Stuck threaded muzzle device

Grizzlypeg

Grizzlypeg

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Bought a used Bergara B14 on the EE and it has a clamp on muzzle brake that I want to remove. So I removed the brake and see that a threaded sleeve was installed over the threaded end of the barrel to make the smooth surface for the clamp on brake. It covers the thread and then some. Approx 3/4" further than the threads it extends.

So I tried using a pipe wrench on the smooth sleeve, and couldn't turn it. I tried using an electric heat gun, at first heating it for 60 seconds, then 2 minutes, then 3 minutes, and I can't get it off. I haven't tried a torch yet, as I don't want to damage the factory finished ceracoted barrel. How hot can ceracote withstand?

I tried soaking the end in boiling water for 10 minutes, and that didn't do anything.

Any suggestion? Put the barrel in a barrel vice and really put the torque to the sleeve? Heat it up with a torch?
 
Soak the end of the barrel in some Kroil for a few days & see if that helps.

So depending on what was used to attach the sleeve , I would take it slow, if you "roll" the threads, you could damage the barrel.
I would take my time & use a combination of the Kroil & heat to get it to move?

BTW, it would be worth it to contact the previous owner if possible? and ask what was used? so if it was Green Loctite? then that's going to be easier than say Rocksett?
So you can find out what works the best for removal?

I recently removed a muzzle device that was attached with a liberal amount of Rocksett, a combination of Kroil and heat got it to move but the threads didn't survive and the barrel is not useable without machining. Rocksett is "quasi" permanent IMO.
 
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If you heat it quickly with a torch have some wet cloths wrapped around the paint... have the barrel clamped hard in a padded vise... get on it quickly with a sharp pipe wrench. Lots of heat and work quickly.
 
I'm going to give it another, longer soak in hot water, just in case it is rockset. After that, I will put the barrel in a barrel vice, use torch heat and try again. If that doesn't work, then I will use heat followed by penetrating oil. If that doesn't work, I will weld a nut to the end of the sleeve so that I can more quickly apply torque after heating it. Maybe try an impact on the nut.
 
Kroil. And, are you sure it’s not threaded backwards? Some muzzle devices are. You may actually be tightening it with that wrench. I went through the same thing with my Winchester.

Edit: just did some reading and I’m pretty sure that is threaded left hand. Try that before you go crazy with the torch.
 
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Grizzlypeg said:
Bought a used Bergara B14 on the EE and it has a clamp on muzzle brake that I want to remove. So I removed the brake and see that a threaded sleeve was installed over the threaded end of the barrel to make the smooth surface for the clamp on brake. It covers the thread and then some. Approx 3/4" further than the threads it extends.

So I tried using a pipe wrench on the smooth sleeve, and couldn't turn it. I tried using an electric heat gun, at first heating it for 60 seconds, then 2 minutes, then 3 minutes, and I can't get it off. I haven't tried a torch yet, as I don't want to damage the factory finished ceracoted barrel. How hot can ceracote withstand?

I tried soaking the end in boiling water for 10 minutes, and that didn't do anything.

Any suggestion? Put the barrel in a barrel vice and really put the torque to the sleeve? Heat it up with a torch?
Click to expand...

Based on my struggle to remove a muzzle device from a Savage rifle, if something like red loctite was used on those threads, I do not think an electric heat gun (hot air blower?) or boiling water is going to get near hot enough to melt red loctite - pretty much need a propane torch flame, I think. I believe that you need to get that stuff into the realm of soft solder melting, in order to make it melt. What that flame heats and burns is a bit in your control - wet rags, heat sinks, etc. - remember the heat goes right through, so consider the inside of that bore as well.

There is something to be said for mechanically removing it - turn down the diameter on a lathe - even use a hand file - but at best you get to see the tops of the male threads - still have to get the "stuff" out of the threads - unless you plan is to completely slice off the entire male thread - in which case I would fuss to get it set up on the lathe and peel it off - threads and all.

