Installing a muzzle brake

[bolus]

Im adding a muzzle brake to the Ruger precision rifle. The instructions with the brake are pretty basic (degrease threads, use the crush washer and use loctite).

Is there any more too it? Like a torque setting that's good or what type of loctite to use (I have blue, red, and 690 (the green really powerful stuff). I assume use blue if I want to every change it out

Im a little more used to car parts where Im using a torque wrench and torque angle gauges. Is there a torque angle limitation for crush washers?

"just screw it on" seems a little lacking for instructions

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[308]

I normally just tighten it down on the crush washer until it times correctly and looks good. Never had one fall off after that even without using locktite

 

[bolus]

I normally just tighten it down on the crush washer until it times correctly and looks good. Never had one fall off after that even without using locktite

ok thanks. So definitely not like installing a flywheel.

 

[308]

LOL...nope

 

[tarster]

only time it gets more complicated is when you have to time one using shim's instead of a crush washer, aka muzzle device for a suppressor... you have to screw and unscrew it quite a few times to get the timing just right with the shims... or at least I had to.. lol

 

[old11bravo]

Do not use Loctite! If installed correctly with a new crush washer, the Loctite is not necessary and may just make your life more miserable should you ever decide to change out the brake.

 

[Joe13]

I thought red was for hot surfaces and blue for cold - they should have the same holding strength.


I'd try the brake without the lock tight and add it later if it becomes an issue.

 

[bolus]

I thought red was for hot surfaces and blue for cold - they should have the same holding strength.


I'd try the brake without the lock tight and add it later if it becomes an issue.

I'll be trying it without the loctite.


Red definitely has a higher locking strength than blue. You can disassemble blue with hand tools, red requires power tools or application of lots of heat. On car parts you use blue and then often add a safety wire for extra protection if racing. You dont use red on car parts unless you want a good chance of destroying the part trying to get it off.

 

[Velzey]

I have found some crush washer to be very stubborn, and I end up using a flat file on one side. I use red locktite all the time to install breaks on hunting rifles. And to remove them I use a heat gun. If its something you may want to change out, just remember to use the heat gun!

 

[v0lcom13sn0w]

MY rule of thumb while using a crush washer is that i DO NOT like to turn more than 120* to get it to line up straight once the brake meets the washer. if i have to turn more than that i put my crush sleeve in a hydraulic press and "pre-crush" it and re try until i get where i want it to be. i like only having to turn 90* to get it straight without having to put a bunch of torque on the barrel/receiver. This is what i do for EVERY ar-15 type rifle i have ever built that utilizes a crush washer. no issues thus far.

 

[bolus]

MY rule of thumb while using a crush washer is that i DO NOT like to turn more than 120* to get it to line up straight once the brake meets the washer. if i have to turn more than that i put my crush sleeve in a hydraulic press and "pre-crush" it and re try until i get where i want it to be. i like only having to turn 90* to get it straight without having to put a bunch of torque on the barrel/receiver. This is what i do for EVERY ar-15 type rifle i have ever built that utilizes a crush washer. no issues thus far.

Thanks! that's what I was wondering. How far is too far.

 

[IronMonster]

I thought red was for hot surfaces and blue for cold - they should have the same holding strength.


I'd try the brake without the lock tight and add it later if it becomes an issue.

NO!

Red is high strength, Blue is medium... Neither standard loctite is for hot surfaces. You have to buy special high temp loctite (which standard stuff is red but there are other options.

There are a lot of loctite types... the standard red and blue are the most common but there are dozens

 

[IronMonster]

And I agree. Use rocksett or high temp loctite when using shims, When using a crush washer no goop needed

 

[PiratePast40]

I could be wrong on this, but I understand that you're supposed to use a protector and clamp the barrel in the vice, not just use a vice block. If using a vice block, you're applying all the torque to the alignment pin and the barrel extension.

With a crush washer, in theory, the torque applied to crush the washer should also be sufficient to apply minimum bolt stretch and you shouldn't need locktite.

 

[jbett98]

Do yourself a favor and buy a reaction rod. You won't be sorry.

 

[etrain16]

Do yourself a favor and buy a reaction rod. You won't be sorry.

Interesting...

 

[old11bravo]

Do yourself a favor and buy a reaction rod. You won't be sorry.

Geissele makes them and for about $80, it is money well spent. Love mine!

 

[IronMonster]

Magpul makes a little block that acts like the Geissele but is a bit more versatile (it also holds a lower by the mag well if you flip it over) I have reaction rods for both 5.56 and .308 too. I bought them both right after I snapped an upper apart trying to unstick a barrel nut that was held in one of those plastic clam shell things... Not a happy feeling.

 

[Velzey]

I just watch YouTube videos, use my dad's arc welder and then Dremel it all smooth!!

 

[IronMonster]

I just watch YouTube videos, use my dad's arc welder and then Dremel it all smooth!!

Well, I guess since that's what the gunsmith does its good enough for me!