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Thread: Ruger Muzzle Brake Stuck

  1. #1
    Boolit Master murf205's Avatar
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    Ruger Muzzle Brake Stuck

    My son has a Ruger American 450 Bushmaster Ranch with that awful muzzle brake and yes, it is deafening to shoot. I have tried heat and a good fitting 7/8 wrench but this thing will not budge. As a side note to all of this, I use a Magneto Speed chronograph and the blast from the brake keeps it from registering any speed. Any help/advice would really be appreciated.
    Murf
    IT AINT what ya shoot--its how ya shoot it. NONE of us are as smart as ALL of us!

  2. #2
    Boolit Master Moleman-'s Avatar
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    Is it one of the two piece brakes they put on where the part with flats is a locknut? Try holding the front section with a round screwdriver while backing off the locknut.

  3. #3
    Boolit Master murf205's Avatar
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    I did, but it wont budge.
    IT AINT what ya shoot--its how ya shoot it. NONE of us are as smart as ALL of us!

  4. #4
    Boolit Master
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    I had one that I had to take off.
    Someone had installed it with Red Loctite.
    I took my heat gun and warmed up the break.
    Then it finally came loose.
    Give it a shot.
    The heat gun won't effect the bluing.

  5. #5
    Boolit Master murf205's Avatar
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    How hot did you have to get it? As you face the muzzle, it unscrews counter clockwise, right? Is the hex nut part of the brake?
    IT AINT what ya shoot--its how ya shoot it. NONE of us are as smart as ALL of us!

  6. #6
    Boolit Master
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    If I remember correctly.
    The Hex part is the lock nut.
    The round part is the break.
    But it has been a few years since I had that rifle in my hands , and I don't remember if it was a Factory Break.
    The heat gun can not overheat the parts , but it has to get pretty warm.
    A hair dryer won't work.

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by murf205 View Post
    How hot did you have to get it?
    Red locktire is sort of like herpes.... it's on there for life.

    However; what I've read says heat it to 450-500 F for a couple minutes, and that will 'soften' it.
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  8. #8
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by murf205 View Post
    How hot did you have to get it? As you face the muzzle, it unscrews counter clockwise, right? Is the hex nut part of the brake?
    Red loctite needs at least 500 degrees F. One thing you might try that can help is to spray it with WD-40 every time you walk past it. And try to crank it in both directions. WD-40 is not the best penetrant around, but it won't damage the blued finish. http://www.useloctite.com/downloads/...ok_updated.pdf see page 26. Says at least 5 minutes.

    Bill

  9. #9
    Boolit Buddy Sig's Avatar
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    I've had Kroil break down red loctite. Took some time but got it done. I'd immerse the brake in it for a few days. I used a tall medicine bottle & stood the barrel in it.

  10. #10
    Boolit Master murf205's Avatar
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    Thanks guy's I'm going to try the heat gun first while the can of Kroil is on order. Am I correct on the direction to loosen the nut/break?
    IT AINT what ya shoot--its how ya shoot it. NONE of us are as smart as ALL of us!

  11. #11
    Boolit Master
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    I don't ever remember any gun that had Left Handed Threads.Righty Tightly , Lefty Lucy

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    Texas by God's Avatar
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    A hacksaw and crowning tool. Just kidding! Sort of....

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  13. #13
    Boolit Master murf205's Avatar
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    I'm not going to go quite that far. My son would have a duck and I couldn't blame him. But I have an ace in the hole, Mr Jimmy McCollough of McCollough Rifle Co is only about 30 min away from me and he has bailed me out before.
    IT AINT what ya shoot--its how ya shoot it. NONE of us are as smart as ALL of us!

  14. #14
    Boolit Master murf205's Avatar
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    LAGS, I just talked with Ruger customer seevice in North Carolina and the lady said the same thing about the heat gun. When i get home im going to try it. I wish they would ship the gun with the thread protector and let the buyer put the break on if they want it.
    IT AINT what ya shoot--its how ya shoot it. NONE of us are as smart as ALL of us!

  15. #15
    Boolit Master

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    Quote Originally Posted by murf205 View Post
    LAGS, I just talked with Ruger customer seevice in North Carolina and the lady said the same thing about the heat gun. When i get home im going to try it. I wish they would ship the gun with the thread protector and let the buyer put the break on if they want it.
    If they did that it would get loose during shipping and scar up the stock or metal.
    Spell check doesn't work in Chrome, so if something is spelled wrong, it's just a typo that I missed.

  16. #16
    Boolit Master


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    Put dry ice on the barrel before you use the heat gun on the muzzle brake.
    The dry ice will make the barrel shrink and the heat will expand the brake!

  17. #17
    Boolit Master
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    The brakes are installed with Loctite.
    The heat softens the loctite.
    It is not an issue with a Pressed Fit.
    So cooling the barrel is not much help in this case.
    Another thing that I use to Cool Down metal parts for press fitting is the Spray computer dust blaster.
    It isn't as cold as dry ice.
    But it in the long run is cheaper when doing only small parts.
    Last edited by LAGS; 01-14-2022 at 12:12 PM.

  18. #18
    Boolit Master murf205's Avatar
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    Well the heat gun didn't work either and that was the recommendation of Ruger Customer Service. They said if that didn't work to call back and they would take it and remove it for me. I might just take them up on that offer. At least if something goes south it will be on them to fix it.
    IT AINT what ya shoot--its how ya shoot it. NONE of us are as smart as ALL of us!

  19. #19
    Boolit Master 243winxb's Avatar
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    Turn jam nut wrong way first, then back off.

  20. #20
    Boolit Master murf205's Avatar
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    I tried that-twice. This thing is ON THERE.
    IT AINT what ya shoot--its how ya shoot it. NONE of us are as smart as ALL of us!

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check