Finally cut the shroud to thread it

[KC913 324]

Didn't come out bad. I'll worry about touching up the finish later, not a big deal.

 

Got the tubing cutter at Lowes for $10. Worked great. Took under 10 minutes of going slow and tightening it after every couple of turns. When it cut clear through, the piece popped right off the end and left no mark on the actual barrel. You can see on the shroud that I started cutting it a little further back, but then the cutter was a little to wide and hit the sight block so i moved it forward a bit. It's cut right over 1/2 inch down. Hopefully that's a good length for most standard flash hiders and such to thread onto.

 

Anyway, heres pics...

Edited April 12, 2010 by KC913

[shades_of_grey 1,092]

That looks pretty clean. Good work, man!

[KC913 324]

Thanks. Hopefully threading the barrel goes as smooth as cutting the shroud. A friend of mine who owns a shop ordered a 14x1 LH die for me for a whopping $15 so all I need now is the 7.62 TAT and I'll be in business.

[rob-cubed 74]

Awesome. I've been debating getting the front sight pressed off or doing a bubba'd job myself, this looks like the way to go for now. The *next* Saiga will be a full conversion!

[Cowtown 1]

congrats.... looks good.

[leadslinger 37]

nice looking job. I haven't done that to mine yet but it is on the agenda. I think 5/8 inch is what is recommended to use muzzle devices. You can do a search to double check me or hopefully someone will jump in and confirm or correct.

[KC913 324]

Yeah, 5/8 is the length I read. I still haven't measured exactly how far back I cut it, but it should be right around that. It's just a hair over halfway down the shroud. I have a dremel tool, but I'm glad I decided to use the tubing cutter. The cut is nice and strait, the rest of the shroud didn't get all nicked up and I didn't have to worry about nicking the barrel. I'll use the tubing cutter on all of my future conversions, but I'll make sure I'm not as far back next time. I still dig it, though.

[Frankyoz 15]

looks great man I am definitly going to pick one of those up when I do mine thank you for posting pictures!

[KC913 324]

If you've never used a pipe cutter before, just be sure to not tighten it too tight when you start or you'll just flatten the blade and have to replace it. Tighten it just enough to leave a mark around the shroud when you start, give it a couple turns, tighten a little more, etc, using a steady pace while turning until it cuts clear through. If you're blade doesn't look like it's rolling while you're turning the cutter, it's probably too tight. You can get a pack of 2 extra blades for 5 bucks. Good idea to pick those up at the same time if you haven't used pipe cutters before. It's super easy though. No real skill involved and it gives you a nice clean cut.

 

Good idea to use some kind of oil while cutting as well. I just used break parts cleaner to keep it lubed up.

Edited April 13, 2010 by KC913

[n102788 6]

If you've never used a pipe cutter before, just be sure to not tighten it too tight when you start or you'll just flatten the blade and have to replace it. Tighten it just enough to leave a mark around the shroud when you start, give it a couple turns, tighten a little more, etc, using a steady pace while turning until it cuts clear through. If you're blade doesn't look like it's rolling while you're turning the cutter, it's probably too tight. You can get a pack of 2 extra blades for 5 bucks. Good idea to pick those up at the same time if you haven't used pipe cutters before. It's super easy though. No real skill involved and it gives you a nice clean cut.

 

Good idea to use some kind of oil while cutting as well. I just used break parts cleaner to keep it lubed up.

+1

I never used one before went to home depot and bought a cheap one and it was probably the easiest thing I have done to the rifle.

[kevins7189 1]

If you've never used a pipe cutter before, just be sure to not tighten it too tight when you start or you'll just flatten the blade and have to replace it. Tighten it just enough to leave a mark around the shroud when you start, give it a couple turns, tighten a little more, etc, using a steady pace while turning until it cuts clear through. If you're blade doesn't look like it's rolling while you're turning the cutter, it's probably too tight. You can get a pack of 2 extra blades for 5 bucks. Good idea to pick those up at the same time if you haven't used pipe cutters before. It's super easy though. No real skill involved and it gives you a nice clean cut.

 

Good idea to use some kind of oil while cutting as well. I just used break parts cleaner to keep it lubed up.

+1

I never used one before went to home depot and bought a cheap one and it was probably the easiest thing I have done to the rifle.

 

I'm actually trying to thread a .223 barrel. Got the sleeve off (after about 3 blades, doh!). Anyway, having trouble getting the threads started. I have a 1/2x28 die and it just seems like the barrel is too big for this. I'm pressing down has hard as I can to get is started but it won't. I "seems" like there is a secondary sleeve around the barrel, is that removable too?

[Milsurps 4 Me 14]

I used this method today and removed the sleeve on my 7.62x39 Saiga. Nice clean cut and with some light sanding it looks like the rifle was made that way.

Now to thread!

[blkgunlvr 31]

I'm actually trying to thread a .223 barrel. Got the sleeve off (after about 3 blades, doh!). Anyway, having trouble getting the threads started. I have a 1/2x28 die and it just seems like the barrel is too big for this. I'm pressing down has hard as I can to get is started but it won't. I "seems" like there is a secondary sleeve around the barrel, is that removable too?

 

Your barrel is too lage for the die to start. It's probably .571, the die is designed to cut .500, you'll need to shave it down for the die to start and it will not have to remove so much metal.

[Azrial 1,091]

Great job, now your barrel is Kosher!

Edited April 25, 2010 by Azrial

[Milsurps 4 Me 14]

Ok I'm confused here. I cut my sleeve back 5/8 like in the first pic of this thread and am ready to thread the muzzle for a 14x1 LH brake, but I can't find the link for what brake works best with this. IIRC I read somewhere on here about a brake with a shoulder that went right up to the FSB using this type of sleeve cut, but the one I was going to order from Dinzag requires the muzzle to be threaded right up to the FSB.

Should I just trim the entire sleeve and thread the whole muzzle or is there a brake that mounts tight to the FSB with the sleeve cut 5/8 back?

[KC913 324]

I used the phantom flash hider from DPH Arms and it locked up fine. I wouldn't cut it clear back because then you're limited to muzzle devices that don't have the shoulder inside to block them from going clear back to the FSB. Just about any 14x1 LH flash hider/brake should work fine if you have it cut to 5/8. Even if the threads inside of the muzzle device you use are deeper than 5/8, it will still stay tight if you just turn it until it goes back to the remaining part of the shroud. Your threads don't need to be the exact same depth as the flash hider threads. I actually wanted mine a little shorter so that it would stay snug without using a nut to hold it.

[Milsurps 4 Me 14]

I found the thread I was originally thinking of: http://forum.saiga-12.com/index.php?showtopic=7652 Its got a few pics missing from one of the posts showing results.

 

One thing I've realized about doing a conversion... the toughest part isn't the work involved, its making sure you don't buy a bunch of parts you don't need or can't use.

[KC913 324]

Here's how mine came out:

 

http://forum.saiga-12.com/index.php?showtopic=53396