AK barrel thread question (in 22lr!)

[DoubleTapDrew]

Scroll to the end if you just want my question. Ok, this is driving me nuts because I can't find any info online. When I was about 20 years younger I got the best Christmas present ever from my dad and grandpa, a Mitchell Arms AK-22. It's an AK clone in 22lr obviously.
The gun has been a lot of fun and has seen tons of rounds and many blistered thumbs from loading mags.
Now, I have a 22lr suppressor (1/2"x28tpi) and I noticed that the muzzle of this sucker definitely looks like it's threaded and has a cap on it. I'd love to be able to use a can on this. The problem is I don't know: 1. Is it actually threaded or is it cosmetic (I doubt it, see the pics). 2. If it is threaded, what is the threading on it and what direction?
I know some, if not all AKs are left hand threaded but I have no ideas what the 22 versions are. It looks like it's a fairly standard 22 thread being roughly .480" in diamater on the outside of the crown (maybe a 1/2x28tpi I hope?) The indentations for a wrench are about .600" which equates to a 15mm wrench but my wrenches are too fat to fit in those indentations, and I don't want to start grinding down a wrench, let alone crank on a thread protector that I don't have any idea which way the threads go and risk stripping something.
Does anybody have info on these? It's an AK-22 imported by Mitchell Arms, which I think was made by Armi Jager in Italy as the AP-80. Clinton put a stop to importation and I think it was only imported for a couple years so parts are scarce and I don't want to screw up the muzzle. So what I hope somebody can help me with is
The Bottom Line:
Is the muzzle threaded? What are the threads? Which way to they turn?

 

[hounddog]

I know nothing about this gun, but looking at the pictures, it does look like it is threaded. If you are 100% sure about getting the gun threaded, one way or another, the only thing you can do is lock a wrench on it and crank. Hard to tell from pictures, and from all the lead on the muzzle, but does the barrel look to you like an ak barrell that was rebarreled and sleaved?

Good luck.

 

[zoom6zoom]

As you stated, most AK variants are left hand threaded.
It's not entirely unlikely that the muzzle device on your rifle has been silver soldered or tack welded to prevent removal; this was very common to be ban-compliant. If so it can be removed, but will take some work. Don't just try the "big wrench" method, you'll bend the damn thing before it comes off.

Once you do get it off, your best course of action is to locate a thread adapter which will allow you to use your can without permanently modifiying either it or the rifle.