WarBoy 4 Posted February 14, 2012 Report Share Posted February 14, 2012 My buddy is refinishing his Saiga 12 during the conversion process and we were thinking about powder coating it as I have the setup for it at work. My question is, since the gun is too big to fit in the oven can I remove the barrel retaining pin(located under the rear sight) and seperate the barrel/gas assembly from the reciever? This would allow both pieces to fit in the oven. I thought about taking off the gas block and then taking off the barrel but I don't think the gas block would slide back on without messing up the new powder coat finish. Thanks guys! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ewoketeer 35 Posted February 14, 2012 Report Share Posted February 14, 2012 One idea I've seen on the forum is to keep the barrel cold and heat up the gas block. The GB goes on easily... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ramlake 98 Posted February 14, 2012 Report Share Posted February 14, 2012 My buddy is refinishing his Saiga 12 during the conversion process and we were thinking about powder coating it as I have the setup for it at work. My question is, since the gun is too big to fit in the oven can I remove the barrel retaining pin(located under the rear sight) and seperate the barrel/gas assembly from the reciever? This would allow both pieces to fit in the oven. I thought about taking off the gas block and then taking off the barrel but I don't think the gas block would slide back on without messing up the new powder coat finish. Thanks guys! Before I removed the barrel I would just take it to a powder coater with an oven that is big enough. Our powder guy charges about 30.00 for a job that size, not worth pulling the barrel to me. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
WarBoy 4 Posted February 14, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 14, 2012 But why pay $30 when I can do it myself for free? My question was, can I remove that pin, leave the gas block attached to the barrel and seperate the barrel(with attached gas block) from the reciever? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
1nterceptor 5 Posted February 14, 2012 Report Share Posted February 14, 2012 From my experience the barrel is not that easy to remove and replace, you will very likely damage the finish during reassembly. I needed a press to do mine. I'd want mine coated with the barrel attached to the receiver. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
pedal2alloy 206 Posted February 14, 2012 Report Share Posted February 14, 2012 From my experience the barrel is not that easy to remove and replace, you will very likely damage the finish during reassembly. I needed a press to do mine. I'd want mine coated with the barrel attached to the receiver. This is correct what 1nterceptor said. Better idea is to just use one of the paints designed for gun finishing, some of which are excellent and may even be better than powder coating Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BobAsh 582 Posted February 14, 2012 Report Share Posted February 14, 2012 It's been said before, but bears repeating: if you can't easily see how the barrel comes out by looking at it, you probably shouldn't be taking it out. It's a big deal to take an AK barrel out. Some people screw up their guns irreparably by doing so. 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
G O B 3,516 Posted February 15, 2012 Report Share Posted February 15, 2012 What Bob said! The barrel comes out, but if you are not used to applying a lot of force on precision machine parts it's damn easy to FUBAR. It is many times easier to put a barrel in than to take one out (without destroying it.) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
headshot 52 Posted February 15, 2012 Report Share Posted February 15, 2012 (edited) Why are you powder coating it? That would be a pretty thick finish. Requires pretty high heat also. Try Cerama-coat. My small oven can fit a stripped S12 in it if hung diagonally. Its your gun though. Might turn out pretty sweet. Pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty girl. Edited February 15, 2012 by headshot Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Yoshi 87 Posted February 15, 2012 Report Share Posted February 15, 2012 What he said. Too thick and 400+ is too hot. Cerma coat, moly resin etc.. are much thinner and cure at a couple hundred degrees. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
The_Caged_Bird 474 Posted February 15, 2012 Report Share Posted February 15, 2012 Seriously, this is one of the smallest ovens you can buy, and it's a household oven at that... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
universal_exports 18 Posted February 15, 2012 Report Share Posted February 15, 2012 What is cerma coat? i've heard of good results with duracoat. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BobAsh 582 Posted February 15, 2012 Report Share Posted February 15, 2012 FYI cera-cote and the others ARE Powder-coat type process. (null) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
