Help with removing AK47 slant cut compensator

[Bartronnic Plague]

I recently purchased a compensator/ flash hider and have had a very difficult time removing the stupid looking slant cut Romanian compensator. I have heard AK's have left handed threads. Does anyone know if this is true for all AK's? Also, does the slant cut have any practical purpose?

thanks, X

 

[Gewehr98]

It's true.

They're a left-handed thread, and often have a spring-loaded pin protruding from the front sight base that indexes them properly and prevents them unthreading during fire.

Before trying to unscrew your slant brake, check to see if there's a pin in place. Also, depending on when your rifle was assembled, perhaps the slant brake was brazed or welded into place, per the '94 AWB?

I recently threaded my SAR-1's naked muzzle and installed a standard slant brake. I find it actually works as advertised, and dresses up the gun compared to what it looked like before.

The slant brake is used to keep the rifle's muzzle down during firing, it diverts expanding gas pressure upwards. Not a big deal in slow semiauto fire, but consider what real AK-47's with Da Switch contend with during full-auto fire.

 

[benEzra]

I recently threaded my SAR-1's naked muzzle and installed a standard slant brake. I find it actually works as advertised, and dresses up the gun compared to what it looked like before.

How much did it cost, and where'd you get the brake? Did you thread it yourself?

I have a SAR-1 and have been considering doing just that.

 

[Gewehr98]

The slant brake, pilot guide, and threading die all came from K-Var.

http://www.k-var.com/store.asp

Or just wait until Bartronnic Plague gets his removed, providing he doesn't mangle it on the way off.

(I haven't forgotten about your scope and mount, benEzra, just scrambling to find where I printed out that address you gave me...)

 

[Bartronnic Plague]

thanks 98, it does have a protruding spring held pin. I've been trying to hold it in and wrench the comp. If it is post AWB and is brazened on, any hope of tearing it off with salvage of threads? Drimmel tool anyone?

 

[benEzra]

G98, I've still got it. PM sent.

Bartronnic Plague, I'm not sure how you're securing the barrel from turning, but do be careful not to twist your gas block (or bend your barrel!) while trying to twist the brake off.

How long is your barrel? If it's 16.5, you *might* have enough room to have a gunsmith chop the barrel right behind the compensator and re-thread while staying over the 16" minimum. Or you might not. You could also dremel a notch in the compensator (but not deep enough to get into the barrel steel!!) and try to split it, but you'd risk ruining your barrel that way...

 

[Bartronnic Plague]

this weapon is a WASR-10

 

[Redlg155]

I just did my WASR-10 a couple of weeks ago.

Depress the detent and turn right. Instead of righty tighty/lefty loosy-- it's the opposite. Right to loosen. It should come off without too much trouble at all.

If you have any doubts as to whether or not the brake was welded on, contact Century Arms. They will tell you when your rifle left Century. If it's post AWB, it should have a removable slant brake. I have a WASR manufactured during the AWB period and it has a "nut" welded over the threads.

Good Shooting
Red

 

[Jrm5204]

Would a slant brake work for a left hand shooter?

 

[Gewehr98]

Truthfully, slant brakes are indexed slightly off the vertical axis.

Mine was even that way, but I used a 14mm peel washer (actually a 14mm spark plug washer) to align it to the vertical, instead of off to the side like real select-fire AKs. I don't ever intend to shoot my SAR-1 in full-auto mode, so I made mine symmetric.

There's no reason one couldn't index the slant brake to accomodate a left-handed shooter, using peel washers like I did. The plunger pin in the front sight base won't align, but then again, you won't need it.

 

[Kurush]

Would a slant brake work for a left hand shooter?

Yes, but you have to drill/dremel a detent slot into it so that it can lock in facing the other way. Otherwise it's gonna smacka-you-face every time you shoot it

 

[sctman800]

My Romanian kit AK has the slant brake and I was guessing the angle of the slant was somehow related to the rifleing twist. I have no facts on this just my first impression. Jim.

 

[clange]

The natural way for the barrel to move under FA fire is up and to the right (for a right handed shooter). The slant attempts to move the barrel down and to the left, as does the AK-74 brake with the offset holes.

 

[Jrm5204]

Yes, but you have to drill/dremel a detent slot into it so that it can lock in facing the other way. Otherwise it's gonna smacka-you-face every time you shoot it

Thanks!

 

[Jrm5204]

The natural way for the barrel to move under FA fire is up and to the right (for a right handed shooter). The slant attempts to move the barrel down and to the left, as does the AK-74 brake with the offset holes.

Thanks!

 

[Bartronnic Plague]

BOO-YA

I finally got the muzzle brake off. All it took was retard strength. No offense against the mentally feable, but a guy who can't "weed owr wite," is what it took. He twisted it off with a look on his face like the guy in the archive footage that can put his bottom lip over his nose. The new one looks great.
Thanks for all of the comments...X