I need someone to thread my AK barrel in NEPA

[danhr]

I'm curious why you settled on 1/2x28 threads on an AK unless the AK is chambered in 223 or 5.45?

I know a lot of AK guys that did their own barrel threading...my only concern would be how concentric are those DIY kits? I'd really be concerned if you are planning on using it with suppressor. If it's just for a brake/comp that's one thing, but anything suppressed, I'd pay someone even if I had to ship firearm to have it done properly.

I'd be willing to bet it's a mak90. The original threads have been removed, thanks to Clinton. It's very common for AK enthusiasts to rethread the barrel in 1/2x28, as there is still enough material to thread in that pitch.

Hand threading isn't really for suppressor hosts.... But suppressing an AK is a lost battle. I don't put any of my silencers on my AKs, even the ones with concentric threads.

[raxar]

I'm curious why you settled on 1/2x28 threads on an AK unless the AK is chambered in 223 or 5.45?

I know a lot of AK guys that did their own barrel threading...my only concern would be how concentric are those DIY kits? I'd really be concerned if you are planning on using it with suppressor. If it's just for a brake/comp that's one thing, but anything suppressed, I'd pay someone even if I had to ship firearm to have it done properly.

Like the guy above me said it has a turned down muzzle. I did a wasr-10 in 1/2x28 because it wasn't wide enough for standard 14x1. Threading an ak any other way than with a die is going to be a giant PITA, to put the barrel on a lathe requires you to basically destroy and then rebuild the gun.

[boostmg]

My gun is a Romanian Romak 991 I believe from 1999. Apparently these came in with single stack mags and mine must have been converted. It's a nice gun, chrome lined barrel, decent finish, only problem is the barrel threads.

They had a protected welded on, it was removed and the original ak treads were ground down. The width measures .503 so the only option is to thread 1/2-28.

My dad keeps telling me I'm going to fuck it up lol. But all the videos I watched it seems pretty straight forward.

I guess it would be good to know what the most common ways of "fucking it up" are.

So far the only thing I've seen is someone keeping the guide in too long.

[boostmg]

I did it. It wasn't too hard. My barrel was already wide enough so I just used the die. It's just like screwing something on.

Glad I didn't fuck it up!
IMG_9048.jpg

[ggruber]

With all due respect, I would suggest not doing it yourself. Barrel threads must be concentric with the bore, and the only way to do that is to single point the threads on a lathe, something I have been doing for over 15 years out here in SOCAL.

[danhr]

Are you even allowed to have a threaded barrel in Kalifornia ?!?!

[raxar]

With all due respect, I would suggest not doing it yourself. Barrel threads must be concentric with the bore, and the only way to do that is to single point the threads on a lathe, something I have been doing for over 15 years out here in SOCAL.

You should probably read the whole thread before replying. Concentric threads only matter if you're running a suppressor, this sort of threading is perfectly fine for a slant comp or muzzle brake. Like I said above, threading an AK barrel on a lathe requires you to destroy the rifle and rebuild it, it is absolutely the wrong way to do it.

[ggruber]

You should probably read the whole thread before replying. Concentric threads only matter if you're running a suppressor, this sort of threading is perfectly fine for a slant comp or muzzle brake. Like I said above, threading an AK barrel on a lathe requires you to destroy the rifle and rebuild it, it is absolutely the wrong way to do it.

Here is the deal that many people don't know about threading barrels (either end). Granted, the rifle in question is not noted for being a beanfield rifle, one capable of sub MOA groups. The point is this: when you use a die to cut a thread you are getting what is called a Class 1 thread. It is the most common cut, used on most easily assembled nuts and bolts. The problem with the class 1 thread is that once something is screwed on to the barrel, the actual tightening is only occurring on the last 1-2 threads, the rest have air between the barrel and muzzle brake.

