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tore up muzzle brake. any ideas what happened?

smboudreaux

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Oct 2, 2009
196
0
43
Addis, La
This happened on the absolute first round fired through this rifle. the guy in the lane next to me said my rifle just threw crap at him. when i looked at the brake this is what i found.

DSC_0343.jpg



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i went straight to the smith who installed it. of course he said in was installed true and correctly.
 
Re: tore up muzzle brake. any ideas what happened?

Definitely a "baffle" strike.

Was the bore of the brake larger than the bullet?

It looks like it struck both sides of the baffles.

ETA: I'm assuming it's a APA little bastard, the standard opening is 6.5mm
 
Re: tore up muzzle brake. any ideas what happened?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: jasonk</div><div class="ubbcode-body">It would appear he forgot to open it up. </div></div>

That is what I was thinking.
 
Re: tore up muzzle brake. any ideas what happened?

The bore of all muzzle brakes should be +.020" oversized of the bullet diameter and dead nuts concentric with the bore. It appears neither was the case in yours. You’re lucky this is all that happened.

Chucking reamers and or small boring bars are used to open muzzle brake bores and are cheap in comparison to the alternative. Glad you’re OK
 
Re: tore up muzzle brake. any ideas what happened?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: smboudreaux</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> of course he said in was installed true and correctly. </div></div>

Clearly, your gunsmith is blind.
crazy.gif
 
Re: tore up muzzle brake. any ideas what happened?

wow he fucked the pooch on that one.... your lucky that all that was damaged was the brake.
 
Re: tore up muzzle brake. any ideas what happened?

Right there is the reason I have all my work done by reputable gunsmiths or ones that I know, know their shit. My local smith couldnt even put on a brake for me that matched the O.D. of my barrel (it was basically oval).

Glad your O.k.
 
Re: tore up muzzle brake. any ideas what happened?

What is the caliber of you're rifle? If its 308 the opening of this brake comes from the factory with an opening WAY smaller. As jasonk said, they probably installed the brake true and correct, But did not open the brake for 30 caliber. It appears in the picture to be the small diameter its sent from the factory. Just glad you weren't hurt or anyone around you. In the box from the brake it specifically states the brake needs to be opened for the caliber it is intended and must be installed by a competent gunsmith with all the complete data listed. Did he order the brake for you, and install it? Or did you give him the brake? If he neglected to read the instructions or didn't get them, he may not have noticed. I guess that's where the "competent" part comes into play.
 
Re: tore up muzzle brake. any ideas what happened?

Holy smokes.

That is down right scary, especially if you paid someone to put the brake on for you or you purchased the rifle built with the brake on it.

Glad everyone is ok. It could have ended MUCH worse than just having a guy in the lane next to you having crap thrown on him.
 
Re: tore up muzzle brake. any ideas what happened?

it appears it <span style="font-style: italic">now</span> has the proper clearance...































...in my opinion, it is better to insure the proper clearance before the rifle is shot though.
wink.gif


ps, have someone that knows what they are doing fix the issue and have your installer pay for it.
 
Re: tore up muzzle brake. any ideas what happened?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: smboudreaux</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

i went straight to the smith who installed it. of course he said in was installed true and correctly. </div></div>

oh yeah, ask your installer if he smokes crack every day or just on the weekends/
 
Re: tore up muzzle brake. any ideas what happened?

Wow tough break. I also had a baffle strike on my brake install first shot out for my 338 edge. Nothing like that though, it was just a little nick on the side of the last baffle. It looks like your hole was just not bored out to size at all.

Now me.. I blame my smith because I know it was him - I did the work. Not sure how your smith could look at those pictures and deny accountability, that is very clearly not correct.
 
Re: tore up muzzle brake. any ideas what happened?

Is this the only work he did? If not, I'd be suspect of a lot of other things as well. I was wondering why the brake isn't turned and blended but of course the finishing details pale in comparison to actually making it functional.

259bpdz.jpg


Precision "Gunsmithing" works here as well....
 
Re: tore up muzzle brake. any ideas what happened?

i recognize that muzzle brake. I think I know who your smith is.
 
Re: tore up muzzle brake. any ideas what happened?

You get extra points for the picture, I'm LMAO
 
Re: tore up muzzle brake. any ideas what happened?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: GunGuru727</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I wouldn't even go back to the smith. F that. </div></div>

Good Point.But,I sure as Hell would to get my Money Back !!!!
 
