I think this might be the biggest waste of time in the space-time continuum. Change my mind...
Focus is Non suppressor brakes
Focus is Non suppressor brakes
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Cleaning Muzzle Brakes?
- Thread starter FredHammer
- Start date
If you have a muzzle brake that your suppressor attaches to, you will have to clean it.
The danger is a big chunk of carbon falls into the path of the bullet at a bad time.
Drop it in some boretech for a few days and dissolve the chunks. Quick brush and screw it back on.
Drop it in some boretech for a few days and dissolve the chunks. Quick brush and screw it back on.
Tens of thousands of rounds through brakes, haven't cleaned one yet.
There was someone here years ago that had essentially a baffle strike that blew a chunk out of his brake.
It was also damn near solid with carbon chunks. Like you could have cleaned it with a pocket knife and made a huge difference.
C4 is awesome for dissolving carbon.
I've never cleaned a brake. But if it gets deep enough I suppose I may someday. If you're asking I'm assuming you had massive build-up.
I have had a build up that caused my rifle to shoot FEET off not just a tenth or two. Happened about 6 stages into a match. Came home and cleaned the brake which had quite a bit of build up and rifle went back to shooting normally
Oh snap
I think that would be an obvious time to clean a brake.
Roger
No, I posted because I don't have massive build up and none of my brakes ever get the build up, so I am entertaining never-to hardly ever cleaning them.
I do clean my Dead Air KeyMo brakes occasionally if they start looking really crusty with buildup from being inside a blast chamber of a suppressor, but typically, as long as the taper and locking-lug races are wiped clean every now and then to ensure proper seating and sealing, you're good to go. Also, clean the inside female portion of the taper inside the KeyMo mount on the can itself to ensure it's not getting carbon buildup.
IME if it's not inside a suppressor or a cast bullet shooter, most centerfire rifle brakes are pretty self cleaning. (Pistol calibers at lower pressure can be a different story, but assuming you're asking about rifle rounds here.) IMO cleaning them is a complete waste of time, when the amount of fouling on them is the same after 10 rounds as it is after 1,000. But pretty easy to just look at it and see if fouling is built up or not.
Brakes used in a suppressor will build up carbon fouling, as others have said, and one could forseeably foul one bad enough to cause issues if that person were also the type to never do other basic inspections and maintenance. Like the guy who puts 100,000 miles on his truck without ever checking the oil...
And of course brakes used on cast bullet shooters, rifle or pistol and including .22 LR too, will generally build up with lead over time and cleaning is necessary. That's not very fun cleaning either; I've been tempted to use the milling machine to get it out.
Brakes used in a suppressor will build up carbon fouling, as others have said, and one could forseeably foul one bad enough to cause issues if that person were also the type to never do other basic inspections and maintenance. Like the guy who puts 100,000 miles on his truck without ever checking the oil...
And of course brakes used on cast bullet shooters, rifle or pistol and including .22 LR too, will generally build up with lead over time and cleaning is necessary. That's not very fun cleaning either; I've been tempted to use the milling machine to get it out.
My brakes (non-surpressed) get cleaned every time I clean the rifle (every time I shoot). And they are a PITA. I've started soaking in Boretech over night and then put in ultrasonic cleaner. Then scrape the rest off with a brass tool. It's gotten to the point where I'm thinking of just ditching brakes alltogether. I could just not clean them, but I've found the buildup to actually affect POI enough for me to worry about it.
You’re out of your fucken mind, Bro! Lol
There isn’t enough weight in the fouling to amount to any weight difference and thus POI/harmonics effects!
I paid hard earned money for my gear and see no reason to not maintain it….all of it.
Of course some people never wash their cars/trucks, some people never run a vacuum over their carpet, and some people never wash their stinking disgusting underwear on a regular basis. And they all have “good reasons" why not.
I do not emulate these people.
Of course some people never wash their cars/trucks, some people never run a vacuum over their carpet, and some people never wash their stinking disgusting underwear on a regular basis. And they all have “good reasons" why not.
I do not emulate these people.
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I don't think it has anything to do with weight. And actually I think it's probably not the brake itself, but the crown on the muzzle getting caked with carbon. But I clean the brake and the crown at the same time. Either way, I like to keep my gear clean. It's a pain in the ass to clean that crap after 100 rounds, let alone 1,000.
^^^ This... The amount of money, time, and pride I have in my rifles ill keep em extremely clean... Anyone that never wants to clean the brake or rifle go ahead it's your shit not mine...
Every thousand rounds or so I’ll remove my Badger Ordnance FTE brakes and throw them in the ultra sonic cleaner for 45 minutes or so with tap water and dishwashing soap.
The carbon floats off in big round chunks, sometimes with a hole in the middle.
The carbon floats off in big round chunks, sometimes with a hole in the middle.
I've tried dishwashing soap before and I've never been able to get it to remove any carbon whatsoever. What brand are you using?
Anyone who said they don't need to clean brakes, doesn't shoot enough or is full of shit.
A buddy who didnt know you need to clean your rifle, had about 1500 rounds on his match rifle. .308 with a A419 brake. It was so built up that the bullet was hitting built up carbon and sending his shit in random directions. Took it back hotel and I cleaned his shit for him, and amazingly, the rifle started shooting again.
Depending on powder, barrel length and volume, you will build up overtime. Even my little 6gt using H4350 which is super clean, will build up over a couple hundred rounds, reducing the effectiveness of the brake. Especially if you have downward blast holes, they will be the first to seal up. If i let it go to about 1000, it will start closing in on the bullet path and risking a brake hit.
