Removing pined Flash Hider

[jwork]

I have a Bushmaster with a 14.5" barrel w/ "pined and welded AK flash hider". I cant seem to find the pin(s) I have sanded the finish off the flash hiderwith no sign of the pin or signs of a weld. I have a phantom hider to take its place. Im starting to think this rifle may have some other means of ataching the hider. I do not have barrel vice inserts so I have not attempted to loosen the hider. Anyone run into this before?:confused

[Remember911]

It is most likley silver solder. lots of heat and repark.

[MikeCLeonard]

You could always send it to ADCO, they offer Perm. flash hider removal and they are sure to do a professional job and not goof anything up.

[markm]

Yeah. I'd definitely have a pro do this.

As AR15barrels used to post.... the right way to remove is to cut and grind off the perm. Hitting a barrel with a bunch of extreme heat is unacceptable for a professional removal.

[jwork]

I have been told that the pin is on the bottom and tp put some cold blue on it and the weld will show. Well I have done just that and nothing. I hate to put the heat to the barrel so I will am taking it to a friend/gunsmith who has done this work several times and have him remove it. Im wondering now if the barrel is even threaded or if this is a slip on FH. I bought the gun new in 2000 and love the way it shoots. I have had no problems from this gun so I want to keep it, just upgrade a little. Thanks for all the replies and help.

[Abull]

I have the exact same gun and the exact same flash hider that I will be installing. I e-mailed Bushmaster and asked about how the AK brake was installed. They replied rather promptly, which kind of surprised me, that the barrel is threaded and the brake is blind pinned and welded. Mine was purchased in 96 I believe. So for what it's worth, that is what I have to go on. I think I will send mine to ADCO.

Alan

[jwork]

I dont blame you Alan, I did the same thing with Bushmaster and they told me the same. I took mine to my gunsmith the other day. He had said that I could put some cold blue on the FH and it should show me where the pin and weld was. I did that and nothing. When I took it to him, he could not find it. Im hoping he can get it off without having to mill it off. Big difference in the cost. Good luck with yours...Jim

[hellbound]

i had a Colt M4A1 barrel with a pinned phantom...

i started by drilling where the weld was and eventually saw the pin...
i took a dremel with cut off wheel and cut the FH in half as best i could take care not to go too deep by the threads...
using a chisel i split the FH causing the pin to fall out
then i just screwed it off as normal

i lucked out and removed the FH with no damage to the barrel...

it was a tricky task and a mistake would have cost me a $400 barrel...

i sent it out to adco to have a new phantom pin/welded...