[yosuthnmasa]

Just wanted to get some advice from you guys who have reinstalled your barrel without the use of a special jig. I've got a 20 ton press that I can use. I've heard of the freeze and heat method, but wanted to find out if there were any other ways to do it that is fairly easy.

 

[gunnysmith]

Just wanted to get some advice from you guys who have reinstalled your barrel without the use of a special jig. I've got a 20 ton press that I can use. I've heard of the freeze and heat method, but wanted to find out if there were any other ways to do it that is fairly easy.

Something like this.

 

[Winn R]

Here's a simple one.

 

[hotbarrel]

all I have ever done is to lube the trunion and press it togeather. I get it started by hand to be certain it is aligned and press. put the trunion on the press plate and the barrel to the piston with a coin between the barrel and the piston. I use a piece of hard wood but a coin is ok too. Press slow and carefully till the pin is aligned then check head space.
honestly I would pull the assy out a bunch of times just to make certain it is going is strate till it is about half way. if it gets cocked over it can get stuck or gall up.
As for heating and cooling I have read of guys haveing good results dooing it , however I have never done it on a barrel press. I do it at work with bearings and we have a bearing heater just for that. the differance I see is we just drop the bearing on and it stayes ware it stopped, usualy up to a sholder. Heat transfers pretty quick and most ofetn you could not put a bearing down then pick it back up as it has heat transfered allready.
seems to me in the time you were trying to be shure the alignment is correct. it would allready start binding. the best way I could see it working would be if it went on so freely you could put it togeather all in one movement , quickly. then you may be able to turn it slightly if needed to get the sight base over the trunion. I think I may also have a slightly undersize pin ready and try to get it in wile everything was still moveing to be shure it is aligned.
Anyone done the heat freeze method, got any first hand advise here ??

 

[yosuthnmasa]

Here's a simple one.

HB, I went out of town and didn't get back to this thread before I actually got the barrel back in. These are the steps I took. If you guys remember, my barrel got Fubarred when I took it out and so it required a bit of light sanding in a few areas. However, when returning to reinstall the barrel, I realized I had sanded away my mark on the barrel to help me line it up with the trunion. So I had to just eyeball it and hope it went in straight. I really didnt' know what I was going to do if it didn't line up. The first thing I tried was the press with the plates. This was very cumbersome though, because I had to use 2 different plates, each on the edge of the trunnion that protrudes near the barrel pin. The problem here is that the plates they sent with my press are not of equal heigths. So I end up spending quite a bit of time grinding just the edge down so that they are the same. Anyways, I try to press it in and the receiver wants to give and move. It was very difficult to keep it from moving once the pressure really started to give way. I didn't have a good method for keeping it secure and lined up. It seemed that the barrel and trunnion/receiver would always give when the pressure was applied and the alignment would go off. Meaning that the barrel would go one way and the trunnion/receiver another. So, I tried WINN's method. Got a screw with a fairly large head and put it in the barrel and started pounding. Then put it in the same position on the press plates and hammered the barrel and it went right in. I kept rechecking the position of the barrel and believe it or not, the barrel pin went right in the first time. I was so surprised. I was expecting to have to do it a few times. I don't know if this method would work if I hadn't have filed the barrel surface down a bit.

 

[hotbarrel]

that sounds great buddy!!! now ALL of the hard stuff is over.

with the method I use I have the same issue with the reciever wanting to cock over. I have to tighten up then release and realign a bunch of times, but once it is half way in it is all set. I have no press at home so I spend a few extra moments to get it in. I have done it enough times not that I pretty much have it down pat. however a nice press here at home would be nice.
Big congrats on your progress
hotbarrel

 

[Winn R]

I cannot decide if it's easier knocking them together with a hammer or using the press.

I'll always start it with the hammer because it's easier to get the initial alignment that way.

And I'll always check the headspace before I put the trunnion into the receiver. That way I don't bang up the receiver.

If the view through the pinhole isn't perfectly smooth, I'll do it over.

 

[yosuthnmasa]

I cannot decide if it's easier knocking them together with a hammer or using the press.

I'll always start it with the hammer because it's easier to get the initial alignment that way.

And I'll always check the headspace before I put the trunnion into the receiver. That way I don't bang up the receiver.

If the view through the pinhole isn't perfectly smooth, I'll do it over.