Re: tore up muzzle brake. any ideas what happened?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: JCH</div><div class="ubbcode-body">i recognize that muzzle brake. I think I know who your smith is. </div></div>

I doubt the manufacturer of that muzzle brake installed it.
 
Re: tore up muzzle brake. any ideas what happened?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: wnroscoe</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: JCH</div><div class="ubbcode-body">i recognize that muzzle brake. I think I know who your smith is. </div></div>

I doubt the manufacturer of that muzzle brake installed it.</div></div>

Look closely at this muzzle brake, it was manufactured and installed by the same person, a gunsmith that I will never use again.
DSC00035.jpg
 
Re: tore up muzzle brake. any ideas what happened?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: wnroscoe</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: JCH</div><div class="ubbcode-body">i recognize that muzzle brake. I think I know who your smith is. </div></div>

I doubt the manufacturer of that muzzle brake installed it.</div></div>

I seriously doubt it as well.
 
Re: tore up muzzle brake. any ideas what happened?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Mike</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: wnroscoe</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: JCH</div><div class="ubbcode-body">i recognize that muzzle brake. I think I know who your smith is. </div></div>

I doubt the manufacturer of that muzzle brake installed it.</div></div>

I seriously doubt it as well.</div></div>

look at my pic.
 
Re: tore up muzzle brake. any ideas what happened?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: jasonk</div><div class="ubbcode-body">It would appear he forgot to open it up. </div></div>

You have to open it up?


doh!
 
Re: tore up muzzle brake. any ideas what happened?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: JCH</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Mike</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: wnroscoe</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: JCH</div><div class="ubbcode-body">i recognize that muzzle brake. I think I know who your smith is. </div></div>

I doubt the manufacturer of that muzzle brake installed it.</div></div>

I seriously doubt it as well.</div></div>

look at my pic. </div></div>

your brake does not appear to be the same as the op's. i couldn't say who installed the op's brake but it sure looks like a familiar one on the market. if it is the brake i think it is, i HIGHLY doubt it was installed by the manufacture.
 
Re: tore up muzzle brake. any ideas what happened?

This gunsmith I am referring to manufactures his own brakes. He also refuses to blend the brake to the contour of your rifle. If it isn't the same gunsmith, then they have the same common practice.
 
Re: tore up muzzle brake. any ideas what happened?

Wow. I have to ask the dreaded question. Is that smith on here?
 
Re: tore up muzzle brake. any ideas what happened?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: JCH</div><div class="ubbcode-body">This gunsmith I am referring to manufactures his own brakes. He also refuses to blend the brake to the contour of your rifle. If it isn't the same gunsmith, then they have the same common practice. </div></div>

Since we are Playing 20 Questions,Does he Also make a much larger Version for big Magnums ???
 
Re: tore up muzzle brake. any ideas what happened?

Doing a quick search on the OPs post points to the smith as

http://jimsfirearms.net/

JCH if your smith is who I think it is, they for sure do contour the brake to the barrel.
 
Re: tore up muzzle brake. any ideas what happened?

That's INGENIOUS how your 'smith opened up the end of the brake horizontally to help blow the blast out to the sides. I think he's onto something here.

All joking aside - glad you are ok. The end result could have been MUCH worse. Hope he pays to install a new one and refunds what you've spent with him. That's what I'd do if I were him. Stand up and admit his mistake and make it right.
 
Re: tore up muzzle brake. any ideas what happened?

I'll say that the smith that did mine doesn't post on snipershide.
 
Re: tore up muzzle brake. any ideas what happened?

i'm not sure if the smith was aware it needed to be opened up. basically i brought they smith a box of parts and told him to put together. after talking to them yesterday him being aware of opening it up make sense.

if failure to open the brake up is the problem shouldn't it have blown out the first baffel also. it is a lil bastard brake. the bullet appears to have began expansion in a left to right fashion. shouldnt it have expanded in a circular fashion or possibly up and down. there is more material above and below the bore
 
Re: tore up muzzle brake. any ideas what happened?

That's impact followed by heat transfer.

If it had a lifetime warranty its now dead.
 
Re: tore up muzzle brake. any ideas what happened?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">the guy in the lane next to me said my rifle just threw crap at him.</div></div>

I'm surprised the guy next to you didn't kick your ass or take your rifle and wrap it around a pole. Blame the gunsmith all you want but it's your rifle, your mistake.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Ralphie: [Ralphie is shoved down the slide, but he stops himself and climbs back up] No! No! I want an Official Red Ryder Carbine-Action Two-Hundred-Shot Range Model Air Rifle!

