barrel shortening

vicvic · October 17, 2005, 03:35 AM

i have a beat up yugo sks that shoots decently. i want to have all that extra length with the grenade launcher and sights cut off. ill have it cut at 18 in so the front sight wont have to be relocated. i cant find a gunsmith to do it. is there a way for me to do it by myself without a lathe or taking the barrel off?

mtnboomer · October 17, 2005, 04:06 AM

Yes, it's possible, but it's a real pain. First rap masking tape around the barrel where you want to cut. Draw a line around the barrel, on the masking tape, at the point of the cut - THIS LINE MUST BE PERFECTLY STRAIGHT AROUND THE BARREL! Mount the Yugo's action in a padded vice. Using a NEW bi-metal hacksaw blade and lots of cutting oil begin cutting about a 1/16th of an inch on the OUTSIDE of your mark. Watch your mark constantly as you cut and keep the cut straight as possible.

Once the end of the barrel has been off, you are ready to crown it - this is the reason for the extra 1/16th of an inch. This can be done by hand or with a crown cutter (with or without a lathe).

It sounds simple - but it's ain't!

The British Soldier · October 17, 2005, 05:57 AM

I would be loathe to shorten a rifle barrel without a lathe. It would be easy to remove the excess with a parting off tool and you would have a perfect barrel face to then crown.
To do it by hand might be inviting disaster of the highest magnitude!

Trapp · October 17, 2005, 06:47 AM

To make your line straight use a pipe/tubing cutter to score it. Use a Chop saw to cut it. That will get it straight.

Harry Bonar · October 17, 2005, 08:52 AM

Dear Shooter:
Of course you can do this.
Mark the length you want and cut it off with a hacksaw as straight as you can - don't worry if it isn't straight. Then in a vise, file the end square, using a square to check all around your barrel. Since the bbl is slightly tapered you'll see light under one edge of your square - get it square all around. Then, take a brass bar with about a 30 degree taper on the end and with grinding compound rotate the bar like you were starting a fire until you have broken the edge of the rifling - you're done! You can do this, before I got my lathe I've done it dozens of times.
Or, if you have a SHARP countersink take a piece of denim and fold it once or twice - put this inbetween it and the muzzle and run it slow with a drill - then do the laping. The pipe cutter idea is excellent since it will guide your hacksaw cut!

Harry B.

Chris W · October 17, 2005, 09:17 AM

I've followed Harry's suggestions to the T, when I cut down a Ruger 10/22 barrel, and it's just as accurate as before I started.

dfaugh · October 17, 2005, 10:38 AM

You may find that it no longer functions (cycles the action) due to different gas pressure...If so, you need to open up the hole for the gas system (I know someone who had to do this, although he cut barrel off back farther)...Just slowly open up the hole a little at a time, using different sized drill bits, until it functions properly.

Brownells sells re-crowning tools, and while there are alot of "home-made" ways to re-crown, I've found the tools to be the on;ly way to go, to get a nice square, concentric crown.

STAGE 2 · October 19, 2005, 09:03 PM

vicvic, I'm considering doing the same thing. Will the bayonet still work despite the shortened barrel. From pics the 59/66 have a different attachment point than the earlier 59's and I'm wondering if this will affect the functioning of the bayonet.

October 17, 2005, 03:35 AM	#1
vicvic Member Join Date: October 25, 2004 Posts: 83	barrel shortening i have a beat up yugo sks that shoots decently. i want to have all that extra length with the grenade launcher and sights cut off. ill have it cut at 18 in so the front sight wont have to be relocated. i cant find a gunsmith to do it. is there a way for me to do it by myself without a lathe or taking the barrel off?

