Remove red loctite?

[Frogman77]

Brake cleaner will soften red loctite… I've used it often….

 

[Mark37082]

I wish you luck with the brake removal. I've had a similar problem trying to remove a flash hider from an AR barrel.
I use anti-seize when screwing on brakes and suppressors. SS barrels and Ti brakes/suppressors. I've never considered that anti-seize causing a problem.

 

[Laelkhunter]

I think I would just leave it on.

 

[durdy1]

Yea as others have said. Heat just the brake. Along with maybe a sharp blow mallet.

 

[marc357]

I have used red loctite on 4 different Silencerco muzzle brakes and 3 prong flash hiders that are also suppressor mounts, after having the brake begin to unscrew with the suppressor when removing it. Also on the adapters that screw into the back of the suppressor itself, for the same reason.

I have gently heated the brake (or adapter) with a plumber's torch to soften the Red Loctite to remove them. I did not use anything to monitor the temp, but don't think I got anywhere near 550 degrees.

Edited to add: I would leave the brake on. That factory Tikka radial brake is not that obnoxious as brakes go, and I enjoy being able to see my bullets impact.

 

[Varmintnv]

I have a brake on my 28 Nosler, and have never need any kind of Locktite to hold it on. Don't know if it makes a difference, but mine is a Vias radial.

 

[Roughrice]

To keep my muzzle brake on my Tikka roughtech from coming off I used red loctite. I realized that the muzzle brake is offensive to nearby shooters and want to remove it. I don't need it anyhow the 6.5 Creed is easy with recoil.

BUT The only way I see is to heat the muzzle up to about 550F. Is that going to damage my muzzle?

I'm not a gunsmith but use and remove lock-tite often on applications other than guns.
Heat with a propane torch (or acetylene torch if you know how to use it) in a waving motion to not overheat the metal or dam sure not turn red!
If you slowly heat up you will see a puff of smoke come from the threads. Immediately (with the correct size wrench ready ahead of time) wrench it off with ease then allow to cool in natural air.
Do not pour water to cool.

 

[Roughrice]

I removed old flat head rail screws from an old receiver that someone used lock-tite on.
You must be very precise and use tricks to get those out but they will come right out with heat if done correctly. You can actually use them again if need be.

 

[mullmann03]

The first rifle I had built had a muzzle brake that would not come off. I ended up turning the cerakote brown trying to get it off with a propane torch. I had to take it to a gunsmith who used map gas to get it hot enough to come off. Gunsmith who built it said they didn't use red loctire, but I am not sure what else would explain why it took to much heat to get it off. I use blue loctite on gun related projects now. I don't mess with red around my guns.

Rifle still shot great after that.

 

[Willys]

You should be clamping the barrel right next to the brake of course. No twisting force on barrel, action or stock.

 

[Ninering62]

Question out of curiosity, do you typically need red loctite to hold a muzzle brake on?

Absolutely NOT! It's a bonehead rookie idea & you're seeing exactly why right here

 

[tobnpr]

Properly cut threads and shoulders don't need loctite to secure a muzzle device under ordinary use.

That said...
For liability reasons, I would always secure muzzle devices with Rocksett unless I had it in writing from the customer not to use it. I've seen the results from a brake being removed to clean it and the crown and not being properly torqued back after, vibrating loose and resulting in a baffle strike.

Due to the fine threads of most muzzle devices it's not a good idea to regulalry remove/replace them for cleaning.

 

[marc357]

Absolutely NOT! It's a bonehead rookie idea & you're seeing exactly why right here

Typically not necessary, but it does depend on your use case. In my experience, Red Loc-Tite doesn't hold as well as people seem to think it does, or need as high temps to break loose as people think.

I use red LocTite on suppressor adapters, and just shooting a bit has heated the LocTite enough to soften the LocTite, and when I removed the suppressor, the suppressor body came off the adapter, leaving the adapter on the barrel.

Also, if said brake is also a mount for a suppressor, after some shooting, carbon buildup can start to weld the can to the brake, causing the brake to want to come off with the can when you remove it.

This is the reason many brakes intended for this use come with a small tube of Rocksett (which is water-soluble) or LocTite.

 

[bigbore50]

To keep my muzzle brake on my Tikka roughtech from coming off I used red loctite. I realized that the muzzle brake is offensive to nearby shooters and want to remove it. I don't need it anyhow the 6.5 Creed is easy with recoil.

BUT The only way I see is to heat the muzzle up to about 550F. Is that going to damage my muzzle?

Freezing it will counter act the Loc-tite, as will heat!