I'm hoping I get a few good suggestions from you hardcore gun buffs with the most shocking option for my M1-A.

When I brought it a year or so back, I actually wanted a flash hider, but the dealer sold me the same model with a muzzlebreak, for $75 less as it was in the store.  I never owned a gun with a muzzlebreak before, and was naive about just how much louder it was going to be to shoot.  I didn't care about a flash hider as I wasn't planning to go to war anytime soon.

It's just so loud, I really irritate the people on either side of me at the range, and tried once to shoot it without hearing protection, outside in the open, to see how loud it would be if I had to ever shoot it without hearing protection, and I had bells in my ears for 5 minutes.  Worse than shooting a short barreled .357 by a long shot.

Anyway, I looked into a flash hider (fine and legal in Mass) but the going rate is around $180 and I don't want to install it myself as I heard it can be tricky for a first timer, due to the precise alignment needed.

So I am sitting here looking at the muzzle break, and wonder why I can't just find the right tool and saw it off, leaving 1/4" of metal to protect the crown.  I would probably file the edges round so there's less chance of small fragments breaking off during future firings. Also I imagine an even cut is most crucial so gas pressure from an uneven tip doesn't mar accuracy, but I see alot of guns with a simple compensator that only shields the bottom of the barrel crown, so maybe this concern is unfounded.

Do any of you gun guru's have any saftey concerns I should be made aware of, or would it be safe to operate with a stubby muzzle?  I know my warranty would be void, but it looks like over $200 and a search for a gunsmith to do this otherwise, making a saw look mighty tempting for a weak minded individual like myself, at least for a few moments...

Saw nothing off!!!

Springfield Armory sells the tool  necessary to remove the muzzlebrake. You should be able to buy the flashhider separatelt as well. It should be easy for a gunsmith to remove/install the desired device.

What arbob said.  Don't cut anything off!

Buy the castle nut pliers for $20, a gas cylinder holder for $8 and Scott Duff's book for $25.  Remove the muzzle brake and sell it for $60.  Buy a USGI flash suppressor from Sarco for $70.  Install it yourself.  Net cost to you is $63 and you have some good M1A tools.

Load the mag with some Portugese 148gr and go shoot the damn thing!

Moe

Saw it off!?! Christ!, you must be an EDP. There's no trick at all to taking one off and putting it back on. I do it all the time when I clean mine. loosen the set screw that locks the FS retaining nut and use FS pliers to unscrew the retaining nut. It comes off lickity split. You'll know if it's not aligned properly by checking the muzzle of the FS for signs of copper after you fire it. That's most often solved by reaming the FS to NM specs.

If there ever was a reason to form an American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Firearms, this is it.

wait a min guys...

I admit I'm clueless about the M1A and a MUZZLEBRAKE.  My M1A is from the 80's and 100% GI. ()

The original (preban) FLASHHIDER can be removed quite easily as stated.

But a Muzzlebrake ??  Are they not required to be permanently attached???

something to find out before sinking some money into tools or a 'smith for nil.

Step the fu^k away from the Saw ! Installing a Flash suppressor is quite simple, if you really cant do it then pay a Smith, otherwise give up custody of your M1A!  

Quoted: wait a min guys... But a Muzzlebrake ??  Are they not required to be permanently attached??? something to find out before sinking some money into tools or a 'smith for nil.

No, not on M-14 clones. They attach just like the FS.

darn you Sukebe I was tryin' not to learn anything today!

Quoted: I don't know-I kind of admire a guy who looks at his gun, looks at his sawzall and thinks "WTF? Why not?" BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ-KER CHUNK!

LMAO

A buddy has a smith enterprise break on his Armscorp thats not near as loud as my Springfield break.

Instead of going through the trouble of sawing it off, why not wedge it in a sewer grate and snap it off?

coyote3

ED_P,

If you can get that thing off w/o using the saw, I'll swap you my M1A flash hider for your break. These old arthritic shoulders of mine would welcome the break, and hearing protection is required at my range so there's no problem there.

