I know the best way to thread an AR-15 barrel is to use a precision thread cutting metal lathe but I am curious if there are other methods that would work?  

On some of the AK forums I have seen mentioned using a thread die to thread the AK barrel and I am curious if anybody knows if a simple option like this might work with our rifles?  There has to be other ways besides using a lathe to get this done...

I have a 14MM reverse cutter for AK's, and since the rifles usually group like shotgun patterns anyway, cutting the treads this way doesn't seem to be a problem.

But on the other hand, when your taking about AR barrels, you would want something a little better to maintain the bore consistency that just the pilot used on the hand threaders.

Most of the Dyna kits run around $70, which is the same price as Kurt charges to cut, thread, and crown two barrels.  Granted the Dyna kit may be cheaper if you have more than a few barrel to thread, it's just that you take the chance of compressing the most important last inch of the bore on the barrel using the hand threader.  If you don't mind the barrel grouping larger by an inch or two, then the Dyna kit may be the way to go (you still may have to turn the end of barrel to get the OD correct for the threading).

There is a die available in the correct thread pitch.  I believe J+L Tool, a large industrial supply firm, has them @ about $45.  My brother-in-law just used one to thread a SS AR barrel and said it went very well.  He turned the OD first, then used a tubular die holder to keep the die square with the chucked barrel.  After running the die up to the shoulder, he backed it off and reversed it to clean up the last few threads.  The only reason he didn't single point thread it is that the gear box on his lathe is screwed up.  Single point really is the way to go.  The barrel OD's should be turned on centers and then either threaded on centers to maintain concentricity with the bore or chucked in a four-jaw chuck on indicated true before threading.  Any machine shop should be able to do this operation as it is not gun-specific and requires no special tooling.  Contact me if you can't find anybody locally to do it.  I'd gladly do it at an ARFCom discount.