I had a customer bring me a Savage 116 300 win mag stainless that has a factory installed muzzle brake. It is a on/off style. It is not intergal. I tried a punch through the ports to get it loose but I put so much pressure on it, the punch was about at its braking point.

Anyone have experience removing these, I don't see any pins. Im wondering if they used a thread locker of some type.

I am going to replace it because it has a small crack starting at one of the ports.

I just didn't want to start going extreme if there was a trick.

i have no idea, but can you check if it's lefthanded thread?

is there threadlock on it?

I cannot tell if it is left or right threads. I can see the barrel crown but nothing else. The break is round with no way to get a wrench on it. I hope it is not pressed on, that would probably require a barrel swap.

Hold the brake in your barrel vise in wood blocks. Turn the action with your receiver wrench. Probably the brake will come off before the receiver does.
COA2: Put the barrel in your barrel vise. Use a pipe wrench on the brake. It will come off. Actually this is COA1.

Thanks dpcd, I considered that. I don't care if I ruin or damage the brake, it is already cracked. I will try that this evening.

If you're not worried about saving the brake, try heating it with a propane torch. Some of the high-temp thread lockers require a lot of heat to remove.

Well my first attempt snapped a welding rod in half with a 14 inch pipe wrench. So I used a map torch on it and got it hot, wasn't quite glowing yet and finally got it off. That sucker was on there. But off now, thanks for the tips