Good morning. I really don't have a lot of experience with muzzle breaks, but I was looking at a used gun with one on it. The seller says that the Boss muzzle break is removeable. It's a hunting rifle, so I'm not really interested in using the break when I'm hunting (I've heard they generate a lot of noise), so most of the time the break would be removed. Does that cause any issues? Again, I don't know much about them, so does that leave rifling exposed at the end of the barrel, when the break is removed. Sorry if these are dumb questions, I just don't have a lot of experience with them. Thanks.

Brake, as in, car brakes.
The Boss is an adjustable brake, intended to tune your barrel harmonics so as to improve accuracy. Mostly hype and nonsense on a hunting rifle and there is a reason they no longer make them.
Yes they are a bit louder. And do reduce recoil to some extent.
Yes you can remove it; but how can rifling be exposed? Rifling is inside the bore! As in all rifle barrels, you can see it at the muzzle.
I have removed many of these for guys, cut off the threads and recrowned them.

Thanks, that was helpful. If I understand your reply correctly, there is some work required to be done by a gunsmith, is that correct? Thanks.

BOSS's come with or without compensator cuts. The solid ones don't add noise but still give you the ability to tune the barrel to a limited extent. If you have a vented one, you can replace it with a solid one and not have to do any gunsmithing.

Excellent. Thanks for your help.

And you will still have 4 inches of ugly scrap iron hanging off your barrel. Can you tell I have zero use for these things?

why can't he just put a thread cover on it?

He could. There aren't any commercial ones to my knowledge. it would have to be a one off deal.

quote:

Originally posted by eny:
why can't he just put a thread cover on it?

quote:

Originally posted by Bobster:
He could. There aren't any commercial ones to my knowledge. it would have to be a one off deal.

quote:

Originally posted by eny:
why can't he just put a thread cover on it?

I imagine gunsmiths who thread barrels for suppressors or muzzle brakes would supply thread protectors in a range of thread sizes, they do in our neck of the woods. Even some of our hunting and shooting retailers supply these.

In the TRL's case I would leave the thread on the barrel after removing the Boss brake, handy for fitting a suppressor or brake if decided in the future.

quote:

Originally posted by Bobster:
He could. There aren't any commercial ones to my knowledge. it would have to be a one off deal.

quote:

Originally posted by eny:
why can't he just put a thread cover on it?

I don't know anything about the BOSS brand in particular, but thread covers are readily available, dirt cheap, and come in a plethora of shapes, sizes, and colors.

When I make barrels, they get a thread protector, so that when you remove the suppressor, it just looks like a regular octagon.

The Browning thread is proprietry. Something close to a 9/16-24 I understand.

Most are 9/16x24; calibers 338 and up are 19/32x24.
Cut the damn thing off and reccrown it!

Well dpcd, I bought a used Browing heavy barrel varmint in 308 with the solid boss. I think whoever owned didn't know what he was doing as the boss was screwed way loose and the two action screws were loose. I tighten the action screws and turned the boss to zero. I loaded some 30 caliber match, but didn't shoot any until I called the Browning tech. First thing he said was don't watch that stupid Browing video on tuning the boss. He told me he's have me shooting holes in a few shots. He did. Before adjust the boss the 100 yard group was big. Couple adjustment and it was shooting a 1/4 inch group consistently. I worked with an engineer develiping a tuner and also a tuner muzzle break. THEY DO WORK condtrary to what you say or think. I know you know about barrel harmonics and that's what tuners are all about.

quote:

Originally posted by dpcd:
Most are 9/16x24; calibers 338 and up are 19/32x24.
Cut the damn thing off and reccrown it!

Yep and 9/16x24 thread protectors are commonly available here. Most all Browning rifles now retailed here in NZ are factory threaded for suppressors.

Ok SM, if they are so great, then why did they stop making them? Good that you made one work; many others gave up and brought them to me to remove. It was just too much work and drama for the average hunter to manage. And under field conditions, the improvements become irrelevant.
Sure, barrel tuners can be made to work, but are not all that helpful on hunting rifles.
And you had a heavy barreled varmint rifle too.

quote:

Originally posted by dpcd:
Ok SM, if they are so great, then why did they stop making them? Good that you made one work; many others gave up and brought them to me to remove. It was just too much work and drama for the average hunter to manage. And under field conditions, the improvements become irrelevant.
Sure, barrel tuners can be made to work, but are not all that helpful on hunting rifles.
And you had a heavy barreled varmint rifle too.

dpcd I'd say to save money coupled with the fact many people didn't like them. I also have som tuners on AR10's and they tuned it in tighter then with out.

Here's an interesint note. Big an AR10, quality barrel and receiver, match trigger. I didn't put a flashider in it as I didn' t have it at the time. Made a thread protector nut. Shot really reall good. Then the flashider showed up and put it on. The groups immediately openned up to 3 inches!!! I took it off and back to the good groups. Don't need no stinking flashider and besides I'm not in combat.

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Originally posted by dpcd:
Ok SM, if they are so great, then why did they stop making them?

Tom, "they" (fn) havent stopped making them.. "they" stopped adding them to civilian sporting arms due to demand.

shootermetal: Sent you a PM. Please check and respond. UEG

I bought two of them, one in 375 H and H and one in 270 Win. They came with two screw on pieces one the Brake and another called CR Conventional Recoil. I went through the process of tuning and I also reload and all I can say is they are both tack drivers. Also, I have never put the Brake on either only used Conventional Recoil sleeve. i've been told that you can get an adapter for threading in case you wanted to suppress them.