BufordTJustice

I own a SAR-1 AK clone. At my first range trip I ran about 320 rounds through it (inside of 40 minutes). I was surprised at how quickly the barrel heated up. By 'heated up', I mean I almost got the wooden handguards to catch on fire (the lacquer was literally smoking). I have installed a Galil style (TAPCO) handguard and am hoping that this will cure the problem.

I guess my Q is: is the AK barrel too thin by manufacture? Can I shoot it when it's super hot? Will it warp? How do I know when to stop?

I see AR barrels ( a S&W MP15t was in the lane next to me when I shot my SAR-1) and they are much thicker for the size of the bullet being fired.. Lets just say that the guys next to me didn't have to stop at all...they just shot 30 round mag after 30 round mag. Other than the Galil handguard, do I have any other options to help keep my barrel cooler? Any input or opine would be appreciated!

OPFOR

Yes, AK barrels (and handguards!) get VERY hot, VERY quickly. I'm not sure what you can do about it, though - new, better ventilating (and perhaps thicker) handguards sound like a good start. As far as I'm concerned, it's just another flaw in the AK series.

__________________
"It makes no difference what men think of war, said the judge. War endures. As well ask men what they think of stone. War was always here. Before man was, war waited for him. The ultimate trade awaiting its ultimate practitioner. That is the way it was and will be. That way and not some other way."

rocky

Any gun heats up with sustained rapid fire. I don't think the AK's are any better or worse than the AR barrels. Both seems to heat up but continue to fire while hot. There is a breaking point for any rifle.
Poly (if thats what Tapco is) will melt, I imagine. I doubt you will warp the barrel unless it gets visibly red.

__________________
"In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock." Thomas Jefferson


Nemo Me Impune Lacesset

Link to my kydex builds:http://rocknloadkydex.blogspot.com/

SixBravo

This has me thinking about a water-cooled AK like the old WW1 machineguns. hahaha Ratatatatatatatatatatatat!!!

__________________
The Gunsite Blog
ITFT / Quick Kill Review

P95Carry

A 30 round mag fired fast - just that gets barrel too hot to touch! It's the nature of the beast tho and it does seem from some ''abuse'' vids I have seen, the AK barrel will keep on truckin, long after we'd think it should fail.

I learned long ago - never put AK barrel down on a tarp after shooting - tarps melt real quick

__________________
Chris - P95
NRA Certified Instructor & NRA Life Member.

"To own a gun and assume that you are armed
is like owning a piano and assuming that you are a musician!."

If a BG dies as the result of pointing a gun at me, then he has merely succumbed to an occupational hazard of being a thug

OPFOR

Agreed, but AK handguards get MUCH hotter than AR handguards after similar amounts of rounds are fired, and it's the handguards that are important, no? I've fired many AKs that were impossible to hold with bare hands after two or three rapid-fire magazines...this simply isn't the case with AR style rifles.

__________________
"It makes no difference what men think of war, said the judge. War endures. As well ask men what they think of stone. War was always here. Before man was, war waited for him. The ultimate trade awaiting its ultimate practitioner. That is the way it was and will be. That way and not some other way."

JT

agreed

__________________
Blessed be the Lord my rock who trains my hands for war and my fingers for battle. Psalm 144:1

Si vis pacem, para bellum

rocky

I imagine some of the heat is dissapated faster w/ the AR's large HG holes. Also the good AR HG's have heatshields in em. Mine is a open YHM design. I can feel the heat , but it isn't uncomfortable.
No arguement here, the AK's do warm the HG's more.

__________________
"In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock." Thomas Jefferson


Nemo Me Impune Lacesset

Link to my kydex builds:http://rocknloadkydex.blogspot.com/

Rob72

Get polymer forend parts. You can drill extra cooling holes, if you want. You can also step up to the new Arsenal metal-lined- pricey, but supposed to be good.

Ride4TheBrand

of course, if you do this....

http://break.com/index/smokin_hot_barrel.html

__________________
"Today, we need a nation of Minutemen, citizens who are not only prepared to take arms, but citizens who regard the preservation of freedom as the basic purpose of their daily life and who are willing to consciously work and sacrifice for that freedom."

~ John F. Kennedy