Stubborn muzzle brake won't come off! (update: GOT IT!)

[ILVSMOG]

Need a little help, guys! I've got an older Remington 700, 7mm Rem. Mag. with a muzzle brake on it. I'm trying to remove the brake (it has perforations all the way 'round and makes a huge mess when I fire it prone). I've gotten pretty aggressive with it already, up to a soft-jawed vice and pipe wrench. No luck. It doesn't appear to have been pinned, so I'm guessing it's either got some type of Loctite/Rockset on it, or the threads are welded from time and dissimilar metals. Any suggestions? I don't want to ruin the barrel. I may end up having to take it to a smith to have it cut and re-crowned/threaded.

Thanks!!

[StuckInTheP.R.O.Ca]

Try applying some heat and see if that will work. I would also try to use something to give you more leverage like a long torque wrench or a pipe after a long soak in penetrating oil like PB blaster or Kroil.

[gunboat]

While I am sure you checked -- left hand thread?

[HibikiR]

Did you soak it in soapy water for 24 hours? (Rocksett)

[Efishnsea]

Just had this problem with a gear set in my outboard motor shop. My mechanic put it in the freezer and it came apart. Seems to work better than heat with similar metals.

[ILVSMOG]

Heat did the trick, but WOW: that thing was a bear! I got a friend to help me out. Another pair of hands and moral support never hurts. I took a few pictures (just in case it all went bad) that should pretty much describe how it went.

The first step was pulling my drop-in vice jaws and wrapping the barrel with a thinner, protective cover. The barrel was trying to twist out of the vice before. Then we put some aluminum foil over the barrel, to keep the heat in the brake, as much as possible.


We tried several times (without luck) at lower temps, but this was the last one that finally worked. I was using a 24" pipe wrench on the brake, with a frightening amount of force. My helper was supporting the back side of the barrel and trying to keep it from twisting in the vice.


On what I had determined would be our final attempt (the heat and force we were using was starting to concern me) it finally broke free! There was some residue of either corrosion or threadlocker visible on the threads that I've started cleaning up with a light wire brush.


I checked the barrel with the temp gun after the brake was removed and it showed 143deg. I'm thinking the foil trick did a good job of isolating the heat in the brake. I let everything cool naturally and will clean it all up tomorrow. Thanks everybody for the help and suggestions!

[bksa]

Maybe it had loctite on. Loctite starts to loosen at 300+.

[riftol]

Need a little help, guys! I've got an older Remington 700, 7mm Rem. Mag. with a muzzle brake on it. I'm trying to remove the brake (it has perforations all the way 'round and makes a huge mess when I fire it prone). I've gotten pretty aggressive with it already, up to a soft-jawed vice and pipe wrench. No luck. It doesn't appear to have been pinned, so I'm guessing it's either got some type of Loctite/Rockset on it, or the threads are welded from time and dissimilar metals. Any suggestions? I don't want to ruin the barrel. I may end up having to take it to a smith to have it cut and re-crowned/threaded.

Thanks!!

A friend's relative had an oddball, unthreaded muzzle brake (it looked homemade) that was installed using Loctite.

I turned a plug to fit inside the brake and against the muzzle.

I made the plug so that it would not contact the rifling.

I used a 2-jaw puller pushing against the plug to pull the brake off.

When the brake came off we could see that blue Loctite was used to install it.

[ar15barrels]

I love that your workbench and your floor has random AN fittings and braided line on it.

[ILVSMOG]

^LOL Randall, I've got 2 huge boxes full of random hoses that have either come off of race cars we've wrecked, or been pulled off for random reasons. I'm going through it all, breaking down and inspecting the fittings, then tossing all the hose. Off to the left, out of frame, is a box with about 40lbs of fittings. PITA, but needs to be done.

[ar15barrels]

I'm going through it all, breaking down and inspecting the fittings, then tossing all the hose. Off to the left, out of frame, is a box with about 40lbs of fittings. PITA, but needs to be done.

You will be so much happier once it's all sorted into similar sizes and types.
It makes it so much easier when you are making up that last line (before you can start the car) to pull out an organized box and go right to the fitting you need.
Running out to supershops when you needed that one last fitting was the worst...