Gunsmithing Barrel threading.

RonA

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Jul 10, 2011
664
389
70
Browns Valley CA
I started getting calls from a guy that had a muzzle brake installed improperly by a "gunsmith". He was a nice guy, out of work, no mechanical aptitude. After spending an hour on the phone with him over the course of several calls I decided it would be best if I just had him send me his barrel so I could make him a new brake and install it. I got it in today and after cleaning the Loctite off, I looked at it under the microscope. If Arnold Swartzenegger was a gunsmith and an 8 ft tall Post Office employee from another planet left it on the counter, He'd unwrap it and say, "You are one ugly......" Well, you get the idea. For the love of all that is holy, if you don't know what you are doing, leave peoples rifles alone. It would have had fewer angles if he had engaged the lead screw and went back and forth with a 3 cornered file after drinking a gallon of expresso.
 
I fixed one for an in-law a couple months ago. The job was done by an in business "gunsmith". The task was to thread M70 factory chromoly sporter barrel for 1/2-32 tenon and fit the brake. Pretty simple? Well, the Vias brake started to thread on after sliding over the first 3-4 threads. Man, it was a total hack job. After it was tight, daylight could be seen between tenon shoulder and brake. He never tapered the brake for a smooth metal to metal fit.Looks like he used a file to attempt a radius fit. Top things off...the brake was spray painted with stylish textured run globs! Baffles me as to why cold blue wasn't used to make it presentable!