East Meets West: The "Combloc Modern" M70 Build

There is an eternal debate in the AK community: Wood or Rails?

The purists demand Serbian Red wood, claiming that "Rifle is fine." The modernists demand M-LOK, optics retention, and ergonomics. But why choose one when you can master both?

Today, we are showcasing a Zastava M70 build that strikes the perfect balance. It retains the soul of the Combloc era through its classic wood accents but upgrades the muscle with a suite of JMac Customs hardware. This is the "Restomod" of the AK world—vintage style with modern performance.

The Concept: Combloc Soul, Modern Function

The goal of this build was simple: Create a rifle that feels at home in a 21st-century tactical environment (LPVO, lights, suppression) without stripping away the character that makes the Yugo M70 legendary.

By keeping the factory wood upper handguard, we maintain that distinct AK silhouette. By swapping the lower handguard and mounting interfaces for JMac Customs parts, we gain the ability to mount modern accessories exactly where we need them.

The Build Breakdown

1. The Front End: The Hybrid Look

The centerpiece of this build is the lower handguard. We swapped the heavy factory wood for the M70-HG-ZAK-10.64L.

• Why it works: This lightweight aluminum handguard provides M-LOK slots at 3, 6, and 9 o’clock. It allows for the mounting of the HRD-EXT-T (Extended Handstop), which gives you a positive index point for pulling the rifle into your shoulder to manage that 7.62 recoil.
• The Aesthetic: By retaining the Factory Gas Tube with Wood Upper, the rifle keeps its warmth. The contrast between the black anodized aluminum and the wood grain is visually striking—it looks like a tool that has been refined, not replaced.

2. Recoil Management & Interface

Zastavas are known for being over-gassed and punchy. To tame the beast, we utilized the M67-14 muzzle device. 

• The Aesthetic: This device is a modern nod to the classic Yugo design language, mirroring the look of a "chopped" grenade-launcher spigot. It gives the rifle a custom, cleaned-up front end that perfectly matches the Combloc vibe of the build.
• The Function: Unlike a standard slant brake, the M67-14 acts as a compact blast diverter. It directs the concussion and noise forward, away from the shooter and those standing next to you at the range. It protects the barrel crown and threads without adding the significant length or bulk of a large muzzle brake.
• We also added the PG-AK skeletonized pistol grip. It’s lighter than standard polymer grips and offers a more vertical angle, which is essential when running the rifle in a compressed stance.

3. The Rear End: Modular Options

The Yugo pattern receiver can be difficult to customize, but JMac solves this with the RSA-YFS and SM-1913.

• The Interface: The RSA-YFS converts the unique M70 fixed-stock rear trunnion into a vertical 1913 Picatinny rail.
• The Application: Paired with the SM-1913, this creates a rock-solid, non-folding interface for attaching AR-style buffer tubes. This setup prioritizes stability and rigidity, allowing you to run modern M4-style stocks with adjustable length of pull while eliminating any wobble.
• Note: While this build highlights the aesthetic of the Factory Wood Stock, having the RSA and SM-1913 adapter kit ensures you can swap to a modern tactical stock configuration in minutes if the mission demands it.

4. Optics and Feeding

To stretch the legs of the 7.62x39 cartridge, we opted for an LPVO (Low Power Variable Optic). The stability provided by the JMac handguard creates a solid platform for modern sighting systems.

• The Magwell: Finally, to speed up reloads under stress, we installed the 7.62 Mag Funnel. This acts as a magwell flare, guiding the rock-and-lock motion smoothly, correcting the slightly awkward angle sometimes found in standard AK receivers.

The Parts List

Here is the complete bill of materials for the "Combloc Modern" M70:

Base Rifle Components:

• Zastava M70
• Factory Gas Tube with Wood Upper Handguard
• Factory Wood Stock (Classic Configuration)

JMac Customs Upgrades:

• Handguard: M70-HG-ZAK-10.64L
• Stock Adapter: RSA-YFS (Yugo Fixed Stock to 1913)
• Folding Mech: SM-1913
• Pistol Grip: PG-AK
• Handstop: HRD-EXT-T
• Muzzle Device: M67-14 
• Magwell: 7.62 Mag Funnel
• Sling Mount: RC-QD-T (Rail Control QD)

Optics:

• LPVO of choice

Final Thoughts

This build proves you don't have to sacrifice heritage for performance. By carefully selecting which parts to modernize (handguard, grip, optics mounting) and which to keep classic (upper handguard), you get a rifle that turns heads at the range and performs in the field.