Salvaging muzzle device from pin and weld?

[wilderness medic]

Has anyone ever tried to salvage a muzzle device that has been pinned and welded? I'm looking into doing this for the first time and nervous I'll mess it up, although it seems pretty straight forward.


From what I've read you may be able to save the muzzle device, but the barrel threads will be trashed. I'm fine with that since I'd only need to remove it if I shot out a barrel. The device is $200 so I'd like to swap it if possible down the line.


Any chance I can drill the pin and put it on a new barrel, or should I just assume that it'll be another $200 loss when the time comes?

[shafferds]

Drill out the pin, than see if you can clean up the muzzle brake with a tap.

[P5Ret]

Are you doing this now, or is this pre-planing? If you're nervous about it send it out to be done. If it's pre-planing, buy a couple of inexpensive barrels and comps have them done up, so you can practice. Above all have the proper tools for the job.

[wilderness medic]

Just pre planning. The muzzle device I’m looking at is $200 and it comes pre drilled to pin. I’ve never done this before and am trying to figure out exactly what’s what. I was under the impression the device itself got welded to the barrel.


After looking around it appears you just drop a pin down the device into the threads then put a spot of weld over the pin. If that’s the case it sounds like it could be undone at the cost of the barrel threads once the barrel is shot out and put the device on a new one?

[AregularGuy]

No. You would not sacrifice the barrel threads. You could theoretically drill out the spot weld over the pin and the pin would fall out/be able to be taken out, then you unscrew the muzzle device. There would be a small pin-sized divot in the barrel threads that would not be seen once a new device is on or you could re-pin a new device on the barrel.

[AregularGuy]

Which muzzle device is $200? Use that to buy a better barrel or more ammo for practice. I read your other thread about barrel choice. A $200 device on a $200 barrel will not help you shoot better than spending the extra money on ammo and practicing. Just my opinion. Don't get caught up in the enthusiasm and hype of building a new rifle. Stay rational and make good choices so you don't feel like you wasted money later. Just my 2 pennies.

[wilderness medic]

[edgerly779]

If it is an ar upper or an non serialized part send to randall ar15

[AregularGuy]

The way the muzzle device is pinned:

Place muzzle device on barrel. Drill small hole through muzzle device and maybe 1/8" into barrel. Place pin in hole. Spot weld pin in place over hole in muzzle device. So if you drill out the spot weld you should be able to take out the pin and not have to destroy the barrel threads. if you just wrench the muzzle device off how will you reuse the muzzle device?

[spfabrication]

I have unpinned muzzle devices that I Tig welded on using a mill with a small diameter endmill. Just clamp your barrel in the mill vise , center the endmill over the rosette weld and mill down far enough that the pin is free, then i use a magnet to pull out the pin and unthread the md. When you reinstall the md you will just have a slightly larger rosette weld. If you don't have the tools to do it then just send it to Randall.

[boopiejones]

I’ve had mixed results removing pinned muzzle devices. First try was on a PSA upper. I ground off the weld, the pin fell right out and I was able to unscrew the muzzle device. Second try was on a friend’s upper of unknown origin. Seems like in addition to welding, the pin was press fit into the hole. I didn’t have the right tools with me to get it out, so my friend told me to do whatever was necessary, which basically resulted in destroying the muzzle device.

So my advice would be to use a slightly loose fitting pin if you are doing a new pin and weld. It will make eventual removal that much easier.

[wilderness medic]

Thanks. I understand now. I didn’t realize you had to drill a tiny bit into the barrel for it to set in. Sounds like if I do it right it shouldn’t be a huge issue. Anyone know if Mig or fluxcore is OK?

[foxtrotuniformlima]

TIG would be my suggestion. You don't really need a lot of filler metal.

[boopiejones]

Mig or flux core is totally fine. I’ve done 3 that way without any problems.

[ar15barrels]

Has anyone ever tried to salvage a muzzle device that has been pinned and welded?
I'm looking into doing this for the first time and nervous I'll mess it up, although it seems pretty straight forward.

From what I've read you may be able to save the muzzle device, but the barrel threads will be trashed.
I'm fine with that since I'd only need to remove it if I shot out a barrel.
The device is $200 so I'd like to swap it if possible down the line.

Any chance I can drill the pin and put it on a new barrel, or should I just assume that it'll be another $200 loss when the time comes?

In theory you can.

In practice, you may break a carbide drill bit breaking through the weld.
It's probably better with a carbide endmill in a milling machine.
The problem is that eventually, you break through the weld and you have a hardened dowel pin sitting under the cutter.
That pin is now free to spin and it will spin from the drill bit or endmill pushing against it.
When it spins, it trashes the carbide tool.
I have been unsuccessful in my attempts at saving a muzzle device.

An EDM would really be the right tool for this as there is no rotating tool or cutting forces.
Someday I'll get mine running...