Suggestions for Seating a Troublesome Muzzle Brake

[CJW]

I've a small problem with my Carbon Arms Gas Hog, and that is, after trying several different crush washers, it doesn't seat tightly until the top ports are just past the 12 o'clock position. As a right-handed shooter I obviously want it straight up or even just shy of 12 o'clock.

What are my options? My secondary consideration is (of course) that it look good, and so I think while a jam nut would work it wouldn't really fit the contour of the brake. I have never used peel washers for any of my brakes before, though I guess that is a possibility. Can two crush washers be stacked, or is that just asking for trouble?

Thanks!

[TennJeep1618]

Have you tried lightly smashing a crush washer in a vice before you install it. Sometimes that helps clock the brake without really having to crank on it.

If you've still got enough "crush" in the crush washer, try this: Tighten a quarter turn, the back off a quarter, then tighten a half, then back off a quarter, tighten a half, back off a quarter, etc. This helps crush the washer slowly and evenly without putting too much pressure on the threads at one time.

Edited December 29, 2015 by TennJeep1618

[P.E. Kelley]

IF you are patient and have have a good quality flat file you can shave a bit off and dispense with the dang washer!

If you have a very flat surface (glass plate on a bench top) you can shave a bit off with some abrasive paper laying on top.

[JonKC]

IF you are patient and have have a good quality flat file you can shave a bit off and dispense with the dang washer!

If you have a very flat surface (glass plate on a bench top) you can shave a bit off with some abrasive paper laying on top.

^^^^this

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[APL-G35]

1/2-28 threads mean it basically needs .035 taken off the face for a full turn. Figure out how many degrees you need do the math and that's how much you need to take off. I figure it to stop at 10:30 or 11 o'clock and it usually torques to straight up pretty well.

[jon49erfan]

I just use shims. You dont have to worry about taking the muzzle device off and having to get a new crush washer. You can use these forever and they are cheap.

http://www.brownells.com/rifle-parts/muzzle-devices/compensators-amp-muzzle-brakes/ar-15-m16-ar-style-308-muzzle-device-alignment-shims-prod38890.aspx?psize=96

[reptoid]

If you spent good money on a well machined muzzle brake and you care about the accuracy of your rifle at longer distances you want to use shims, peel washers, a precision jam nut, or these:

http://precisionarmament.com/product/accu-washer-system/

While you may get lucky with a file or abrasives, a machinist somewhere probably put some effort into making the bore and seating surface of your brake accurate and true and just because you aren't getting bullet strikes on your brake, doesn't mean it's not affecting the accuracy.

[P.E. Kelley]

If you spent good money on a well machined muzzle brake and you care about the accuracy of your rifle at longer distances you want to use shims, peel washers, a precision jam nut, or these:

http://precisionarmament.com/product/accu-washer-system/

While you may get lucky with a file or abrasives, a machinist somewhere probably put some effort into making the bore and seating surface of your brake accurate and true and just because you aren't getting bullet strikes on your brake, doesn't mean it's not affecting the accuracy.

Not sure how many brakes you have "spun for true" in a lathe...let's just say some are better than others.

I use a lathe to shave mine to fit, but many times "file" the last couple thou. without ill effect.

[Stlhead]

I never spend good money on comps. I only use "dirty" money. That way I can use a disk sander to time my comps. Hell Smitty uses a 4" angle grinder.

[reptoid]

If you spent good money on a well machined muzzle brake and you care about the accuracy of your rifle at longer distances you want to use shims, peel washers, a precision jam nut, or these:

http://precisionarmament.com/product/accu-washer-system/

While you may get lucky with a file or abrasives, a machinist somewhere probably put some effort into making the bore and seating surface of your brake accurate and true and just because you aren't getting bullet strikes on your brake, doesn't mean it's not affecting the accuracy.

Not sure how many brakes you have "spun for true" in a lathe...let's just say some are better than others.

I use a lathe to shave mine to fit, but many times "file" the last couple thou. without ill effect.

I have spun a few and when I did, I spun them using a centered mandrel, not by chucking the O.D.

There are plenty of poorly machined muzzle brakes out there. Some that do a fair job at recoil reduction, but increase group size by a surprising amount, and some properly machined ones that do a great job of reducing recoil/muzzle climb and don't alter group size negatively at all.

The important dimensions are the bore to thread alignment and the seating face being 90 degrees to the bore so that the baffel bores line up perfectly with your bore. The OD being centered is not very critical at all.

Just offering up some cheap insurance for folks to avoid turning a "good" one into a "not-so-good" one

[Flatland Shooter]

This thread reminded me of a comment made by KurtM last year.

"Bob Krieger told me long ago, if you run a muzzle device only tighten it hand tight against a square shoulder and use hi temp loc-tite. Hey it can't hurt, he detested crush washers!"

Seems like that may be a good option.

Bill

http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=202678 Post #16

[CJW]

IF you are patient and have have a good quality flat file you can shave a bit off and dispense with the dang washer!

If you have a very flat surface (glass plate on a bench top) you can shave a bit off with some abrasive paper laying on top.

Okay, so if I want to just fit the brake to the barrel shoulder and skip the washer, what kind of torque would I be looking at to seat it properly? Or should I be going (per the quote Kurt Miller advice) hand tight plus red Loctite?

I have some good flat files, and I also have some uncut Delrin sheets I could lay on the bench for a good flat surface. What grit paper do you recommend, Pat?