Can this barrel be threaded?

[Skylineracer329]

I picked a used AR for short money last week and in my haste didn't take a close look at the muzzle brake. Took it shooting and found out real quick the brake was on upside down. Turns out it was the most hack, DIY install I've seen done. I managed to get it off and this is what was underneath. I was wondering if this barrel can be threaded to accept a new brake or if I need a new barrel

 

[MAD Geary]

You could have it cut, recrowned, then if you want leave it be. Or it can be rethreaded from there. It's fixable, how much do you have into it? Honestly Might be cheaper to buy a new barrel.

 

[milktree]

What's the diameter of the channel?

 

[OCB]

Was the barrel ever threaded? I've had to have a flash hider removed to install a brake before, and the machine shop was able to take a die and re-establish the threads. New brake was installed without issue.

 

[Knicks]

Yikes. How does the rest of the rifle look?

 

[Skylineracer329]

Yikes. How does the rest of the rifle look?

The rest of the rifle looks great, looks like it was rarely, if ever fire, and it runs great, plenty accurate even with the junk brake on it.

Was the barrel ever threaded? I've had to have a flash hider removed to install a brake before, and the machine shop was able to take a die and re-establish the threads. New brake was installed without issue.

I can't tell if it was ever threaded. It doesn't look like it's been cut. The brake was held on (barely) with 4 set screws that sat in that channel.

You could have it cut, recrowned, then if you want leave it be. Or it can be rethreaded from there. It's fixable, how much do you have into it? Honestly Might be cheaper to buy a new barrel.

It only cost me $400 and change. I could drop another $300 in parts and still come out on top in my eye.

 

[RDG]

I think it would depends on the barrel.

Is it a high end target barrel or just your run of the mill 16" AR-15 barrel?

 

[Knicks]

Any markings on the barrel? Might be better off just buying a new one if you want/need to add a brake. Others have said those set screw brakes end up down range

 

[Skylineracer329]

I think it would depends on the barrel.

Is it a high end target barrel or just your run of the mill 16" AR-15 barrel?

Looks like just a regular AR barrel that's stainless instead of anodized. It has the M4 contour and I don't think target barrels have that. But I don't know anything about high end match grade parts

 

[Skylineracer329]

Any markings on the barrel? Might be better off just buying a new one if you want/need to add a brake. Others have said those set screw brakes end up down range

No markings other than "SS 556" and yeah those set screws backed right out pretty quick

 

[LoginName]

The rest of the rifle looks great, looks like it was rarely, if ever fire, and it runs great, plenty accurate even with the junk brake on it.

I can't tell if it was ever threaded. It doesn't look like it's been cut. The brake was held on (barely) with 4 set screws that sat in that channel.

It only cost me $400 and change. I could drop another $300 in parts and still come out on top in my eye.

It's not a Hesse by any chance?

Looks like something they would have done.

Or... someone had an AR without a threaded barrel, and wanted to install a muzzle brake on the cheap by not having it done the proper way
by having the barrel threaded.

It looks repairable from the pic, it's just a matter if it's worth the expense of having it threaded and a new brake pinned and welded.

 

[Skylineracer329]

It's not a Hesse by any chance?

Looks like something they would have done.

Or... someone had an AR without a threaded barrel, and wanted to install a muzzle brake on the cheap by not having it done the proper way
by having the barrel threaded.

It looks repairable from the pic, it's just a matter if it's worth the expense of having it threaded and a new brake pinned and welded.

The lower is a 2013 Olympic Arms. The upper looks like the guy got it at Jeff's Stripped Upper Emporium hahaha.

 

[pastera]

Do you have calipers or a micrometer? What is the diameter?

Even if the channel is too deep for threads the barrel may be able to be single point threaded on a large. Doing it this way will keep the thread continuous over the channel, allowing a brake to be screwed on.

1/2-28 external is pretty easy and fast, so the cost would really be in pulling the barrel and lathe setup.

Sent from my C6530 using Tapatalk

 

[Skylineracer329]

Someone smarter than I figured it out. The part with the channel cut into it is an adapter that's been pinned. The threads are supposedly underneath.

Anyone know a good gunsmith near the north shore that can undo this?

 

[Knicks]

Give Steve at northeast arms a call. He can definitely do the pin weld and stocks brakes. He May be able get the adapter off.

I've removed a permanently attached brake by dremeling off the weld. A couple of taps with a soft mallet and the pin dropped.

 

[xtry51]

Do yourself a giant favor, buy a new $150-200 barrel and throw that one on the shelf for later.

 

[mac1911]

Someone smarter than I figured it out. The part with the channel cut into it is an adapter that's been pinned. The threads are supposedly underneath.

Anyone know a good gunsmith near the north shore that can undo this?

Can you spot the weld where the adapter is pinned. Is the barrel less than 16" with out brake or adapter?

If it groups nice and all seems well why not just shoot it as is?

 

[Skylineracer329]

If it groups nice and all seems well why not just shoot it as is?

Mostly to satisfy my OCD. It was installed cheaply and it looks cheap and I'd like a more secure means of having a brake attached.

 

[groundscrapers]

Looks fine to me, take the cap off, clean up the burrs and put a new brake on and run it.

 

[Another_David]

What side of the barrel is the pin on? They're usually on the bottom and some muzzle device come pre drilled.

But if it was upside down then it could be on top and then you'll need a device that can go in any direction, not a break, or have the device drilled to match. Drilling top and bottom would seem like a sure way to f up the threads.

 

[jasons]

It's not a Hesse by any chance?

Looks like something they would have done.

Or... someone had an AR without a threaded barrel, and wanted to install a muzzle brake on the cheap by not having it done the proper way
by having the barrel threaded.

It looks repairable from the pic, it's just a matter if it's worth the expense of having it threaded and a new brake pinned and welded.

Olympic did that during the federal ban to get around the whole threaded muzzle thing. They had special comps that slid over the barrel and were attached with set screws. Kinda weird, you don't seem them that often these days.

Yeah you could chop that crap off and have it threaded (just watch out for overall length) but unless you can do it yourself or have a friend who'll do it for you it's probably cheaper to just buy a new barrel. If it is an Olympic it's not like the barrel is anything special anyway.

The lower is a 2013 Olympic Arms. The upper looks like the guy got it at Jeff's Stripped Upper Emporium hahaha.

Ahh, there you go. (Though I didn't realize they were still doing those that late.)