Bought the Chiappa Little Badger -- how to fix threads?

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PorkChopsMmm
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Bought the Chiappa Little Badger -- how to fix threads?

Post by PorkChopsMmm »

So I bought this little guy for my daughter and picked it up 2 nights ago. I think it will work well enough but you get what you pay for. The barrel is threaded 1/2x28 and it had a glued on plastic cover over the threads. I took it off and cleaned off the excess glue. Now for the weird part -- my SS Sparrow will only turn on a half turn -- then it is impossible to turn any more. The suppressor fits just fine on my Savage Mark II FVSR and a Ruger SR22PBT.

Sooo... not wanting to harm the suppressor I took a thread protector I have and was able to thread it on the Little Badger just fine. Maybe it feels a little tighter than threading the protector on my FVSR -- but not by much. Any suggestions for what to do next? I really don't want to mail this back to Chiappa for what looks like such a simple fix. I did some searching and saw that I could chase the threads with a 1/2x28 die -- is that what you would recommend? The threads don't look damaged or off. I can take a picture tonight.

Any advice?

Image

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GHEN
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Re: Bought the Chiappa Little Badger -- how to fix threads?

Post by GHEN »

It could very well be that your can and your barrel are both within specs, just on extreme and opposite ends of the tolerance scale. The fact that your thread protector screws on seems to augment that.

I would go ahead and chase the threads on the barrel with a 1/2X28 die. As long as you are sure that is the correct threading you aren't going to hut anything.

Please let us know how it turns out (see what I did there).

GHEN
PorkChopsMmm
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Re: Bought the Chiappa Little Badger -- how to fix threads?

Post by PorkChopsMmm »

If I buy a die do I also need the handle and all of the other parts? This small fix would add up to $25+ because I don't have the tools. Called a local gunsmith I have worked with before and they would not try the die on the end -- they would only let me drop the gun off and they will look at it in 2 months or so :( -- not going that route.
57fairlane
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Re: Bought the Chiappa Little Badger -- how to fix threads?

Post by 57fairlane »

PorkChopsMmm wrote:If I buy a die do I also need the handle and all of the other parts?
If you buy a tap and die set it will come with one, however most sets don't come with a UNEF die. You also can use a thread file which will have a side with a 28tpi file on it. Typically you use this in a lathe though as its much easier to take off an even amount when the barrel is spinning and the file is stationary not the other way around.

You might be able to sneak up on it by hand if you back the tension screw out and the screw it in little by little with just enough tension that you can still rotate it by hand. Hopefully they went with 1/2x28 and not 1/2x20
PorkChopsMmm wrote:This small fix would add up to $25+ because I don't have the tools.
Your call . . . personally I like having a bunch of tools even if I only use them 1-2 times a year.
PorkChopsMmm wrote:Called a local gunsmith I have worked with before and they would not try the die on the end
Find a new gunsmith.

You can get carried away on a die and undercut them but the thread form already exists for what you are doing and theoretically was cut when the barrel was made with the intention of being perpendicular to the bore. Secondly, the primary aligning feature a thread-on silencer uses is the shoulder just after the thread relief not the threads.
PorkChopsMmm
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Re: Bought the Chiappa Little Badger -- how to fix threads?

Post by PorkChopsMmm »

Does anyone have one I can borrow? No gunsmiths around me other than the grumpy one I already mentioned. A lot of the cheaper kinds on Amazon don't come with 1/2 x 28.
Last edited by PorkChopsMmm on Wed Sep 11, 2013 12:42 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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mpallett
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Re: Bought the Chiappa Little Badger -- how to fix threads?

Post by mpallett »

PorkChopsMmm wrote:Does anyone have one I can borrow? No gunsmiths around me other than the grumpy one I already mentioned. A lot of the cheaper kids on Amazon don't come with 1/2 x 28.

http://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-tools ... 41592.aspx

Just run it by hand ... don't need the rest ...
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este
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Re: Bought the Chiappa Little Badger -- how to fix threads?

Post by este »

Like everyone else said. Run a die on it. If it's 1/2x28 it probably just needs to be cleaned up. I'd probably double check it's "supposed" to be 1/2x28 first (thread gauge or match a bolt of the same size up to it)
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Re: Bought the Chiappa Little Badger -- how to fix threads?

