Removing the Romanian "G" kit barrel pin [Archive]

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Quarterbore

09-27-2005, 09:56 AM

I have seen various report on how some of these Romanian G kits have a barrel pin that just defies logic on how tight these are and how they require some of the most extreme measures to get them removed. I have four of these Romanian G kits myself and over the weekend I went to a build part planning to build up my Polish PMKM kit of a 100% OOW receiver and when I got to the build I discovered that I had forgot or somehow lost my barrel pin.

Well, lucky for me I had happened to bring along one of my Romanian G kits as if things went really great I figured I could start the demil on that kit. So, in that context my only solution for finishing my PMKM build was to steal the barrel pin from my Romanian parts kit... Note of caution here... I did measure and compared the two trunions to make sure that the barrel pin and trunion hole for the same from the Rommy kit was the same as what the Polish kit needed. I don't suggest swapping these parts normally but I really had no choice besides ordering a new pin and waiting weeks for it to show up.

So anyways...

I got introduced to the stubborn Romanian Barrel Pin

When I went to press out the barrel pin I set a heavy piece of 1-inch plate steel across the bottom of my 12-ton press and took some misc pieces of steel to shim up the barrel and the front of the trunion so that the trunion was supported and perpendicular to the press. Next I took a short 1/4-inch Grade 8 bolt and lined everything up (I thought the bolt was 1/2-inch but looking at it last night it was more like 3/4-inches) and applied pressure. After putting on the full-face shield I started putting on the pressure. There was no sign of movement of the pin as I really put on the force and I bent the grade 8 bolt!

Try two - A trick that worked for me and others since!

After a little amazement that you could bend a 1/4-inch grade 8 bolt on that pin one of the guys at the build party suggested taking another grade 8 bolt and put it under pressure and give the bottom of the jack a pretty good whack with a hammer... So I did this with (and I confirmed by looking at the bolts I have) a 1/2-inch Grade 8 bolt. I got considerable pressure on the bolt and gave the bottom of the jack on top of the press arm a good whack. I gave the jack another pump and whacked it again. With the second whack the barrel pin popped free with a hell of a crack.

I have shared this on several sites and I have seen several people that had barrel pins that they couldn't get out before trying this was able to get their pins removed....

Another suggestion to try as well...

I don't know who to post credits to for this suggestion and I have not got to try it yet but this may be something you want to do along with the trick above... The suggestion is to add oil to one side of the barrel pin as it goes through the trunion. Then add heat to the opposite side of the trunion. You don't need to heat the metal super hot just enough heat to help draw the oil into the hole around the barrel pin. After this is done, try pressing the barrel as described above!

One additional suggestion...

I don't know how good of an idea it is to be pounding on the bottom of your jack on the press arm as far as the life of your jack. I am personally going to try to find a piece of steel or even aluminum that I can put under the jack and on top of the press arm of my H-press. This way when I need to do any stubborn pins in the future I can pound on a piece of disposable metal as opposed to my tools (the jack in this case).

Good Luck and I hope it helps even a few of those out there dealing with stubborn barrel pins! Oh yea, the pin worked great in the Polish build and my Polish build is almost done but that will be a new thread!

If anybody sees other suggestions or even if this helps please post... it helps to know that my ramblings on here are helping someone every now and then...
...

Quarterbore

09-27-2005, 10:02 AM

More Related threads and resources on the web....

Note: This is a topic that is well discussed on the web. i will be adding links below to these other threads so that somone that is fighting with these pins has more places to look for suggestions. Please feel free to suggest additional links...

http://ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=4&f=51&t=76162

http://www.gunsnet.net/forums/showthread.php?t=255902

http://www.gunsnet.net/forums/showthread.php?t=254156

http://www.akfiles.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8226 <-- Excellent photo showing spacer for doing trunion!

http://www.akfiles.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8166

http://www.akfiles.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7750

low_lead

09-30-2005, 10:10 AM

Quarterbore, I had a stuck Romy pin... UNTIL I tried the press/hammer trick!

