Oh, so much easier to start with a 5.56 gun then
Very much so!!
Opinion on the Valmet Hunter
- Thread starter Xcalibur34
- Start date
Very much so!!
Here are my two; apologies for the crappy photos
Top is 5.56 M78, not yet converted to 7.62x39, but the magwell fits AK mags perfectly. Barrel is longer and heavier than what it will end up with if/when I ever get around to converting it.
Bottom is the 7.62x39 Hunter, originally .308. Magwell had to be changed to accommodate the shorter mag. Trigger group has been relocated to the proper location, and I have the Galil furniture for it, but I need the barrel shortened and threaded, handguard hangers mounted for the handguard, trigger guard mounted, and a filler block made to properly mount the Galil stock. Fun gun even as is though
Top is 5.56 M78, not yet converted to 7.62x39, but the magwell fits AK mags perfectly. Barrel is longer and heavier than what it will end up with if/when I ever get around to converting it.
Bottom is the 7.62x39 Hunter, originally .308. Magwell had to be changed to accommodate the shorter mag. Trigger group has been relocated to the proper location, and I have the Galil furniture for it, but I need the barrel shortened and threaded, handguard hangers mounted for the handguard, trigger guard mounted, and a filler block made to properly mount the Galil stock. Fun gun even as is though
Here are my two; apologies for the crappy photos
Top is 5.56 M78, not yet converted to 7.62x39, but the magwell fits AK mags perfectly. Barrel is longer and heavier than what it will end up with if/when I ever get around to converting it.
Bottom is the 7.62x39 Hunter, originally .308. Magwell had to be changed to accommodate the shorter mag. Trigger group has been relocated to the proper location, and I have the Galil furniture for it, but I need the barrel shortened and threaded, handguard hangers mounted for the handguard, trigger guard mounted, and a filler block made to properly mount the Galil stock. Fun gun even as is though
This is fawkin cool.
Here are my two; apologies for the crappy photos
Top is 5.56 M78, not yet converted to 7.62x39, but the magwell fits AK mags perfectly. Barrel is longer and heavier than what it will end up with if/when I ever get around to converting it.
Bottom is the 7.62x39 Hunter, originally .308. Magwell had to be changed to accommodate the shorter mag. Trigger group has been relocated to the proper location, and I have the Galil furniture for it, but I need the barrel shortened and threaded, handguard hangers mounted for the handguard, trigger guard mounted, and a filler block made to properly mount the Galil stock. Fun gun even as is though
Juicy. Apparently they're prohibited now or so my local firearms store dealer told me. Is the bottom real wood?
KotKotofeich
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Ottawa Valley
Oh the bullsh.. you hear at gun stores. Did he also offer to take one off your hands for a generous few hundred, given their new status?
They are least likely of all semiautos to be prohibited since they are declared non-restricted by OIC.
Bottom picture shows the original wood stock and handguard, with maybe some wood removed from the stock.
They are least likely of all semiautos to be prohibited since they are declared non-restricted by OIC.
Bottom picture shows the original wood stock and handguard, with maybe some wood removed from the stock.
b-wingpilot
CGN Regular
- Location
- Sherwood Park
M78s are awesome!
M78s are awesome!
I assume yours is 5.56? Did you manage to get 5.45 mags to function in a 5.56 gun? If so, tell me more!
b-wingpilot
CGN Regular
- Location
- Sherwood Park
Yup, 5.56 M78. Just a bit of filing on the back of the 5.45 Bakelite magazine to get it to fit and lock. No other mods were done. So far it has functioned 100%. But that’s probably because it’s pinned to 5rnds. I doubt 5.56 would be working that well in a 5.45 magazine for 30rnds.
Huh, cool, good to know. I hadn't tried to mod an AK74 mag for mine, just a couple 5.56 Norinco AK mags, which were a pain. Assuming I get mine converted to 7.62x39 I'll have a few factory Valmet 5.56 mags to sell.
b-wingpilot
CGN Regular
- Location
- Sherwood Park
It does work really well, as seen in the video below. And it was maybe a 30-40min job with a file, constantly removing a bit and checking the fit. Now that I have one done, it should maybe be a 10min job to replicate. And those 5.56 magazines are worth a fortune.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=FSNYKeUmCxE
M78s are awesome!
Lets say i get my hands on an M78 hunter... how hard would it be to convert it to an M78? what parts would I need? I know it will never look like this because of the receiver but damn this thread got me thinking lol
KotKotofeich
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Ottawa Valley
To disambiguate: the hunter's designation is m88...
The hunter is not really worth converting to m78 - it will be more expensive. The m78 has a heavy barrel, proprietary gas block, a rare gas tube, rare hand guard and brackets, rare stock.
If you are just looking to have a more assaulty looking rifle then you only have to solve the pistol grip and stock problem.
Stock - pretty much a custom job. You may be able to get a stock adapter. Biggest stumbling block of the whole matter.
Pistol grip - AK parts interchange - need a pistol grip with bolt and trigger group. Trigger guard can be modified.
If you really want to change the handguard - most of galil stuff will fit. You will need to source the mounting brackets, but it's doable.
The Hunter is technically an M-88 (hunting rifle) NOT the M-78 (LMG)
Its sacrilegious to put crapxy eastern block AK parts on a Valmet.... seriously, your mixing parts from a $99 AK on a $2,000+ AK - stop and think about what your doing for a sec....
Make a Galil or NR M62/76 or a NR Rk95, or don't take apart your Valmet.
Last edited:
They are very cool guns but like others have said the mags are very expensive. What would be a fair price to ask for a mint hunter in .223 with box,paper work and 2 mags?. Not trying to derail just wondering what they go for these days.
Here is my Galil conversion so far. I still have work to do such as Put the Galil gas block on, get a bipod and attach it, fix some welds, then refinsh. I have the handguard retainer that has the attachment point for the carrying handle coming in aswsell as 5 5/25 round galil mags. If anyone has a Galil bipod and a carrying handle I may be interested
Here is my Galil conversion so far. I still have work to do such as Put the Galil gas block on, get a bipod and attach it, fix some welds, then refinsh. I have the handguard retainer that has the attachment point for the carrying handle coming in aswsell as 5 5/25 round galil mags. If anyone has a Galil bipod and a carrying handle I may be interested
Nice!
Is that a weld job I see at the rear of the receiver?
I have a plastic version on the go. I was able to get a galil arm bipod, gas block, carry handle, plastic hanguards,... Again, most annoying part is finding/making/adapting a stock to the M88!
(not all installed yet):
Still working on the stock though... what a biatch.
Attachments
Sweet! How did you get the front handguard retainer on? I originally cut it in half, welded it back on and then broke it so I ordered a bolt on and thats what I am using currently.
