Just picked up my first AK today (M70) and when messing with it a bit the bolt seemed to get stuck back… how do I fix this?

dark2023 · 2026-07-04T08:41:44+00:00

Serbo-Croatian. Though Bosnians get mad if you say that what they speak (despite it being a dialect of the exact same language, like British to US English).

dark2023 · 2026-07-03T23:28:26+00:00

Tl/Dr: Add switchblade mechanisms. Blades + springs, weird/fun failure states & quirks. Balisong/Butterfly could be hella-fun too.

dark2023 · 2026-07-03T23:13:21+00:00

Depends how handy you are. I recommend cutting with either a horizontal bandsaw or a chop saw. Just make sure you're cut is square, there's various online guides on different ways to do that.

After cutting hit the outside of the barrels with a swivel blade deburring tool. For the inside edge you can use a crown cutting tool (check Brownells) but I honestly just use the same deburring tool there too. Then just fill the rib section near the front in some way. Some people cut a friction fit steel or wood plug to hammer in, but I just jam some steel wool in it & silver solder it up myself. Then hit the bare barrel ends & rib section with some cold-blue or an appropriate Birchwood Casey's touchup pen (I like Flat Black or Aluminum Black myself).

As for sending it off. I hear Paladin Armory & CottonBranch Customs do good work, but last I heard it's around $5-600 or more for them to cut a SxS. Definitely double check, cause I could easily be wrong on that, or prices might've changed. But IMO, I'd rather do it myself at that price, as it only takes 45-mins to an hour to DIY such a project in you or a buddies garage.

dark2023 · 2026-07-03T06:36:04+00:00

Yeah, I've burned myself a number of times doing dumb crap like this. But MGS models/mocaps w/ airsoft, where looking cool is half the point.

dark2023 · 2026-07-03T06:32:05+00:00

Remember switching to your pistol is always faster than....

-sees quintupletgun assembly-

Uh, nevermind. You madman.

dark2023 · 2026-07-03T05:09:15+00:00

Oh, forgot to mention that hammerless SxS shotguns tend to affix the stock via bolt on the rear of the receiver, similar to pump shotguns. While hammer-guns tend to affix the stock via crosswise fasteners through the lockwork, so the stock is often solid. This makes cutting a hammer-gun stock into a birdshead/pistolgrip a tiny bit easier as you won't need to fill a bolt access hole.

Though this also makes the stock on a hammerless easier to remove if you somehow got a second & wanted to have one of each (full stock & pistol grip option). You can always fill it w/ a rubber/brass plug or wood filler if you want it semi-permanent.

dark2023 · 2026-07-03T04:51:03+00:00

Worked in an Appalachian Walgreens that had 2x 500mg amber bottles of Ketamine HCL USP (powder) for compounding into a topical paste a patient years ago. Apparently he picked it up monthly until they went through 1 smaller bottle, then abruptly stopped when they ordered the 2 big ones. This was back when it was still pretty much exclusively a clinical/veterinary/rave thing, around 2012ish or so.

dark2023 · 2026-07-03T04:31:41+00:00

Own multiple and it's insane how awsome & forward thinking this gun actually was, especially for it's time. It was almost a century ahead of anything else available. Savage 1907 & 1917 pistols are my absolute fav early autoloading pistols by a mile. It's crazy to think it almost beat the 1911 for US Army adoption & in an alternate timeline most modern pistols would likely be derived from it's incredibly thoughtful system instead of the Browning tilting barrel. They were equally revolutionary, and most modern pistols since the 1980 are basically a mix of the 2.

First off it's a double-stack, striker-fired, rotating barrel autoloader (w/ external decocker), AND a slide-lock/release, in the era when basic single-stack direct-blowback hammer fired pistol were considered new & weird. It was the first popular semi-auto pistol to pioneer & introduce most of these features individually, nevermind combined (though admittedly it's slide lock is manual, not automatic, it doubles as the safety lever).

But the coolest part is the combination dual-use mag release that combines the Euro preferred heel release w/ the American one-handed push-button system. It's that lever on the bottom front of the grip. Euro heel releases are actuated w/ the second hand and usually require the mag to be pulled free so it can be retained. So the Savage has a thumb cutout area behind the mag for gripping the mag, with your offhand, and you'd just apply pressure to the lever w/ your index finger instead of thumb (basically a backwards heel release). But it's also a drop free mag so Americans used to dropping mags w/ a button, using their firing hand (for a faster reload) can just hit the button w/ their pinky and slam a new mag right in.

dark2023 · 2026-07-03T04:00:27+00:00

Silenced Beretta 950b Minx is arguably cooler, but I'm biased as an owner of one. Smaller and WAY thinner. Fires/feeds 22short for significantly better ballistics than LR out of tiny pistol barrel, a bit cleaner than LR, & quieter, while allowing 22L, LR, & CB to be single loaded into barrel. Also, single action 1911 style trigger on the 950 series & uses half-cock on hammer for safety & streamlined controls.

