Every AK starts with a receiver.Milled or stamped, each has strengths.
1Two Basic Types
A stamped receiver is a folded sheet of steel. A milled receiver is cut from a solid block. The first AKs were stamped, the Soviets moved to milled for strength, then returned to stamping with the AKM because milling took too much labor and steel.
| Milled | Stamped | |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | Will not twist | Can flex under stress |
| Weight | Heavier | Lighter |
| Cost | More | Less |
| Stock options | Fewer | Many |
| Home builds | Rare | Common |
2Stamped Receiver Cuts
Collectors sort stamped receivers by the cut at the front: straight cut (MAK-90, Egyptian, Romanian), slant cut (MAK-90) and curve cut (early Romanian imports).
