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Posted: 1/7/2003 8:12:57 AM EDT
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Ok, I am sick of my naked ended 16" post ban upper. I wanted to spend $100 bucks to get a KKF, Cav arms, or Wilson break put on permanently. However, money is tight and I want some other goodies so I am considering a set screw post ban break. ASA has some on sale for $16 - $19. The use 4 set screws. Does any one have experience opinions on this setup? Will they stay solidly on? Should I add JB weld on when I install it? It is a genric 16" barreled upper, so I would be screwing up a match grade set up or anything like that. I am looking at C in the photo. 
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I put one on an AK I used to own a few years ago. First time I used it, it launched about 20 feet downrange after several shots. I was determined that would not happen again. First you MUST dimple the barrel where the set screws contact it. Put the brake on and remove one screw, then put some tape on a drill bit so you do not wreck the threads in the brake, drill in about 1-2 mm. Replace the screw and then do the same for the other 3 screws. If you want to be able to take the brake off at some later time just use some RED Loctite (heat will allow you to remove latter.) If you want a "permanent" attachment, just use some JB Weld on the barrel/brake interface in ADDITION to the red Loctite 271. After I did this It was on for good and I couldn't take it off if I wanted to. |
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What ZOG said. I had one that looked exactly like "C", and didn't bother retrieving it the third time it was launched downrange. It was setscrewed tightly enough to scar up the end of the barrel pretty well when it came off, but that wasn't secure enough to hold it in place for more than a couple of shots. A buddy's Olympic has a groove machined at the barrel end for the setscrews, and Bushmaster cross drills and pins theirs in place. Those are the only ways to keep a post ban muzzle brake in place that I'm aware of. Bushmaster offered me a free installation if I buy one of their brakes, I'll probably take them up on it to cover the scarred muzzle. |
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I have the Smith Enterprises brake on one of my barrels. It kinda looks like the 4th one from the left (D). It is ok I guess. The main reason for my putting it on my rifle was the barrel I bought for a project gun is an Olympic Arms barrel from Brownells and has a groove cut in the end of the barrel specifically meant for set screw brakes. With the groove it looked worse than a regular smooth barrel. The groove is about1/16th of an inch deep and gives a spot for all four set screws to countersink into to keep the brake from being launched down range. It definitely works as I have a minumum of 2,000 rounds through the barrel without a bit of trouble of it loosening up. If you decide to go the set screw brake route you would have to at a minimum drill countersink holes in the barrel and then you're kinda stuck with the brake. If you decide you don't like it you'll be left with the countersink holes in your barrel. As a side note my barrel has been real accurate. |
As far as I can tell, all muzzle breaks made for the AR15 series rifle are tapped to that pitch, so as to permit the usage of of them on preban uppers as well. If you threaded it for a different pitch, why would you not need to weld it in place? The AW ban specifically prohibits threaded barrels, not barrels that will accept flashiders. Permanantly welding the brake over the threads is required for '94 ban compliance, not matter how you thread it. I can personally reccomend the Cav Comp, having used several, and installed two of them...I wouldn't trust one of those set screw brakes at all since I watched one fly downrange after vibrating loose. J. |
Actaully, You're not exactly right. What it says is:
BATF has given written opinions that threads on post ban barrels are allowed as long as no flash suppressor exists that will work with that particular thread. |
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