You'll have to give me a few days though. I need to either order the FH removal tools,... or get a new blade for my chop saw.

Let me know.

NMSight

My M1A is from the 80's and 100% GI. The original (preban) FLASHHIDER can be removed quite easily as stated. But a Muzzlebrake ?? Are they not required to be permanently attached???

You have a PREBAN weapon.  It already has a legal flash suppressor on it!  Why the hell would you want to permanently attach a muzzle brake?!  WTF?

Put the Prozac away and get some good quality sleep time.

BTW, investing in a few (appropriate) tools for your weapon is only common sense.

Moe

  not to be rude or any thing but, ha  ah  ha   ah   ha   ah   ha, just got done reading this all above, still chukling over the whole idea of chop it to fix it, i put a flah supressor from a M-60 on a .22 from western auto after i choped the barrel about 4", used a grinder then files to form the threaded end, finaly to size,i threaded it with a die, some what well enough to hold then j-b welded it like using loc tight only a little tighter, looks cool,and with the pistol like grip i formed in to the stock griping area, i can walk with it with one hand pointed down at the real soil around here/i supose the city streets would be diffrent :o)),  We do what we can with what little we are given to work on those that are so non apritiative of our skills, i was a machinest and a skilled craftsmen of making parts and peices for just about any thing.And no i did not own a metal lath when constructing my monstrosity, would have used it, O-Ya ,at the range shooting a nra steel target set up , iam comparible with the guy's with those realy expencive guns, they get so pissy about it to,Top it off, iam disabled but i shoot standing the same as every one  :o))
.
.

Sometimes some of you really scare me.

This man is a communist.

Let me get this straight; you want to take a hacksaw and risk mangling a beautiful weapon because you think its irritating to the guys shooting next to you?

Didn't I see this on an episode of Gomer Pyle once?

Look, you're a very kind person to consider their well being, but screw them.  If they think a .308 is too loud for them, they should get better hearing protection.  If you want to do it simply for your own benefit, get someone who knows what they're doing to do the deed.  The money you save on the home abortion will cost you much more on the resale value of the weapon.  You've got a really nice piece there, don't screw it up.

Keep in mind that the front sight is part of the
muzzle break assembly, same goes for the flash suppressor. It's threaded and there's nothing to it. Loosen the nut (with the right tool) and pull it off.

SAW + M1A = BLASPHEMY

Quoted: My M1A is from the 80's and 100% GI. The original (preban) FLASHHIDER can be removed quite easily as stated. But a Muzzlebrake ?? Are they not required to be permanently attached??? You have a PREBAN weapon.  It already has a legal flash suppressor on it!  Why the hell would you want to permanently attach a muzzle brake?!  WTF? Put the Prozac away and get some good quality sleep time. BTW, investing in a few (appropriate) tools for your weapon is only common sense. Moe

REREAD MY ORIGINAL POST AND DONT MIS-QUOTE ME.

I was replying to ED_P and questioning the previous replies.  Why don't YOU put the crack pipe down and read what the heck you're replyin about.

I will give you the benifit of the doubt and assume that KKF hit it on the head. I figured you were talking about a welded or pinned on brake. Send it to a smith or go ape shit at sears and get a dremel (you WILL need one at some time). Next pick up a Brownells and get the right tools. I think if you would have stated that it was welded on you might not have been beat up so bad. Then again you did suggest SAWING an M-1!!!
Hope it works out M-1's are the best damn thing we ever had in our arsenal. Thank god some of us still get them.

Since NMSight has offered a trade, it sounds like your problem is solved.

However, FWIW, I’ve seen occasional M1A’s (or the equivalent) at gunshows modified as you describe.  These were almost certainly Norinco’s or Polytech’s with the slotted part of the flashhider removed to meet some law or another (possibly dealing with imports).

I can’t envisage any safety problems with this modification, but it is certainly ugly!!

Considering that you’re talking about modifying a part that is small, easily replaced (if a bit expensive), and relatively non-critical, I don’t quite understand the distress that you have caused some members.  

