Need a Canadian gunsmith to work on a G43.

Skippy

Skippy

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I'm looking for a Canadian gunsmith who'll check out a G43 before firing, and possibly do a barrel change on another one. DOes anyone know someone?

I live in Ontario but would ship out of province if I could find someone reliable.

Any suggestions?
 
Umm... by pressed in barrels, (and I'm no G/K43 expert), but I think the receivers were heated up and the barrels were mechanically pressed into the receivers under tons of compression, then as the receiver cooled they "welded" to a VERY tight interference fit. On some rifles, like on the better grade commercial chicom SKS for example, a hole was then drilled through the receiver and barrel shank and the whole affair was pinned for good measure. I don't know if the G/K 43 is also so pinned, but I'm not convinced you could get the old barrel out, let alone press a new barrel in?
 
Claven2 said:
Umm... by pressed in barrels, (and I'm no G/K43 expert), but I think the receivers were heated up and the barrels were mechanically pressed into the receivers under tons of compression, then as the receiver cooled they "welded" to a VERY tight interference fit. On some rifles, like on the better grade commercial chicom SKS for example, a hole was then drilled through the receiver and barrel shank and the whole affair was pinned for good measure. I don't know if the G/K 43 is also so pinned, but I'm not convinced you could get the old barrel out, let alone press a new barrel in?
Click to expand...

Claven2 is pretty much bang on with this. The barrels on the G/K43 rifles are press fitted and pinned. I dont know of anyone who has replaced barrels before on these rifles. From what I have read over the years, most of the experts advise to stay away from trying to do this. Your best bet for an expert opinion would be to contact Rob Apfeltor. www.apfeltor.com
 
G43 eh? I don't have one of those. hmmmmmmmm, I'll work on it for you. My name is John, ummmm, John Doe. Ship it to me and forget the address, and I'll send it back when I'm done, in about 30 years:D



Seriously though, I don't know anyone who I'd hand a project like that too. Removing the old barrel wont be hard, but finding and installing the new one might be tricky, I'd be worried about damageing the temper of the reciever:( .
 
Claven2 said:
Umm... by pressed in barrels, (and I'm no G/K43 expert), but I think the receivers were heated up and the barrels were mechanically pressed into the receivers under tons of compression, then as the receiver cooled they "welded" to a VERY tight interference fit. On some rifles, like on the better grade commercial chicom SKS for example, a hole was then drilled through the receiver and barrel shank and the whole affair was pinned for good measure. I don't know if the G/K 43 is also so pinned, but I'm not convinced you could get the old barrel out, let alone press a new barrel in?
Click to expand...

When pressing in a barrel heat is not used. It is a very simple process. and barrels can also be removed the same way. ALL pressed in barrels have the retaining pin. It keeps the rifle from falling apart. Some people put in barrels with a block of wood, vice and a 32 ounce hammer. I put the barrel in the freezer over night and coat the trunion with never seaze when I do that sort of work. If I am feeling lazy I used liquid nitrogen for the retaining pin and barrel and just place them in by hand. But that is expensive and dangerous. This is called shrink fitting. Just because everyone gets it backwards, shrink fitting is cooling the part to a smaller size than its normal size and assembling the peices. Expansion fitting is heating the part to a size that is larger than its normal size then assembling. Just because you have always said it the other way does not make you right. I also saw some G43 parts at the SAR show last weekend. one had no bbl in it and the other 3 had bbls still in the reciever. So yes you can change the bbl.
 
Shouldnt be too hard. I would suggest fallowing Blackgunlover's advice though, cool the barrel dont heat the reciever. When press fitting you want to cool the part thats going into the hole as you dont want to wreck the heat treating of the parts so heating is a no-no. ;)

Also depending on the fit (how tight it is) you could do it without freezing the barrel using the same hammer method or you could set up a vice to do it thats how I did my die set I made in college. But I dont think anyone has a big enough vice for the size of the rifle laying around. :)

One thing to note if the gunsmith reams out the chamber and then press fits the barrel into the reciver the chamber will get smaller. Depending on the size of the reamer and the tolarnces your chamber might become too small and will need alittle honing. But then agian you might not want such a tight fit on the ammo like my die set pins are in my bushings. :D

Dimitri
 
I've read on plenty of American forums about guys using blackgunlover's technique only employing dry ice to cool the parts. Also, I've read that a K98k barrel can be used and the gas port hole drilled in afterwards.

No one can reccomend a gunsmith to take this on though eh?
 
Blackgunlover sounds like your man!
Incidentally, better get it indexed the first try, because adjusting timing afterwards could be interesting.
 
Well as I said, I know next to nothing about the G/K43 barrel install process. Nevertheless, I think you will have a hard time finding a gunsmith willing to take this project on.
 
What the Germans managed in a production setting has little to do with a guy in his shop with a vice, block of wood, 32 oz. hammer and some dry ice. Getting the barrel set in place, perfectly timed, pertfectly indexed, perfectly headspaced, with the holes and notch for the crosspin perfectly lined up, before the receiver and barrel lock together is going to take skill, timing and luck.
Any information that the Germans used heat and or cold, or just relied on close machining, jigs and a hydraulic press. Incidentally, a G/K 43 doesn't have a trunion in which the barrel mounts and the bolt locks, like an AKM; it has a forged and machined receiver, with machined seats for the two locking lugs.
 
Hey what happend to my post ?? :confused: I had a big long post I swear I clicked enter this morning on how you could go about doing it. Mind you I forgot my wallet at home this morning and I thought I lost it so who knows. :redface:

Anyways my main point was it wouldnt be easy and would require alot of time and effort but it seems possible. I wasn't trying to argue with tiriaq, I don't got experiance as a gunsmith and limited experiance as machinist so I cant really argue with experiance. :)

Dimitri
 
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