How do I get my muzzle break off?

Any advice on how to get a muzzle break off by myself? I don't have a barrel vise and don't want to take it to a gun smith…
Thanks!

OG-danimal said:

Any advice on how to get a muzzle break off by myself? I don't have a barrel vise and don't want to take it to a gun smith…
Thanks!

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Do you have a regular vise?

Does it have any type of thread locker (Rocksett, LocTite, etc.) on it?

If you have a regular vise, you can make a non-marring block with a chunk of hardwood, a saw and a drill, or you can go to Harbor Freight or Northern Tool and get non-marring jaws for your vise to hold the gun.

If it has Rocksett holding it on, you will need to soak it for a bit in hot water (I use boiling and soak for 10 minutes). If it has red loctite or similar, you will need some heat on it to break it free.

I think you will be inviting trouble, even with non marring jaws. What barrel/brake is it? Is the barrel off the action?

I would try heating with a hair drier if loc-tite was used it might help. If you have a bench vise wrap barrel with an old belt and CAREFULLY tighten to hold it.

When "ALL" else fails……hack…!

Most will object venomously, but if it were my rifle……it's "outta here", by whatever means necessary! memtb

Careful. My factory Remington 700 7mm STW is left handed thread

As Buckleman said verify the threads. Then try a heat gun, a blowdryer may not be hot enough. Also, tip the gun stock up and soak the brake where the threads meet the barrel with PB Blaster

I assume it's a bolt action and a factory break?
Contact the manufacturer and see if they will tell you if they use anything to keep the break in place and what the thread s are as mentioned above you need to be careful with this.
If it's an aftermarket put on by a previous owner or a gunsmith they might have used Rock Set, but as mentioned, I'd start with a little heat first to see if it'll break free and then soak in hot water (for rock set). I had a break installed by a gunsmith after he threaded my barrel. It took about an hour sitting in hot water for the rock set to allow me to break it free. I just put the whole gun in my vise in and the break came off easy once it had soaked.
If it's an older gun and/or the break has been on there for a while, and if the 2 options mentioned by above (and by other posters) doesn't work, then try break free or PB blaster (again as mentioned above).
If you don't have a vise and plan on doing any other gun work, I'd highly recommend you get one, and make sure it comes with non-marring jaws or get some.
Good luck.

Buckleman said:

Careful. My factory Remington 700 7mm STW is left handed thread

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Good to know. What thread size and pitch?

What type of rifle and break is it? Can you post a picture?

Thanks all, I'll give these a try. It's a 1/2-24 thread on a Kimber Montana barrel. And it's a dead air keymo adapt break

If it's a suppressor adapter BRAKE, it is most likely installed with Rockset. Soak in water to loosen Rockset, it is designed for high heat and will not be loosened by a heat gun or hair dryer.

OG-danimal said:

Any advice on how to get a muzzle break off by myself? I don't have a barrel vise and don't want to take it to a gun smith…
Thanks!

Click to expand...

I had an issue like that with the Remington 700 when I wanted to change to a target/sniper brake. Get a heat gun and direct it on the brake only, (angle it from the rear to the front if need be) Let it get good and hot then take a punch the same size of the holes in the brake push it through then take a piece of pipe and place it over the punch, and turn the old brake off. They actually come off quite easy and the heat won't hurt the barrel. Make sure you don't grab the old brake with bare hands, the hand you burn the hell out of WILL be your own. It's not fancy, but it works without loosening the barrel. If you are worried about loosening the barrel place it in a vise with wood between the jaws and the vise to hold it in place when twisting it off. If this doesn't work you will need to take it to a gunsmith. Don't try cutting it off the barrel yourself. Cutting it off squarely is not possible without the proper equipment and re-crowning the barrel requires specialized tools.

Heat the brake with a propane torch. Whoever installed mine OD with the loctite.