Need barrel threading/muzzle brake advice

[mr. fudd 0]

I've got two .223 AK's, (1 Saiga conversion and 1 SAR3), that I want to thread the barrels on and install AK74 style brakes on. First I want to get the right brake, ie. one that has baffles and is not made for a 30 caliber bullet. Second I want to get the right die for it.

 

On the Saiga I have already removed the sleeve at the end of the FSB.

 

Any help would be appreciated because I've got a hunch that it would be real easy to order the wrong parts and tools for this one.

[shooter2 5]

Any help would be appreciated because I've got a hunch that it would be real easy to order the wrong parts and tools for this one.

 

The D-I-Y threading kit that is commonly available for rent on one of the other gun boards will only handle barrels up to 1/2" OD. It would work for a SAR-2 or -3, but the Saiga .223's barrel is quite a bit fatter, AFAIK.

[TonyRumore 1,332]

Yep, the Saiga 223's need to have the barrel turned down a bit, before you can run a 14mm die on it.

 

Tony

[IndyArms 10,186]

Well, yeah... thats true... however, all I did was taper the first 1/4 inch of barrel with the dremel grinding wheel, just to get the die to start cutting... once it "bit", It took care of the thickness without any problem.

 

I used a standard 14mm die, and I just took my time... oil the die/barrel, 1/4 turn on, backed it off... sprits of oil... another 1/4 turn, etc..etc.. ad nauseum... till it was where I wanted it...

 

I didnt have to turn the barrel down other than that first little bit to get the die to "bite"... with the thread alignment tool keeping everything square, and indexed properly, it worked very nicely.

 

[dinzag 31]

I 100% agree with Indy, I did the same. Once the threads bit in it worked great.

 

On mine I ground the last 3/8" of threads off of the end of the barrel to use a 74' style brake as the Saiga barrels stick out too much for many brakes. I did that rather than moving the FSB forward.

 

 

[Bad Bob 0]

I 100% agree with Indy, I did the same. Once the threads bit in it worked great.

 

 

Personally, I prefer Gunplumber's FAL 'cookbook' method ( http://www.arizonaresponsesystems.com/ ). Gunplumber's 'cookbook' is no longer available free online (like it was back in the '90s), but it amounts to this: figure out what your minimum outside barrel diameter should be prior to threading (measuring the OD of your 'thread alignment tool' - TAT - is one way), and then cut flats in the barrel to reduce the barrel OD, using a hand file (or grinder, if you're careful), making the round barrel first a square (with 4 flats & rounded corners), then an octagon (with 8 flats), etc., until you get the OD reduced substantially, to reduce the amount of cutting your die has to do. Works like a charm, if you take your time (some type of caliper to measure barrel OD is definitely useful). I've done seven barrels this way, and the only time I had problems was when I got lazy & tried to skip cutting some of the flats, and tried to cut too much with the die - the KISS Principle definitely applies.

 

On mine I ground the last 3/8" of threads off of the end of the barrel to use a 74' style brake as the Saiga barrels stick out too much for many brakes. I did that rather than moving the FSB forward.

 

 

 

That's what I did, also, although I used a hand file to knock the threads off (the die makes an excellent guide: spin it onto your threads before you start filing the threads nearest the muzzle to reduce the muzzle OD, and the die will keep your cut even, and recut the threads - if needed - when you spin it off). Works great!

 

Best regards...