Someone with good mechanical skills should be able to do this with no problem - and someone lacking those skills could certainly screw it up royally!  I would think you’d want to remove the unit from the barrel and clean it up on a lathe.  

That being said, I certainly agree that simply swapping out units makes a lot more sense.

Also FWIW, Numrich has newly manufactured replacement M-14 flash suppressors for $41.55.  However, some of the non-original parts that they sell are not very good quality.  These have a bayonet lug, which I believe would have to be removed if fitted to your rifle.

Incidentally, there’s nothing wrong with being considerate of other shooters.

Quoted: I'm hoping I get a few good suggestions from you hardcore gun buffs with the most shocking option for my M1-A. When I brought it a year or so back, I actually wanted a flash hider, but the dealer sold me the same model with a muzzlebreak, for $75 less as it was in the store.  I never owned a gun with a muzzlebreak before, and was naive about just how much louder it was going to be to shoot.  I didn't care about a flash hider as I wasn't planning to go to war anytime soon. It's just so loud, I really irritate the people on either side of me at the range, and tried once to shoot it without hearing protection, outside in the open, to see how loud it would be if I had to ever shoot it without hearing protection, and I had bells in my ears for 5 minutes.  Worse than shooting a short barreled .357 by a long shot. Anyway, I looked into a flash hider (fine and legal in Mass) but the going rate is around $180 and I don't want to install it myself as I heard it can be tricky for a first timer, due to the precise alignment needed. So I am sitting here looking at the muzzle break, and wonder why I can't just find the right tool and saw it off, leaving 1/4" of metal to protect the crown.  I would probably file the edges round so there's less chance of small fragments breaking off during future firings. Also I imagine an even cut is most crucial so gas pressure from an uneven tip doesn't mar accuracy, but I see alot of guns with a simple compensator that only shields the bottom of the barrel crown, so maybe this concern is unfounded. Do any of you gun guru's have any saftey concerns I should be made aware of, or would it be safe to operate with a stubby muzzle?  I know my warranty would be void, but it looks like over $200 and a search for a gunsmith to do this otherwise, making a saw look mighty tempting for a weak minded individual like myself, at least for a few moments...

Just leave it alone and enjoy it.

Posted by 7IDL

But a Muzzlebrake ?? Are they not required to be permanently attached???

REREAD MY ORIGINAL POST AND DONT MIS-QUOTE ME...I was replying to ED_P and questioning the previous replies.

I didn't misquote you.  You asked if a brake was required to be permanently attached and I said, no, they aren't.

Unless you have an M14A1 (with the pistol grip stock), all M1As, pre and post ban, come with only one 1994 Crime Bill defined "evil" feature, the flash suppressor/threaded barrel.

All M1As are legal with a non-permanently attached flash suppressor OR muzzle brake.

Why would you voluntarily give up what the feds allow you to have?

ED_P, just do like QCMGR said and go shoot the damn thing.

Moe

Quoted: ...I didn't misquote you.  You asked if a brake was required to be permanently attached and I said, no, they aren't...

THIS is what you said:

You have a PREBAN weapon. It already has a legal flash suppressor on it! Why the hell would you want to permanently attach a muzzle brake?! WTF? Put the Prozac away and get some good quality sleep time.

That's a little bit different than answering if a muzzlebrake needs to be perm. attached.

I already stated my M1A was 'preban' and having a FH.  I was not asking about putting a friggin muzzlebrake on my rifle.  

Alright guys, any more arguing and I'm gettin' the saw! And I swear I'm not bluffing, I'll do it!!!

Quoted: Alright guys, any more arguing and I'm gettin' the saw! And I swear I'm not bluffing, I'll do it!!!

CALLING THE AR15.COM TAC SQUAD... HAVE AN INNOCENT M1-A BEING HELD HOSTAGE ....


Now, now ED_P.  Stay calm.  There is no need to get violent.  The M1-A did nothing to you.... it is innocent.  Put down the hack saw....