Let me start by saying, I have a GF3 and I love it so far. However, this video was posted to the PSA Reddit recently.
Basically, the video claims that PSA doesn’t use the proper rivets or dimple the receiver into the trunnion.
I’m not terribly concerned since if this were a problem, we’d likely have heard about it happening to PSAKs by now. However, I do want to ask- is the dimpled/swell neck rivet something that PSA is aware of? If this is something other combloc pattern AKs use, does PSA use it as well? Is this cause for concern?
Totally agree, and I think he’s sensationalizing this for sure (if it’s even an issue). However I have looked into it a bit, it looks like swell neck rivets and/or dimpling (I’m not an engineer lol) is better suited to handling stress and vibration. Do we know if this is something PSA does for their AKs? If not- is it a problem?
He’s right and he’s wrong. Dimpled rivets do increase fastener strength for the 1 or 1.5mm receiver but the real strength in shear comes from the diameter of the rivet in the structure. It’s tits on a tomcat, it they loosen up because unless you’re using your rifle like you’re a merc in Ukraine re-squeeze them and you’ll be fine or send it back to PSA. The bolt questions he mentions sound like noise to me.
Agree on the bolt issue. Good to know about rivet size, thanks! I still wonder why PSA wouldn’t use dimpling (if they don’t…I haven’t taken the rivets out of mine lol).
Not a builder, but he’s mostly correct.
The firing pin issue is pretty well documented. PSA deviated from the original design and the result is the firing pin pops holes in primers.
As for the rivets… yes they are supposed to be dimpled, but I don’t think this guy knows as much as he lets on because he goes on about how strong the trunnion would be with more swell necks. But the ak74 is made with swell necks in all three holes. It isn’t some revelation that his brilliant mind just came up with. Mikhail figured it out decades ago.
That all said… if the rivets are doing rivet things, who cares. If the firing pin peens, replace it. But I have not heard of the firing pin peening, only that they protrude too much causing them to pop primers. He’s also getting this knowledge second hand from someone whose credentials are also unknown. Drilling the rivets and reheadspacing the gun is such a gross over correction, and to top it off he uses a Norinco bolt?!? Please just get a wbp new production, what poor rifle did he pull that from? Betting odds say this man is ruining some fantastic kits in that garage…
So yes PSA is cutting corners, yes they deviated from the design, and yes it does cause issues. No that doesn’t mean you need to drill the gun to “fix it”. This right here is why you only get kits built by people with an established reputation.
There’s a shoulder on the firing pin, that stops it in the milled pocket inside the bolt. If the tip of the pin that protrudes-through the hole drilled in the bolt face sticks out so far that it’s piercing primers - the Quick-And-Dirty is to field-strip the firearm: drop the pin out, then hold the pin in one hand whilst stroking a folded-piece of emery across the business-tip of the pin a few times with the other.
Be sure to keep that rounded-profile.
Wipe off, Pop it back in the bolt, firearm back together, then test fire a few rounds.
Still running-through that primer? Lather, rinse, repeat - a tiny bit at a time, until it’s not Murdering primers. So easy Joe Biden could do it.
this made me laugh, appreciate the humor!
