IUHoosier429
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After repeatedly bouncing shell casings off the metal siding of a building about 25 feet away from me (and a few times off the guys shooting in front of it ... sorry, fellas), I figured it was time to tackle my overgassed Galil ACE. Based on some good reviews here and elsewhere online, I nabbed a KNS Precision adjustable gas piston. Installation tonight only took about 20 minutes, with about 15 of those minutes spent trying to get the dang dust cover back on.
KNS makes a bunch of piston sizes depending on your AK model, and if this thing works well I might have to invest in a few for a couple of my more ornery guns.
The KNS piston is a perfect fit for the ACE's piston and carrier, and seems very well made - KNS definitely earns the "precision" in its company name.
Also, might as well clean up the stock piston since it's going into storage for the foreseeable future.
Disassembly is a breeze. With a hammer or mallet, a roll pin punch and a vise or armorer's block, tap out the pin and unscrew the piston.
Here's another side-by-side of the stock ACE piston with the KNS replacement (in fully closed position ... more on that in just a sec).
Stock ACE roll pin on the left. KNS includes two roll pins in the package. The thinner pin was too thin, and the thicker pin is shorter for some reason. I was a bit concerned it wouldn't be tall enough to keep the piston from walking out. The piston also wiggles a bit with the KNS pin tapped in, but the online instructions say this is by design. I can't unscrew the new piston so I guess we're good to go.
And here we are with the KNS piston installed. This literally took five minutes of work, with only one pause to check instructions about that aforementioned wiggle. The gun reassembled just fine (minus that stupid, stubborn top cover).
When I get back out to the range, KNS suggests dialing everything in by starting with the piston fully closed. You fire a few shots, open the adjustment collar with five clicks, and shoot a few more shots. Keep repeating this process until the gun no longer functions. At that point close the collar with two clicks and test fire once more to verify function. Now you should have a properly gassed gun and less angry range neighbors with fewer case burns. And by then, hopefully I'll have mastered the Krav Maga chop when reinstalling the top cover.
KNS makes a bunch of piston sizes depending on your AK model, and if this thing works well I might have to invest in a few for a couple of my more ornery guns.
The KNS piston is a perfect fit for the ACE's piston and carrier, and seems very well made - KNS definitely earns the "precision" in its company name.
Also, might as well clean up the stock piston since it's going into storage for the foreseeable future.
Disassembly is a breeze. With a hammer or mallet, a roll pin punch and a vise or armorer's block, tap out the pin and unscrew the piston.
Here's another side-by-side of the stock ACE piston with the KNS replacement (in fully closed position ... more on that in just a sec).
Stock ACE roll pin on the left. KNS includes two roll pins in the package. The thinner pin was too thin, and the thicker pin is shorter for some reason. I was a bit concerned it wouldn't be tall enough to keep the piston from walking out. The piston also wiggles a bit with the KNS pin tapped in, but the online instructions say this is by design. I can't unscrew the new piston so I guess we're good to go.
And here we are with the KNS piston installed. This literally took five minutes of work, with only one pause to check instructions about that aforementioned wiggle. The gun reassembled just fine (minus that stupid, stubborn top cover).
When I get back out to the range, KNS suggests dialing everything in by starting with the piston fully closed. You fire a few shots, open the adjustment collar with five clicks, and shoot a few more shots. Keep repeating this process until the gun no longer functions. At that point close the collar with two clicks and test fire once more to verify function. Now you should have a properly gassed gun and less angry range neighbors with fewer case burns. And by then, hopefully I'll have mastered the Krav Maga chop when reinstalling the top cover.
