Muzzle brake timing

[chonkie]

Getting to the finish stage of this rifle.  I'm trying to find better options for timing my muzzle brake.  Right now it's on fairly tight but I had to use two crush washers and of course they won't stay aligned during the final tightening turn.  One crush washer the MB company sent and the other is the factory one.

I haven't been able to find the thickness of crush washers to see if there are different ones.  The only thing with varying thickness would be a shim kit, but I can not find a kit with a matte black finish.  Anyone know where to find either item or have another option?

Also, it doesn't seem to make the MB canted with the crush washers that way, but should I be concerned and not shoot her until i remedy this?  My trigger finger is getting itchy.

[jtallen83]

I've been dealing with a similar issue when installing a QD mount for a suppressor. Best thing I have run across is a jam nut;

http://www.brownells.com/rifle-parts/barrel-parts/rifle-barrel-hardware/washers/muzzle-jam-nuts-prod68564.aspx

[chonkie]

Thanks for that info, I had only read about crush washers and peel washers so far.

[survivalshop]

  Use "Rock Set "& Shimming the Shims can be stained or Blued to cover them up if they even show up . Shim sets are available , something like these http://www.brownells.com/rifle-parts/barrel-parts/rifle-barrel-hardware/washers/muzzle-device-shim-kits-prod60403.aspx

Rock set , http://www.brownells.com/search/index.htm?k=rock+set&ksubmit=y

 

  I do hope you are using Barrel Vice Blocks to tighten any Muzzle device , you can damage the Upper receiver if not .

Edited October 14, 2016 by survivalshop

[COBrien]

My SEI Good Iron brake came with a jam nut, and it's worked so far. Much easier than crush washers, IMO, and a damn sight better than shims.

You should be able to pick up a 5/8-24 jam nut for next-to-nothing.

[survivalshop]

      One thing you have to as yourself , is ,was this Muzzle device made to work or designed to , with a Jam Nut ?

Edited October 14, 2016 by survivalshop

[Robocop1051]

Rock set + shims > crush washer

no heat needed to remove it either. Blue lock tite can soften and release while shooting. 

[darb]

Last three barrels, I had the barrel threaded to time the brake and then blended to a taper to the barrel. You can hardly see the transition, it looks as if the brake is part of the barrel. Much cleaner look. Of course a bit more cost involved, but what is another bucket of water to a drowning man.

[chonkie]

Thanks for the info everyone.  Probably going to check out the jam nut route for now.  Ultimately would like to do what darb posted.

[washguy]

Im  bi when it comes to crush washers or shims....ill go either way  

Chonkie I went back and looked at your shims.... thats nasty lookin ...lets get the right shims or better yet use a crush washer        Wash

Edited October 16, 2016 by washguy

[washguy]

Chonkie  my number one rule is never ever buy gun parts off of  ebay....but....here ya go dressed in black for you

http://www.ebay.com/itm/5-8-x-24-Shim-Barrel-Muzzle-Brake-Alignment-Kit-308-7-62-Made-in-USA-Black/151732527886?_trksid=p2047675.c100623.m-1&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D37115%26meid%3Dbdeb171952d74cc885c37a2419e06717%26pid%3D100623%26rk%3D4%26rkt%3D6%26mehot%3Dag%26sd%3D331595715865

[chonkie]

Those aren't shims, they are two crush washers.  Timing was way off with one.  I've since removed the MB and am going to look for a jam nut locally or shim kit, whichever is easiest to find.

I honestly was going to probably try to get a bunch of washers from Lowes tomorrow to temporarily mount the MB better than with the 2 CW just so i can go shoot tomorrow.

[washguy]

Yikes.... 2 crush washers?   Rifle gear in Plano or mister guns  on 15th st and coit or that place on 380 runner runner will be open and might have them?
  Wash

[chonkie]

7 minutes ago, washguy said:

Chonkie  my number one rule is never ever buy gun parts off of  ebay....but....here ya go dressed in black for you

http://www.ebay.com/itm/5-8-x-24-Shim-Barrel-Muzzle-Brake-Alignment-Kit-308-7-62-Made-in-USA-Black/151732527886?_trksid=p2047675.c100623.m-1&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D37115%26meid%3Dbdeb171952d74cc885c37a2419e06717%26pid%3D100623%26rk%3D4%26rkt%3D6%26mehot%3Dag%26sd%3D331595715865

Hell yeah, just what I was originally looking for.  I don't do ebay or much other internet shopping, so didn't think to search there.  I guess their auctions don't pull up on a google search.  Thanks!

