Small arms and Light Weapons

When picking a gun, what would your primary consideration be?


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BlackViking

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@Lonewarrior @Johny_Baba @aditya g and others
I have question. A rifle uses a lot of sheet metal parts, of which dust covers are one (question wrt AK series specifically). There exists a lot of dust covers with p-rails, I was wondering what kind of process do they use to manufacture them?
Standard stamped AKM dust cover
Dust Cover with rails

The later ones also appear, to my eyes at least, to be , made up of sheet metal. My reason behind this is any other manufacturing process will lead to high material losses. So what exactly is been done here? Are the rails being welded or some other joining process is used to two different parts, namely the cover and the rail section?
 

Johny_Baba

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@Lonewarrior @Johny_Baba @aditya g and others
I have question. A rifle uses a lot of sheet metal parts, of which dust covers are one (question wrt AK series specifically). There exists a lot of dust covers with p-rails, I was wondering what kind of process do they use to manufacture them?
Standard stamped AKM dust cover
Dust Cover with rails

The later ones also appear, to my eyes at least, to be , made up of sheet metal. My reason behind this is any other manufacturing process will lead to high material losses. So what exactly is been done here? Are the rails being welded or some other joining process is used to two different parts, namely the cover and the rail section?
Bro i am not a mechanical enginigger so I don't know that much about manufacturing engg and stuff, but i can guess it is either spot welded or riveted/screwed or (if they can afford it lol) friction welded stuff,

FAB one though looks like its top section is machined-milled using a thick sheet and later remaining parts were sliced off of its sides and it was curved into that shape using hydraulic press or dunno something like that, i guess 🤷‍♂️
 

Lonewarrior

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@Lonewarrior @Johny_Baba @aditya g and others
I have question. A rifle uses a lot of sheet metal parts, of which dust covers are one (question wrt AK series specifically). There exists a lot of dust covers with p-rails, I was wondering what kind of process do they use to manufacture them?
Standard stamped AKM dust cover
Dust Cover with rails

The later ones also appear, to my eyes at least, to be , made up of sheet metal. My reason behind this is any other manufacturing process will lead to high material losses. So what exactly is been done here? Are the rails being welded or some other joining process is used to two different parts, namely the cover and the rail section?
You just need to stick a rail on top of that piece, that's it. There are n number of ways of doing it, each with own set of pros and cons

1. Rivet/weld/screw a rail on existing stamped dust cover. Easier, cheaper to make but will suffer from zero shifting.

2. Same as previous but this time on a custom made dust cover, stamped from heavier gauge steel. Better than previous but also costlier.

3. Milled/forged aluminium one piece dust cover with rails. Most expensive but also most stable.
 

BlackViking

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Bro i am not a mechanical enginigger so I don't know that much about manufacturing engg and stuff, but i can guess it is either spot welded or riveted/screwed or (if they can afford it lol) friction welded stuff,

FAB one though looks like its top section is machined-milled using a thick sheet and later remaining parts were sliced off of its sides and it was curved into that shape using hydraulic press or dunno something like that, i guess 🤷‍♂️
You just need to stick a rail on top of that piece, that's it. There are n number of ways of doing it, each with own set of pros and cons

1. Rivet/weld/screw a rail on existing stamped dust cover. Easier, cheaper to make but will suffer from zero shifting.

2. Same as previous but this time on a custom made dust cover, stamped from heavier gauge steel. Better than previous but also costlier.

3. Milled/forged aluminium one piece dust cover with rails. Most expensive but also most stable.
Thank you all.

@Lonewarrior won't using a heavier gauge steel create problems in fitting? If we keep inner dimensions constant and the thickness of the sheet increases, there will be protrusions
 

Lonewarrior

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Thank you all.

@Lonewarrior won't using a heavier gauge steel create problems in fitting? If we keep inner dimensions constant and the thickness of the sheet increases, there will be protrusions
Yo, that's my man...good observation.

Yup, it'll definitely increase. But, if you increase the thickness from 0.75mm to 1 or even 1.5mm the difference won't be much from a user's point of view. And on top of that, if you round or chamfer the edge of the sheet then the same protrusion will become an aesthetic wonder.
 

BlackViking

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Yo, that's my man...good observation.

Yup, it'll definitely increase. But, if you increase the thickness from 0.75mm to 1 or even 1.5mm the difference won't be much from a user's point of view. And on top of that, if you round or chamfer the edge of the sheet then the same protrusion will become an aesthetic wonder.
62966f66771b3.jpeg
 

BlackViking

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@BlackViking why do you keep asking such questions though, are you into AK aftermarket parts and kits dhandho ?
I got myself a 3D printer and I want to print a modified AKM on it (always been a dream to hold an AK). I am designing the model from scratch.
Also I am an engineer so always a bit curious about various manufacturing processes, mostly because I haven't seen small arms mfg. ever and you guys here know a lot lot more about them, so I reach out to you guys.
 

Lonewarrior

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I got myself a 3D printer and I want to print a modified AKM on it (always been a dream to hold an AK). I am designing the model from scratch.
Also I am an engineer so always a bit curious about various manufacturing processes, mostly because I haven't seen small arms mfg. ever and you guys here know a lot lot more about them, so I reach out to you guys.
Saala itta casually I got myself a 3D printer bolne ke baad bhi inko banana AKM hi hai.
Laanat hai 😏
 

Suryavanshi

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I got myself a 3D printer and I want to print a modified AKM on it (always been a dream to hold an AK). I am designing the model from scratch.
Also I am an engineer so always a bit curious about various manufacturing processes, mostly because I haven't seen small arms mfg. ever and you guys here know a lot lot more about them, so I reach out to you guys.
Kek come to bihar you will get to build an AK and also get a chance to be in IB/NIA watch list.


But are you seriously trying to build a working gun mate or just a mockup?
 

Love Charger

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@Suryavanshi i held a gun first time 2 days ago, the venerable slr of some ncc guys thankfully they allowed me to hold it .
They were confused or probably wantd to confuse me deliberately when I pointed out the charging handle , the firing pin , and how to ATTACH magazine
I said it fires a 7 62 51 mm round , one fellow said that it fires a 5m56 mm
I laughed and so did others , when I said it is common with fn mag , bren lmg etc , they were amused
It was a good rifle , very light only 4 kg weight when unloaded.
I held it with good trigger discipline, also told them about it.
Plus, thye began to look at me suspiciously , I gave the rifle back after I saw the officers of dogra regiment coming towards us
 

Johny_Baba

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I got myself a 3D printer and I want to print a modified AKM on it (always been a dream to hold an AK). I am designing the model from scratch.
Also I am an engineer so always a bit curious about various manufacturing processes, mostly because I haven't seen small arms mfg. ever and you guys here know a lot lot more about them, so I reach out to you guys.
Lol ok bhai i kinda sensed you are tinkering with actual stuff etc, so asked

3d stuff is good, albeit last time i asked mods about whether to post about it i got reply to better keep it to myself owning to "reasons", valid.

Maybe somewhere else we can disuss about it
 

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