October 17, 2005, 04:06 AM	#2
mtnboomer Senior Member Join Date: July 9, 2004 Location: Oklahoma by birth. America by the grace of God. Posts: 635	Yes, it's possible, but it's a real pain. First rap masking tape around the barrel where you want to cut. Draw a line around the barrel, on the masking tape, at the point of the cut - THIS LINE MUST BE PERFECTLY STRAIGHT AROUND THE BARREL! Mount the Yugo's action in a padded vice. Using a NEW bi-metal hacksaw blade and lots of cutting oil begin cutting about a 1/16th of an inch on the OUTSIDE of your mark. Watch your mark constantly as you cut and keep the cut straight as possible. Once the end of the barrel has been off, you are ready to crown it - this is the reason for the extra 1/16th of an inch. This can be done by hand or with a crown cutter (with or without a lathe). It sounds simple - but it's ain't! __________________ Quando Omni Flunkus Moritati (If all else fails - play dead!) Support the Second Amendment. Join the NRA > http://www.nra.org < Oklahoma State & Big 12 - #1 GO POKES!!!!!

October 17, 2005, 05:57 AM	#3
The British Soldier Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 2005 Location: England...that green and pleasasnt land. Posts: 295	I would be loathe to shorten a rifle barrel without a lathe. It would be easy to remove the excess with a parting off tool and you would have a perfect barrel face to then crown. To do it by hand might be inviting disaster of the highest magnitude! __________________ Mike When you're wounded and left on Afghanistan's plains And the women come out to cut up what remains Just roll to your rifle and blow out your brains An' go to your Gawd like a soldier. Rudyard Kipling.

October 17, 2005, 06:47 AM	#4
Trapp Senior Member Join Date: December 5, 2004 Location: KTN Posts: 1,221	To make your line straight use a pipe/tubing cutter to score it. Use a Chop saw to cut it. That will get it straight. __________________ HDR Ban!? It's a shame all of my guns sank with my boat last week... Time to catch up.....like mayonnaise

October 17, 2005, 08:52 AM	#5
Harry Bonar Senior Member Join Date: December 5, 2004 Location: In the Vincent, Ohio general area. Posts: 1,804	barrel shortening Dear Shooter: Of course you can do this. Mark the length you want and cut it off with a hacksaw as straight as you can - don't worry if it isn't straight. Then in a vise, file the end square, using a square to check all around your barrel. Since the bbl is slightly tapered you'll see light under one edge of your square - get it square all around. Then, take a brass bar with about a 30 degree taper on the end and with grinding compound rotate the bar like you were starting a fire until you have broken the edge of the rifling - you're done! You can do this, before I got my lathe I've done it dozens of times. Or, if you have a SHARP countersink take a piece of denim and fold it once or twice - put this inbetween it and the muzzle and run it slow with a drill - then do the laping. The pipe cutter idea is excellent since it will guide your hacksaw cut! Harry B.

October 17, 2005, 09:17 AM	#6
Chris W Senior Member Join Date: May 5, 2002 Location: Central WA Posts: 450	I've followed Harry's suggestions to the T, when I cut down a Ruger 10/22 barrel, and it's just as accurate as before I started.

October 17, 2005, 10:38 AM	#7
dfaugh Senior Member Join Date: January 17, 2002 Location: Upstate NY Posts: 1,715	One more thing.... You may find that it no longer functions (cycles the action) due to different gas pressure...If so, you need to open up the hole for the gas system (I know someone who had to do this, although he cut barrel off back farther)...Just slowly open up the hole a little at a time, using different sized drill bits, until it functions properly. Brownells sells re-crowning tools, and while there are alot of "home-made" ways to re-crown, I've found the tools to be the on;ly way to go, to get a nice square, concentric crown. __________________ "If you Listen to Fools, the Mob Rules" "No one has the answer, but one thing is true. You'e got to turn on evil, when its coming after you. You've gotta face it down,and when it tries to hide, you've got to go in after it, and never be denied. Time is running out...Let's roll. Let's roll for freedom, let's roll for love. We're going after satan, on the wings of a dove. Let's roll for freedom, let's roll for truth. Let's not let our children grow up fearful in their youth."

October 19, 2005, 09:03 PM	#8
STAGE 2 Senior Member Join Date: April 26, 2002 Posts: 2,676	vicvic, I'm considering doing the same thing. Will the bayonet still work despite the shortened barrel. From pics the 59/66 have a different attachment point than the earlier 59's and I'm wondering if this will affect the functioning of the bayonet.