In my case, it was a "flash hider" gizmo on the threaded end of a Savage "Scout" rifle in 7.62x39 - I was holding that barrel in a soft jaw vice - could not turn that device - applied propane torch to that device - did not see much happen, but next morning was some drips that had come out of the threads. I clamped the barrel in a barrel vice, and that thing unscrewed fairly straight forwardly. Totally amazed at the carbon / soot build up that was in there. I eventually chucked that thing in my lathe and turned it down to what I thought a "thread protector" might look like, and spun it back on those threads - barrel was still in that barrel vice clamp.
 
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Canuck65 said:
Kroil. And, are you sure it’s not threaded backwards? Some muzzle devices are. You may actually be tightening it with that wrench. I went through the same thing with my Winchester.

Edit: just did some reading and I’m pretty sure that is threaded left hand. Try that before you go crazy with the torch.
Click to expand...

I didn't stop to think it might be left hand thread. I can't find any reference to Bergara's B14 using left hand thread. Did you find something to indicate that?
 
Boiling water would never enter my head to try. If either part is not stainless steel you have likely caused flash rust in the threads ... which will make removal of the device basically impossible.

I'd be willing to bet the clamp muzzle device compressed or distorted the collar, which is why it is stuck in place.

Sometimes the solution is brute force and sometimes the threads get fukced in the process. It happens.
 
Canuck65 said:
Lots of them are. Did you try yours?
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Nope. Only tried to back it off by turning counter clockwise. I'm not going to try turning clockwise unless I find out that Bergera threads theirs with left hand thread. I have a B14R HMR, and the thread protector covers threads that are standard right hand thread, so I assumed the 308 B-14 HMR would be the same. Also, I see Bergara brakes sold by Bergara, and they mention nothing about left hand thread. They say 5/8 -24 UNEF thread.
 
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Grizzlypeg said:
I didn't stop to think it might be left hand thread. I can't find any reference to Bergara's B14 using left hand thread. Did you find something to indicate that?
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No, just suggesting something to try. I did some reading on brakes, and it seems a lot of them are threaded in reverse.

You may also have one with a locking nut. If yours has a locking nut you need to spin them in opposite directions to break them loose of each other. If there’s a locking nut, you can soak it all you want with oil and heat it over and over. It won’t loosen up any way other than applying torque in opposite directions.

Good luck with this. Let us know if you sort it out.
 
Canuck65 said:
You may also have one with a locking nut. If yours has a locking nut you need to spin them in opposite directions to break them loose of each other. If there’s a locking nut, you can soak it all you want with oil and heat it over and over. It won’t loosen up any way other than applying torque in opposite directions.
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This reminds me of the occasional Larry you'd see post about having problems getting the flash suppressor off their M305. Every so often some joker would forget to loosen the locking screw before they tried turning the castle nut. They absolutely will not come off without that screw being backed off, not matter how much brute force and ignorance is applied to the situation!
 
Canuck65 said:
No, just suggesting something to try. I did some reading on brakes, and it seems a lot of them are threaded in reverse.

You may also have one with a locking nut. If yours has a locking nut you need to spin them in opposite directions to break them loose of each other. If there’s a locking nut, you can soak it all you want with oil and heat it over and over. It won’t loosen up any way other than applying torque in opposite directions.

Good luck with this. Let us know if you sort it out.
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Russian and some Chinese rifles are M14x1 LH, but I cannot see these being LH. The company is American despite the rifle being made in Spain. So I cannot see them making it for suppressors that many don't own anything in 14x1 LH.

Most are RH. 1/2-20, 1/2-20, 5/8-24
 
OkayShooter said:
Russian and some Chinese rifles are M14x1 LH, but I cannot see these being LH. The company is American despite the rifle being made in Spain. So I cannot see them making it for suppressors that many don't own anything in 14x1 LH.

Most are RH. 1/2-20, 1/2-20, 5/8-24
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My modern-production Winchester M70 extreme weather 6.5prc was factory left hand threads. Uncommon, but they’re out there. Good luck with this. I hope the threads aren’t trashed.
 
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I'll get back to this in the future. Unfortunately I took my wife into the ER with a problem, they did exploratory surgery, and now we are awaiting her passing, so I am spending my time with her at the hospital. No time for hobbies right now.
 
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