IWDhardware

Ironwood Designs

Ak Hardware

Identify the correct original AK hardware for your application. Examples and descriptions of various butt plates, sling swivels, pistol grip & lower hand guard end caps & mtg. screws are listed here. We are not the ultimate experts on all existing AK hardware, but, we do know the basics, and what is correct for certain AK variants. Photos not to scale.
( WE DO NOT HAVE, OR SELL ANY HARDWARE ) Go our Links section on the Tech page for parts vendors.

Example of the most common AK steel butt plates

From left to right:

1.RPK
2.Bulgarian ribbed non-trap door version
3.Standard smooth backed trap door version
4.East German ribbed non-trap door version

Comparison: Bulgarian & typical smooth backed standard plate.

1.Mounting holes are closer together on standard plate as compared to Bulgarian plate
2.Plate fit is similar, except for mtg. screw distance. Stampings can vary, so some plates fit tighter and may require minor fitting
3.Bulgarian plate uses smaller mounting screws

Example: typical “standard” butt plate mounting screws.

•Also used as the butt stock to receiver mounting screw. Mounts into external tang hole,

as well as trunnion hole. ( located underneath takedown button ).

•Used as recoil pad mounting screw for many of the sporter thumbhole stocks.
•Very crude screw. Advisable to use hollow ground screwdriver, to avoid screw slot

damage, and driver slippage.

Example of typical trap door cleaning kits.

These tool cylinders insert into the trap door hole, and contain cleaning kit parts.

Example of typical trap door cleaning kit tensioner springs.

•Creates tension for insertion & removal of kit.
•Large end of spring retains spring inside trap door hole

Example: standard butt plate

with trap door assembly

Example: RPK butt plate

with trap door assembly

Example: small & large AK pistol grip caps.

Also known as a ferrule, or grip cap.

These were installed on the tops of the pistol grips to strengthen the pistol grip mounting point.

Definition:

fer·rule [fer-uh

l, -ool] noun

1. a ring or cap, usually of metal, put around the end of a post, cane, or the like, to prevent splitting.

The ferrule caps shown here, are the 2 basic types found on almost all wood AK pistol grips. The smaller caps on the left, were mostly used on AKM, RPK, & Hungarian AMD slender pistol grips.

The larger caps at the right, were found on many of the milled and folding stock AKs, that had the fatter, flat checkered or Type 3 pistol grips. In addition, these “Fat” grips were also found on many Chinese AKs, as well as some stamped receiver Bulgarian 74 models.

Example: typical AK sling swivel mount.

Note: Swivels shown at left are what we refer to as a standard sling swivel.

These swivels fit the majority of all AK variants. The swivel base measures approx.

1.36” in length, and will fit Romanian, Hungarian, Egyptian, Bulgarian, RPK, and most other Eastern European AK butt stocks. Chinese AK swivels had a longer base length, (approx. 1.46”), East German, shorter then the standard swivels referenced above. The pocket cut for these swivels are either on the bottom of the butt stock, (early models), or the side (late models). Our swivels cuts for the 1.36” base.

Please refer to our Links Page for AK parts dealers, if you need these parts.

Example: Typical upper hand guard tensioning spring clip.

Made from spring steel, these parts insert into wood upper hand guards,

to securely tension the upper against the gas tube, and to keep it from loosening up and rotating around the gas tube. These parts are pretty much identical across the board, so one usually fits all. Wood upper hand guard tolerances do vary, so I believe this was a way to possibly compensate for any loose fitting parts.

Example: Variety of lower hand guard ferrules.

These fit on the backs of lower hand guards, to add support. Mostly early AKs had this feature. Many milled AKs, as well as RPKs, and I believe all Chinese AKs had this part mounted to their lower hand guards. Most later stamped receiver AK models, and all polymers hand guards, did not have or need these ferrules.

Example: Variety of AK gas tubes.

This is merely for visual reference, as we do not sell any of these parts. Most AK gas tubes are uniform in length, between the end caps. Yugoslavian, Polish Tantal, PSL FPK, and a few other random AKs have different length upper hand guards.

The Hungarian gas tube, at fart right, has

a shorter tube section, but the end caps are the same length apart as compared to the others. All tubes shown at left, will take the same sized upper hand guard.

Example: typical pistol grip mounting screws & lugs.

The lugs sit in a square hole in the receiver, just behind the trigger guard. The lug protrudes at an angle, out of the bottom of the receiver.

AK grip screw length specs:

Chinese MAK 90 thumbhole stock version 3 3/4” ( 95mm)

Most common Eastern European version 4” (100mm)

Hungarian SA85/AMD version 4 3/8” (111mm)

( lengths are measured below the screw head)

We counterbore our “std. AKM” pistol grips deeper, for Chinese stock sets, that originally had the sporter thumbhole stocks.

For grips that include our mounting screw bushing, ( Fat PG, Type 3 and Yugo#3 PG ), we counterbore for the 4” screw length.

Note: It is advised to purchase a standard length screw if ordering one of the 3 pistol grips listed above.

Example: Lower hand guard, (fore-end), retaining ferrules.

These parts slide along the barrel, and sandwich on to the front end of the lower hand guard. Parts at left shown both with, and without forward sling loop. Middle ferrule shows tensioning lever rotated out. This lever is located on the right inside of the ferrule. It cams into a half round slot, cut into the top of the barrel. Once the hand guard is in place, and the cap is slid onto the front of guard, the lever is rotated back, towards the receiver, parallel to the barrel, locking the ferrule and hand guard into place.

Please refer to our Links Page for AK parts dealers, if you need these parts.

We do stock a limited quantity of the large ferrule grip caps. These parts are not for retail sales, and only included with pistol grips that require their use.

Please refer to our Links Page for AK parts dealers, if you need these parts.