Santa Claus: You'll shoot your eye out, kid. </div></div>

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Ralphie: I want an official Red Ryder, carbine action, two-hundred shot range model air rifle!

Mrs. Parker: No, you'll shoot your eye out. </div></div>

 
Re: tore up muzzle brake. any ideas what happened?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: wnroscoe</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The bore of all muzzle brakes should be +.020" oversized of the bullet diameter and dead nuts concentric with the bore. It appears neither was the case in yours. You’re lucky this is all that happened.

Chucking reamers and or small boring bars are used to open muzzle brake bores and are cheap in comparison to the alternative. Glad you’re OK


</div></div>

I agree with the above. I don't see any other way that the brake could have been damaged the way it was unless the above was correct. Unless the bullet came out sideways. NOT
 
Re: tore up muzzle brake. any ideas what happened?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Culpeper</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
I'm surprised the guy next to you didn't kick your ass or take your rifle and wrap it around a pole. Blame the gunsmith all you want but it's your rifle, your mistake.



</div></div>

fortunately for me and my rifle the gentleman in the next lane was more well manor-ed than that
 
Re: tore up muzzle brake. any ideas what happened?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Culpeper</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">the guy in the lane next to me said my rifle just threw crap at him.</div></div>

I'm surprised the guy next to you didn't kick your ass or take your rifle and wrap it around a pole. Blame the gunsmith all you want but it's your rifle, your mistake.
</div></div>


so if you take a car to get your tires changed and the tire monkey doesn't torque your lug nuts causing a crash when you leave the parking lot, it would be your fault because it's your car?

people take guns to gunsmiths because they don't have the knowledge or tooling to do the work themselves. the same way people take their cars to tire shops to get their tires changed, they don't have the knowledge or tooling to do so themselves.
 
Re: tore up muzzle brake. any ideas what happened?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Culpeper</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">the guy in the lane next to me said my rifle just threw crap at him.</div></div>

I'm surprised the guy next to you didn't kick your ass or take your rifle and wrap it around a pole. Blame the gunsmith all you want but it's your rifle, your mistake.
</div></div>

Seriously? How is this not the smith's fault? I think you have a distorted view on where the blame falls.
 
Re: tore up muzzle brake. any ideas what happened?

Is there some reason other than asthetics why a break should be blended?
 
Re: tore up muzzle brake. any ideas what happened?

I would be pretty upset with that smith.

As the points have been brought up:

1) It was not opened up to the correct OD
2) It was not test fired by the smith
3) That is a VERY dangerous situation for you and the people around you
4) You will have to pay for a new muzzle brake.

I would find a new and reputable smith to do the new brake. Make your old smith pay for the work.
 
Re: tore up muzzle brake. any ideas what happened?

just got off the horn with the smith. long story short, they are gonna make it right. new brake in route. even gonna reimburse me for getting it recoated
 
Re: tore up muzzle brake. any ideas what happened?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">people take guns to gunsmiths because they don't have the knowledge or tooling to do the work themselves. </div></div>

That statement should be a clear warning to everybody on the firing line that the guy next to you may be an idiot. Check your muzzle clearance before firing your weapon. Especially, if you go so far as to stick something in front of it. Also, if I hand you a weapon and tell you it is unloaded you're going to believe me, right? Because I know how to shoot, right? Because I've been to the range before, right? Because I have the fundamentals of shooting safety tattooed on my ass, right?

This has very little to do with the gunsmith once the owner failed to check the muzzle clearance of his own rifle, loaded the rifle, and went so far as to shoot it.
 
Re: tore up muzzle brake. any ideas what happened?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Culpeper</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">people take guns to gunsmiths because they don't have the knowledge or tooling to do the work themselves. </div></div>


This has very little to do with the gunsmith once the owner failed to check the muzzle clearance of his own rifle, loaded the rifle, and went so far as to shoot it. </div></div>

so let me get this straight. i should pay to have it done by a professional, then i should go out by some tools to verify the work performed by the professional.

do you drain the oil from your engine and measure it when you get home from an oil change?

do you but a caliper on every bullet in the box before you load it in your weapon?
 
Re: tore up muzzle brake. any ideas what happened?

Culpepper,
If you think along those lines of thought, do you check all your factory ammo to ensure that no one at the plant mistakenly put the wrong round in the box? That is 100% the smiths fault, no way around that. Do you ensure that every rifle you have when you bought it was a 308 or 223 by casting the bore? Or did you take Remington's word for it that it was in fact a 308?