Post by Capt. Link. »

Where are you? One of us may be close.
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PorkChopsMmm
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Re: Bought the Chiappa Little Badger -- how to fix threads?

Post by PorkChopsMmm »

Near Grand Rapids, MI. Squirrel season is coming up soon and my daughter wanted to try and go hunting for this first time. I wanted to get her some practice with suppressed fire before then. I will contact Chiappa just to see what they can do. I will also try to find a different gunsmith.

BTW I think the threads are very close to 1/2x28 -- my thread protector fits on just fine, not too tight and not too sloppy.
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McLarenross
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Re: Bought the Chiappa Little Badger -- how to fix threads?

Post by McLarenross »

I wish I were home. Im pretty sure Ive got a 1/2x28 die in my box Ive never used I would send you just to get your daughter out shooting.
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Re: Bought the Chiappa Little Badger -- how to fix threads?

Post by RJT »

If you're just going to chase the threads, no need for all the extra holders and such. Just get the die, and go by hand.
You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.
GHEN
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Re: Bought the Chiappa Little Badger -- how to fix threads?

Post by GHEN »

mpallett wrote:
http://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-tools ... 41592.aspx

Just run it by hand ... don't need the rest ...
What he said...
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Re: Bought the Chiappa Little Badger -- how to fix threads?

Post by jt526 »

I just found out about these yesterday, found one online today for $164 shipped, and it is on its way to my dealer. We'll see if I have the same problem.

This'll keep me from wanting to thread my M6 Scout I hope. Now to work out a collapsible stock. Thanks for the heads up on the threads, I've got a 1/2x28 die at least, just need to dig it up.
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Historian
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Re: Bought the Chiappa Little Badger -- how to fix threads?

Post by Historian »

PorkChopsMmm wrote:Near Grand Rapids, MI. Squirrel season is coming up soon and my daughter wanted to try and go hunting for this first time. I wanted to get her some practice with suppressed fire before then. I will contact Chiappa just to see what they can do. I will also try to find a different gunsmith.

BTW I think the threads are very close to 1/2x28 -- my thread protector fits on just fine, not too tight and not too sloppy.
There have been some thread protectors that were 24 TPI. This just might explain
why your can is only going in so far. If this unlikely scenario is true then you
are going to bung up the can's threads, especially if it is aluminum.

Err on the side of caution. Check first.

Just a thought.
PorkChopsMmm
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Re: Bought the Chiappa Little Badger -- how to fix threads?

Post by PorkChopsMmm »

jt -- I hope you enjoy the rifle. It is what it is -- a cheap small folding rifle. Works well enough but my rear sight (both f and r are plastic) was loose. I tried tightening it down some and I think the screw was stripped in the receiver at the factory so I just super glued it down. The ends of the metal stock pieces are threaded. So where the stock enters the receiver and where the but pad fits on -- is threaded. Something I didn't realize until I checked out the assembly diagram. Maybe that will help you. I removed the bottom picatinny rail and it closed even further, FYI.

Historian -- I don't think they are off that much because the thread protector from my other know 1/2x28 guns fit -- or is 24 that close that it will work? The SS Sparrow I have has stainless steel components -- so unless I really try hard I hope to not mess up the threads in it.
jt526
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Re: Bought the Chiappa Little Badger -- how to fix threads?

Post by jt526 »

Threads are pretty long, bottoms out on my recored mite on the blast baffle, haven't tried Spectre yet, but it should be fine since it is so deep. Will require one of those ar threaded things for regular use.
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Tony M.
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Re: Bought the Chiappa Little Badger -- how to fix threads?

Post by Tony M. »

I like the concept of this rifle. I'll have to see if one comes for sale cheaply when I've got cash handy, I wouldn't mind having another host.

What I would love though would be the same gun made 100% in stainless steel.
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Re: Bought the Chiappa Little Badger -- how to fix threads?

Post by jt526 »

Interesting thing, the chamber is pretty loose, so on some shots you get a significant pop and blast out the side of the action when the round doesn' t seal against the chamber I guess. Had it happen on some of the super colibri, rem subsonic, and on aguila 40gr subs. When it happens you can see the gas blast. The sound signature is quiet, but fairly inconsistent on mine, even with the same ammo. Ohter than those few shots, it was super quiet. But this was indoors, outdoors I think it would be less noticeable. Spectre also threaded right on.
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