Help removing Muzzle Brake

[surprise]

Helping a friend remove a muzzle brake that is extremely stubborn. Tried to "wrench" it off and only got a partial turn. Can't tell if it has a thread locking compound on it. Current plan, heating it up with a torch and spraying it with some Blaster penetrating oil. Let it sit for a bit and heat it up again spray again and try to work it back and forth. This is the most stubborn brake I have dealt with and any suggestions would be helpful.

Thoughts?

Thanks

 

[M8541Reaper]

I’ve ran into stubborn ones a couple of times and was successful with heat and penetrating oil. Really bad ones I let soak for a day.

Good luck

 

[AIAW]

Pretty much what you are already doing. I've ruined a barrel vice trying to get one of them off. Just got to keep working at it. Heat is your friend.

Absolute worst case - you cut a relief in it and try to not get into the barrel threading.

 

[surprise]

Pretty much what you are already doing. I've ruined a barrel vice trying to get one of them off. Just got to keep working at it. Heat is your friend.

Absolute worst case - you cut a relief in it and try to not get into the barrel threading.

All right so let’s get a little technical, how much heat is too much? And I assume the best course of action is to heat up the muzzle break with a torch, try it, if I don’t get any movement heat it up a little more and keep trying? A little nervous about putting too much heat on the end of the barrel an muzzle brake area. Let’s all assume that if it’s glowing red that’s way too damn hot but other than that any guidelines?

 

[GH41]

If it moved a little it's probably not thread locker. Is the MD or barrel stainless steel? Something moving a little and then stopping sounds like it is galled.

 

[jrpilot]

If it was put on with rocksett you will need to use water.

 

[MarinePMI]

What kind of brake? Some are left hand threaded...

 

[surprise]

It’s a factory AI barrel with the thunder beast brake.

 

[Rubicon Precision]

If you got a partial turn, then it won't turn more, it's probably galled now and will need to be cut off.

 

[308pirate]

If you got a partial turn, then it won't turn more, it's probably galled now and will need to be cut off.

Agree

Time to get out the

 

[surprise]

If you got a partial turn, then it won't turn more, it's probably galled now and will need to be cut off.

do you just make a relieve cut int he body of the break then or???

 

[TheBoctor]

do you just make a relieve cut int he body of the break then or???

If it's galled, the brake has taken the barrel threads with it. You can cut the brake off but you'll still have to cut the barrel down and re-crown/thread the muzzle once you get it off.

But I agree with the above, not being able to budge it is one thing, but getting some movement out of it before locking up again is usually a bad sign.

 

[surprise]

If it's galled, the brake has taken the barrel threads with it. You can cut the brake off but you'll still have to cut the barrel down and re-crown/thread the muzzle once you get it off.

But I agree with the above, not being able to budge it is one thing, but getting some movement out of it before locking up again is usually a bad sign.

I would assume that to prevent that in the future, it would be wise to put some anti-seize on it?

 

[Wannashootit]

I would assume that to prevent that in the future, it would be wise to put some anti-seize on it?

Not my approach, though lubricating threads is one of the primary methods of preventing galling.
I've only had it occur when thread clearances are inadequate causing excessive friction when assembling (STOP if it doesn't thread on freely), or if excessive torque has been used.

Some like to torque the snot out of muzzle devices and I'm not in that camp. Particularly with finer thread pitches like 28, 32 tpi it's easy to overtorque and gall the threads. I rely on the shoulders to align the parts correctly- and Rocksett to prevent the threads from vibrating loose.

JMO, YMMV