Posted by Keeper of secrets on November 20, 1998 at 06:20:15:
Go to your local scrap yard and locate a good sized solid rubber tire. Cut out a 5" cube peice of rubber. Finish to rough European or Chinese pattern AKM barrel-trunnion specifications using a whittlin' knife, a saw, and a belt sander. Bore out the barrel thoat with an auger. Get the bolt cam channels just right with those old leather working tools. When it looks good stuff it into the receiver, and just pound some small nails into the rivet holes being careful not to penetrate the entirety of the trunnion. Dimensional accuracy is not very important as the rubber gives slightly. Grease up the chamber end of your barrel and just work 'er in by hand. Check headspace and install your barrel pin keeping in mind that if the rifle doesn't explode or the barrel doesn't launch off, with each shot headspace will change wildly, this however is part of the fun. And its free!
(Sorry Rick, couldn't resist, no offense intended, just bored here at work and trying to amuse myself. Your do-it-yourself ideas seem pretty good.)