The gas cylinder has just a little play in it and was wondering how to tighten it up? The movement lets the front sight shift left to right with the twisting of the cylinder. I'd like to keep the parts with the worn look so is it normal and (which I assume it's not normal) if it's not how would I fix it. Thanks in advance
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The most common way to tighten up the gas cylinder is to peen the splineways in the barrel. However, one thing that you almost never hear anyone mention, and this goes for the M14 as well, is that if you peen the splineways you will need to re-zero the sights. It's nearly IMPOSSIBLE to peen the splineways in such a manner so they're perfectly centered. In other words, you'll undoubtedly create a small degree of cant so that the front sight will need to be readjusted ever so slightly. Of course, the longer the distances the more pronounced this will be.....and under 200 yards it will probably be a non-issue altogether, but it's worth mentioning!!Welcome to the Addiction! -
Would purchasing a newer gas cylinder fix the problem, or is it normal to peen the barrel?Comment
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I would purchase a new cylinder, as peening the barrel needs to be done a certain way. Most of the time the barrel's splineways get unnecessarily boogered up by people who aren't sure how to do it properly. Just my .2 cents!!Originally posted by Pitbulz21 View PostWelcome to the Addiction!Comment
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Yes and No, a new gas cylinder would have too have wider spines too suck up the slack or play on the barrels splines. It would be luck of the draw if you found one that worked well. The trick too peening the barrels splines is too go slow using overlapping strikes starting at the rear and working towards the muzzle with a smooth flat faced punch, go slow and don't smash them you will get a good feel for when your moving the metal. A hard wood dowel inside helps too ensure you don't distort the bore. NOTICE I said moving the metal not chewing it up like a saw tooth beaver.Originally posted by Pitbulz21 View PostComment
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I find that most of the time its the barrel splines that are worn not the cylinder. Peen the splines as a new cylinder may not help fit. Spline peening is easy to do , it takes a light hand, no need to whack the barrel. If dome properly most people wouldnt even be able to see it as done
I also find its best not to peen the first 1/8 inch of the splines. It makes it much easier to get the cylinder to start onto the padsComment
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Ok guys i got around to peening it tonight. I didn't do much just one spot. I didn't want to do too much so I'll try it out tomorrow and get back with you guys. Thanks!
Oh will one spot work or should I do the whole side of the groove?Comment
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One spot, one spline or one side of the spline? two sides make a spline with the groove in the middle........just peen what you need too on both sides evenly, if you need too tap the gas cylinder on that's fine. Notice I said tap, not beat or pound on.Originally posted by Pitbulz21 View PostComment
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Ok I just did one spot to make sure I wasent boogering it up and shot it today. After putting 2clips thru it it was loose again so I realized it wasent enough meat moved to fix the problem.Originally posted by Phil McGrath View Post
Tonight I did the spline on both sides, and it was tight but not too tight. I got it started and used the lock to put it on. Wasent too hard to turn, did it by hand so I figured it wasent to hard.
Comments are welcome as I have never done this before! Thanks!Comment
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Be careful your better off tapping it on/down too where you need it and not using the lock for running it down for final seating. Doing so if you have moved too much metal too the center you'll risk at worst pull/rolling the threads off the barrel or the possibility of pull/rolling the threads out of the lock. Once you have the fit your after leave it on and don't mess with it unless you have too.Originally posted by Pitbulz21 View Post
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Use a block of wood and hammer to drive on the gas cylinder
You should see how tight a fit a NOS gas cylinder is on a NOS Barrel.The ONLY way is to drive the cylinder onComment
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Yea, it was the same with my 7.62mm barrel but my G/C was used and I still had too bump it down.Originally posted by Orlando View PostComment
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Could a machine shop weld up the old grooves and cut new grooves and threads to USGI spec, or would this be too complicated of an operation/too cost prohibitive? It seems like it would be a much better end result being rebuilt if it was done correctly.
m14brianComment
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