AKs are my jam, and they are not even remotely as simple as AR builds which is more like Legos. Map gas for heat treatment, dimpling rivet holes for the swell necks, using the right rivets for the right spot, doming the necessary ones by hand, spot welding the inner rails,drilling all the pins perfectly straight in exactly the right spot, slanted or straight cut receivers, and the damn slanted ones are all a little different which makes for some weird rear trunnion stuff, hydraulic press to set the barrel onto the front trunnion, sight blocks, gas block, etc.
Building an AK is a project and if you can do it and do it right, you’re legit.
I “built” my own hydraulic press.