1/2" x 28

[sierratangofoxtrotunion]

Just thought I'd throw this out there for future reference. The threads on the end of AR 15 barrels for flash hiders, muzzle brakes, etc are 1/2" x 28 tpi. Midway has the taps and dies available for about $45 each. When I saw that I about choked. Good news, KBC tools has these taps and dies available (and apparently a LOT of oddball sizes, too.

http://www.kbctools.com/usa/main.cfm

Search for 1/2 28 and either "tap" or "die" whichever you're looking for.

Their part numbers:
1/2"-28 tap 1-372-212 $10.40
1/2"-28 die 1-368-15-28 $9.05

[technique]

thanks. good lookin out!

[chuck762]

Short of a few oddball fine thread taps found mainly on guns (6-48 comes to mind) you can source taps and dies much cheaper from machine shop supply companies such as MSC.

[CHS]

Just thought I'd throw this out there for future reference. The threads on the end of AR 15 barrels for flash hiders, muzzle brakes, etc are 1/2" x 28 tpi. Midway has the taps and dies available for about $45 each. When I saw that I about choked. Good news, KBC tools has these taps and dies available (and apparently a LOT of oddball sizes, too.

http://www.kbctools.com/usa/main.cfm

Search for 1/2 28 and either "tap" or "die" whichever you're looking for.

Their part numbers:
1/2"-28 tap 1-372-212 $10.40
1/2"-28 die 1-368-15-28 $9.05

Realise though that most barrels are threaded on a lathe, NOT with a die.

[cleanguy46]

+1 on the lathe comment. Would be better to chuck the barrel in a lathe to cut the threads unless your using a "die" to clean up some dinged up threads.

[spencerhut]

Lath, that is good information, but not everyone has one at home they can chuck a barrel into. Some of us poor schleps get by with hand tools.

[CHS]

Lath, that is good information, but not everyone has one at home they can chuck a barrel into. Some of us poor schleps get by with hand tools.

Then you should send your barrel to someone who does have the proper tools in order to get it threaded.

I would never manually thread a barrel with just a tap/die set. Too much to screw up.

[ar15barrels]

I would never manually thread a barrel with just a tap/die set. Too much to screw up.

Especially when it's only $30 to have it done right...

[jumbopanda]

Yea, no kidding. I've had a bunch of crooked threads when trying to do AK pistol barrels. Now I use a lathe, and dies are only used for clean up.

[sierratangofoxtrotunion]

Short of a few oddball fine thread taps found mainly on guns (6-48 comes to mind) you can source taps and dies much cheaper from machine shop supply companies such as MSC.

They have that one too, for $7.75.

I bring this up because I picked up a thread protector for my AR a while back, and the threads are too tight on either the nut or the barrel. I'm going to chase them with the tap and die (which arrived in one day, shipped from Hayward). If the job were to actually MAKE the threads on the barrel, yeah I wouldn't do it with a die, it's time for a lathe.

[chuck762]

They have that one too, for $7.75.

I bring this up because I picked up a thread protector for my AR a while back, and the threads are too tight on either the nut or the barrel. I'm going to chase them with the tap and die (which arrived in one day, shipped from Hayward). If the job were to actually MAKE the threads on the barrel, yeah I wouldn't do it with a die, it's time for a lathe.

Brownells actually has it for 2.43 along with most of the other smaller sizes.
MSC also charges tax where brownells doesn't. Usually brownells runs more but in this case it was cheaper so I ordered a bunch of tap I need for gun projects.

[sierratangofoxtrotunion]

Brownells actually has it for 2.43 along with most of the other smaller sizes.
MSC also charges tax where brownells doesn't. Usually brownells runs more but in this case it was cheaper so I ordered a bunch of tap I need for gun projects.

I see em on their website for $4.40, but in any case, that's a great price for a tap in a special / oddball size. Good catch, Chuck.

Reference for posterity: http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/sto...20STEEL%20TAPS

[liketoshoot]

On E~bay up for aucton now is this: http://cgi.ebay.com/Gunsmith-1-2-28-...d=p3286.c0.m14
1/2-28 tap and die set.
I myself will no longer buy here but I still look to see what I'm missing.