Had my favorite local gunsmith put a brake on my sons Ruger MKII stainless compact chambered in .308, as he's somewhat small-framed and sensitive to recoil. We put @ 40-50 rounds down the tube over a period of four months without issue, on the final sighting trip before deer season, the brake completely departed the barrel. Is the compact barrel taper too light/thin to properly support a brake? Mad metalurgy with the brake?

Not a huge issue as my gunsmith will take care of the problem, just didn't want to see a repeat in 40-50 more rounds.

Hank

Were the threads bad or did vibration unscrew the brake?
Butch

Well,

That's the funny part. It appears as though the brake was actually "gas cut" right through the middle of the bottom vents. When I said the brake departed the barrel, I meant to say it was completely blown off and may be in low-earth orbit at this time.

Hank

Hank, I'm probably not one to ask. What litle experience that I have had with them didn't show any problems. I quit using them after finding my Grandsons were flinching more from the report than the recoil.
Butch

The brake couldn't be completely blown off without some form of thread failure. And if the brake is in some low earth orbit, how do you know it was gas cut? I do a lot of muzzle brakes, except mine are machined directly into the bore specifically so they don't fly off.

In between customers here...

Without knowing what the diameter of the barrel is or the thread pitch it is hard to say what is up with the threads. How do the threads look?

Basing the "gas cut" statement on the portion of the brake that remained with the barrel, and "gas cutting" may not be the best of terms. I guess without pictures, it's difficult for me to articulate what's happening. Will try to add pics later this evening.


Hank

If part of the brake is with the barrel, then it sounds like the threads held. The problem sounds like a brake issue. Good luck.

And, gas cutting is probably the right term. I've seen brakes that were too thin cut in half. I've seen them become loose and the bullet take them off. So yeah, "gas cut" is probably right.

Thanks for the info Westpac,

Thinking that you've started confirming my suspicions about a thin brake.


Hank

quote:

Originally posted by butchlambert:
Hank, I'm probably not one to ask. What litle experience that I have had with them didn't show any problems. I quit using them after finding my Grandsons were flinching more from the report than the recoil.
Butch

Excellent point Butch! Will have to consider that...


Hank

Hanking; I make a muzzlebrake for my Rem. 300 W.M. ultralight with a thin titanium alloy tube and happens the same shit, first to third shot star to stretch (ovalized the holes) and at the four shot it cut in the midle and the front part it still fliying and the other remain in the barrel !!! if the bullet touch inside you have not accuracy, but this dont broke the muzzlebrake. Make another more thick and in 4140 steel, luck!!! Guille.

This reminds me of a post I read awhile back, I believe on 24hr campfire by Charlie Sisk. He claimed to find very high secondary pressure spikes when useing light for caliber bullets and slow powders. He blew 3 brakes off the end of his muzzle while testing and claimed he could make it happen almost on demand.I just thought I`d toss this in, it may or may not have anything to do with the problem posters are having here with their brakes.

Butch:...couldn't agree with you more..muzzle brakes only put money in the pockets of the mfg, with very little return in performance...having said that, I'll give a little ground to the magna port system a least that delivers a bit of relief in muzzle climb and doesn't cause insant deafness

Sounds as though the brake OD was a bit too small causeing weak spots between the holes. Been there done that! I would need to see some close up photos to tell for sure though.

Was the brake the same diameter as the barrel? I made quite a few of these while in gunsmithing school. There was one that came apart. It was the first slim style brake we made for a smaller barrel using 3/16" holes. The part that was left on the threaded section of the barrel showed that the drilling of that size hole on the smaller diameter left very little material around the outside of the brake. I'm guessing every shot pounded the brake forward stretching the tiny web left between the holes. I'm sure you could duplicate the problem inspecting the brake after every shot and see exactly what's happening. Best way to solve it is to use a smaller drill bit on the smaller diameter brakes. Also it's best to use a piece of cutoff barrel stock to build the brake. I used a 1/2"-28 thread on most of my 30 cal and smaller brakes to keep the minor diameter of the thread a little bigger. I haven't made a brake since 1991 and have lost all interest in using the ones I made for myself. Another solution might be to get him a 243 and forget about the brake all together. Let him get used to shooting it at a prairie dog town.

quote:

Was the brake the same diameter as the barrel?

Yes, barrel is pretty light. The .243 idea is probably my best bet. Thanks to all for your help...


Hank

Would some one please post a picture of a typical muzzle brake or a link too a picture of one .
Preferably of the type that " Blew Off " .

What's the main difference between a muzzle brake , flash suppressor . Does a compensator with holes or Slots cut in it qualify for a muzzle brake ?.

Shoot Straight Know Your Target . ...

muzzle brake (Recoil arrestor)

flash suppressor (Supprime the M. flash)

ports (Acts like a compensator and litle as M.B.

BOSS (Regulable M.B. for accuracy tunning acording the ammo used)

I think that those M.B that " Blew Off " are made with big holes, thin O.D. and soft materials.I hope helped you, Regards.Guille

Excellent Thank You .
I have some weapons with compensator's and some with flash suppressors but no muzzle brake unless Savages compensator is considered a brake also ?.

So muzzle brakes have only holes and not machined slots like flash suppressors ?.Compensator's can have either ?.

I'm trying to establish what makes the difference between them . Except for the compensator which is adjustable for " tuning barrel harmonics ".

Great Post Guillermo !.

Shoot Straight Know Your Target . ...

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Dr.K:
Excellent Thank You .
I have some weapons with compensator's and some with flash suppressors but no muzzle brake unless Savages compensator is considered a brake also ?.

YES IS A OPEN & ClOSE MUZZLEBRAKE (TURN ON & TURN OFF) UNLESS IN THE SAFARI MODEL



So muzzle brakes have only holes and not machined slots like flash suppressors

NOT NECESARY SOME MUZZLES BRAKES HAS SLOTS Take a look the Sako Tactical Muzzlebrake with slots


Or this combined

Compensator's can have either ?.

YES BUT IS MORE COMMON IN M.B
This is a normal compensator for pistol

I'm trying to establish what makes the difference between them . Except for the compensator which is adjustable for " tuning barrel harmonics ".

IS NOT A COMPENSATOR IS A REGULABLE MUZZLE BRAKE KNOWED LIKE BALISTICAN OPTIMIZATION SISTEM BOSS

Compensator avoid muzzle jump, M. Brakes are recoil arrestors, Ports (Like magnaport; trapezoidal cuts made by electroerosion) acts like compensator and litle % as recoil arrestor.Mi humble opinion, Regards Guille.

I would either have the gunsmith put a nice thick recoil pad on the rifle or I'd buy the lad a PAST recoil pad. Either way would solve the problem with creating more loud reports to make him flinch.

Guillermo ; Again excellent information , Thank You

Looks like your in the Dove Ducks Etc. (Bird hunting paradise )?.

I hunted out side of Cordoba a few years ago . Dawn too Dusk shooting .

Shoot Straight Know Your Target . ...