If the view through the hole isn't perfectly smooth, you can't fit the pin in right. I knocked mine all the way to the point where there was like 1/100'' sticking out and I went ahead and put the pin in. I didn't want to knock it one more time and have it go too far. Should my headspace be ok....?

 

[Winn R]

Should my headspace be ok....?

That's like cosigning a note, wearing leathers on the bike, subordination clauses...when aware of the consequences :scared: it's not left to chance.

 

[Sangrun Hunter]

Supposedly, according to ex-Russian military personel they used to knock them back together with a big hammer and some lube. Over the past 2 years I've seen many guys say they knocked them back in without too many issues. I hope mine goes well also.

 

[yosuthnmasa]

I could barely see the edge in the hole. At least that's the way it appeared. It could've been the groove where the 2 meet. If the pin, though, is sightly bigger than the hole, wouldn't you think it wouldn't go in if it wasn't right? Or, with the force of the pin it would move the barell ever so slightly? We'll just have to give it a whirl. There is no way I'm taking that damn barrel off and doing it all over again. Looks like I'll have to tie it to a tree and tie a string to the trigger. It is an all matching -63.

 

[hotbarrel]

it sounds to me like you should be ok. I still think it is a good idea to check H.S. . It is just nice to know, if it checks out ok then run her. do you have H.S. guage.

 

[yosuthnmasa]

it sounds to me like you should be ok. I still think it is a good idea to check H.S. . It is just nice to know, if it checks out ok then run her. do you have H.S. guage.

What do you think. My poor ass....doesn't own anything unless I buy it. Aren't you in Montgomery? Hmmmmm...We're heading down for the 4th of july weekend and will be passing through.

 

[saintarctangent]

How do you remove the barrel when the trunnion is installed in the receiver if all doesn't line up right?

 

[yosuthnmasa]

Something like this.

Gunny,

How big is that square tubing that you use when pressing the barrel in?

 

[Winn R]

How do you remove the barrel when the trunnion is installed in the receiver if all doesn't line up right?

Support receiver barrel down in the press with two steel bars either side of trunnion.

Use long bar--or shot out barrel piece, with coin as protection.

 

[shadow29483]

-Barrel pressing-

Could you walk me through (your) way of pressing the barrel in...Step by step?
Thanks...Shadow

that sounds great buddy!!! now ALL of the hard stuff is over.

with the method I use I have the same issue with the reciever wanting to cock over. I have to tighten up then release and realign a bunch of times, but once it is half way in it is all set. I have no press at home so I spend a few extra moments to get it in. I have done it enough times not that I pretty much have it down pat. however a nice press here at home would be nice.
Big congrats on your progress
hotbarrel

 

[yosuthnmasa]

Could you walk me through (your) way of pressing the barrel in...Step by step?
Thanks...Shadow

Shadow,

Im sure Hotbarrel can give you a pretty good answer. I have yet to get a barrel pressed in on a press. I am sure I could do it though if I had Xebec's press kit. I can't afford it yet though.

If you don't have or want to use a press try a hammer. I took some steel wool and rubbed down the end of the barrel that is inserted in the trunnion. It had some burrs from pressing it out. Then, I put a screw in the end of the barrel. I eyeballed the barrel and trunnion coming together, because the steel wool removed the score mark I made on the barrel and trunnion that would've helped me line it all up, and then tapped it a bit with the hammer. Once it got snug, I starte pounding a bit harder until it kept moving. Ohh, I also lubed up the end of the barrel with motor oil and when I pounded it in, I used the edges of the arbor plates in a "V" to support the trunnion. I had it in within 20 minutes the first time. Beginners luck I presume.

 

[Texxut]

Ok, I think I have a feel for putting the barrel in , but how do you guys get the barrel out in the first place? I have a Russian AKM kit that has the barrel installed in the trunnion and I need to remove it to rivet on the new US receiver.

 

[avatar]

:thumbup1: Try using case lube and a large hammer. RCBS is some of the slickest stuff I've ever seen. It worked great on a PSL kit, and no, I did not bend the bbl.

Texxut, secure your trunnion vertically, if possible, make sure it can't move. Use a block of hard wood or steel etc.. (make sure to protect the barrel if using steel, a penny works well. Knock the bbl. down and out. Don't let it fall unless you've got lots of padding on the floor.