[jim_dandy]

Yes, I have failed spectacularly on my own, so I am asking for your help. As an inexperienced builder (yeah, I'm still on this first kit), I've made what is probably quite a large mistake.

Unable to press out the barrel pin, I tried drilling it out, without too much success - as you can see, the hole isn't aligned with the pin, and I think if I keep trying to drill it out I'll mess up the front trunnion or the barrel.

Any advice on what to do before I do something completely drastic? I was hoping there would be a solution among your collective minds so I wouldn't have to resort to one of my "bubba" ways out.



P.S. I am disappointed in myself for borking up this nice Polish PMKMS underfolder kit. I should have started with a Romanian G kit.
:sad:

 

[bigmegina]

that is not a big problem.when you reassemble you will need to headspace because you lost the timing hole,and drill a bigger hole and make or buy a oversize pin.

 

[ak_nut]

With as much as you have already drilled you should be able to pop that pin right out..First That trunnion has to be supported 100% or clamp the trunnion in a vice below the little line were your reciever was and bang that booger out..You will need a good punch and decent size hammer..But the main thing is everything has to be solid or youll beat on it for days..

Fogive my typing ..Ima couple beers down :doh:

 

[ak_nut]

where is your gas tube latch??

 

[ammoboy2]

I believe that kit is recoverable. I assume you did not attempt pressing the pin out with a press. The remains of the pin may even be pressable with a large enough press and correct trunnion supports. Since you drilled on the top side this would be fixed by drilling a larger pin size and using a new corresponding sized pin. With most of the hole opened to the top, the larger pin should not intrude dangerously into the barrel. As you suggest, you might want to get a Romy to practice on because the Polish is an expensive kit. It is amazing what you can learn building a couple of Romys. It would at least increase your confidence for the Polish.

I would recommend measuring the rear sight base to trunnion before removal because it will aid you when you replace the barrel and headspacing.

 

[Woðansson]

Even if you salvage the pin i think you'd still need a way to get the barrel out, and it and a new pin back in. Harbor freight sells a 12 ton A frame hydraulic press for dirt cheap, around $140. It's less pricey than a new kit and im sure you'll get more use out of it in the future.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=1667
Good luck with the build!
Ves Heill!

 

[deth502]

not a problem at all.

as said, get an appropriately sized punch and knock the rest out.

also curious as to what happened to the gas tube latch.??

 

[Sidecarnutz]

Yeah. You stopped before going too far. Well done on that! Now knock out the rest with a pin and hammer or even try an easy out to spin it out.
You can always get a new pin.
If you did kiss it with the drill a hair oversize, just drill it out 1/64" over sized after you assemble and head space it and insert a new pin made from a piece of drill rod.

 

[Bread is People]

Dumb question that goes along with this and sorry to be a leech. If the barrel pin comes out with no problems, does it still need to be headspaced when putting it back together if the kit is numbers matching?

IMO, go for the press!!! It has way more uses than just building AKs and the wife might actually go for it.

 

[Sidecarnutz]

The HF 12 ton press is a great tool once you shim the slop out of it.

I always check head space. Some have been loose, but OK, others snug and fine. I notice my snug fitted ones are a touch more accurate and run smoother. So if it is on the loose side, just press it in to make it better and drill over sized and make a new pin. New pin must be about .002" larger than the hole for a good press fit.
Drill rod makes for good pins.
If you have a lathe, just turn down a old broken punch to size. :grin:

 

[Prototype Services]

If the headspace is OK now, you should go ahead and drill/ream for a new pin before pressing out the barrel.

At least, I would.

 

[jim_dandy]

Thanks a lot guys, I really appreciate you bailing me out. This is much better than my other idea of burying this kit in the garden and never speaking of it again.

I think my current plan of action is to try and spin it out as I've tried many many times to pop it out with no success. I even broke all my punches. I'm not sure how exactly to do a spin out though.

OR

I could drill it slightly oversize as it is sitting now, to remove the rest of the pin and re-size the hole at the same time. I think this is slightly riskier and requires a bit more skill than I may have though, as I'm afraid of going too much into the barrel.

I think when I do get this thing out I'm going to call a priest to exorcise the remains of the barrel pin before I toss it into Mt. Doom.

I'll be picking these up to help me before I get started though.

Clymer Head Space Gauges
(2nd from the bottom)


One more question: What's a good way to shim the press? I got the HF H-frame and it's wobbly as all heck. Also would it be a good idea to shorten the press rod somewhat?



As for the mystery of the gas tube lever? I broke that too.

I removed it as of now so it was out of the way until I can install a new one.

P.S. Again, thank you all very much. Your advice is worth a lot to me. I've even compiled it all into notepad so I can consult it while working. :goof:

 

[Trueno]

Find somebody with a MIG welder, local muffler shop will do fine.

Have them lightly spot a blob of metal in one end of the hole below the surface. In other words, plug the hole on one end but do it inside the pin.

Come all the way through from the other side with a punch and hammer against the blob.

This will give you sumthin' to bear against with your punch.



Sort've like drilling/punching out rear trunnion rivets. Ya don't actually wanna drill all the way through 'em, only about 3/4 of the way through. That way, it relieves most of the stress created by the original rivet process and leaves sumthin' to beat against instead of "re-swelling" the remnant.



t

 

[jim_dandy]

^ That actually sounds pretty good too.

 

[ak_nut]

That is still super savagable..INMO I wouldnt drill any more ..You really need to focus on popping that out..How are you chucking all this up when trying to remove it???Please take your time.. It can save you much grief..

 

[Prototype Services]

In my opinion, :goof:

I would plunge with a small endmill, just barely big enough to create a round hole. I would try not to cut into the barrel any more than was original.

Try supporting the trunnion and using a bigger hammer. I have helped another board member remove some pins with a cut-down sledge hammer. Just a couple whacks moved pins he had been pounding on and breaking punches.

 

[gundoc]

Where are you located? If you close enough I would be glad to lend a hand. S.W Georgia here.

 

[jim_dandy]

Thanks for the extra advice, I am looking at them as other options in case the other stuff doesn't work out.

gundoc, thank you for the offer, but I live in the Pacific Northwest. Maybe if nothing else works I can take a long expensive road trip. :grin:

Fortunately for me, my friend, whose business has its own machine shop, is going to take it to some people who actually know what they're doing (not me) to see if they can remove the remains of the barrel pin.

Hopefully next time I'll be the one popping out the pin.

I will report back here with how that goes.

Again, thanks a bunch for your input. I think the responses here say a lot about this community and how awesome it is.

 

[74uLLC]

Jim...I was in Eureka a few weeks ago. Beautiful!!! And sooooo much cooler than the Texas gulf coast. I didnt see a Hairyman....maybe next time.

 

[jim_dandy]

I think Sasquatch is a FAL builder dr1553. He was probably in the shop. :goof:

My friend's shop idea didn't pan out, so I am going to be trying some of your guys' ideas now.

Also I've tightened up the slop a great deal on my shop press so that may help too.