TARE 47 Posted January 29, 2014 Report Share Posted January 29, 2014 I have a saiga 12 that has a good portion of the gas block threads and original handguard screw threads stipped to the point that the handguard wont properly screw on to satisfactory level. What do you guys suggest within reason to correct this issue? I'm guessing that I will have to remove and re-tap the gas block to a different thread that would be a larger diameter and also change to a reciprocating screw. I'd like to think I'm wrong or maybe I missed the surplus or aftermarket replacement that would allow me to keep it as it should be. Thanks for any help you might offer Quote Link to post Share on other sites
brickfield mfg 86 Posted January 29, 2014 Report Share Posted January 29, 2014 (edited) I think you are stuck drilling out and going up one size as you thought. Unless you want to convert it.... item #4? http://www.akfiles.com/forums/showthread.php?t=173845 Edited January 29, 2014 by 7.62m43 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
HighPlainsDrifter 466 Posted January 29, 2014 Report Share Posted January 29, 2014 I think you are stuck drilling out and going up one size as you thought. Unless you want to convert it.... item #4? http://www.akfiles.com/forums/showthread.php?t=173845 That gas block for sale is for a 030 model. If you have anything other than a 030 it will not work. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
brickfield mfg 86 Posted January 29, 2014 Report Share Posted January 29, 2014 I think you are stuck drilling out and going up one size as you thought. Unless you want to convert it.... item #4? http://www.akfiles.com/forums/showthread.php?t=173845 That gas block for sale is for a 030 model. If you have anything other than a 030 it will not work. Guess I should have highlighted that part before... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
HighPlainsDrifter 466 Posted January 30, 2014 Report Share Posted January 30, 2014 I think you are stuck drilling out and going up one size as you thought. Unless you want to convert it.... item #4? http://www.akfiles.com/forums/showthread.php?t=173845 That gas block for sale is for a 030 model. If you have anything other than a 030 it will not work. Guess I should have highlighted that part before... Convert it to what exactly? Proposing to change the standard Saiga-12 gas system to the 030's gas system is a huge undertaking and opens up a whole can of worms. Not only are the gas blocks different, the carrier/piston are different as well. It's been documented here somewhere on the forum that it can be done. But it's not really a feasible option for most members who have limited funds. Not only that, you'll be needing the correct tools and skills to go along with it. For the average person "converting" from the sporter configuration to the pistol grip is one thing, proposing to swap out gas systems is a whole different story. The OP would be better suited to either find the correct gas block or part out his build and use those funds to buy another firearm. To the OP: Sorry I can't help you out with finding a new gas block. They do come up on the forum's WTS section from time to time but you better be watching closely as they go quick. I think I've seen two in the last year. I have also recently read that someone is planning on manufacturing American made gas blocks. Lurk around and you may find out more. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
brickfield mfg 86 Posted January 30, 2014 Report Share Posted January 30, 2014 I didn't say it would be an easy "swap out a couple of parts conversion", but just pointing out options here. Replacing the gas block with an OEM of aftermarket copy (when someone gets around to making one) is obvious, as is the option that he already knows would work, and would only require labor and an inexpensive tap... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cobra 76 two 2,677 Posted January 30, 2014 Report Share Posted January 30, 2014 If you can send me some good pics of the stripped threads I might be able to help. I do have a tap for the threads in the gas block so you could send it to me to fix if it's not beyond repair. Edit > As for the other threads for the HG screw that is really a non issue. I can prolly fix them too with a modified screw made into a tap. If not I can tap them to a different thread that will work. 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
brickfield mfg 86 Posted January 30, 2014 Report Share Posted January 30, 2014 (edited) Howdy.... Ace Hardware? Ya all got some JB WELD in stock? NOOOOOOOOO!!!! If you can send me some good pics of the stripped threads I might be able to help. I do have a tap for the threads in the gas block so you could send it to me to fix if it's not beyond repair. Edit > As for the other threads for the HG screw that is really a non issue. I can prolly fix them too with a modified screw made into a tap. If not I can tap them to a different thread that will work. If pulling the gas block is not within the scope of your ability, or you don't have the tools and a good place to do that - Cobra is the man that can help you out. Edited January 30, 2014 by 7.62m43 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TARE 47 Posted January 30, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2014 I have pulled off quite a few gasblocks for saiga 12s and although its not my favorite thing to do I have the ability. I appreciate the advice and offer from cobra, I will get a picture when possible, not sure if i can capture the problem well enough to be able to see if its too far gone, I was contemplating trying to shorten the screw and see if it grabs or using a self tapping screw, but ideally i would like it to use the correct hardware Quote Link to post Share on other sites
