Nice wood for new Arsenal SAM7R

[Ferris2son]

I'd like to put some nice wood furniture on my new AK.

What do you recommend and what are the pitfalls of swaping the polymer for wood? Are there better vendors than others?

Thx

[Wake27]

Jim Fuller recommends Iron Wood designs. I just got a SAM7R and that's what I'll be putting on mine.

[Ferris2son]

Jim Fuller recommends Iron Wood designs. I just got a SAM7R and that's what I'll be putting on mine.

That's what my research indicates. Does the Arsenal SAM7 have one or two tang? What's the best way to get them finished?

[Wake27]

I don't know anything about finishing. Mine has two tangs and I'd assume yours does too, but it's real easy to check. Kind of hard to explain but maybe google a two tang AK and then all you have to do is look at yours. Basically if there is a metal protrusion on the bottom of the buttstock where it connects to the receiver then it's a 2 tang.

[Ferris2son]

I don't know anything about finishing. Mine has two tangs and I'd assume yours does too, but it's real easy to check. Kind of hard to explain but maybe google a two tang AK and then all you have to do is look at yours. Basically if there is a metal protrusion on the bottom of the buttstock where it connects to the receiver then it's a 2 tang.

Mine is on order so I can't examine it.

[Wake27]

Oh ok. What exact model is it? Mine is the SAM7R-51 which is the Warsaw length stock. I'd assume all of those would be the same.

[BTL BRN]

Wood looks nice, but one of the "pitfalls" is the heat in the handguards. Typically Arsenals have a nicely shielded lower handguard, which will help in keeping your hand from scorching; wood lacks this and will retain the heat much longer. Of course weight is another concern.

That said, I think that a nice set of wood furniture is classy; and in any case it can be easily swapped.

[Ferris2son]

Wood looks nice, but one of the "pitfalls" is the heat in the handguards. Typically Arsenals have a nicely shielded lower handguard, which will help in keeping your hand from scorching; wood lacks this and will retain the heat much longer. Of course weight is another concern.

That said, I think that a nice set of wood furniture is classy; and in any case it can be easily swapped.

Very good point, but not a problem for me.

I ordered Red from Combloc.

Thanks guys.

[halmbarte]

I went with the Polish laminate wood from RTG. Laminate is probably a little less weather resistant than plastic and is heavier. It can take more physical abuse than wood or plastic and looks better, IMHO.

The Polish laminate was a little dry, so I hit it with a few coats of tung oil. It did require some fitting too. The Bakelite pistol grip is there just because it looks fricken' pretty.

H

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