Warped Barrel

First time I've ever seen this. A friend of mine picked up a Yugo 59/66 at a recent gun show. We took it to the range and could not hit anything even at 50 yards. Got back home and tore it down, checked every part of it. Careful inspection of the barrel revealed a very slight warp.

Any ideas on doing a barrel swap? Any links to suppliers that might have barrels? Any input will be appreciated.

Thanks - Ed

Any Ideas?

Ed

Your best bet is to take it to the next gunshow & sell it for what you have in it like the last guy did! Those guns are built on milled receivers and are going to be a tough barrel replacement deal both with sourcing a new barrel and the subsequent replacement/headspacing!

A GOOD G'smith 'might' be able to fix it.
Look real close for heat marks. If found somebody already tried to straighten it. If so, ditch it.

Thanks Guys - Has anyone seen the barrelled receiver from Centerfire Systems? They've got one for under $70.00. Just wondering if anyone got one and what the quality is.

Ed

Take it back to the vendor he got it from.

Chances of getting a better barreled receiver on a Yugo M59/66 are about even.

50% - you get a straight shooter
50% - you get a crappy shooter

With Centerfire, you stand a better chance than other sources. But the fact is that many torn down Yugos are torn down for a reason.

I've looked down many a bore and there is an optical effect that makes it appear that there is a bend about 6 to 8" from the far end on every one. Lighting? Bad eyes? Too many drugs in college? I don't know. But every bore looks a little wavy to me, so that is normal.

Tell me, is the bore dark or mirror shiney? Are there sharp lands and grooves, or do they look rounded? Can you get a good look at the crown? Can you measure the bore diameter (should be no more than .311")?

Many factors can enter into the inaccuracy of a barrel.

Hey Martin08 -

The bore is shiney, with sharp rifling. Hard to see the crown, but looks to be fine. Don't know the bore diameter without taking the grenade launcher attachment off. Checked the barrel with a staight edge square -T and the warp of the barrel was obvious. I may just put it on my table at the next gun show for him and sell it as a parts kit. I may call Centerfire Systems first and get the scoop on the barrelled receivers they have.

Thanks for all input.

Ed

If you have access to a press., it is possible to "bend" a barrel back to straight (or close). Depends on where it is bent and if you can put pressure in that area without having to remove all the components. Using a bore sighter and patience by tweaking it in very small increments it can be done. I have done a 22LR barrel and an AKM that were bent enough to shoot as you describe. Was able to "fix" both with a press. I demilled the FSB & GB from the barrell on the AKM first however. Worth a shot. Be sure to note where the bend is and the direction of force needed. Test as you go with the bore sighter and iron sights to see when the POA starts to change. Use a vice and the bore sighter will mark the same barrel location and then see where the irons line up and when they start to converge with the sight post centered of course. Good Luck

this can be as simple or complicated as you want to make it, you aint the first to have this problem and you won't be the last. the guys have some pretty good info above, but there might be a nugget or 2 in the links below


http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4ADBR_enUS250US250&q=%22barrel+straightening%22

http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&aq=1&oq=barrel+straight&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4ADBR_enUS250US250&q=gun+barrel+straightening

http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&aq=1&oq=barrel+straight&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4ADBR_enUS250US250&q=gun+barrel+straightening

I have 1 new and 1 used (with perfect rifling), but I am guessing that the Yugos maybe threaded. What did you give for by chance, been thinking of picking on up?

I think the Yugo barrel is heavier and is indeed threaded, so a chicom barrel wouldn't work, but I appreciate the input. He paid right at $200.00 for this one. I also bought one at the same show, but I paid $260.00 and mine had extras with it. For now the panic buying seems to have eased a bit and the prices of the Yugos are drifting back down to the $200 - $250 range.

A Chicom type '56 barrel will thread in with some fitting. But you run into some possible compliance issues and C&R status is out.

But if I read 922r correctly, a worn out or damaged part can be replaced without legal worries.... but I read it the way I see it. You decide on your own.

