AK Mag Catch Riveting? How to?

**StingyGunner** · October 1st, 2013, 04:07 PM

I want to replace the mag catch on my Saiga (I took too much off during the conversion), but I am unclear about how you rivet the new one in place (i.e. how to flare the ends properly).. Will a generic rivet gun from harbor freight do the job? I'm foggy on how those work... Any info would be much appreciated!

http://www.harborfreight.com/catalog...lt?q=rivet+gun

**scoutjoe** · October 1st, 2013, 07:37 PM

I will tell you this now, that little spring in the mag catch is going to make you hate life.

We redid a mag catch on a SA-2000, used the standard AK rivets. Had a backer against the head of the rivet, used an old socket, punch and 5lb hammer to "crush" the stem of the rivet.

Was it a professional job? No

Was it on the inside of the gun and work well at securing the mag catch to the receiver? yes

**Enfielder** · October 1st, 2013, 08:25 PM

I have done this twice, but on new unassembled trigger guard kits. (this kit: http://www.midwayusa.com/product/668...eceivers-steel) It is not too difficult if you use a "slave pin"- any scrap steel cylindrical item a little less in diameter as the rivet, but longer; might find a nail that works for you.

1. Clamp trigger guard in a vice. If it is still attached to the rifle this will be awkward but you will have to make do.

2. Remove old latch. Drill, tap whatever it takes. (I had to drill the hole in my kit, but you will have a hole already)

3. Installing the new one- With your fingers/thumbs of steel, press the latch/spring combination in as you work the slave pin in until it goes across and through hole in both sides. Now that the slave pin is in, take a break.

4. Since your slave pin is longer, you will use it as a lever-joystick while guiding and gently tapping the new rivet pin in the first side hole. You will joystick the latch & spring to accept the rivet pin as you tap it in, through one hole at a time. Be patient and you may lose alignment and have to start over.

5. When the rivet pin is in place (after 30 minutes of struggling), you can use an appropriately sized ball bearing (search the web, various posts report the "best" size) to flare the thin ends out and keep the rivet pin in place.

**StingyGunner** · October 2nd, 2013, 08:36 AM

Thanks for the tips, guys. Out of curiosity, how do you go about planting those rivets in that trigger guard kit? I'm only replacing the latch, but I'd like to know anyway.

**Asmodeus6** · October 2nd, 2013, 04:21 PM

Originally Posted by StingyGunner

Thanks for the tips, guys. Out of curiosity, how do you go about planting those rivets in that trigger guard kit? I'm only replacing the latch, but I'd like to know anyway.

With the right jig and a press.

http://ak-builder.com/index.php?disp...oduct_id=29922

$65 and your rivets get done right, and don't look like a bag full of smashed assholes.

The jig cradles all of the TG rivets in cups milled into the top surface of the jig. If you place a little downward tension on the receiver to keep everything flat against the receiver. Then put the flat rivet plate on the inside of the receiver. And the transfer block. Then press it until everything is even and flat.

Done.

I suggest caution as some types of receiver rails are more forgiving than others about allowing a block to press those internal rivets down evenly.

For the mag catch pin, I just start hitting it with a punch smaller than the OD of the flattened rim. Until I find the side that is more likely to fold back up and go through the hole. Then I punch the pin out. Replace the catch. And buckle down on the catch spring. Insert a slightly smaller than hole sized punch through all the items that are extremely inconvenient to keep in place... and then work the new pin, or old one back into place. Setting the opposite side of the pin on a steel surface - peen the end of the pin back until it no longer turns with the motion of the mag catch.

Done.

As a side note. If you are replacing the mag catch with something cool like a 7.62 Galil mag catch...

They are not the right length and the mags will all have front to back wobble unless you start with a virgin trigger guard and drill the hole in the correct position. I learned this the hard way. But now that I know... and genuinely love the Galil catch... I just order an undrilled TG for each rifle that gets built and the Galil catch.

It's night and day from the original tab. Perfect for a thumb. But makes smacking mags out of the gun with another mag a little more challenging.

The galil one doesn't eat you as much either if you have to do it with your hand so it's a keeper. Under stress I don't see a lot of guys spetznas reloading AK's. But having a solid place to thumb them out - works every time.

**StingyGunner** · October 2nd, 2013, 05:30 PM

Oh wow, thanks for the info. I was thinking of buying an E. German mag catch..

**Enfielder** · October 2nd, 2013, 06:10 PM

For best results buy the professional jig above in A's post.

Here's a photo of my own homemade rivet fixture.
Angle iron from Lowes (or was it Home Depot?) I Dremeled the Divots to cradle rivets. Spaced the angles with four(4) 5/16-18 fully threaded bolts & 6 nuts to lock the angles at just the right separation distance. The piece that pushes down on the rivets is tricky; has to be sculpted to clear a portion of the rail.
It has served me well. I dislike pressing down around the center support; that's what the ground section on the rod is for, clearance.