Muzzle break advise

[dvoncock]

I’m running a Fortis RED muzzle break/recoil compensator on a threaded barrel (specific model linked).

RED™ Brake 5.56MM Nitride

Unfortunately, it comes loose after a few rounds and begins working its way down the threads.

The break comes with a pre-drilled hole on the bottom for states that require permanently pinned/welded muzzle devises (see pics in above link).

Does anyone have a suggestion to fix this issue without permanently pinning/welding the break to the muzzle? I’m not concerned about swapping devices, but removing it makes cleaning the bore much easier.

Thanks!

 

[RustVendor]

Are you using a crush washer? If not use a crush washer

 

[Felipe209]

I don’t have experience with muzzle brakes on rifles. But since we’re on the topic, is it worth getting a comp on a threaded barrel for a handgun and getting it pinned and welded?

 

[NukeRJ]

You can also use shims - just swap them out until you get to about 40/50 degrees off the final clocked position you want and torque to spec. This allows you to remove it and reinstall as many times as needed.

 

[NukeRJ]

I don’t have experience with muzzle brakes on rifles. But since we’re on the topic, is it worth getting a comp on a threaded barrel for a handgun and getting it pinned and welded?

Radian makes CA compliant barrel and comp systems that have no threads. The Ramjet and Afterburner. Might be worth looking into.

 

[RustVendor]

I don’t have experience with muzzle brakes on rifles. But since we’re on the topic, is it worth getting a comp on a threaded barrel for a handgun and getting it pinned and welded?

No, in my opinion. A 556 round has 5x the powder of 9mm and other cartridges like 308 can be double that, magnums are triple

 

[dvoncock]

You can also use shims - just swap them out until you get to about 40/50 degrees off the final clocked position you want and torque to spec. This allows you to remove it and reinstall as many times as needed.

Are you using a crush washer? If not use a crush washer

Yeah, I have crush washer and shims such that the break torques to the relative 12 o’clock position with hand tightening.

Do you think placing the shims before the crush washer would make a difference? Right now, the order is crush washer, shims, break.

 

[NukeRJ]

Yeah, I have crush washer and shims such that the break torques to the relative 12 o’clock position with hand tightening.

Do you think placing the shims before the crush washer would make a difference? Right now, the order is crush washer, shims, break.

I would only use one or the other. Crush washers are single use by design. Once you remove the muzzle device you are “supposed” to use a new one. Shims are set for final index and done. What I like about shims is that I can change the index by adding or removing. If I am running a comp with offset ports, I can tune those to the direction I prefer without having to keep buying crush washers.

 

[Trapper]

When you say hand tight, I assume your upper is in a vise and you are using an armorer’s wrench?

 

[John Fidelity]

You should use shims and Rocksett.

 

[RustVendor]

Yeah, I have crush washer and shims such that the break torques to the relative 12 o’clock position with hand tightening.

Do you think placing the shims before the crush washer would make a difference? Right now, the order is crush washer, shims, break.

If you have the crush washer you don't need the shims, you should be crushing the washer to give it tension, sometimes it takes almost a whole turn but the point is to use that to keep it secure. just get a cheap pack.of crush washers from.l Amazon or something and use a fresh one each time. But you also don't need to clean an AR barrel very often, maybe a few times through its entire life

 

[joefrank64k]

In before @Wolkenflieger points out ‘brake’ vs ‘break’ haha!!

 

[dvoncock]

In before @Wolkenflieger points out ‘brake’ vs ‘break’ haha!!

Ops! Not a break because it doesn’t cease the barrel; a brake because it stops muzzle rise. Duh!

 

[Darqhelmet]

Yeah, I have crush washer and shims such that the break torques to the relative 12 o’clock position with hand tightening.

Do you think placing the shims before the crush washer would make a difference? Right now, the order is crush washer, shims, break.

pick one, shims or crush washer. Hand tight doesn’t cut it for muzzle devices that is why it’s backing off. Time it with shims and set it to 20 foot pounds. If you’re threads are cut that bad, time it with shims and use high temp thread locker set to 20 foot pounds.

*I am assuming it’s 20 foot pounds. check manual.*

 

[Felipe209]

Radian makes CA compliant barrel and comp systems that have no threads. The Ramjet and Afterburner. Might be worth looking into.

I was thinking that but I already have a threaded barrel and currently can’t do anything with it or install it due to CA laws. I either want to sell it on here or install it with it being in its legal configuration. Only problem with selling is I don’t know who will want to buy a threaded barrel lol. It’s for a Glock 17 Gen 3

 

[Coolguy]

I use old school white out on the threads. The kind that comes in the bottle with the brush. I use it to clog up the threads and it doesn't come loose from the heat like locktite does. Even the high heat locktite comes loose after a while. The titanium dioxide in white out is extremely heat resistant. Its an old trick I learned from the car audio days - they used to use white out on the bolts for speakers so they didn't come loose from the vibrations.

 

[NukeRJ]

I was thinking that but I already have a threaded barrel and currently can’t do anything with it or install it due to CA laws. I either want to sell it on here or install it with it being in its legal configuration. Only problem with selling is I don’t know who will want to buy a threaded barrel lol. It’s for a Glock 17 Gen 3

That’s a tough one because once the comp is installed, that barrel is stuck in the slide. Post it on a free world site and ship it out of state.

 

[dvoncock]

Thanks for all the tips.

Just to clarify, this compensator is on a Mini 14 that comes from Ruger with a threaded barrel. The factory flash hider was swapped for a Fortis RED compensator by the FFL that imported it to be California.

The crush washer with shims is how it came with and, I assume, is how the FFL set it up. I can tell this was done to fill in headspace between the maximum depth of the compensator’s threads, which is shorter than the barrel’s threading.

 

[RustVendor]

Thanks for all the tips.

Just to clarify, this compensator is on a Mini 14 that comes from Ruger with a threaded barrel. The factory flash hider was swapped for a Fortis RED compensator by the FFL that imported it to be California.

The crush washer with shims is how it came with and, I assume, is how the FFL set it up. I can tell this was done to fill in headspace between the maximum depth of the compensator’s threads, which is shorter than the barrel’s threading.

Oh yeah if you are using the shims to fill space then that's different, either way you will want a new crush washer or tighten it down more with the existing to get the tension back, if that doesn't work then use rockset

 

[NukeRJ]

Thanks for all the tips.

Just to clarify, this compensator is on a Mini 14 that comes from Ruger with a threaded barrel. The factory flash hider was swapped for a Fortis RED compensator by the FFL that imported it to be California.

The crush washer with shims is how it came with and, I assume, is how the FFL set it up. I can tell this was done to fill in headspace between the maximum depth of the compensator’s threads, which is shorter than the barrel’s threading.

You can get perfectly flat thick shim washers to take up long threads. I use the Dead Air kits.