I decided to add a BMP-1 side scope rail from http://www.kalinkaoptics.com to one of my AK's. This rail is close to the original and is for the AK variant of scope mount. These are milled steel and are very solid. While the factory installed rail mounts using the center support and lower rear trunnion rivets this "After market" rail uses three offset rivets. the back of the rail has a detent for the center support rivet and cutouts for the FCG pins.

I started by positioning the rail on the receiver and used a caliper to verify level with the top of the receiver. Once I locked it in place with a vise grip I marked the top line and the rivet hole locations.

I drilled pilot holes for the rivets and then used a Dremel to enlarge them to fit. Using a bolt cutter rivet tool I set the two end rivets. I inserted the rivets from the inside so that they would crush and fill the beveled hole on the outside. I then smoothed them out with an emery wheel on the Dremel. Make sure to flatten the rivet heads on the inside to avoid any interfereance.

For the center rivet I took a piece of 3/8" rod and flattened one side to compress the rivet into the curved section of the rail. Once all of the rivets were set I did a final smoothing with the emery wheel.

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