Spiker conversion on a MAK90, DIYable?

[Sigogglin]

Hey y'all, so I'm working a deal for a MAK90 Sporter that was bubba'd pretty bad back in the day. As part of bringing it back, I'd like to convert it to a spiker. While I'm more of a gomsmif than a gunsmith, I do have a well equipped shop with a drill press, hydraulic press, etc. and I'm generally pretty mechanically inclined.

I see the front sight block and bayonet are available from Polytech Parts. Am I correct in assuming that all I need to do is remove the pins on the existing front sight, remove it in the press, press the new block on, install the pins, and call it good? It seem pretty straightforward and DIYable, but if there's some pitfalls or gotchas I'm not thinking about that are better left to a pro, please let me know. Thanks!

 

[Exspiravit]

In a perfect world, that should pretty much be it. No guarantee your pins will line up or your bayonet will fold properly once it's done though. What are you going to do for muzzle threads?

 

[Sigogglin]

In a perfect world, that should pretty much be it. No guarantee your pins will line up or your bayonet will fold properly once it's done though. What are you going to do for muzzle threads?

That's the rub. Someone drilled into (and in one spot, through 😨) the muzzle for some sort of set screw brake it looks like. I'm going to shoot it as-is and see if it's acceptably accurate and doesn't keyhole. If it shoots okay, I'll thread it using a pilot and a hand tap to either 1/2-28 or M14x1LH, depending on how much meat is on the muzzle and just forget about the carnage underneath it. It'll never be a suppressor host, but that's okay.

If it keyholes or is like 10moa or something, then it gets a little more complicated.

 

[Exspiravit]

That's the rub. Someone drilled into (and in one spot, through 😨) the muzzle for some sort of set screw brake it looks like. I'm going to shoot it as-is and see if it's acceptably accurate and doesn't keyhole. If it shoots okay, I'll thread it using a pilot and a hand tap to either 1/2-28 or M14x1LH, depending on how much meat is on the muzzle and just forget about the carnage underneath it. It'll never be a suppressor host, but that's okay.

If it keyholes or is like 10moa or something, then it gets a little more complicated.

Oh lawd. Through?!

If it's one of the Maks with the threads milled off you wont have enough barrel to go 14x1. Some of the imports that were never threaded to begin with would take 14x1 though.

 

[Sigogglin]

Oh lawd. Through?!

If it's one of the Maks with the threads milled off you wont have enough barrel to go 14x1. Some of the imports that were never threaded to begin with would take 14x1 though.

Yeah it's rough, but I'm getting it for less than half of market value. I *think* it's just unthreaded, but I'll have to measure. The threads may have been milled off but I just can't say for sure right now, don't have the rifle in hand yet.