Back in 2014 I bought one of the 5.56 Vepr IV RPKs. Boy was it nice but it had a folding stock that was spot welded. I installed a Tapco G2 FCG, the appropriate muzzle device and one of my Molot Gen 2 grips and then US mags. I’d planned to replace the gas piston but wound up selling the rifle to fund other projects. I did, however, snap some photos.
The rifles were amazingly allowed into the US and were gorgeous but I could not abide by the tack welded open stock or funky US grip. First, I removed the butt stock to get it out of the way and protect it. I then used my cordless Dremel with a cut off wheel to slice the tack weld enough to pull it open and then sanded the edges smooth.
I then applied Brownells’ Oxpho Blue to the fresh bare steel to blacken it. The end result – you’d never know the tack was there.
To the left is the grip that IO put on the rifle when they imported it. To the right is my Molot Gen 2 grip and it is in subsequent photos also. We make each grip by hand here in Michigan so they count as a 922r compliance part.
Like so many of my firearms, it sat in the safe for a year or two and I never hard time to fire it. Eventually, I decided to sell it to fund other projects.
7/20/19 Update: This rifle is #1 on my list of “I wish I never sold it” They are worth a fortune now.
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