CZ858 Transformation to an Iraqi Tabuk **It's Finished!!! See post #36**

Jacko832

Jacko832

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Hello CGNers,

In this post I will continue to update the my progress in "transforming" my early model CZ858 into a Iraqi Tabuk DMR. Originally I wanted to do a SVD conversion after I saw how amazing Curtton's turned out, that was 4 years ago. :eek:
I started off by taking a MAK90 thumbhole stock and routing it out to make it look like a SVD stock and then fitting it to my CZ. Here's what it looked like:

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As I continued to look for parts high and low throughout the vast expanses of the internet, I started coming across other "Red" Designated Marksman Rifles and that's when I noticed the Yugo M76 and then fell in love with it's variant the Iraqi Tabuk rifle. Besides the looks of it, I was keen in doing a conversion that would be of the same caliber. It was always nagging at me that a SVD is chambered in 7.62x54R whereas my conversion would still be in 7.62x39R. By going the Tabuk route, that wasn't going to be an issue since they are both the same caliber.

Now, after almost a year of sourcing parts from all over, it is finally time to start putting it all together. Just finished unwrapping everything. :D

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Stay tuned as I update this post as I go.
 
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Yes the wood is from Ironwood Designs.

I would post pics if I had them hahaha! I just got settled back home after having been away on course for 6 months. My plan is to have the wood fitted and stained by the end of the weekend.
 
cant wait to see the finished product.
I say just seal the wood, I like that blond colour much better then anything dark. Unless ofcourse it is on a RPK kit.

So I take it that only the handguard is made for to fit the CZ??
 
bfiles said:
cant wait to see the finished product.
I say just seal the wood, I like that blond colour much better then anything dark. Unless ofcourse it is on a RPK kit.

So I take it that only the handguard is made for to fit the CZ??
Click to expand...

The plan is to treat it with a couple coats of tung oil to keep the blonde look just like you say and then seal it with a light coat of polyurethane.

You're right, the pistol grip and stock are repro M76 and are intended to go on milled AK receivers so there will be a little fitting required there but from the looks of it noting too complicated.
 
Today I spent the evening in the shed working on fitting the stock. Took me about 2 hrs to get it fitted to my liking. First up I had to cut down the block that is supposed to mate it to an AK receiver and the sand it down so it would taper in to the CZ stock ferule. Here it is almost complete:

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Once I got it fitted and sanded nice and smooth, I had to bore out the hole to accommodate the larger CZ stock screw. With the hole bored I was then able to test mount it to the receiver for the first time.

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If you look closely you'll notice that the stock is at a considerable less angle with the receiver than the factory stock. This makes trying to get a proper sight picture quite difficult as I pretty much need to crush my face into the wood to get remotely close to lining up the sights. Not too concerned about it at this point seeing as how I will be mounting the scope in the near future.

Another problem is that the stock screw now protrudes well into the receiver which makes reinserting the BCG impossible.

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The way I see it, I have two options. 1) Cut down the factory stock screw so it no longer interferes. 2) Go out and try and find a shorter bolt at a store. I'm not sure what the thread of the stock screw is so option 2 might be a little difficult. What do you guys think?

Stay tuned! Next up: Fitting the lower hand guard.
 
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Personally I would take the stock screw to Brafasco or somewhere similiar and see if you can get a shorter one with the same thread. Failing that I would try to locate another stock screw to cut down so you always have the proper one just incase you decided to put the stock furniture back on, or got into another project which required the longer bolt. If you do go the route of cutting down the stocker, wind a nut of the appropriate thread onto it and down to the point where you want to cut it off. Use the nut as a guide for your hacksaw or cut-off saw and you will wind up with a nice straight cut. Plus when you wind the nut off after making the cut it will clean up any little burrs left over from cutting the bolt.
 
The bolt is an M12 X 1.0 thread...very hard to find... so unless you make your own or know a machinist.. you may be out of luck there. In order to have an angle on the stock to give a better relief you should have drilled the hole on an angle and sanded the front ferrel part on the appropriate angle on the backside of the receiver. It is a little tricky to do but it can be done. You could adjust the 1/2" ? hole by re drilling on an angle and fill the gaps with epoxy or wood glue and sawdust...a 3/4" hole will hide the bolt head. Another option for the bolt is to cut it down and have it welded together at the appropriate length you seek then grind the welds to give you a better fit since the body of the bolt is smaller than the thread and shoulder behind the head. I hope this has helped you and don't worry I have made the same mistake and cursed myself for doing so. It's a trial and error thing and I usually use a scrap piece of wood when figuring out the angle. Aside from all this I really like your project. It's going to look amazing and since no one else has done this...very original...I love that...Good Luck and I can't wait to see your project finished.
 
Oh ...I forgot to mention 1 other thing. If you decide to get it welded you will need a pin the same size as the hole in the center. cut the bolt to the desired length and place the pin (a piece of a hardened drill bit will work) between the 2 pieces so when welded together it will give some stability to the 2 pieces... keep it straight and make it stronger
 
Thanks for the advice ButtWhat. I plan on tinkering with the stock some more tonight to try and get it to lie up a little better. Hopefully I will have time to get the lower hand guard fitted as well. I'd like to start putting the tung oil on the wood this week but I'm not gonna rush it. I want to take my time and get it right rather than half a$$ it.

I'm planning on putting an order in with gunexpert in the Czech Rep. in the near future so I'll make sure to order a second stock screw so I can cut it down to size. I'm not going to bother cutting the bolt in half only to re-weld it again. The threads go far enough back on the bolt that even when it is tightened as much as you see in the pictures, the threads in the receiver are fully engaged by the bolt so the structural integrity is still there.
 
Update: 28 Apr 2012

I've been working on the butt stock for the past couple of nights and finally managed to get it properly fitted. Last night, in order to address the sight alignment issue, I took a coping saw and cut off a small wedge to increase the drop angle of the stock. Once I did this though the stock screw hole was no longer perpendicular to the face the mates with the receiver. After a lot of thinking (and some drawings) it finally dawned on me that I had to make the inside face that supports the crush washer and the bolt head parallel to the mating face. DUH!!! f:P:2:

So here's what it looks like now. As you can see, I had to decrease the radius of the corner so that the bolt could sit flush with the inner face.

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ButtWhat: I think I am going to have to cut the bolt down in the middle like you suggested. Because of the wood that I have had to remove in order to get the final fitting right there is very little threading that is engaged. I'll have my gunsmith take care of it when I take the rifle in to get the scope rail put on.

With the stock now complete I went on to fit the lower hand guard to the rifle. All that was needed was some minor sanding and to cut the groove where the roll pin would pass through to keep it in place.

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Now time to test fit the hand guards. Man are these ever made to tight tolerances!!! There is absolutely no wobble with these, not that I'm complaining it just makes them a little tougher to get on and off, especially the upper hand guard!

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And for your viewing pleasure here is what she looks like so far. Tomorrow I will be fitting the pistol grip and then it will be final sanding and preparation before applying some tung oil.

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