Question on removing the gas tube

[3321sawyer 0]

Hi all, I have a question on how to remove the gas tube on my Saiga .308. After shooting my brand new, unconverted Saiga308 for the first time, I field-stripped it to clean. Even though I turned the lever on the side up to make sure it cleared the gas tube, I still couldn't lift the gas tube up to remove it. Is there any special technique or tool that I need to remove the gas tube? Do I have to remove the handguard before removing the gas tube?

Thank you in advance for your answer.

[mav 459]

Dont be insulted, but have you removed the piston?

[3321sawyer 0]

Yes I did remove the piston. I wasn't planning on removing the gas tube at first, but after cleaning the piston and seeing how dirty it was, I thought it would be a good idea to remove the gas tube so I can do a more thorough cleaning, but the gas tube wasn't budging so I gave up. By the way, when I turned the gas tube locking lever on the side, I did make sure that the gas tube was no longer locked by the lever.

[jimdigriz 580]

Dont be insulted, but have you removed the piston?

 

I don't know how many times I've forgotten to do this...

[jeepranch 16]

does the gas tube move at all? try rotating the lever and pulling up on the tube if you havent already

[csspecs 1,987]

The one on my .308 was really stiff the first few times. I had to take the hand guard off and help it off with flat screw driver (not pry, just help)

 

I think you could get a brush in there and get some of the build up out. Mine has been going since august without a cleaning, it is not an AR.

[syens5000 0]

mine was and still is nearly impossible to get on and off. don't give up. a little front-to-back wiggle while you pull up. when you finally get it off take the spring clip(?note which direction the flattened side is facing when you take the spring clip off! :-D) that's on the end of the gas tube off and you should be able to put the gas tube back on easily. put it on slowly and watch how it moves. you'll have to move it that same way when you put it back on, only with that spring clip on it. mine is slowly getting easier but it is a pain. i've probably removed the gas tube 15 or 20 times. good luck.

Edited June 7, 2010 by syens5000

[finlander 3]

That spring clip is not necessary at all if the gas tube rattling a bit doesn't bother you. I never put the spring back after I took the gas tube off first time and I even filed the locking surface on the tube so that it rattles real good. A little loose gas tube doesn't have any effect on the reliability of the gun and can even improve accuracy (YMMV, depends).

[ThirtyAughtSix 101]

If you still haven't gotten it off, when pulling it up (the gas tube), try moving the lever at different angles, if you look at what that lever actually moves you will see what I mean. I've taken my tube off every time I've shot it and its still a pain. I make sure I have that wedge at the correct angle and pop it up with a flat head screw driver/pocket knife/anything flat like that. If you want to get it really nice and clean you can use a 12 gauge brush and mop, but people around here don't seem to think its that important to keep these things sparkling clean... I on the other hand will clean a weapon if I fire just one shot, yes, it can wear it out early, but I'm also using modern cleaning tools and not focusing on the chrome lined barrel that I don't shoot corrosive ammo out of...

[Shandlanos 1,470]

If you can't remove it, consider using excessive force. As long as you're sure the retaining lever is in the right position, just yank on the sucker until it comes loose. I've run across a few that were ridiculously tight. On one of my WASRs, I had to use a crowbar between the barrel and gas tube to pry it off (I don't recommend doing this). I tried a different gas tube, and it was just as tight. Whoever pressed everything on the barrel just pressed the gas block and the rear sight block a little closer together than they're meant to be. I solved my problem by shortening the front end of the gas tube by about a millimeter with a bench grinder.

[cellsworth 21]

The one on my .308 was really stiff the first few times. I had to take the hand guard off and help it off with flat screw driver (not pry, just help)

 

I think you could get a brush in there and get some of the build up out. Mine has been going since august without a cleaning, it is not an AR.

 

 

+1! Sometimes they are pretty stiff at first

[WoodenNinja 2]

Dont be insulted, but have you removed the piston?

 

I don't know how many times I've forgotten to do this...

 

 

LOL!! Almost EVERY time I've removed the g/t I get frustrated, then realize that I forgot to remove the piston! LOL

Edited June 9, 2010 by WoodenNinja

[Tarheel72 16]

I have tried on two different occassions to remove mine and so far no luck. It is so tight I can hardly get it to budge. I did get it to move upward about 1/16 of an inch, but that is it. I have tried to wiggle it, I tried to pry it up with a screw driver, I finally just gave up on it and used a 45 caliber swab on the end of cleaning rod, and poked it down a few times. I can't image how you could ever get this thing off in the field. At this point I may never remove it. Is that so bad?

Edited June 20, 2010 by Tarheel72

[s2thalayer 13]

i had to use a nail set to get mine off, dont freak out, i didnt do anything crazy. i have a set i bought from lowes that has rubber padding around everything but the tip, and i pry it off with that. usually works pretty well. i changed mine to an AK gas tube and it just refused to fit tho. ended up having the file the shit out of that thing. it still takes a bit of muscle to get that thing on and off.