Gunsmithing Bore out muzzle brake?

[Mo7orider]

Like the title says, can I open the bore of my muzzle brake without affecting its performance?
I purchased a brake for 6mm Creedmoor and want to put it on a 6.5 Creedmoor. I looked at the manufacturers website and the calibers do have different part numbers.
I have access to a machine shop so I can dial it up on the lathe and get accurate results.
How big do I go? Should I measure how big it is for 6mm and just do the same clearance proportion for 6.5?

 

[...]

yup, generally not a problem.....thats the way badger does it for some of their brakes, sell you and undersized brake and have you bore it out.

ide bore it out 0.020-0.030 over bullet diameter.

 

[Mo7orider]

Nice! Thank you.

 

[Wannashootit]

Kodiak chucking reamer... under $30.

Or you can spend more than twice that at PTG...

 

[Changed]

I’d mike the opening. Never know..

 

[Huskydriver]

I do it all the time

 

[Wannashootit]

When opening up the bore on brakes I find it infinitely easier to run a chucking reamer after drilling to near-size.
If it's done as part of the process when the barrel is still in the lathe, at least the setup is already done- but skinny boring bars, heavily interrupted cuts, gage pins and the like still make it overly complicated to do it that way for me.

No need to indicate anything with the reamer in a floating holder. It's going to follow the original hole. 5 seconds and it's done- and the hole is precisely the dimension wanted with no fuss.

 

[gnochi]

No need to ream it, just put a drill bit that’s 0.020”-0.060” oversized in a floating holder on a lathe (or dial indicate extremely well (or just put the damn thing in a vise and use a hand drill)). Muzzle brake (and suppressor) performance depends a lot more on concentricity to the muzzle crown than it does on bore clearance, as long as you have enough clearance.

 

[Easy_E]

Check the brake ID size I had a guy wanting a .556 brake opened up for a .243 and the hole was already large enough for that caliber . I think the brakes for suppressors are purposely drilled large for variances in factory threading.

 

[Mo7orider]

Thanks for all the great info! I’ll post a picture when it’s done.

 

[Mo7orider]

Thanks to everyone. I ended up returning the 6mm brake and exchanging for the 6.5mm.

 

[Recon_Scout]

Is there a way to align it using a mill rather than lathe?

 

[gnochi]

Is there a way to align it using a mill rather than lathe?

Technically.

Potential concerns:

1. Misalignment
2. Secure fixturing

 

[Wannashootit]

Simple...

Co-Axial Center Indicator Set

Shars Tool

www.shars.com