Saiga 12 barrel removal

[Gillean 1]

I have searched countless postings, but have been unable to find this info.

I need to remove my S-12 barrel from the receiver for machine work, and my machine shop has never done this before.

After removing the FCG, and driving out the barrel retention pin, what's the proper way to press the barrel out of the receiver without screwing anything up? It seems to me that a tool machined to the configuration of a 3" 12 gauge shell at the front, with a straight rod at the rear, extending beyond the rear of the receiver, for the press to act upon, should do the trick. What say you?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Due to the way the barrel is made, with the shell guides at the rear, this means the barrel has to be pressed back into the receiver EXACTLY as it came out, with no margin of error. I asked Tony Rumore if the barrel was in any way keyed to assure perfect alignment, and he said no, it's just trial and error, and being very careful when re-installing. Be sure to index mark the barrel and receiver to help in re-alignment, prior to dis-assembly!

Any advice from those who have been there, would be greatly appreciated

[6500rpm 670]

If you know how to do an AK barrel that's in the receiver, it's the same idea. Strip the gun down to just the barrelled receiver (remove gas block, gas tube, and barrel pin). I made a pusher that fit the chamber by turning and milling aluminum round stock a couple inches long to support the bottom of the barrel. Put a peice of apprpriate sized bar stock through the receiver at the magwell area for the pusher to sit on and set it on the adjustable heigth bars on a press. I cut a hole in a square peice of oak that fit over the barrel to lay against the receiver and slid a steel tube (about 2" longer than the barrel) over the barrel against the wood. By pressing on the top of the steel tube it forces the receiver down, but the bottom of the barrel is supported by the bar and pusher. This will press the barrel out of the receiver. I always soak barrels in a good penetrating oil like PB Blaster first. I've only done one S12 this way, but also several AK's. My s12 pressed out like butter compared to any AK I've ever done, but I've seen it posted that it can be a bitch sometimes. I also always take a fine round file or rolled up strip of emery cloth and just touch the pin hole after the barrel pin is pressed out to remove any burs (prevents gauling), and I always throw my barrel in the freezer for a few hours and couat with anti-seize just prior to pressing back in. I was pretty anal retentive about profiling the pusher to the unusual shape and i.D. of the S12 barrel, maybe one of the builder/ business members can chime in if that's really neccessary (that was the only complicated part of the whole process).

 

Scribe a small mark where the barrel mates to the trunion prior to pressing out to help with alignment, but you cant believe how accurate the human eye can be for aligning things.

 

This is a link on pressing a AK barrel back in just for reference as to what I was talking about when I mentioned putting a steel bar through the mag opening and setting on the press to support the pusher. (in this case it's used to support the bottom of the trunion for the barrel's trip back in) Every AK builder should watch all this guys video's on youtube, he does a great job of explaining each step.

 

Edited February 12, 2010 by 6500rpm

[Racer 27 37]

Cobra posted a how to about it somewhere.