Building a Hybrid Yugoslav M70B1 from a Stub Parts Kit

So at this point, you may be wondering what parts you need. The following is a list based on making a fixed stock M70B1 in a manner described in this article:

* Barrel assembly - including the barrel, handguard retainer, front sight block, gas block and rear sight block (RSB). Each block on a M70 is a subassembly and should have its various parts. For example, the RSB should include the left sight and its spring plus the lever and cam to lock the gas tube in place.

* A front receiver stub will be used to make a front trunnion. There are four reasons for doing this. First, the Yugo Rear Sight Block is thicker than a normal AKM and would require an AKM trunnion's "ears" to be shaved very thin to accommodate it. Second, the Yugo front lower handguard has a small tab that fits ideally into the front of the milled receiver that will become our trunnion. Third, it is hard to find a Yugo M70B1 front trunnion and a lot easier to just make one. Last but not least, grinding down the M70 receiver to a "slab side" trunnion vs. a bulged Yugo trunnion allows the use of standard AKM receivers vs. specialized Yugo receivers. This last part matters to me at least because as my flat bending jig cannot bend bulged Yugo flats.

* A barrel pin--may need to be replaced with an oversized one when headspaced.

* The gas tube

* The upper and lower front handguards and the lower one needs its metal ferule

* A slant brake or whatever muzzle device you want, such as a muzzle nut.

* A flat-sided receiver without trunnion holes - you will drill them later. You do want the fire control group, center support and safety lever holes there. If you build one, you'­ll need to plan on a center support and lower rails as well.

* Four 10-32x1/4" long button head alloy machine screws for the front trunnion

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* Two 1/4-28x1/4" long button head alloy machine screws for the front trunnion

* Four 1/4-28x1/2" long button head alloy machine screws for the rear trunnion

* Five 5/32x1/4" dome head rivets for the trigger guard assembly

* One AK fire control group - hammer, trigger and disconnector (be sure to get the set that is recommended for your model of receiver just to be safe. For example, there is a NDS receiver model that has compatibility problems with the Tapco G2 trigger but that can be corrected by following instructions at the NDS website https://www.nodakspud.com/troubleshooting.htm)

* Two standard AKM fire control group axis pins

* One Romanian or other sheetmetal selector lever

* One fire control group retaining spring or plate

* One trigger guard assembly including the magazine latch and selector lever stop plate that goes underneath it

* One rear trunnion - either Yugo or an AKM pattern (if you plan on using an AKM buttstock and not a Yugo)

* Recoil spring and operating rod assembly

* Spring set - disconnector, recoil (same spring that is part of the previous bullet), extractor and hammer

* Bolt carrier and gas piston

* Bolt assembly including the extractor, spring, firing pin and retaining pins

* Top/dust cover

* Pistol grip bolt and nut from any AKM

* Pistol grip of your choice (Yugo pattern, Ergo, standard AK, etc.). I used a US-made M70 grip from Ronin's Grips (www.roninsgrips.com)

* Buttstock

* Buttstock bolt

* Buttstock rubber butt pad

* Cleaning rod