Ok...now that I have my first muzzle brake, and have yet to fire it........

removing a non indexed brake is one thing, you have an indexed brake. remove it once or twice and it will most likely not line back up anymore.

Lefty, I'm glad that you chimed in about that. YES, it is indexed and makes sense what you say.

Unless somebody else can provide input to the contrary, I think I'll now leave well enough alone and NOT take it off the barrel.
 
VaniB
When you buy a clamshell type brake from K-P they ship it out with a shim kit.They are indexed and after a few blows with a mallet to remove or install them the index will change a small amount.You simply unscrew it an add a steel shim.
Waterboy
 
Lefty, I'm glad that you chimed in about that. YES, it is indexed and makes sense what you say.

Unless somebody else can provide input to the contrary, I think I'll now leave well enough alone and NOT take it off the barrel.


When I install indexed brakes I work the brake on and off quite tight quite a few times with grease on the threads and shoulder before making the final cut to index it correctly. If one of these should start to go past the correct index it would be so small as to not matter in performance and a long time before you would notice it is past... they do not require much torque to hold them in place... You could also use blue Loctite and just touch it to the shoulder to index it... and still be easily removed.

It will depend on just how well it was fitted and you will not know unless you remove it and see...

Carry a can of compressed air and when the dry patch is at the muzzle blow all the crap out of the brake and continue with the dry patch...
 
While you’re at it clean the brake a little. Squirt some cleaner through it and blow it out with a can of air.

I was shooting in a match this summer, the guy to my right fired his first fouling round, some foreign material apparently blew out of his brake and hit me in the face. It wasn't serious, but what a surprise!
 
patches

This is really stupid but don't you guys look down the bore after you clean it and before you reinstall the bolt?
Hard to say what you could loose in there if you don't check it.
Saw a guy shooting a 50 last week and a flock of sparrows built a nest in the brake while he was bragging about how cool it was. He blew egg shells everywhere, some were even cooked. :D
 
Yea...sometimes I get home from the range and unload all my stuff and head through the back door and through the kitchen. I'm sure at one time or another I must have propped my rifle up against the wall nearby the cook-top.

I'll check my rifle bore next time for stuck sphagetti. I hear that once it dries and hardens it doesn't let a bullet pass easy.
 
blocked break

to some up all the great answers and remarks .make sure you don't let a patch in the break.
 
VaniB

Also post back and let me know what you think of that new style brake if you would.I am thinking about building a real stomper and want the best brake possible on it.
Waterboy aka Lynn

Lynn,
Just so you know we are on the same page, here is a websight photo of the Holland's QD Brake. Mine arrived in the same matt stainless version and I used 600 grit paper to buff it to the same finish as my stainless barrel. I really think that for the same price Darrell would be wise to offer the option of providing it to you in the matt finish, (the only way he ships it out) or in the polished satin stainless that I produced . It took me next to no time to buff it up with the 600 grit paper. With so little effort it would really enhance an otherwise very well done job. The dull gray matt finish does no justice to a nice stainless barrel and really dampens the joy factor when you first open the box all full of anticipation. I wonder how many of his newbie customers don't realize that it can be polished to match most stainless barrels. 15 minutes of fussing over it with 600 grit paper, and now it looks soooo much better.

brake3.jpg


Darrell is set up with the necessary tools or jig so that it was not necessary for him to remove the receiver from the barrel. (as my smith wanted to do) Nor did he remove the Leupold bases and lower ring halves to install his muzzle brake. (as my smith also wanted me to do) I put my Burris 32X scope right back on the lowers, reattached my upper ring halves, and went to the firing range!


I brought a couple of pint sized water ballons with me to the firing range to check how the muzzle brake helps me to witness the moment of impact. Even at 17 1/4 lbs, I still could not actually see the bullet holes appear on the paper target at 100 yards. (as I can witness sometimes with my 14Lb 20tactical.) However, the recoil is light enough so I lose very little sight of the action, and am able to see the burst of water. Before the MB, I hit the balloon and had to scramble to find my sight picture quickly in order to see pieces of the splattered balloon falling. Now, there is no such special effort to see the balloon blow up a half of a second after impact, and see the water bursting out in all directions.

I now pretty much have that long distance Prarie dog rifle I intended to build.

BTW, I had a slight ringing in my right ear after the first shot (just slight) so I proceeded to wear rubber plugs under the muffs. Perhaps a better fitting set of quality ear-muffs would negate that need.


This was the first 100 yard group right out of the new muzzle brake. I did not lose any accuracy, and I am able to use the same pet load as before I had Darrell install the MB.

22X47L1sttargetusingMB.jpg
 
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