[jtallen83]

29 minutes ago, chonkie said:

Hell yeah, just what I was originally looking for.  I don't do ebay or much other internet shopping, so didn't think to search there.  I guess their auctions don't pull up on a google search.  Thanks!

Keep searching, you should be able to find a Gemtech or PWS shim kit for less.

http://m.ebay.com/itm/GEMTECH-Precision-14-Piece-Shim-Spacer-Set-5-8-24-308-6-8-7-62-kit-/181825068288?hash=item2a559e5d00%3Ag%3AGTwAAOSwT6pVwroS&_trkparms=pageci%3Aa908151d-934e-11e6-8598-000c2972b5dc%7Cparentrq%3Acb7bd7121570a357cda9f21effff3b38%7Ciid%3A1

[survivalshop]

  If properly set up ,a Crush washer should work . Its the Peel washers that are a hassle , they work , but are a bit of a bitch to work with . With the Barrel clamped in a Vice with Barrel blocks , the Crush washers work fine for timing .  I've never heard of using two Crush washers or have never needed more than one . 

  If you look at where the Barrels Muzzle sits inside the Brake or Comp.( or even a Flash Suppressor ) , its easy to see where the Device should sit . Its not only timing , the Barrel has a Crown for a reason & the Muzzle Device has a set point to get the most efficiency from it , as far as the expanding gases from the Barrel & how they are controlled . If you set the Muzzle device too far out from how it is designed to work , it will shield the Muzzle blast & make the Crown on the end of the Muzzle useless & may effect accuracy .

  I'm sure you can just throw these things on & they work .

[washguy]

Chonk     I dont understand why one crush washer didnt work? never ran into that problem         Wash

[chonkie]

I went to Rifle Gear in Plano today and picked up some pws shims, they aren't black but oh well, not too noticeable so they will do for now.  I'm still going to order the black ones and maybe a jam nut too just so i have options.   I didn't get back to the house until late to install the MB with the shims so didn't get a chance to go shootin.

 

Survivalshop, thanks for the info to think about.  I do have a wood barrel vice block.  I didn't think about the distance the MB is designed to be away from the crown.  Mine unfortunately isn't easy to tell where it is supposed to be since it is tapped all the way to the first baffle.  It bottoms on the shoulder before touching the end of the muzzle.  No info on where this brake is supposed to be, so I of course used the fewest shims possible and a dab of rockset.

[planeflyer21]

That's a sharp looking brake/handguard combo!  

[washguy]

Way to  go.....sweet!       Wash

[darb]

Well done, looks good.

[392heminut]

Chonkie, just so you know, if you want to take the brake off later and use the black shims the way to get that Rocksett to release is to soak it in water for 24 hours. Rocksett is a ceramic and heat won't make it release!

That is one badass looking handguard/muzzle brake combo!

[unforgiven]

That is badass brother. I likey.

[survivalshop]

 More then likely , with out talking to the manufacturer or any instruction saying so, your probably set where they themselves tested the Muzzle device. 

 Nice looking set up , but I believe more & more Brakes & Compensators are made for looks , more then function . There is a Thread or post some where around this sight of some video of testing this things & they measured Muzzle flip & recoil of some devices .Probably a youtube vid.. Still there are so many out there , its hard to test them all .

   I have only found one that really didn't work too well as a Brake & mostly because its looks more of a Flash Suppressor even though its advertised as both , most work fine as a Brake or Compensator , so looks may mean nothing .

[chonkie]

On Sunday, October 23, 2016 at 7:58 AM, survivalshop said:

 More then likely , with out talking to the manufacturer or any instruction saying so, your probably set where they themselves tested the Muzzle device. 

 Nice looking set up , but I believe more & more Brakes & Compensators are made for looks , more then function . There is a Thread or post some where around this sight of some video of testing this things & they measured Muzzle flip & recoil of some devices .Probably a youtube vid.. Still there are so many out there , its hard to test them all .

   I have only found one that really didn't work too well as a Brake & mostly because its looks more of a Flash Suppressor even though its advertised as both , most work fine as a Brake or Compensator , so looks may mean nothing .

So what you're saying is you don't think the MB will perform that great due to the design?  If so, i thought about the same thing with the way the slots angle and based off which MB's did good in the testing done on TTAG.  I finally got to shoot her this weekend, and you would be correct that it doesn't work that great.  It works, but it works better for muzzle rise.  I can stay on target much easier now.  The concussion isn't bad at all, but the shooter does notice it too, more than with other brakes.

I really didn't get it for recoil reduction since the recoil isn't that bad to begin with, but any is better than none.  Here's a quick video of someone trying out my AR.