Muzzle Brake Install gone wrong?! Help!

[MightyMach]

Well crap! I've got a 300RUM Sendero SFII and I had one of the Defensive Edge brakes put on it. Well tonight I just noticed the end of my barrel has a burr on it. I thought ***, how in the hell did this happen? Then I noticed inside the muzzle brake there are dents in it and traces of copper!! Now I'm really inspecting this thing, right? So now I notice there are two indentations on the baffle furthest from the end of the barrel, and the solid piece on the bottom of the first baffle (furthest from the end) has what appears to be a stress crack starting. The two indentations are nowhere near congruent, so I think they're both caused by stress, but I am no expert.

Where do I go from here? Is my barrel going to have to be cut any shorter to have this process redone? If so, I am going to demand a refund, money for a new barrel, and send it off to Shawn Carlock to convert to an EDGE....something I was planning on doing when this barrel was shot out anyways....

In any case...what do you guys think? I think the brake is junk at this point...and if my barrel needs to be cut any....it is junk to me...I don't think I need to suffer from their screw up.


PLease, any quick reply is greatly appreciated as I want to contact the shop tomorrow. Thank you!!

 

[linksmechanic]

Sounds like it isn't concentric with the bore and bullets are hitting it.

 

[MightyMach]

Ohh the bullets are definitely hitting it! But what does that mean as far as fixing it? What will need to be done? I would ASSUME (and you know what they say) the threads are no good since they do not allow a perfect, flush, (concentric?) fit. Further, I would assume if the threads are no good, they would need to cut and start over with a now shorter barrel?

 

[308 nate]

MightyMach,

PM sent

308nate

 

[lazylabs]

I would say a fair deal for both would be you paying for a new barrel/install and the smith throwing in the new brake and machine work to get it on. I certainly wouldn't invest any more money in a factory barrel. I have never worked with Shawn but as far as "internet rep" goes he's a good smith and a standup guy so I wouldn't worry too much.... %&*#(# happens and the good guys make it right.

 

[MightyMach]

I would say a fair deal for both would be you paying for a new barrel/install and the smith throwing in the new brake and machine work to get it on. I certainly wouldn't invest any more money in a factory barrel. I have never worked with Shawn but as far as "internet rep" goes he's a good smith and a standup guy so I wouldn't worry too much.... %&*#(# happens and the good guys make it right.

A fair deal would be for me to buy a new barrel and install for the smith screwing it up?! It appears fair to me would be get my money back and compensated for my losses!

 

[gedsar]

Has the brake been opened up to the right diameter? .330-.340

 

[J E Custom]

My guess would be that the threads were done with a
thread die instead of on a lathe (thread dies are very hard to line
up to make perfictly square threads)

To save the barrel you may have to shorten the muzzle but depending
on thread size you may be able to go with one thread size smaller and just
replace the brake.

But be sure and talk to Defensive edge and get there ideas on how they
recomend you solve the problem.

J E CUSTOM

 

[MightyMach]

As far as reaming out the brake...I would certainly hope so, they're the ones that did the install, not me.

I'll call DE as soon as I get the chance and get their opinion.

 

[MagMan]

I understand your frustration but in all reality what does 3/4" - 1" of barrel length really mean in a 300 RUM (not much).

Give the smith a chance to make it right (ie new brake and install). Coming off like an A-hole (not saying you are) in the beginning does little good. I'm sure he'll realize he screwed up and fix it...he should. Nobody likes to be kicked after they realized they've screwed up. Calmly explain the situation and if he doesn't agree then you have a good reason to come unglued.

Does he owe you a new barrel....I don't think so, but that's just me. I'm an easy going guy who realizes people screw up. I'm sure he will have no problem finding a Sendero II take off barrel if that's what your after.

As far as compensation it never hurts to dream big.

For what its worth I'd still be happy having both eyes and a mouth to breath out of after seeing bullets hitting the break. It could have been much worse.