A good amount of pressure on the pin in the press, and just a light hit on the bottom of the press plate with a 5lb hand sledge and PING! "it moved". YEEHA!

Berszerk

10-27-2005, 03:58 PM

r50maier

10-30-2005, 03:55 PM

Here's another good thread on the subject:

http://www.gunco.net/forums/showthread.php?t=15308

Wrangler

10-30-2005, 09:17 PM

:eek: Well, guys welcome the latest victum :bangin: of the grade 8 bent bolt club. :welcome: I too have bent 3 bolts tryingot remove stubbon barrel pin. So far the pin is still winning but I will beat it out in the end. :D

Wrangler

11-01-2005, 12:18 AM

Finally, used a carbide bit and put a hole down the middle of the pin. I followed this with a BFH and a really good punch. Wow! slide out like hard. I will replace it with drill stem.

KillJoy149

11-12-2005, 09:53 PM

Okay guys, how long / dameter bolt should I use to remove these dang barrel bolts.

And, I am assuming to use Grade 8 Bolts.

Killjoy

Quarterbore

11-13-2005, 01:09 AM

Okay guys, how long / dameter bolt should I use to remove these dang barrel bolts.

And, I am assuming to use Grade 8 Bolts.

Killjoy

Real short... To get the pin started I bought the shortest 1/4-inch grade 8 bolts my hardware had (1/4-inch I think) and I even added a second nut to the bolt and snugged it up with the head for added strength... That got my "G" pin out!

I bent a slightly longer bolt (based on below I think it was 3/4-in long Grade 8) and my pin didn't budge! Also, make sure you wear a safety shield wen fighting with these pins and using these bolts as I would hate to thing what that bolt could do to an eye with over 10-tons of force on it :eek:

Barrel pins are the one time when I get everything lined up and snugges up and I put on the safety shield and stand back as the force on those pins is just awsome!

KillJoy149

11-13-2005, 08:36 PM

I hate these damn kits!

Apparently I have have one of the Romy G Kits that has a 7mm hole, but they inserted a 11mm pin!

I have bent Grade 8 bolts as short as 1/4". I tried the hammer trick and nothing. I also tried freezing the barrel (woked for my Polish Kit). This last time, I heard a loud crack, and though I had it. I removed everything, and found my Gas Tube Port / Rear Sight Assy, bent to hell!

At least they are only $10. But still!

Argh....I think I am done for this evening.

KillJoy

Wrangler

11-13-2005, 08:54 PM

Hi I feel your pain. Mine finally got drilled out. I just too outhte two pins on the rear trunnion. Only cost me two punches broken and one bent but glory be after drilling them out I pushed the rest out fairly easily. Believe it or not one day I will have a finished kit if I am not bankrupted by all this first. Believee it or not I bent a flat with my version of a poor mans jig and the hole all lined up. Wow! Will wonders never cease. One day it will go bang if not boom.

KillJoy149

11-13-2005, 09:11 PM

Could you post a pic of your bending Jig?

I know the feeling. I could have bought an AK for $350. So far, I have close to $800ish in one gun. I just purchased another. So, I have $900 in two. About another 3 kits, and I will be making some headway!

At this point, I wish I would have just bought that damned AK! But, at least this way I will have a little pride when it goes bang (hopefully not bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang) :) That would be a bad thing. I ain't goin to jail for no damned gun!

KillJoy

Wrangler

11-15-2005, 01:56 AM

Man I heard that. Still it is fun to try isn't it. I will have to take some pictures and see if I can get them up for you. I thought about it but just ran out of time. I will try in the next day or so. Actually, it was easier than I thought to make the jig. I figured if I messed up flats were only 12 bucks. I was thrilled when the lower rails actually lined up right and the bolt carrier rode on them.
I felt like Remington or Colt. Still lots to do. I ordered two more kits.

Wrangler

01-22-2006, 01:45 AM

HI,

I made a cheap 7 mm barrel pin by going to Home Depot and buying a 7mm x 50mm bolt. I cut off the head and the threads and had a perfect fitting replacement. Cost 58 cents plus a couple of pennies for the tax.