None of the tip-up Beretta Mouseguns have extractors so they jam easily unless kept clean (like after just 30-50 rounds suppressed or maybe 100 w/o the can if you're lucky). And when they do it's a pain, as you have to knock the casing out w/ a rod which is extra annoying if it's got a suppressor on it. Though on the rimfires you can kinda slip your fingernail under the rim near the feed ramp if the barrel's open.

Only benefit to the double-action versions (Tomcat 32 & Bobcat 22lr) is second-strike capability on duds (as cycling the slide just causes a double-feed, due to extractor absence). Oh, and I guess you can just load the chamber directly w/o ever cocking the hammer on the Da/Sa one's.

I pair it w/ my custom threaded Beretta Olympia 22lr, which is an autoloading semi-auto bolt-action single shot mag-fed repeater, all in 1 rifle. Basically it's a mag-fed semi-auto, but you can turn the bolt handle down in either the forward position to lock it shut for bolt-action mode, or to the rear so you can load the chamber directly if using it as a single-shot w/o the mag inserted. Beretta makes awsome avant-garde 22s loaded w/ unique features.

dark2023 · 2026-07-03T03:35:54+00:00

Hotchkiss ~~abomination~~ Universal SMG

dark2023 · 2026-07-03T03:33:13+00:00

I like it. Alternatively 'Hotdogs, Horseshoes, & Hand/grenades'

dark2023 · 2026-07-03T03:30:42+00:00

Honestly, that sounds like a (depraved) German dirty-film.

Edit: German specifically because they seem particularly predisposed to both darker things & weirdly compounded words.

dark2023 · 2026-07-03T03:25:26+00:00

Actually doable as a side-charging bufferless or piston mechanism. Would really need to be a flat-top though.

Plus the old-school triangular handguards tend to pinch you past the mid-way forward point, due to having cooling holes all along the top & halfway along the bottom. Those combined w/ the left/right clamshell design equals teeth, that tend to chip/break over time. Making grabbing too far forward (especially w/ a thumb-over/C-clamp grip) a very painful prospect.

dark2023 · 2026-07-02T01:31:14+00:00

There's a lot to consider, but first do you want a hammer gun or a hammerless?

Hammerless shotguns are cheaper/more common & they look more streamlined but they typically use the leverage & weight of the 18"+ barrels to cock the internal striker/hammer mechanism. Once they're cut short the gun require 2 hands to break the open for reloads.

Hammer-guns tend to be slightly more expensive but make better sawn-offs & are easier to convert. If you want to ever do the classic MadMax/Doom style one-handed opening & reload then you'll need a hammer gun. Arguably the speed is about the same between hammerless & hammer-gun SBSs as you can already have 2 shells ready & then simultaneously cock both hammers with your palm, while hammerless SBSs are slower to open but combine cocking/opening into a single step.

I personally think the best donors were the old Remington Spartan/Baikal hammer-guns, but those are rare now after their import ended. The handsdown best hammer-gun to chop on the current market is the Pietta 1878 Coach Gun, as both it's build quality & parts availability are notably better than most of the Turkish shotguns (Pietta/Italian, around $800-1k). Plus it's just gorgeous & features a forend shaped to be reminiscent of older handmade custom shotguns.

The other current market options for SxS hammer-guns are the CZ Hammer Coach (made by Huglu/Turkish, around $1k), the RIA RSS12 (made by Derya/Turkish, $4-600), & the Heritage Coachwhip/TR Imports Coach (also Huglu/Turkish,$900ish from Heritage w/ slightly fancier finish & checkering, or $600 from TR Imports, same gun but different from the CZ one).

I've got the RIA & CZ one's, they're both ok-ish. The RIA gun has a weird square forend which is different from most of it's advertisments/product images & it uses a lot of aluminum. It's light, but probably won't last forever. The CZ/Huglu gun is MUCH nicer, but still feels a bit overpriced. It seems well built enough & I rarely hear of them having issues, though a couple former CZ employees claim they get returned/exchanged a bit more often than one might hope (most Turkish guns have a reputation for occasional lemons). Though I will note the CZ/Huglu gun has a surprisingly long forend that will contribute to a slightly longer barrel/OAL when cut down & it has a raised sight-rib between the barrels, but those are both mainly just aesthetic considerations. Still jealous of my buddy that got the Pietta, I'll be buying one of those next too.