Hope I didn't ruffle your feathers, that wasn't my intent.

 

[MightyMach]

I understand your frustration but in all reality what does 3/4" - 1" of barrel length really mean in a 300 RUM (not much).

Give the smith a chance to make it right (ie new brake and install). Coming off like an A-hole (not saying you are) in the beginning does little good. I'm sure he'll realize he screwed up and fix it...he should. Nobody likes to be kicked after they realized they've screwed up. Calmly explain the situation and if he doesn't agree then you have a good reason to come unglued.

Does he owe you a new barrel....I don't think so, but that's just me. I'm an easy going guy who realizes people screw up. I'm sure he will have no problem finding a Sendero II take off barrel if that's what your after.

As far as compensation it never hurts to dream big.

For what its worth I'd still be happy having both eyes and a mouth to breath out of after seeing bullets hitting the break. It could have been much worse.

Hope I didn't ruffle your feathers, that wasn't my intent.

Ruffle my feathers? Nah, it'll take more than that to do it...you just stated your opinion on the matter. This is not my first incidence with this smith though. I'll be succinct here on my past issues:

*I do not believe they are supposed to turn the entire brake on the lathe for install. The shop did.
*I have heard of installs being so tight you could not feel the line where the brake meets the barrel. Not only can I feel it, I can see it.
*Shop did my trigger work and even upon my request to get my old trigger back, did not get it back.
*I took a scope into them to have it bore sighted on this rifle. Initially, I was told to fill out paperwork and it would be ready in a few days. After I talked to the manager, it was done right then for the "modest" fee of $20 and told it would hit paper. After not hitting paper, I took it to another shop and was told (and shown) the scope would not even adjust (I forgot...up or down...left or right).

Now I find out my brake is not on squarely and that my bullets are hitting the brake on the way out? You're right, I am lucky to have both eyes, mouth...whatever, etc. And you're also right, what's 3/4"-1"? The fact of the matter is it is 3/4"-1" I wont have possibly due their negligence. To ask them to do the work for me again is not even an option at this point. A smith that operates negligently (if it was indeed the install) and puts me or others in harms way because of it is not a shop that deserves my business, or anyone else's for that matter.

I'll take my chances "dreaming big" rather than offer a smith another chance to screw something else up....especially something that could have had devastating consequences.

 

[MagMan]

Ahhh....makes more sense now.

As far as turning the DE brakes down....you can to a point but you have to make sure the tops and bottoms don't get to thin (which it sounds like they didn't).

He probably turned it so it didn't look crooked. Take it off, roll it across the table and look at both ends you should be able to see how crooked it really is.

Knowing more about the situation helps and I wouldn't give them a chance to make it right other than $$$.

Let us know how it pans out.

 

[MightyMach]

Ahhh....makes more sense now.

As far as turning the DE brakes down....you can to a point but you have to make sure the tops and bottoms don't get to thin (which it sounds like they didn't).

He probably turned it so it didn't look crooked. Take it off, roll it across the table and look at both ends you should be able to see how crooked it really is.

Knowing more about the situation helps and I wouldn't give them a chance to make it right other than $$$.

Let us know how it pans out.

Ohh it's definitely turned WAAYYY down.

The solid piece on the bottom of the first baffle looks to be around 1/16" the top is much thicker. Further, the same solid part on the first baffle is indented on each side (top and bottom). They are NOT congruent as the bottom half has two small indentations whereas the top has one. There also appears to be a small stress crack forming on the solid piece of the first baffle on the bottom. I'll try and get some pics up.

 

[Varmint]

Yes Yes we need pictures for sure and from what you are saying (THEY) did a great job of turning it down WAY to far. I use to make my own brakes and I know what you are talking about when you say turning it way down.I use to taper the back end to match the barrel and you have to make sure that there is still enough metal left on top and the bottem, or you can have the brake come apart under the stress of firing. Tim