Stainless AK Flat ?

[owlcreekok]

Feel free to slap me.

I keep having this recurring synapse lapse that tells me to try a flat out of 304 or 316 stainless. That happens to be what we have laying around the shop. I have no doubt that our plasma table will cut it out, almost clean enough to use. What I KNOW it won't do is make all the holes. Well, hell, I can do that by hand. (You would think I'd have learned my lesson on THAT by now,,,NOT)

So, now that I have removed all doubt that I am at least partially a fool, would anyone care to comment on the feasibility of using the 304 or 316 alloy sheet ? Think it will fall apart ? (ie-too soft)

Maybe I should go back to sleep ?

[FTW2012]

Why not just get a TAPCO flat for $15?

http://www.tapco.com/proddesc.aspx?id=9a748c1a-64cb-4deb-8b9c-97228269cdfa

[owlcreekok]

BTDT. As well as a VBD flat, also a homemade flat, also a few Global Trades.

I just like putzing around with metal. I am wierd that way. Or is it 'wired' ? :uhoh:

[Slow]

i dont see a problem with the stainless if you can harden the area around the pin holes. welding the rail is not a problem. but if you cant harden the holes, as much as You shoot you might not really need to.

[owlcreekok]

Slow;

Eat my shorts

:D

[TRANSAM 79]

As long as the pins fit tight enouph so they dont move and the hammer and trigger pivot freely on the pins like there suppose to,why do you need to harden the holes?

[XHardrock]

Originally posted by TRANSAM 79
As long as the pins fit tight enouph so they dont move and the hammer and trigger pivot freely on the pins like there suppose to,why do you need to harden the holes?

I have heard they will elongate, in time.
Not a metal person, I take it there is a problem heat treating stainless

[Thunderbred]

You'd need a harder stainless, the holes would stretch. Forgot it also limits your finish options. Jeff

[rudy]

I don't see a problem with it. I used galvanized 14 gauge sheetmetal for my first build.

[Edgsmth]

The holes are said to elongate without hardening. Also, food grade stainless lacks the arbon needed to take a temper.

That said, my ammo stash is about 2,000 rounds of x39, not enough to appreciably hammer the holes in a rcvr. For low carbon steel I have a cheap case hardening recipe that could help.

5 Gal water
5 lbs table salt
8 oz Shaklee Basic-I or 7oz UNSCENTED Jet-Dry
32 oz of Dawn dishwashing liquid (the blue one)


For this or a 4130 flat the idea is to spot harden at the critical areas. Heating thin steel red hot will cause it to warp over larger areas. The tempering process for flats is to first hharden them "glass hard" then draw back the hardness (temper).

[Caspian]

http://www.akforum.net/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=17013

a guy on akforum makes and sells them. i bought one and it's pretty neat. i plan on having my Romy kit refinished in satin nickle and leaving the receiver stainless. it's going to be awhile before i finish it. got sidetracked by a 1919.

http://i10.tinypic.com/2m5e32o.jpg