brickfield mfg 86 Posted January 30, 2014 Report Share Posted January 30, 2014 Obviously, if the threads are truly "stripped", chasing them with a tap is not going to help, and re-tapping to a larger size is the best choice. Shortening the screw or replacing it might allow it to make contact with some remaining threads which will work for a while, but if the problem that is causing this to happen is not dealt with, it will fail and you will be right back to re-threading. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cobra 76 two 2,677 Posted January 30, 2014 Report Share Posted January 30, 2014 Really not gonna be able to tell much from a photo so you would need to remove it and send it to know for sure. You gotta take it off anyway to replace if necessary is what I was thinking. Again the screw in the bottom is a non issue. All it needs to hold is a sling loop so any screw that retains the original sling loop will work. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
saltydecimator 482 Posted February 5, 2014 Report Share Posted February 5, 2014 guy in colorado icc mfg is makin me new gasblock for an undersized barrel. might try gettin with him... icc is the one in boulder area making s12 shorty and normal 19" barrels... 200-250 ish Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ec4321 113 Posted February 5, 2014 Report Share Posted February 5, 2014 Not sure where it's stripped but helicoils? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
brickfield mfg 86 Posted February 5, 2014 Report Share Posted February 5, 2014 (edited) It is stripped here... on the bottom of the gas block where the hand guard retaining screw goes. Edited February 5, 2014 by 7.62m43 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
saltydecimator 482 Posted February 6, 2014 Report Share Posted February 6, 2014 ohhhhhh thought you meant the gas adj. ya wont need to change gb for that...derp!!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
gunfun 3,931 Posted February 6, 2014 Report Share Posted February 6, 2014 That's an M8 x .75 RH tap. I just picked one up, because they only partly cut the threads on my IZ 108 and the rail I have mounted there needs a deeper screw for me to fully trust it. I've just not been in much of a hurry to take the block off and fix the threads. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Capt Nemo 883 Posted February 10, 2014 Report Share Posted February 10, 2014 M8 x .75 ??? Mine takes a 10/32 thread. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
gunfun 3,931 Posted February 10, 2014 Report Share Posted February 10, 2014 Sorry, M5. .75 rh, not M8. Not 10-32 do you seriously think your Russian gun is threaded SAE? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
foooman 0 Posted February 12, 2014 Report Share Posted February 12, 2014 What about a helicoil? Should fix it just fine. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
KTM 72 Posted February 12, 2014 Report Share Posted February 12, 2014 (edited) Should solve the problem ! Meh ,I tried to download a pic but I cant seem to get it to work Edited February 12, 2014 by KTM Quote Link to post Share on other sites
brickfield mfg 86 Posted February 12, 2014 Report Share Posted February 12, 2014 (edited) M8 x .75 ??? Mine takes a 10/32 thread. The 10-32 (10 gauge, 32 threads per inch) is very close to the M5x0.8 mm/thread. The 1/32-inch thread is 0.03125 inch per thread. Multiply by 2.54 cm/inch and you would get 0.794 mm per thread, which may be tolerably close to 0.8 mm of the metric screw. The 10-gauge screws major diameter of 0.1891 is going to be slightly smaller than 0.19685 of the 5 mm screw (by approximately 8 thousandths). Since a "tight fit" is in the range of 2 thousandths, you will have trouble torquing the wrong sized screw into a 5mm threaded hole or nut. What about a helicoil? Should fix it just fine. While using a helicoil would work, it would require a much larger hole to be drilled in the gas block than if he just re-drilled and tapped for the next size larger machine screw as was mentioned in the original post. Edited February 12, 2014 by 7.62m43 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
G O B 3,516 Posted February 14, 2014 Report Share Posted February 14, 2014 Another trick for 'tightening a loose screw hole is to use a center punch on either side to displace some metal back into the hole. Be careful, it works well enough that if you do too much you will have to re-tap the hole as it can get TOO tight! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Capt Nemo 883 Posted February 22, 2014 Report Share Posted February 22, 2014 The replacement metric screw I tried with mine would not thread properly. 10/32 worked perfectly. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Spacehog 2,219 Posted February 22, 2014 Report Share Posted February 22, 2014 The replacement metric screw I tried with mine would not thread properly. 10/32 worked perfectly. M5x08 is the correct factory thread. 10/32 will work, but you will notice there is still some wiggle when you thread it in a couple of turns due to its slightly smaller diameter as 7.62mx43 already stated. It stiffens up the further it is threaded, and will secure the handguard just fine. I currently have a 10/32 on mine because like an idiot I misplaced the original. To the op, try chasing the threads first with a 10x32 tap. If the threads are slightly boogered up it might fix the issue. You could also find the actual metric tap, which would work better. At this point you have nothing to lose but a couple of bucks. If not drill it out and tap it to the next size up. If you do this without removing the gas block, you will need a flat bottomed tap as opposed to the tapered pointed tap. If you go this route, I would also recommend going with SAE strictly due to a wider variety of replacement fasteners. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
S12KS-K 40 Posted February 22, 2014 Report Share Posted February 22, 2014 (edited) A good welder can plug it, drill it and tap it again. It's really not hard to do but I wouldn't just go hand any joe welder my gun, either.. Before 030's/VEPRs became available guys would do the conversion.. maybe hit some of them up for the old gas block. Just a thought. Edited February 22, 2014 by S12KS-K Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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