Brake Cleaning

[DocRDS]

So I've been digging into rifle cleaning and somehow got it in my head that the muzzle brake needs to come off to get cleaned (especially as it is a suppressor mount).

But then also realized people rokset or loctite this stuff, and obviously they are not pulling every 200 rounds to clean. So for PRS/Tactical/Hunting just keep the damn thing on, wipe it down best as possible and drive on?

 

[Nik H]

I can't fathom anyone using Loctite on their brake but to each his own I guess.

I remove mine every few hundred rounds and soak it in carbon remover for a day or two. Wipe it off and use a little compressed air to ensure I get all the solvent off. Reinstall and rock on

 

[BuildingConceptsllc]

So I've been digging into rifle cleaning and somehow got it in my head that the muzzle brake needs to come off to get cleaned (especially as it is a suppressor mount).

But then also realized people rokset or loctite this stuff, and obviously they are not pulling every 200 rounds to clean. So for PRS/Tactical/Hunting just keep the damn thing on, wipe it down best as possible and drive on?

Mine are all on with high temp Permatex 27200. Works great and I can get it off with a torch and a few seconds with some vise grips.

As far as cleaning the break/qd, I spray it down with brake cleaner before I start cleaning my barrel and use an old rag. (,I just use a few paper towels initially to get the bulk off, then go to a rag). It stays fairly clean and isn't hard to clean up. Also, you can treat a new brake and then each time you clean it with Dot5 brake fluid (I use this inside my cans too) and the carbon and such with wipe off very easily. It's a fantastic trick I got from a thread on here a while back. Works really well. The silicone oil is what does it, if you can find pure silicone oil that's slightly better but the Dot5 works really well and makes life a ton easier, especially for cleaning cans. It does smoke like hell when you first shoot the can 3 or 4 times, then it goes away and is normal.

 

[Mordamer]

For PRS I remove it about every 300 rounds to clean the brake and barrel. I only use stainless steel brakes and they go straight into a jar of CLR. After 24 hours the carbon wipes off with q-tips and a paper towel. I torque it on to 20 ft-lbs. It won't come loose and it is easy to get off.

 

[DocRDS]

You guys re-use shims?

 

[spife7980]

They are using self timing

I use the 419 which requires no shims, just soak a paper towel in clr and spin it around the mating surfaces. I use a flat screw driver on the wrench flats where it actually builds up but effects nothing.

What brake and can are you using?

 

[Fig]

You poors need a heated sonic bath.

 

[FourT6and2]

I've tried removing and soaking in carbon remover. Still a chore to get it all off even after soaking for hours and hours. I've also tried ultrasonic cleaner and that does work a little better but still doesn't get all the fouling off. Total pain.

 

[PinesAndProjectiles]

You poors need a heated sonic bath.

Yep. Ultrasonic cleaners are the only way to go.

Run for an hour in simple green while knocking back a few cold ones, then wipe clean. Easy peasy.

 

[Nik H]

I've tried removing and soaking in carbon remover. Still a chore to get it all off even after soaking for hours and hours. I've also tried ultrasonic cleaner and that does work a little better but still doesn't get all the fouling off. Total pain.

I use KG1 and after a day, there is little left. Give it a shot next time you run out of what you're using today.

 

[cas6969]

You poors need a heated sonic bath.

Yep. Ultrasonic cleaners are the only way to go.

Run for an hour in simple green while knocking back a few cold ones, then wipe clean. Easy peasy.

OH, you meant for the guns! Yeah, that too.


I keep toying with getting one for muzzle loaders, I want to be able to clean the breech end of them really well. Needed to find a smaller, but deep unit. But the prices kept scaring me away when I started averaging it out on a per use basis. Of course I'd probably use them even more if they were easier to clean.

 

[FredHammer]

What carbon removers won't remove the black off a nitrided brake?

 

[Nik H]

What carbon removers won't remove the black off a nitrided brake?

I haven't seen any or little color change when using KG1

 

[kthomas]

For PRS I remove it about every 300 rounds to clean the brake and barrel. I only use stainless steel brakes and they go straight into a jar of CLR. After 24 hours the carbon wipes off with q-tips and a paper towel. I torque it on to 20 ft-lbs. It won't come loose and it is easy to get off.

CLR works great on bare stainless. If I have a bunch of stubborn built up carbon on the crown (most of my rifle barrels are bare stainless), I just soak the muzzle in CLR for a few hours and the carbon comes off on its own. A quick wipe with a rag/shop towel will remove any residual carbon.

You just need to be really careful with CLR. Can't use with anything coated. Only use on bare stainless steel. I have a very recent horror story involving CLR and a certain product that didn't seal the chamber.

 

[kthomas]

You guys re-use shims?

I have been.

Haven't seen any issues yet doing so, but only recently started using brakes that needed shims to be timed.

I don't see any reason why you couldn't re-use them.

 

[kthomas]

I haven't seen any or little color change when using KG1

Man, they are sure proud of their product

 

[Nik H]

Man, they are sure proud of their product

It is a good product for what it does. I never even heard of it until I bought an AI

 

[DocRDS]

They are using self timing

I use the 419 which requires no shims, just soak a paper towel in clr and spin it around the mating surfaces. I use a flat screw driver on the wrench flats where it actually builds up but effects nothing.

What brake and can are you using?

Dead air brake (5/8) and Sandman-k.

I need to stop being poor as the sandman gets attached to 6 different rifles

 

[lead ƒarmer]

Do you have a vice or other secure way of storing your rifle vertical? I put my guns in the wood vice on the end of my cheap ass Harbor Freight table muzzle down into a little jar of Bore Tech C4. There are more aggressive and faster solvents for carbon: CLR, hydrogen peroxide/vinegar "dip mix" but I haven't found anything that's as safe and yet still effective as C4. After an overnight soak in C4 the carbon will wipe off and it won't hurt any type of steel or metal finish no matter how long you soak. I also like that I don't have to take my brake off the barrel with this method.

 

[1911hombre]

I guess I’m just a hillbilly. I have two TBAC brakes and half a dozen Surefire brakes. I have never felt the need to clean them. I wipe the threads/tapers before spinning a can on every time with an oily rag, but beyond that I’ll flake off some carbon now and then. Am I missing something? My TBAC brakes are red Loctited per TBAC, and my Surefire brakes are Rocksett’ed.

 

[Baron23]

I have used BoreTech carbon remover to soak brakes and it works well enough.

 

[acudaowner]

thoroughly enjoy using break cleaner to clean parts on my gun while I am unsure if it could cause harm to another type of gun it's done me no harm .

 

[Wannashootit]

You don't want to be removing timed/shouldered brakes frequently.
Particularly with fine thread pitches you will stretch the threads enough so that the brake will end up overclocking slightly.

Obviously won't matter with self-timing or non-directional brakes. Otherwise I recommend using shop swabs with solvent on them, or if it's really caked on hang the rifle inverted and let the brake soak in a small container of solvent.

 

[jb0311]

I don’t remove my muzzle devices. I clean them after each trip to the range though. Only clean my barrel when needed. Never really had to remove them, but I can see how that would be an issue if you let them go for a while