This is my pre-War Model 70 .375 H&H, which I purchased recently. It was fitted with the pictured muzzle brake, which I intended to remove as sonn as it came into my possession. From the photos in the advertisement, it had a set screw underneath, and I hoped removal would just entail removing the screw and turning it off the end of the barrel. Unfortunately, that was not the case. I would like to remove it without damage, if possible, but efforts to do so with a strap wrench failed, as did inserting a coin in the slot at the muzzle and turning with a wrench, which resulted only in a bent coin. Suggestions are solicited.

I wonder if a little heat would help?

Heat soak it in oil for days.

Maybe it has a left handed thread ?

Pipe wrench; you aren't going to use it are you? If you are, leave it alone.

Try a propane torch. Whoever installed it might have used
a bit of RED Lok tite or that damn stuff that I can't remember
the name of that needs freezing to let go.

Can you see any sign of loctite or adhesive of any sort on the muzzle threads in the set screw hole. Irrespective, I can't imagine it would be left hand thread and like others I would go for some heat on the muzzle-brake. Careful not too much heat travels to the barrel, or at least wet cloth (heat sink) the front sight ramp in case it is soldered on.

Make wood blocks with rosin on them as if it was a barrel; clamp it in your barrel vise; turn the action with your action wrench. Hold the brake, turn the barreled action. Don't crush it. If you do, go ahead and use the pipe wrench.

Since you are not saving it take a file and reduce the OD in one spot till you are near the level of the barrel. That should give you an idea of how it was installed, give it some relief for removal and an indication of how to proceed with removal. Without knowing whats underneath I would believe all removal efforts are a crap shoot.

Drill a 3/8s hole thru the brake and use a rod to remove.

should be threaded on - could be thread lock or solder - drilling a 3/8 hole through it is an interesting idea ... sort of like the old screw driver in an oil filter ...

heat .. get the tip of it hot, let it heat soak/cycle back down, might need a couple times...

i wouldn't be surprised if it's rusted internally

You guys aren't seriously trying. Half-hearted measures work, half the time. Everything must be clamped down. Use a pipe wrench. It will come off. I remove barrels that have been on for more than 100 years, weekly. They all come off.
A little brake will too.

The collector value is ruined with the scope bases it appears as they are drilled into the side of the action, so you might consider sawing off the brake, recrown the barrel and you could drill out the barrel section that has the sight, cut it down to flush, and slide the sight back on the gun and solder it on, such as you see on a Brno mod 21 or 22, it doesn't show except under sunlight more or less and looks original other than you shortened the barrel an inch or two..and with the .375 that's not a problem at all..Just another option, and it looks nice..Ive done several that way..Keep in mind that if you remove the brake that you still have the threads to deal with and they have to come off and you won't have any barrel protrusion to crown with and probably have to cut the sight back and that usually looks like crap..??

quote:

Originally posted by dpcd:
Make wood blocks with rosin on them as if it was a barrel; clamp it in your barrel vise; turn the action with your action wrench. Hold the brake, turn the barreled action. Don't crush it. If you do, go ahead and use the pipe wrench.

Exactly how I removed the same MB from my recently acquired 308 Norma. Mine did have loctite. The MB did deform during removal.