KolArms KAM-17

Summary of Slovakian Parts Kits (KolArms KAM-17)

These kits are sold as un-serialized and new unfitted parts. The kits are fairly complete, including at least an example of every part you will need besides receiver and barrel.

As with any virgin kit there will be more assembly steps than milsurp but that is expected.

As for the parts there are some that are tolerable and others that are not. This kit makes use of casting on a couple components that would otherwise be milled.

Parts Overview

• Slant brake: Machined, looks fine.
• Front Sight block: Cast, soft metal that is easily bent. Hole for sight drum was 8mm, needs to be 10mm to fit sight drum provided.
• Gas block: Cast, seems to be decent. (Note, this kit came with the gas port drilled in the gas block)
• Gas tube assembly: Stamped, best stamped part in the kit as it is solid and without issue.
• Hand guard retainer: Stamped, seems okay but lever provided may be soft/break.
• Upper/lower handguard: made of cheap feeling polymer, requiring much trimming. No heat shield.
• Rear sight block: Cast, seems to be okay.
• Gas tube lever: Stamped, bad quality control. Some are not heat treated or of poor metal quality.
• Rear sight assembly: Cast leaf, weak flat spring. Not great. For appearances this kit would look a lot better with a milled rear sight. It also wiggles back and forth and does not return to a consistent center.
• Front Trunnion: Forged, milled. Best part in the kit by far. Measure it in case your kit is set for 22mm instead of 23mm barrels. If it is undersized it will need to be reamed before installing AKM barrels. Uses 6mm barrel pin (provided in kit)
• Bolt: Forged, milled. Inconsistent finish quality
• Bolt carrier: Cast, potentially bad quality. Many voids, but piston seems good. Looks to have been heat treated as it has a hardness test mark.
• Fire control group: Cast, seems to be okay.
• Safety lever: Stamped, Bad, inconsistent heat treatment between either feeling like pot metal or being too brittle.
• Trigger guard assembly: Stamped, trigger guard is not heat treated. Magazine catch appears heat treated and works well. It is oversized, so keep that in mind if riveting using a jig that may not clear it.
• Dust cover: Stamped, bad. Thin metal with no spring to it. Fit tight at one point but quickly started rattling.
• Disassembly button: Cast, seems to be okay.
• Pistol grip: Plastic, has waves from the mold. Usable. Hardware is fine.
• Rear Trunnion: Cast, seems to be okay.
• Stock: Plastic, sharp edges between two halves. Rear sling swivel is attached using small nuts and bolts. Buttplate is stamped and required major fitting. No storage in stock.

Overall, Front trunnion is great and many parts are usable. Many stamped parts are inconsistently heat treated and may or may not have the spring that is expected from ex military parts kits.

This kit can be assembled into a working AKM. It may be of questionable durability, but it can function.

Youtube Playlist

Condavour has put together a Playlist going into details of the build, the issues he ran into and test firing. Keep a look out as more videos get uploaded.

Author

Write up written and provided by condavour.