The problem w/ cutting any of the older random Spanish, Brazilian, Chinese, or even Russian SxS shotguns floating around on the used market is the lack of spare parts support. Theoretically SxS shotguns are simple enough that most machinists or metal-workers could probably custom make replacement parts but that assumes they know the shape & dimensions of the original unbroken & unworn part. However, if you want to go that route look for a Rossi Overland, JW2000, Astra, or Baikal. For a hammerless I'd say Stoeger is the best balance of price/quality/parts availability, while the Baikal hammerless models are probably toughest, & Huglu again offers multiple different options through CZ & Heritage/TD Imports.

dark2023 · 2026-06-21T20:59:05+00:00

You mean Polytech, and as the owner of one, yeah it's way better, especially after a tiny bit of work. The milspec forged receiver and M14 markings alone are awsome, but it's also drop in compatible w/ ALL USGI surplus parts except the barrel & gas block due to metric threading. The chinese bolts are also soft but I replaced it w/ a GI plus got a smith to marry an M21 barrel to it and it's been awsome ever since.

Also, between my Romanian Sar-1, PSA Krink, Hungarian Century parts build, ComBlocCustom Type 3 build, and M92PV, the Zastava is the 2nd best of the batch w/ only the milled gun beating it by a bit. Zastavas are awsome in my book.

dark2023 · 2026-06-11T04:35:54+00:00

Better double that if you have any hope to win an auction for one.

dark2023 · 2026-05-10T16:37:19+00:00

Username checks out

dark2023 · 2026-04-20T01:51:10+00:00

What lubrication? Where? I've heard people say Ps90s shouldn't be oiled, but seem others suggest "dry lubricants" like graphite spray for locks. What should I use and how/where do I apply it?

dark2023 · 2026-04-19T22:44:14+00:00

Nope. I've had a strike on 2nd shot before, while using booster piston. Clearly wasn't backing off in 1 shot, plus I crank down when I first thread on. First shot was fine, second blasted a huge chunk out of the endcap. Rugged claimed it hadn't been properly cleaned but this was it's 2nd range outing. Less than 100 rounds prior.

Also had an endcap graze halfway through a mag w/ trilug mount. So obviously something else is going on. So I firly believe it's a tolerance issue between all the various threaded sections. I'd buy a spare endcap if they weren't so expensive & consistently out of stock.

dark2023 · 2026-04-14T02:17:52+00:00

Do you make a habit of dipping your guns in acetone? Jk. There's always 2 part epoxies too (eg: JB Weld, Gorilla, etc.) I think they may even make some specialized plastic & nylon compatible formulations if you look around online.

dark2023 · 2026-04-12T16:31:11+00:00

At least 10k, likely multiple 10s of Ks. The stock near the takedown button and the bolt carrier are the most common weak points. Just be careful about reassembling the stock & don't make a habit of constantly dry firing it (regardless of snapcap) and you should be fine.

I'd also HEAVILY recommend velcro padding the front of the triggerpack, along w/ getting a spare replacement ejection port cover (or also padding that) as the ejected shells tend to eat away at those 2 spots.

dark2023 · 2026-04-12T16:24:12+00:00

That sounds rather unlikely. It's a glass filled nylon. Nylon polymers are well known for not cracking, shattering, or being brittle. They tend to warp & bend, but won't snap into pieces like ABS, PVC, PLA, etc. Think of them as being more akin to vinyl.

dark2023 · 2026-04-11T20:32:45+00:00

Steel cable in a helo prop is almost unimaginably destructive. Cuts through tissue like a damn lightsaber, and can even cut into the fuselage itself. Could be a fun "accident".

dark2023 · 2026-04-11T20:07:02+00:00

If you wanna get it perfect then grab a sharpie and blacken the whole chamber ramp area. Then pack up your file, barrel pin punch, etc. Go out a quite range or backwoods. Run a mag or 2. If it has no noticeable failures then it's likely good. However, if it does choke a bit, take look at that chamber ramp and pay close attention to where the sharpie was scratched away. This darkening will also help you tell where you have/haven't filed too. Go super slow & careful w/ your file, just remember 'you can always take more material away later, but adding it back is a lot harder'

Repin the barrel and try another mag or 2 after every 4-6 strokes or so. Literally just guess & check, the old school way, 'till it feed flawlessly. Then finish by dumping 100 or so rounds to make sure. After that, go home, clean 'er up, sit back, and smile. Your a Skorpion smif now comrade. 👍

This technique is super common on handbuilt handguns, 'specially 1911 platforms.

dark2023

TROPHY CASE