Here's one I just replaced on a Yugo receiver.

http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/medium/trigger_2_008.jpg

http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/medium/trigger_2_010.jpg


The Chinese barrel was $42 delivered from Numrich, and it rescued an otherwise worthless gun.

That's interesting, I didn't know they were compatible. Did you have a significant headspace issue?

That's interesting, I didn't know they were compatible. Did you have a significant headspace issue?

This gun is actually my third barrel replacement using Yugo receivers and Chinese type 56 barrels. All have functioned without a hiccup and I have not had the headspace checked.

My method has been to index as closely as I can by eye (this is where some material may have to be removed from the face of the receiver with a disc sander), check to see that a round seats fully into the chamber by hand, install a bolt and capture round by hand making sure it fully seats into battery, test fire one round, check spent casing for cracks/splits/bulges/primer indent, load two and fire for cycle, and then load full mag and let 'er rip.

Maybe I'm just sh!t lucky going three for three, but my experience is that a military carbine built for battle field interchangeability is quite forgiving. If I do it again and run into incomplete chambering or split casings, then I'll have to rethink my position. But for now, headspacing on a replacement barrel is way down on the list for function.

try what AKBLUE said what do you have to loose

If you have access to a press., it is possible to "bend" a barrel back to straight (or close). Depends on where it is bent and if you can put pressure in that area without having to remove all the components. Using a bore sighter and patience by tweaking it in very small increments it can be done. I have done a 22LR barrel and an AKM that were bent enough to shoot as you describe. Was able to "fix" both with a press. I demilled the FSB & GB from the barrell on the AKM first however. Worth a shot. Be sure to note where the bend is and the direction of force needed. Test as you go with the bore sighter and iron sights to see when the POA starts to change. Use a vice and the bore sighter will mark the same barrel location and then see where the irons line up and when they start to converge with the sight post centered of course. Good Luck

What did you use to keep from making cuts or marks on the barrel? Did you bring the ram down directly on the barrel or use a wood block between them? I have a 20 ton press I just bought from Harbor Freight, it should be enough to work the bend in the barrel. I think I'll give it a try. Thanks to everyone and I'll post results.

Ed

When straightening round stock or barrels on a press, it's best to use short peices of angle iron welded open face up to a flat plate to support the ends(centers and keeps from rolling) and also on the plunger to keep it from kicking the barrel out.

You should not have to employ much pressure to initiate the bend, and you may have to go slightly beyond so that it springs back straight. A chamois, canvas, denim or other heavy cloth should protect it from scarring.

Good luck.

My Dad and I removed his front sight and bayo lug from his Norinco SKS using a press to thread the barrel for an FAL flash suppressor. We preheated the lug before applying pressure. It finally gave way and popped off. We were amazed at the amount of pressure needed to remove the lug! After removal we noticed that we had bent the barrel!:sad_small "Ah shit, Glad we did yours first Dad!" We took it to the range to see how bad the bend effected accuracy. It wasn't hitting anywhere close! We decided to try and bend it back on the press. We located the high side of the bend using a straight edge then placed it in the press. We used two micarta blocks on each side of the warp, then one micarta block on the center of the warp positioned over the press ram. We went slow and methodical applying a little pressure then removing and checking with the straight edge. After about 5 sessions the barrel was straight again. No heat was used.
Went back to the range and found it to have great accuracy. After the experience with Dad's I decided to use a Dremel with a cut off wheel on mine. I cut a split along the length of the lug, when the metal got thin enough it popped right off! Live and learn!

Good info, Thanks

What did you use to keep from making cuts or marks on the barrel? Did you bring the ram down directly on the barrel or use a wood block between them? I have a 20 ton press I just bought from Harbor Freight, it should be enough to work the bend in the barrel. I think I'll give it a try. Thanks to everyone and I'll post results.

Ed

Any piece of brass stock that you can grind to fit the contour of the barrel; enough to press against. You are using only little pressure increments and then bore sight. It takes very little real pressure to move the barrel.
Ultimately, even a nick on a barrel that gets straight is no big deal. You will have problems finding the right position on the barrel and other issues greater than a nick on the barrel. Depending on where the bend is and the number of components that are left on the barrel. Good Luck.