Removing AK Barrel

HT4 · Sep 29, 2014

I was pressing a barrel into an AK yesterday and accidentally went a metric smidgeon too far. That's not good, because I really don't have any "refined" way to press the barrel out... at least not from a complete receiver. I ended up digging deep into my AK building tool box and came up with the super-ghetto Rube Goldberg-esque solution pictured below... It worked and proved to be highly controllable... but I feared for my life the whole time. There has to be a better way.

I'm interested in how others have approached this task. Thanks in advance for the benefit of your experience.

HT4 · Sep 29, 2014

Attaching photo:

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1412017379.242697.jpg

rob-cubed · Sep 29, 2014

That's pretty clever man!

I've only ever had to press out to adjust for headspace, and I just used a piece of brass bar, plus some pennies to protect the breech and a dead blow hammer.

foodpoison · Sep 29, 2014

i have used a long 3/8 extension with socket on a bolt with 2 nuts the 1 that touches bore is brass.

BossmanPJ · Sep 29, 2014

That's a hell of a way to do it. They have good advice. Should work fine for you.

foodpoison · Sep 29, 2014

looks like you have that bolt with brass nut, I was too busy looking at metal you got stacked to notice

HT4 · Sep 29, 2014

foodpoison said:
i have used a long 3/8 extension with socket on a bolt with 2 nuts the 1 that touches bore is brass.

No problems with sliding or shifting? I get very nervous when putting several tons of pressure on things that are not well aligned. I actually saw someone break a couple bones in his hand from something misaligned, and shooting out of the press.

foodpoison · Sep 29, 2014

HT4 said:
No problems with sliding or shifting? I get very nervous when putting several tons of pressure on things that are not well aligned. I actually saw someone break a couple bones in his hand from something misaligned, and shooting out of the press.

no,just line it up. I have and seen it done many times.

btw,I noticed you got a side folder. Do I drill front trunnion all the way through for the pin/hook?

HT4 · Sep 29, 2014

foodpoison said:
no,just line it up. I have and seen it done many times.

Can you post a pic? What I'm picturing in my head isn't possible because the rails, center support and/or rear trunnion will be in the way.

foodpoison said:
btw,I noticed you got a side folder. Do I drill front trunnion all the way through for the pin/hook?

Yes, all the way through. I milled a little off the bottom of the trunnion to give myself a flat surface to drill into. It just so happens that the hole goes almost exactly on a step in the bottom of the trunnion.

One tip: Once you drill the trunnion hole, put the trunnion in place and drill from the top the locate the receiver hole.

foodpoison · Sep 29, 2014

it's not perfectly straight but the socket keeps everything together. I have done it at least 20-30 times(I hate head spacing). that is the method used at all the ak parties I have attended. I am not an expert, I didn't even know how to spell ak before 281

I already milled that flat spot, took forever on drill press

HT4 · Sep 29, 2014

Ok... It's certainly better than the nonsense I did. But I'm still scared about force not being directed straight down. I may have to invent a better solution.

I too got into AKs just before 281. Bought a couple factory guns, then folded a whole bunch of receivers... Now I'm building out the receivers at my leisure. I even do full heat treating. It's a fun process for me. I've made many mistakes, but each gun gets better... And I may go back and rebuild the early ones.

SigMatt · Sep 29, 2014

Paging tc617...

HT4 · Sep 30, 2014

FWIW, this is the tool used by Rifle Dynamics for the task... I took the pic during an AK builder class. It allows for press forces to be aligned. It's not made anymore.

...though I suppose it would not be hard to make on for myself.

Skoal and sandpaper for scale...

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1412086986.487767.jpg

rob-cubed · Sep 30, 2014

^^
I see those tools for sale on the AK Files pretty regularly... I think someone else has picked up production.

HT4 · Sep 30, 2014

Link, if possible? I did not see after searching.

rob-cubed · Sep 30, 2014

This guy:
http://www.robertforbus.com/Kalashnikova_Tools.htm
Scroll down the page. Not fully welded like the old version, but the same concept.

Toth Tools uses a piece of all-thread and a slightly different approach. I have never tried this method but it doesn't require a press at all.

HT4 · Sep 30, 2014

Excellent. I've never seen the forbus site. Thanks.

Re Toth Tools... I don't think it can REMOVE a barrel from a COMPLETE receiver. Am I wrong? If it can, I may do that. It's really a nice tool for lining everything up (kind of hard to do in the press).

foodpoison · Sep 30, 2014

HT4 said:
Excellent. I've never seen the forbus site. Thanks.

Re Toth Tools... I don't think it can REMOVE a barrel from a COMPLETE receiver. Am I wrong? If it can, I may do that. It's really a nice tool for lining everything up (kind of hard to do in the press).

A lot easier to head space as well. As far as removing that's what the 3/8 extension is for

. But that other tool you showed would be a better choice especially if it's a real tight barrel

foodpoison · Oct 12, 2014

my redneck press

foodpoison · Oct 12, 2014

I also am no stranger to stacking random metal

Removing AK Barrel

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