WarBoy 4 Posted February 15, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 15, 2012 (edited) Why am I powder coating? Because like I said, I already have the setup and the powder. It would be free to do rather than spend money on some other process, and I am already familiar with the powder coating process. Why would you say 400 degrees is too hot? Its metal its not going to incinerate. Have you ever powder coated before? You don't bring the steel up to a temp of 400 degrees you just set it at that till the powder melts and flows out. Some parts on the saiga are a thinner matherial but it isn't going to matter. I don't see anything wrong with a thick finish either. Would just be more protection from the elements IMO. I did try it in my regular oven at home and it did fit like that. The one I use for the process however is just a tad bit smaller than that so it doesn't quite fit. You guys keep saying that it is such a difficult process to take the barrel off but this guy did it in his garage with a hammer? http://forum.saiga-1...rrel-removal%2F Edited February 15, 2012 by WarBoy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
G O B 3,516 Posted February 15, 2012 Report Share Posted February 15, 2012 Unless you know HOW the metal was tempered, I would never heat a machine part over 250F. Your barrel MAY come out that easy, it may be a LOT harder. The tolerances are large enough that some will be easy, and some will be a total BITCH! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
WarBoy 4 Posted February 15, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 15, 2012 Your barrel MAY come out that easy, it may be a LOT harder. The tolerances are large enough that some will be easy, and some will be a total BITCH! So humor me for a minute, and lets say that this one will come out easy like that. Can I leave the gas assembly attached to the barrel and seperate it as a whole from the reciever? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
headshot 52 Posted February 15, 2012 Report Share Posted February 15, 2012 Your barrel MAY come out that easy, it may be a LOT harder. The tolerances are large enough that some will be easy, and some will be a total BITCH! So humor me for a minute, and lets say that this one will come out easy like that. Can I leave the gas assembly attached to the barrel and seperate it as a whole from the reciever? Yes. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
The_Caged_Bird 474 Posted February 15, 2012 Report Share Posted February 15, 2012 Your barrel MAY come out that easy, it may be a LOT harder. The tolerances are large enough that some will be easy, and some will be a total BITCH! So humor me for a minute, and lets say that this one will come out easy like that. Can I leave the gas assembly attached to the barrel and seperate it as a whole from the reciever? Yes. Annnnnnd no, the gas tube fits into a little notch or recess in the front trunnion, so the gas tube will not stay attached to the barrel since it's slip fit to the gas block. For the record, I see no problem with heating one up to 400 degrees, just ask Evl, he's gone 200-300 rounds straight and the barrel and gas block get pretty hot after just 100... Also, on a side note, when I baked the paint on mine, I had her at 300 for about 3 1/2 hours... She's just fine (I let it cool off in the oven without opening it overnight and the rest of the next workday). Shit dude, the forum is all about D-I-Y, so use that thread, study the design of how the gun fits together, and do it man, if Ivan can you can too! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Fallschirmjager667 729 Posted February 15, 2012 Report Share Posted February 15, 2012 i've seen several powder coated aks, the head did not seem to bother them at all Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Spacehog 2,218 Posted February 15, 2012 Report Share Posted February 15, 2012 Just out of curiosity, what kind of powder are you putting on it, i.e. type and manufacturer? I would definitely go with one of the harder formulations with a tight cross link. Also, I recommend some type of conversion coating pretreatment underneath. Minimum I would do on a firearm under powder would be iron phosphate, but manganese or zinc would be better options. It won't necessarily improve the aesthetics of the final coating but it will go a long way in long term adhesion especially on the barrel because it's gonna get hot under the powder. Just my two cents. Good luck. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Yoshi 87 Posted February 16, 2012 Report Share Posted February 16, 2012 Its an AK of course it wil be fine. Im sure mine has been pretty damn hot drum dump after drum dump. I know thats what was recommended by a couple well respected people when I was thinking about powdercoating mine. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BobAsh 582 Posted February 16, 2012 Report Share Posted February 16, 2012 I'd be more concerned with the powder staying on. 400 degrees at 10 mins won't hurt your gun (take the springs out), but that barrel gets pretty hot in rapid fire. Annnnnnd no, the gas tube fits into a little notch or recess in the front trunnion, so the gas tube will not stay attached to the barrel since it's slip fit to the gas block. He wasn't wrong according to what the guy wants to know. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
The_Caged_Bird 474 Posted February 16, 2012 Report Share Posted February 16, 2012 I'd be more concerned with the powder staying on. 400 degrees at 10 mins won't hurt your gun (take the springs out), but that barrel gets pretty hot in rapid fire. Annnnnnd no, the gas tube fits into a little notch or recess in the front trunnion, so the gas tube will not stay attached to the barrel since it's slip fit to the gas block. He wasn't wrong according to what the guy wants to know. That's why I included his answer, it's meant to read: yes, annnnnnd no... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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