Seriously guys, I got this SWEET SP1 upper that I've got to mutilate, to please ... let's not even go there.  
I've heard (read) references to pipe cutters and hacksaws to remove the "offending" threads/flash hider and though I realise that square-ing the cut (dont have a lathe) or money/patience left to "support your local gunsmith", after investing in a new RRA lower with 2-stage trigger, so... I've got this emminently illegal beauty/assorted parts that I've got to "fix".

Question:  Is there an effective/acceptable shade tree method of "cleaning" up this nasty G--- D---- flash hider?  Read: cutting the barrel.  I know:  hacksaw, and the recommended (two beer, marble-barrel-boogering-techinque).

Oh please, somebody tell me it will be OK.
I feel so dirty. even contemplating taking a saw to this thing.

why dont you jus UNSCREW the flash hider? and then jus dremal the bayo lug. and then have gunsmith silver solder or blind pin an approved muzzle brake. and if & when the BAN gets DISS BANNED, then ya can put the flash hider back on, instead of gettin it rethreaded.

That would certainly be the accepted method.  $21 for the FFH and another $30 for the pinning and soldering.  
Besides, I kind of like the idea of a clean, un-cluttered, flash hider free barrel.  Not to forget the NOISE of something like a Y-comp.  
Of course you're right.  I just wish I had a GOOD shade tree method of cutting the barrel just shy of the threads.

Happy Fourth!!!

Well all you need to do is remove the threads which shouldn't take much.  I would try and set up the muzzle end so i could rotate the barrel with the receiver, then i'd lay a file against the threaded portion and rotate the barrel until the threads are gone.

BTW when i shortened my FAL barrel i used a metal cutting blade in my skillsaw taking care to keep everything square, i then cleaned up the face of the muzzle with my belt sander once again keeping everything square and then got nervous and got a muzzle squaring and crowning kit from brownells.  When i went to square the muzzle it was clear that i had not squared it as much as i had thought, don't know if it would have hurt accuracy or not.  I then used the crowning tool but got chatter marks from the chrome lining. Finally used the marble and valve lapping compound and an hour of so of TV later i had a beutiful crown.

Sell the upper instead of cutting it up.

Talk to Steve from ADCO.  He can put a cap on your muzzle threads and pit it in and dremmel off your bayo lug.  You can remove the cap after the AWB and you are back in business.

[img]http://www.adcofirearms.com/acc/acimages/Thread%20Protector.jpg[/img]

He did right by me and he was FAST.  Total downtime was five days including shipping.

Steve's a good guy.  He'll do right by you.
[url]www.adcofirearms.com.com[/url]

Get an alphabet agency approved muzzle brake, and some of that silver solder / flux paste.  Smear it on the threads, screw on your flash hi--uh, I mean "muzzle brake" and heat it up with a propane torch.  Good enough, and no damage to the barrel.

jus a side note ^^^^^^^the above method IS illegal, if ya goto a public range and an ATF agent wants to be a dick, he could get a propane torch and get it off himself and youd be screwed. the odds are a million to one, but i wouldnt wanna be the one. lol

To be legal, the silver solder method needs 1100f heat. The barrel will have to be reparkerized after this amount of heat.

Thank you all for your various and all quite proper suggestions -- but the deed is done!!

Happily I hope.
 
Not tested down at the stock tank, but it seems well done, and now at least, I can sleep at night, without an ashkroft minion waking me, with the door ripped off its hinges.
 
Damn this paranoia!  I notice that the fellow who shipped it to me saw fit to disguise his return address with a reference to car parts.  Damn this culture of fear.

Using a Dremel cutting disc, I shaped the bayonet lug into a stud to attach a quick release carry strap.  Fairly done.

The barrel was (slowly/carefully) cut with a fine tooth hand saw just forward of the small flair, at the near end of the threads -- removing little more than 1/2" of the O.A. length.  It was dressed with a file.  I had a well worn Dremel bit made of diamond dust impregnated rubber.  I tested it on the remains of the original barrel,looked good, so I finished the thing with this tool,  Untill I get the Brownell square cutting thing (if needed) it will do.

I'm quite satisfied with it, especially the legality of it.

Again, thanks, for your responses, and to the gentleman who offered the use of his lathe.

Enjoy your Forth.  I'll be making some noise!

WAY TO GO! D.I.Y.!

And what do you have to lose? If the crown is boogered, you can always have it redone professionally. If it shoots just fine... you da man!

Pete

Went out to my buddy's farm, and it was RAINING!
...Too much for anything like work, so with my RAWLINGS oversize umbrella I took Sweet Pea down to the stock tank, and even with my eyes and open sights, I had no trouble making golf ball size rocks disappear @ 25yds.  Good enough for a defensive/field-rifle/plinker.  I'll worry about those little holes in paper when the DCM gets here.  
No damage done, as I see it.

I've attached muzzle brakes using 1100 silver solder and never had to repark.  I just try to keep the silver from overflowing and then cold blue.