Gunsmithing Tapping a muzzle break

[Dantrom]

I made a muzzle break for my .308 and need to tap it with a 5/8-24 tap. is there a special tap I should use or will a standard 5/8-24 tap work?
The reason I ask is because I have seen people on here talk about special sereies barrel threads for silencers(I think they called it a class 3 thread?). Is there any truth to this?

 

[madd0c]

Re: Tapping a muzzle break

I would definitely think twice (or three times) about tapping a brake. If you are a pro with dies and taps, then more power to you, but realize that if you don't get it perfectly concentric you leave the chance of the bullet hitting the brake when it exits the muzzle.
I am not a gunsmith, but I think 99% of them will thread the brake on a lathe to get the cocentricity.

Having a brake threaded should be pretty cheap, and you can just send it in the mail.

I am sure some of the smiths here will be along shortly to add more info.
madd0c

 

[coldboremiracle]

Re: Tapping a muzzle break

+1, tapping sounds like a recipe for disaster, concentricity is a must, even if your lucky and it lines up enough to not be struck by an exiting bullet, it still may be off center enough to cause very poor accuracy.

 

[Dantrom]

Re: Tapping a muzzle break

yeah guys I understand all of this. I do this stuff for a living just not to guns. I am a seasoned journeyman Tool and Die maker and have access to all of the machines and tools required to do this job right.

Thanks for the advice but I am just looking for an answer to my question.

 

[deadeye]

Re: Tapping a muzzle break

Standard Tap is fine. Made and installed 30 or 40 now. Just bore the opening on the lathe while installed and indicated to the bore.

 

[swd]

Re: Tapping a muzzle break

I've made hundreds of muzzle brakes and I dial them in to under .001" before single point threading them. Your exit bore would probably have to be so big to prevent strikes that it would'nt work all that great.

 

[smokshwn]

Re: Tapping a muzzle break

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Dantrom</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I made a muzzle break for my .308 and need to tap it with a 5/8-24 tap. is there a special tap I should use or will a standard 5/8-24 tap work?
The reason I ask is because I have seen people on here talk about special sereies barrel threads for silencers(I think they called it a class 3 thread?). Is there any truth to this? </div></div>

Just out of curiosity....if you do this stuff for a living and have access to machines and tooling, why would you be curious about using a far inferior method to shortcut the job?

Kinda like a laser eye surgeon asking about doing Lasik with a surefire and magnifying glass isn't it?

 

[High Binder]

Re: Tapping a muzzle break

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: smokshwn</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Dantrom</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I made a muzzle break for my .308 and need to tap it with a 5/8-24 tap. is there a special tap I should use or will a standard 5/8-24 tap work?
The reason I ask is because I have seen people on here talk about special sereies barrel threads for silencers(I think they called it a class 3 thread?). Is there any truth to this? </div></div>

Just out of curiosity....if you do this stuff for a living and have access to machines and tooling, why would you be curious about using a far inferior method to shortcut the job? </div></div>

I think he was just making sure that the thread pattern of a conventional tap was correct and not some modified version of the same tap called "class 3 thread"

 

[300sniper]

Re: Tapping a muzzle break

personally, i would prefer a class 3 thread if it were ever to be removed and reinstalled. even though a 60° thread should self center, i feel better knowing there is less room for it not to.

a tap should work fine as long as the exit hole is concentric to the bore and i feel best done on the rifle. one thing that may cause some cosmetic issues is if the tap does not go in square to the rear face of the brake. this could leave a gap that would be ugly if you were trying for the "one piece" look by turning it down to match the barrel contour.

so yes, i think a tap would work just fine as long as the exit hole is opened up with a boring bar concentric and in line with the threads.

 

[Dantrom]

Re: Tapping a muzzle break

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Shot In The Dark</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: smokshwn</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Dantrom</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I made a muzzle break for my .308 and need to tap it with a 5/8-24 tap. is there a special tap I should use or will a standard 5/8-24 tap work?
The reason I ask is because I have seen people on here talk about special sereies barrel threads for silencers(I think they called it a class 3 thread?). Is there any truth to this? </div></div>

Just out of curiosity....if you do this stuff for a living and have access to machines and tooling, why would you be curious about using a far inferior method to shortcut the job? </div></div>

I think he was just making sure that the thread pattern of a conventional tap was correct and not some modified version of the same tap called "class 3 thread" </div></div>

exactly. Thank you

 

[gamma]

Re: Tapping a muzzle break

I never read such bullshit in all my life. Just get a 5/8 x 24 tap and use the live centre to guide the tap in. When you have that done put the tap in the chuck and screw the brake back onto it and drill your hole down through the centre and finish with a reamer of the correct size suitable to your calibre. I bet your sorry now you ever asked.