Davidfxs

01-04-2007, 07:47 AM

I tried the hardened bolt, a punch. About the time I was about to commit Hari Keri. I tried a Torx socket. After some cringing, and standing as far away from the Old 12 ton Press while still pulling the jack rod, a loud “Pop” was heard. I figured “Great” another broken tool. When I looked it had moved. Believe the difference was the wide top of the socket kept the socket straight.

Pushing out the Barrel was easy. 3 pennies “Now crushed” and again the good ole press.

Quarterbore

01-04-2007, 11:22 AM

I was at a build party and one of the guys there had the theory that the trick is getting everything square. He uses a variety of washers to support the trunnions so that it was as square as possible to the pressing pin.

I posted pics of what I use to remove the pins here:

http://www.quarterbore.com/images/amdbuild1/

http://www.quarterbore.com/images/amdbuild1/amdbuild-1-kitprep01.JPG

http://www.quarterbore.com/images/amdbuild1/amdbuild-1-kitprep02.JPG

The bolt has two nuts on it. One on the inside sets the length of bolt and it is set so that the head of the bolt is flush with the socket head. The second nut is tightened down with a wrench so there is no give! IMPORTANT NOTE, THE BOLT HAS ALL THE FORCE - NOT THE SOCKET!

Now, I have bent a few of these short Grade 8 bolts and then it is time to take the grinder and cut the bolt off and start again but this works for me.

Just add some penetrating oil, line everything up, apply pressure and give the base of the jack a whack with a hammer. Add a little more penetrating oil if needed, add more pressure and give it another whack. Often the WHACK with the hammer is when it will pop!

RemMax

01-04-2007, 12:36 PM

Well, I bent the hell out of the 1/4 grade 8 bolts and almost gave up, until my buddy who is a mechanic said bring the barrel to me, so I did. He drove it out in 2 seconds with an airhammer, I was astonished, so I went out and bought what I thought was an air hammer and tried it on another barrel pin. I peened the crap out of it. Once again I brought it to him peened pin and all, it took 2 seconds. He had a larger air hammer than mine, so if you use this method research the difference and buy the big one. I think he said he paid $45, I paid $15 for mine. Oh and use a blunt tip attachement not the pointed one it will save you some heartache. :bangin:

Something else to think about regarding the Mechanic with a Air Hammer, first if he makes his living as a Mechanic then his Air Hammer is most likely "Blue Point" (made for Snap-On) or similar brand vs. Homier (or similar) and likely cost a lot more than $45.00 The Quality of the tool especially air tool's WILL make a Tremendous Difference! The high end A/H's have a lot more force with larger/heavier "hammers" inside them giving it a much harder blow:nanabang: and far more Shock/Vibration which is what what makes the pin move in this application. (very much like a good quality Dremel vs. a Cheap Dremel) (sure we all know all to well about that tool) :frown:

The second thing to think about is that as a Full time Mechanic, your buddy spends a lot of time with a tool in his hands every day, as such when compared to a Hobbyist he is probaly a lot more skilled in using his tool's in general! This is not to take away from the ability of a "Hobbyist" to use tool's. Hobbyist have the advantage of being able to spend as much time as they want on a project without starving to death for it. I have seen some because of this "luxury" do some really beautiful work!
But still, when you use a tool every day, all day to feed yourself and pay for your toys (AK hobby kit's:rolleyes:) you tend to get very quick and efficent with said tool's very quick! Most people think a air hammer is a air hammer, but it really isn't, as mentioned, better quality air hammers "hit" harder with more shock. A tool's time in hand and practice using it make working it a art form in it's own way! As a Old School mechanic myself I can say this with a degree of confidence, after all we are'nt referred to as a "wrench" for nothing!! :wink:
I just wish that as a wrench at work I could afford to spend the time on a job that I do when at home working on a project!! I suppose that is the difference between a "hobby" and a "job" though, and as such why a project is relaxing to work on in one's free time where-as a job tends to be more "intense" and/or "stressful"!!!!!!