I have just finished the steel hammer insert which should stop any damage to the face




Just got to sort out the cartridges and it's done (fingers crossed)

8ace

Ah the plot thickens........

I have found that Hudson have changed the design of the AK rounds which now use 2x7mm caps in an aluminium round







I have tried some of these which do seem to eject better and have less damage on the rim but there is still a problem with feeding into the chamber (as Hudson is still getting) Also the new rounds require a new mag design as they don’t sit on top of each other in the old/real steel type.




Hudson website video
http://www.hudson-mfg.com/eng/default/new/AK47/AK47.wmv

8ace

now this is an interesting update .. Not sure why they have gone to alluminium instead of brass as the small amount of weight difference can`t be that much surely .

Thats the most I have see one AK in one uneditied film shoot !

he seems very careful with that bolt doesn`t he ...perhaps the rounds go off on their own if too heavy handed !

DOC

The last problem I have is the AKs feed and eject problem and I have a sneaky suspicion some of it could be due to weight. The 2x5mm brass rounds contain a lot of metal 20grams (which is heavy compared to other rounds), the aluminium ones weigh only 4g which puts less strain on the extractor claw and might explain.

A: Why the rounds don’t eject well (lot of twisting force needed to spin the round out of the ejection port)
B: A lot less damage to the rim made by the ejector (not knowing what grade of brass/aluminium Hudson use)

Both the brass and aluminium rounds seem to have enough power to force the bolt back so I don’t think its power related.

8ace

Like everybody else here, I'm following this project with great interest.

This might be a silly question but I'm curious...

Which force(s) actually throw out the spent cartridge?

Once the cartridge fires, there's obviously enough power to force the bolt back

The extractor claw has hold of the cartridge and pulls it out of the breech,

It's pulled back until it hits the ejector...

The ejector knocks the cartridge out of the extractor claw's grip but then what???

The spent cartridge will fly out of the ejection port with considerable force. Broken ornaments and dented walls are evidence of that!

Is it purely inertia that spits it out? After all these bolts hammer back and forth very quickly.

I noticed awhile back that weak magazine springs will stop clean ejection. New magazines always produce stronger ejection for me anyway.

Does the magazine spring have an influence or not? Does the next fresh cartridge pushing up from the mag' serve to push the spent cartridge out too?

What would happen if a slightly stronger magazine spring was fitted?

Cerwyn

I don't have scales that will accurately weigh anything that light.

I do have both MGC and Marushin 5.56mm cartridges though so if no-one can give you weights I'll send you these.

How does the ejection port of the model differ from the real AK then?

Cerwyn

Well I have finished the modifications which have filled some of the empty space which caused the rounds to miss the chamber entrance (as the marks in the 1st pic show)

1st mod: I fitted a modified feed ramp to guide the rounds in better which also has a slight angle on the right hand side to help the round eject.

2nd mod: I added some pins which guide the rounds into the chamber (with corresponding holes in the bolt assembly)

I have tried it with the brass 2x5mm rounds which work very well (but I ran out of 5mm caps), I still think the brass rounds are toooo heavy and I’m waiting for some 2x7mm aluminium rounds and a new mag to fully test it.

8ace

This pic is of the standard feed ramp/chamber opening


This pic is with my mods

8ace,yet again its a piece of art ,those mods look great ,keep us posted mate.
Hudsons test film of the AK firing looks great too,the new style carts must work a hell of a lot better than the old crappy ones ,they should make this type for all there models now ,fingers crossed

Kickback

Now there's a thought... Do you think Hudson might end up making much lighter catridges for all their models now?

Based on the amount of work and extensive mods carried out by 8ace on his AK so far, and the amount of work done on Hudson Thompsons and PPShs' to get them firing I doubt aluminium cartridges will be the answer to all the problems.

Wouldn't it be nice if it was so though

Reading about this makes me want an AK, but one that works like 8aces will.

Hmmmm modelgun design consultant..... Any idea what the salary is for that


I shall hopefully know by the end of the week if it all works and I hope it does for her sake as it could be a date with Mr hacksaw if she doesn’t

Fingers crossed

8ace

I am really impressed by your work and skills! I remember some nice modifications and custom guns you have made in the past, but this is really outstanding. Keep up the excellent work.

Many thanks for the words of encouragement it has been needed as it hasn’t been as straight forward as I first thought.

I thought I’d show the difference between the old and new type mags.

As you can see the new and old Hudson mags are quite a bit different and have gone back to using thin steel. I have a feeling that Hudson used real AK mags and replaced the springs as they seem identical to known real AK mags


New Hudson mag on top


New Hudson mag on the right


New Hudson mag on the left


New Hudson mag on the bottom