Help with heat treating a AK receiver!

[Clockwerk]

Hey I was wondering if anyone knows a heat treater in Houston Texas that can do this work for me? Thanks!

*edit*

I know that people say you can use a blow torch to "heat treat" the rails and FCG holes and etc. But I would rather get this done properly Thanks for your input!

 

[dprice3844444]

google metal heat treating in houston texas
http://search.aol.com/aol/search?query=ak47+receiver+heat+treatment&s_it=keyword_rollover

 

[rcmodel]

I'm not sure that going beyond spot heat treating the holes and possibly the bends with a torch and quenching is doing it properly.

Even a heat treat shop would have problems heat treating a full AK receiver without ruining it due to warping.

At a minimum it would require a very expensive jig be fabricated to enclose & hold the flats flat and prevent warping if the whole thing were to be heated that hot.

You could probably buy a couple of working AK's for what it would cost for a shop to make the jig fixture.

rc

 

[halogrinder]

All of the AKs I have built have been heat treated as following:

Strip down to the frame.
Rose bud the holes till cherry red
Dunk in used motor oil.
Rose bud the rails till cherry red
Dunk in used motor oil


I have THOUSANDS of rounds thru these guns with no noticeable wear or wallering of the holes.

 

[Clockwerk]

Trust me I have googles multiple times and called multiple establishments. As soon as they hear firearm it was a sure shot no go. Though I don't doubt that spot treating will work. I just wanted to be able to heat treat the whole receiver after I bent it(incase). I also need to gave the rails heat treated before I spot weld them on to the receiver.

 

[dfariswheel]

Due to the thin sheet metal the AK receiver is made from, unless you use a special fixture when doing a full receiver heat treat, the receiver will warp badly.

Unless you're prepared to build or have built a fixture your best option is the spot heating method.
Many home builders have built rifles by spot hardening and the rifles are good for more rounds than most anyone will ever fire through one.
Ohio Ordnance still builds their AK receivers by spot hardening.

While not ideal or the best choice for a receiver, spot hardening is the best option for a home builder.

 

[Clockwerk]

How would I heat treat the inner rails? I know to use MAPP gas but does anyone have a torch/torch tip preference? Or tips and advice?

 

[halogrinder]

Weld them on, heat treat when doing everything else. You're making this too difficult.

 

[justashooter in pa]

no need to heat treat the rails, just the ejector section of the left rail.

also depends on which flats you are using. some are 1020 AISI and not heat treatable. others are 4140 annealed and respond to heat treatment.

and yes, i know what i'm talking about.

 

[Clockwerk]

Its made of $130 annealed and the seller suggested that I heat treat the rails and receiver after I bend. Guess that solves that one haha! But still any suggestions on what type of blowtorch?

 

[rcmodel]

An acetylene gas welding torch would be best for heating specific locations fast, without heat spreading to the whole receiver and warping it.

A typical hardware store propane or MAPP gas torch will not be hot enough, or fast enough.

rc

 

[dirtyjim]

since the atf decided that heat treating is part of the manufacturing process a few years ago most of the heat treaters who actually had ffl's didn't upgrade to a manufacture and will no longer take on any gun work. so unless you find a heat treater who will do it while you wait your going to be out of luck

 

[dfariswheel]

Here's a site with some good info on building an AK.

http://web.archive.org/web/20110427085548/http://www.surplusrifle.com/garand/index.asp

Click on the AK section.

There are several other good sites online that cover exactly how to heat treat the receiver and rails.

http://www.akparts.com/akinfo10.html

 

[Ken70]

Mapp gas works; it's what is used at the Build parties in the DPRK to heat treat the holes and ejector. Propane won't do it, never gets hot enough. Oxy-acy is what I used, 3-4 seconds and it's ready to go into the ATF. Don't use used motor oil, or motor oil in general. You need something that doesn't have all the additives floating around in there.

The commies didn't heat treat anything for a couple of decades; then they started on the holes. Don't know if they do a complete heat treat.

 

[zoom6zoom]

I've done quite a few, just use MAPP gas on the FCG holes and the ejector. Be sure you've trimmed your ejector to the correct length before you treat it or you'll be hating life trying to file it down.

This is all the heat treating needed by a semi auto.

 

[dfariswheel]

The commies didn't heat treat anything for a couple of decades; then they started on the holes. Don't know if they do a complete heat treat.

The commies always did a full heat treat on milled and stamped receivers.
They never didn't do any heat treat, nor did they just do the holes.
If you don't heat treat at least the holes the holes very quickly wear out egg-shaped.
The commies built the heat treating fixtures that allow full receiver heat treating and always did a full heat treat job.

 

[Ken70]

The commies didn't heat treat anything for a couple of decades; then they started on the holes. Don't know if they do a complete heat treat.

The commies always did a full heat treat on milled and stamped receivers.
They never didn't do any heat treat, nor did they just do the holes.
If you don't heat treat at least the holes the holes very quickly wear out egg-shaped.
The commies built the heat treating fixtures that allow full receiver heat treating and always did a full heat treat job.

That's not what I've read, but they ARE commies, so who knows for certain what they did 60 years ago. I've been waiting for the "Grim Reaper" book to come back in print, maybe it's in there.

 

[Clockwerk]

Sorry for the late reply I have been sick due to this awful weather we're having. I want to thank everyone and every bit of information you guys have given me. I'll make sure that the front trunnion fits before I go ahead and heat treat it .