Do I need to shim?

mosinmaster

mosinmaster

CGN frequent flyer
Rating - 100%
62   0   0
How do you know if you need to shim? I just took the rifle apart for the first time, and the gas lock is very tight, I can't budge it with my hands, haven't tried tools. I put 1/16th Allen key through the gas port and it goes straight through into the barrel when viewing from the muzzle. Everything seems tight and lines up, do I need to shim regardless as this could change when I shoot the rifle?

Also, how do you get the top hand guard off without removing the gas cylinder and gas lock?
 
When screwing on the gas locking ring if it gets nice and tight at the 6:00 position you dont require any shims , You can tap it with a rubber hammer to loosen it enough to be able to just unscrew it with your hand.
And you have to unscrew the gas locking ring abit to take off the handguard as the front ferrule needs to be moved forward abit so the handguard can be removed .
 
Thanks Chalkriver. Rubber mallet helped. I think my gas locking ring is okay.

I took the rear sights off, and I was wondering if I should try to use them first or should I just upgrade to USGI ones. I hear people sighting in for a 200 yard zero and then loc-titing the elevation and windage threads. Where exactly do you put the loc-tite on the sight? Also, if I were to get USGI rear sight, what's a good price for one? What about the front sight blade, is it usually too tall? Does that need to be installed?

And regarding the 'ping test', will my rifle not ping if it still uses the Norinco flash hider with the 2 welds on the bottom? Should I upgrade to a USGI flash hider? Is there any functional difference for a USGI flash hider over the Norinco one? I think I read the diameter is bored differently on the two, and a certain diameter allows for pinging. Also, is it recommended to break the welds?

Also, to determine if the op rod is loose, do you look at the barrel ring and see if it's wobbly? Mine seems sturdy with a tiny wiggle, is that ok? Will it work itself loose eventually?
 
My gas lock gets too tight to be screwed on by hand at about the 4:30/5 o'clock position and requires vicegrip/rag or a rubber mallet to go the rest of the way. That's a good thing. If it got stuck at say the 12 o'clock position, then you'd have issues.

If your op rod guide is loose, simply hammer out the roll pin with a roll pin punch and remove the guide. Then with the barrel supported on something like a wood block, hammer dimples onto where the guide sits on the barrel using a center punch. Some people apply loctite after doing that, but Hungry said it's not really necessary. I didn't bother as mine is now tight as can be. Slide the op rod guide back on, getting as close to proper alignment as you can. Then hammer the pin back in. The pin will force the guide to it's happy spot.


Make sure you dimple around it fully, including the surfaces on either side of the pin channel.
img0841mt.jpg
 
mosinmaster said:
Thanks Chalkriver. Rubber mallet helped. I think my gas locking ring is okay.

I took the rear sights off, and I was wondering if I should try to use them first or should I just upgrade to USGI ones. I hear people sighting in for a 200 yard zero and then loc-titing the elevation and windage threads. Where exactly do you put the loc-tite on the sight? Also, if I were to get USGI rear sight, what's a good price for one? What about the front sight blade, is it usually too tall? Does that need to be installed?

Loctite on the rear sights? Never heard of that one... I ain't touching this one. If your cheapie Norc rear sights don't track repeatably; then upgrade by installing USGI knobs or entire rear sight. About $ 40 to $ 60 depending on condition should work, try the EE forum or Fleabay. On the 22" barrels, the front sights tend to be tall. I gotta speak to that high school shop class teacher about this. I just swapped the chinese front sight with a US unit from Brownells on my previous 22" barreled rifles.

And regarding the 'ping test', will my rifle not ping if it still uses the Norinco flash hider with the 2 welds on the bottom? Should I upgrade to a USGI flash hider? Is there any functional difference for a USGI flash hider over the Norinco one? I think I read the diameter is bored differently on the two, and a certain diameter allows for pinging. Also, is it recommended to break the welds?

Norc flash hiders don't ping that much. Sometimes, but it's the way that they are machined. Upgrade to a USGI or American unit only if you are worried about imminent #### loss or increasing your cool factor and wanna be like me. Nope there's not functional difference so keep what ya got, unless you wanna spend $85 and buy one from me. I got them here for sale at my clinics because the removal process might entail RUINING the chinese FS. Of course diameters are gonna be goofy, hey the $ 400 rifle comes with a $700 receiver and all the parts hanging on the rifle are FREE. Even if the parts can be out of spec and goofy, they still seem to be safe. Anybody's #### fall off yet? :evil:

Also, to determine if the op rod is loose, do you look at the barrel ring and see if it's wobbly? Mine seems sturdy with a tiny wiggle, is that ok? Will it work itself loose eventually?
Click to expand...

Loose things only get looser, hence the fear of #### loss. :evil: So hold on to yer dicks! And git yer butt to one of my clinics, even if the scheduling is really goofy....
 
I recently also bought a new M14/M305 for the first time so am figuring out the ins and outs. My front sight is very tight, any advice for loosening it up? I have removed the small bolt/screw but the sight still won't move side to side. I don't wanna leave any (major) tooling marks or bend/deform it, any advice on getting it moving?

Also, anywhere I can pick up a USGI op rod spring these days? I've looked around and found the m14medic guide from CanadaAmmo but haven't seen any springs in Canada.
 
I got my springs from Brownells the wolf spring kit for the M1A . As well as the Sadlac spring guide .
Just stay under $ 100 and you should be good to go .
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom