AK Barrel Replacement

[cal_warrior]

I need to replace the US made barrel on my AK. Mr. Mach69 had a look at it at the Oct LA County BP and noticed the rifling was not correct: not enough twist. The gun keyholes rounds consistently and kicks like a mule. I bought a Romanian barrel from Apex awhile back, and now it's time to install it. The rear trunnion is in direct line of sight with the barrel breech so one cannot just mount up the straight pusher-tool and press it out. I prefer not to remove the rear trunnion. I started to size up a "reach-around" tool but there's other stuff in the way so it was getting wide for the aluminum bars I wanted to use; they'd probably just bend. So I could make it out of steel, but that's more work.

Any ideas or experience with this task is appreciated. If the trunnion has to be removed, I'm afraid that I'd bugger up the receiver.

Best regards to the Forum Folks. It's been awhile since I've visited.

[Jayruta]

if you don't care about the old barrel just use a long Socket Wrench extension and remove your stock. take out all your internals of course. This is of course if you have a press.

[ott1]

http://www.akfiles.com/forums/showthread.php?t=111843

[CSACANNONEER]

69Mach1 has a homemade yellow tool that should work fine.

I'd consider removing the entire front trunion though. It's going to be easier to headspace that way.

[thedrickel]

If I wasn' going to use the rear sight base on the junk barrel, I would just line it up vertically in a vise, resting on the trunnion (with the barrel hanging free), and pound the sight base to push the bbl out. If you use a buffer there (hold a piece of flat bar with some vise grips) and you're careful, you won't even damage the sight base noticeably. Really depends on the barrel tho, if it was super tight going in, you won't want to try this method.

[george223]

What Jayruta said, use 1/2" socket wrench extension long enough to clear back of the receiver and use some pennies on the back end of the barrel to push against. It'll be at a slight angle but works just fine. Just pay attention and yes, a hydraulic press make it much easier. No need to remove either trunnion.

Also, if you don't have a hydraulic press, check out www.tothtool.com. For $80, they have a tool that will install and remove a barrel using threaded rods and special blocks used to clamp the receiver in a vice. I saw a video, not sure where (might have been utube), of it being used and it seemed to work pretty good. I've also heard good reviews of this tool.

[Ryan in SD]

Its not a cake walk for the inexperienced, especially without proper tools. Get someone to help you.

[kcstott]

Traditional way of pushing the barrel off. Just get a steel bar and weld an off set to it.

This will allow you to clear the rear trunnion

[cal_warrior]

Yes, the currently installed barrel is junk so I don't mind chingering it up. The long socket extension was tried on a press but the angle didn't allow alignment. The barrel was pressed in pretty forcefully ( it creaked) so it will be hard coming out. I'm just going to beat on it with a large hammer and see if that works.

Thanks for all of the good suggestions and advice. I built this gun at home so I know what it takes to install and head space the new barrel: I have some good basic tools. That said, it's always nice to have a forum of knowledge to rely on, thank you.

[Jayruta]

did you remove the barrel pin first before trying the socket?

[atsaubrey]

the socket extension should have been able to press it out. the only time I wasnt able to press one out was on a PSL with a out of spec barrel that should have never been pressed in the first place.

[SJgunguy24]

Traditional way of pushing the barrel off. Just get a steel bar and weld an off set to it.

This will allow you to clear the rear trunnion

This is what I do. I had it with me at Greasemonkeys bp last year. I think I have material to make another one if you need one. No cheap arse homedepot steel, (i've bent a couple before I made this last one, trust me I build a sh*t load of guns) I have heat treated 4140 that I machine to clear the ejector and MIG weld to get the offset needed. Drop a brass slug to protect the chamber and your golden. PM me if you need one.

[1lowluv]

Could you cut the barrel real short and hammer the barrel through the into the receiver?

[69Mach1]

Could you cut the barrel real short and hammer the barrel through the into the receiver?

Bullet guide and sides of the trunnion in the way.

[SJgunguy24]

Could you cut the barrel real short and hammer the barrel through the into the receiver?

It needs to go out the same way it went in. My barrel tool works great, I've used it with Saiga 12s too.