Get an LMG and hit the weights. Or get a folder so you can save money on not buying a replacement stock
The fixed is good too, but I think the parkerization on the new shipments are ugly.
Quite honestly if you read the entire Type-81-pictures-range-reports-and-modifications-thread from the beginning you will get a good grasp of what you can and can't do easily.
Also just browse youtube for type 81 mods, you will find a lot of helpful, well produced guides likes gnutzguy and murray 3-d and so on
I'll tell you what I did for mine, these mods were easy enough. Although my rifle still weighs 9.4lbs empty.
from butt to muzzle:
Type 81 LMG stock > Foxstrap 3D printed adapter VZ58 buffer tube adapter to type 81 receiver > CSA VZ58 buffer tube adapter > Magpul UBR Gen 2 > QD sling mount
First you have to punch out the two pins holding the original wood stock in the receiver. You need the correct punch or else the pins wont budge. After the stock comes out, hammer in the Foxstrap adapter, drill holes into the adapter through the stock pin holes, screw in the provided set screws (their website has a better installation guide). Use the provided bolt to bolt the CSA adapter to the Foxstrap adapter. From here you can use any AR stock, but I suggest a Magpul CTR if you have the fixed stock rifle, since the UBR has a nub that indexes into the AR receiver (which doesn't exist) whereas regular castle nut stocks will let you stake the castle nut which is more secure
Grip > Grip tape
Type 81 Bolt carrier > Extended charging handle
This helped immensely with ergonomics. TNA sells an extended charging handle but that requires drilling into the Type 81 charging handle, but its more secure and larger. But that one costs 70 bucks so I bought an AK zenitco knockoff charging handle from aliexpress for 5 bucks. To install I dremeled out the inner diameter of the AK ch, then I wrapped duct tape around the type 81 ch to bring it level with the little rim on the edge, then put the AK ch over (with some hammer taps) and then I tightened down the included set screw. The new charging handle is actually not that large, its about the size of an SKSes now, I can get two fingers on it but I have very small hands.
Carry handle Delete
To take off the handle you can either punch out the pin holding the handle to the assembly, or you can take off the whole assembly which is permanent(?). I did the latter. Unscrew the screw and remove the rivet to the left of the screw, I dremeled it on the inside till it fell off.
Wood Upper handguard > covered with grip tape
I'm currently looking for a polymer SKS upper handguard to modify to fit. This requires drilling out three rivets. AK and VZ58 upper handguards are too small.
Wood lower handguard > VZ58 polymer handguard > directly mounted vertical foregrip
File down the VZ58 polymer handguard at the back till it fits. Don't use a dremel cause the plastic is cheap and its easy to file. Drill a hole for the Type 81 handguard screw. I also added a vertical foregrip to mine, anything longer than what I have in that position on the handguard and the magazine will slam into the bottom of the foregrip. Most VZ58 handguards may fit with modifications, someone recently posted an MLOK one in the modifications thread. AK handguards are too short if they are just regular ones that go into the handguard retainer. The magpul zhukov handguards do fit with modifications, gnutzguy has a great video.
Type 81 front sling retainer delete
Just use pliers
Cleaning rod removal
Bipod removal
Just punch out one of the pins and it comes off
Barrel clamp quad rail mount > QD sling mount > Arisaka inline picatinny mount > Arisaka 600 series light w/ Malkoff E2HT > surefire UE07 tape switch
I got the quad rail because its just what I chose on aliexpress that said it fit over the LMGs barrel outer diameter. These barrel clamp mounts do not hold zero. I had the screws tightened all the way on the ####ty aluminum, and put a bunch of blue loctite, and still when my rifle fell over the mount shifted 30 degrees due to the impact with the ground
Type 81 LMG thread protector > M14x1 RH thread muzzle device
Be careful, the LMG has two thread pitches for the muzzle, the first production ones had a non standard thread pitch, rifles with serial numbers 20202001+ like mine will have VZ58 muzzle thread pitches (M14x1 RH). I have a flash hider coming in the mail.
I also have an RS regulate rail system coming in the mail. I don't have a Kobra threaded trigger pins side mount though, and I need one of those and an optic to complete my rifle.
Sure I took off some stuff, but I also added capabilities like QD sling mounts and a light
Also helps with the sprint to fire speed and aim down sight speed.
