can a muzzle brake be threaded wrong?

[gadela08]

I just installed a Miculek Compensator on my Windham Weaponry SRC Ar-15.

I went shooting this afternoon and right as the sun was setting i could see the substantial muzzle flash. I noticed that rather than a bright flash, i was seeing sparks (like metal on metal sparks).

is this normal for a miculek compensator? or is the muzzle brake threaded wrong and the round is making contact with part of the brake as it exits my muzzle?

[Chaos47]

Probably powder that is still burning. But sure theres a possibility machining went wrong and that it could be off axis.

[Sputnik]

It threaded on easily, not cross threaded?
Is there any evidence of rounds hitting the comp? Shiny, bare metal?
If rounds were hitting accuracy would likely be affected.
Its possible that the sparks were bits of burning powder, too.
That's all I can think of.

[gadela08]

It threaded on easily, not cross threaded?
Is there any evidence of rounds hitting the comp? Shiny, bare metal?
If rounds were hitting accuracy would likely be affected.
Its possible that the sparks were bits of burning powder, too.
That's all I can think of.

ok. i'll check for the shiny bare metal on the inside of the comp.

it's probably just me freaking out over nothing, but i want to make sure i did this right.

i don't think it's cross threaded and i was able to get it threaded down next to the jamb nut nearly all the way flush to the base of the muzzle threading.

[ocabj]

If the round is making contact with the brake, odds are you would have had more of an 'event'. The inside 'exit' portion of the brake would have been shot apart and it wouldn't be round.

You can try running a cleaning rod down the bore to see if the brake is off center, but I doubt it is.

[$P-Ritch$]

It is likely just bits of still-burning powder. Also, I don't think it would spark if copper was hitting your brake. It could be possible if you have steel jacketed ammo.

Like others have said, if there is not obvious physical damage or horrific loss of accuracy it is probably just residual powder burning off.

[IntoForever]

I thought this was happening with a brake I had but when inspecting the brake, the coating was intact. Highly likely that you're seeing powder burning as it exits. Pull the brake and check the finish. If there is no finish, mark it or paint it and see if there is any damage to the coating or damage to the part.

[JMP]

The barrel and the brake can be threaded incorrectly if it was done by an incompetent gunsmith. First try bore-sighting it to make sure you have a circle and not an oval.

[TKM]

What do the holes in the target look like?

Mine always keyhole when hitting the comp.

[Sputnik]

ok. i'll check for the shiny bare metal on the inside of the comp.

it's probably just me freaking out over nothing, but i want to make sure i did this right.

i don't think it's cross threaded and i was able to get it threaded down next to the jamb nut nearly all the way flush to the base of the muzzle threading.

Sounds like burning powder. You should see some pix of a black powder night-shoot if you want fire and sparks!

[Mail Clerk]

It threaded on easily, not cross threaded?
Is there any evidence of rounds hitting the comp? Shiny, bare metal?
If rounds were hitting accuracy would likely be affected.
Its possible that the sparks were bits of burning powder, too.
That's all I can think of.

Sputnik,

Check your end of the comp and see if there are any shiney spots on the muzzle. If you see any then you know your rounds are making contact with the comp.

If you change comps you point of contact will change so you'll need to re-sight in your rifle again.

Try another brand of ammo and see if you see sparks again.

Mail Clerk

[Artsville]

how did the Miculek work? I am going to swap mine out as well. How loud was it as well?

[glock_this]

IMHO, it would be SO hard to turn on a muzzle break on an AR and cross thread it. This is not fine pitch thread, you would know instantly if you somehow pulled that off. So I think that likelihood is so, so low. As well, if you somehow were able to achieve that without it being painfully obvious, you would have an odd uneven gap between barrel/peel washer and muzzle device. And if, despite both of those getting past you you still happened to pull it off, than as someone else pointed out, you would likely have had a much more noticeable "event" as the bullet struck the muzzle device.

[hermosabeach]

When threads are cut, they are not always 100% concentric with the bore...

folks will use a smooth rod that is the diameter of the bore as a guide to verify that the bullet will not hit the brake...


As you have shot the gun with the brake on, check for bullet strikes....

If you see signs of contact, either rethread the muzzle or open up the brake to prevent further strikes...

[glock_this]

If you see signs of contact, either rethread the muzzle or open up the brake to prevent further strikes...

That would seem the path of least resistance, cost, effort to rectify as it could be done with a dremel tool in minutes IF that is even the issue at play here which I would just doubt.