All commercial barrels have a random assortment of atoms distributed throughout the barrel. Hammer forging is the most typical way of creating these barrels, and the atoms are unevenly distributed throughout the barrel, creating stress points. As the rifle is shot, a harmonic wave proceeds from one end of the barrel to the other. Stress relieved barrels with cut rifling exhibit the most accuracy because this harmonic wave is evenly distributed throughout the barrel.

When you hang a class 1 threaded object on the end of the barrel, it vibrates (literally) at a different rate than the rest of the barrel, creating turbulence as the bullet exists. This effect is worse as the barrel heats up from continuous fire.

Again, this type of weapon in the hands of the average shooter seldom is shot past 100 yards, so the decrease in accuracy from all of these harmonics is rarely noticed. If you are shooting from the bench, and are a skilled shooter with proper grip, you might notice a flyer 2-3 inches out of a group of 5 that you can't account for. It drives you crazy. This is barrel stress from the harmonics.

Just thought you should know... Oh, yeah, you don't need to destroy the barrel on a lathe to thread it. There are plenty of high quality gunsmiths with the proper tooling that can accommodate this kind of stuff -- for a price, of course.

[raxar]

Here is the deal that many people don't know about threading barrels (either end). Granted, the rifle in question is not noted for being a beanfield rifle, one capable of sub MOA groups. The point is this: when you use a die to cut a thread you are getting what is called a Class 1 thread. It is the most common cut, used on most easily assembled nuts and bolts. The problem with the class 1 thread is that once something is screwed on to the barrel, the actual tightening is only occurring on the last 1-2 threads, the rest have air between the barrel and muzzle brake.

All commercial barrels have a random assortment of atoms distributed throughout the barrel. Hammer forging is the most typical way of creating these barrels, and the atoms are unevenly distributed throughout the barrel, creating stress points. As the rifle is shot, a harmonic wave proceeds from one end of the barrel to the other. Stress relieved barrels with cut rifling exhibit the most accuracy because this harmonic wave is evenly distributed throughout the barrel.

When you hang a class 1 threaded object on the end of the barrel, it vibrates (literally) at a different rate than the rest of the barrel, creating turbulence as the bullet exists. This effect is worse as the barrel heats up from continuous fire.

Again, this type of weapon in the hands of the average shooter seldom is shot past 100 yards, so the decrease in accuracy from all of these harmonics is rarely noticed. If you are shooting from the bench, and are a skilled shooter with proper grip, you might notice a flyer 2-3 inches out of a group of 5 that you can't account for. It drives you crazy. This is barrel stress from the harmonics.

Just thought you should know... Oh, yeah, you don't need to destroy the barrel on a lathe to thread it. There are plenty of high quality gunsmiths with the proper tooling that can accommodate this kind of stuff -- for a price, of course.

To remove an AK barrel to lathe thread it requires you to remove it from the front trunnion, cut numerous rivets, remove the front sight, gas block and handguard retainer, then put it all back on when you're done. That is destroying and then rebuilding the gun (I never said it was "destroying the barrel"), and requires a certain amount of voodoo to get right. No one in their right mind would do that to possibly avoid maybe having a flier on a gun that doesn't shoot MOA in the first place. As I said, it is the worst way to go about solving the problem.

[ggruber]

To remove an AK barrel to lathe thread it requires you to remove it from the front trunnion, cut numerous rivets, remove the front sight, gas block and handguard retainer, then put it all back on when you're done. That is destroying and then rebuilding the gun (I never said it was "destroying the barrel"), and requires a certain amount of voodoo to get right. No one in their right mind would do that to possibly avoid maybe having a flier on a gun that doesn't shoot MOA in the first place. As I said, it is the worst way to go about solving the problem.

Good luck with that. It is unfortunate that you haven't run into a competent gun smith yet. We may have some major, major problems out her on the west coast, but we have some damn fine craftsman that can perform a whole lot of magic on firearms. I'm happy that you are so secure in your knowledge of firearms that you have nothing left to learn. I envy someone that has reached that pinnacle in life.

All the best to you and your AK.