did some extensive grinding and polishing of that bearing surface. Case harden it again .

http://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-tools-supplies/metal-prep-coloring/color-case-hardening/surface-hardening-compound-prod27119.aspx

When I hone, grind, get too deep in bearing surfaces I have found it extends the life of the work.

My favorite Ak clone is a MAK 90 (type 56S Chinese, marketed by Norinco) I bought in the late 80’s and it sat idle in the Gunsafe for decades aside from some initial plinking to test it’s function and reliability. It has the under foldider stock and works well. A buddy at work is ate up with the sino soviet / Warsaw Pact rifles. He has real versions properly stamped and papered under NFA etc ...

His collection and knowledge is impressive, second only to his ability to build them from the ground up from individual parts. Recently I acquired a machined receiver that is very well made. He is helping me assemble and properly ensure each historical detail. My primary decision in the next few months will be to stamp it as a SBR and build an AKSu 39 side folder. All good fun during the winter months or hot days in the summer when I hide indoors under the air conditioner.

My goal is to take my time, remove all the machine tooling marks, hone, clean inside and out and build a perfect firearm.

My primary likes these days are old rolling blocks, high walls, Krag carbines and anything Winchester .

Long ago tangs on Winchester lever guns would break when carried in the scabbard and old paint would roll on the ground with the saddle and scabbard still on. I have three such samples of damaged rifles I am repairing and making into shooters versus collectors. One is a 1892 take down, second is a 4 digit serial number 1894 and third is a 1873. All three are / were 44-40 aka 44WCF.

Those projects should fill my casual time for a few years. ....:o)

Stay Safe Sir !

Morning Win-Mag - whoa that’s a nice group. Love them CZs. Rented a couple of them a few years back. Both were Ds, I like the decocker feature. Yep, they are surprising accurate. I held one that was the twin to yours about three or four years back. Gunshop near the office had them, it were tempting mighty tempting. I resisted the urge.
Found a new-to-me gunshop in a nearby town and visited it. I had heard about it but this was the first chance to visit. Better selection of and accessories than I was used to seeing (since December that is). They had just got in a shipment of CCI .22WMR “Critical Defense” ammo. Since CCI ammo is apparently made out of unobtainium, I bought a box. Looked at a couple of CZ rifles, the owner remarked he hadn’t shown many bolt action rifles to folks recently, just handguns and EBRs. Dang those CZ rifles are nice (mag and mag release not withstanding). And that’s all the newz that isn’t.