The best thing for cleaning brakes is CLR, but dont use it on anything but stainless brakes. It will destroy the coating on anything else, nitride/DLC/Park/Cerakote/ect. For coated brakes, the best I have found so far is simple green in an ultrasonic to loosen everything up, then a brass brush to knock it off, then cycle back.
For that reason I wont buy anyting but stainless brakes going forward. You can drop in a mason jar of CLR and come back in 24 hours to a clean brake.
A buddy who didnt know you need to clean your rifle, had about 1500 rounds on his match rifle. .308 with a A419 brake. It was so built up that the bullet was hitting built up carbon and sending his shit in random directions. Took it back hotel and I cleaned his shit for him, and amazingly, the rifle started shooting again.
Depending on powder, barrel length and volume, you will build up overtime. Even my little 6gt using H4350 which is super clean, will build up over a couple hundred rounds, reducing the effectiveness of the brake. Especially if you have downward blast holes, they will be the first to seal up. If i let it go to about 1000, it will start closing in on the bullet path and risking a brake hit.
The best thing for cleaning brakes is CLR, but dont use it on anything but stainless brakes. It will destroy the coating on anything else, nitride/DLC/Park/Cerakote/ect. For coated brakes, the best I have found so far is simple green in an ultrasonic to loosen everything up, then a brass brush to knock it off, then cycle back.
For that reason I wont buy anyting but stainless brakes going forward. You can drop in a mason jar of CLR and come back in 24 hours to a clean brake.
FIFY. You could have just started with the rest to get your point across, but you have a penchant to be an abrasive fucking cunt every time you post. If fact, as soon as I saw you responded I knew it was gonna be your usual toxic shit. Until you can stop leading off every time with your Billy bad, "Everyone is wrong, lower than me, and I am right", stay the fuck out of my threads.
I clean all my brakes with CLR. After soaking 24-48 hours you can easily wash all the carbon off in the sink with just the faucet. I do it every 400 rounds or so. Takes like 2 minutes of actual work. If the brake is nitrided, CLR will discolor it. You can use C4 for nitrided brakes if you care about the color. Yes, you need to clean your brake or the build up will eventually obstruct the bore. People that claim brakes don't need cleaning are the same ones that think barrels don't need cleaning. You can find them at the zero board during a match trying to figure out what's wrong with their rifle.
So I see the general advice is that one should clean their brake before it looks like they tried to make pottery with it? 
Personally, I like BoreTech C4 for barrels, brakes, and suppressors. A Ultra-7 that is plugged up at one end with silicon stopper and filled with C4 is marinating in the garage right now. Tomorrow I'll take it outside with the hose, blast it out, and its clean as clean needs to be.
C4 in a zip lock with a suppressor (or brake) and then put into a US cleaner filled with water also works...just faster, not better in my experience.
Cheer
C4 in a zip lock with a suppressor (or brake) and then put into a US cleaner filled with water also works...just faster, not better in my experience.
Cheer
I see you are trying to take the mantle for the dumbest shit posts from the other characters on this site. You are pretty close to the crown. Your reddit esk change my mind shit makes you sound like someone looking for attention. No one cares what you think or wants to change your mind, becuase they don't give a fuck.
You are wrong, its a fact. Anyone who actually shoots knows this. So either you don't shoot and are full of shit, or you are just trolling. Either way you are getting the response you deserve.
You keep posting dumb shit, and I will reply. If you don't like it , then don't post dumb shit.
FIFY. Nothing you said mattered.
I don't get it, but I have no experience making pottery either. If you clean it regularly it takes minimal effort, if you let it go then it becomes a chore. Just like everything else.So I see the general advice is that one should clean their brake before it looks like they tried to make pottery with it?
Small caveat to my first post. I have cleaned the comp on my 9mm PCC. But never on a centerfire rifle firing a rifle round.
Just to make a point, I'll include pictures in my post. Here are the first 5 brakes in my stack of rifles with brakes. You guys must just be using different powder or something. The first one has over 20k on it with no cleaning. If you think you see buildup look again, it's erosion. The next 4 have 3-10k on them with no cleaning. So when I say I've never cleaned a brake, it's because there is almost nothing to clean. If my rifles had buildup the way my PCC does I would clean it.
I'm sure a certain someone will deny the possibility of this, but whatever.
Just to make a point, I'll include pictures in my post. Here are the first 5 brakes in my stack of rifles with brakes. You guys must just be using different powder or something. The first one has over 20k on it with no cleaning. If you think you see buildup look again, it's erosion. The next 4 have 3-10k on them with no cleaning. So when I say I've never cleaned a brake, it's because there is almost nothing to clean. If my rifles had buildup the way my PCC does I would clean it.
I'm sure a certain someone will deny the possibility of this, but whatever.
I bet you did....
The experience I mentioned with muzzle break cleaning was specific to centerfire bolt guns. These all look like gas guns. If that is the case, it may account for the different experience.
I clean my brakes every time I clean the rifle, same with the crown. Hot water and lemishine in an ultrasonic for 10-15 minutes, or Boretech if your have a coated brake. Then wipe dry and maybe a few q tips on the ports. If you keep up with cleaning them, it's a very minimal time and effort investment vs having to work through 1000 rds of buildup. Plus you don't run into the issues others have noted in this thread.
It may, but I can't really see why the action at the other end of the barrel would effect buildup at the opposite end. That said, I have a couple bolt guns with brakes that aren't pictured, they look the same. I use the same powders in both bolt and gas guns, mostly 8208, TAC, CFE223, Leverevolution and AA2200. I'm guessing that's the difference we're seeing in this thread between people that have to clean or else it effects POI and the people that have nothing to clean.
I clean my brakes when ever I do a deep clean. I don’t have a consistent schedule, mostly when I have free time and notice the brakes have a bunch of build up.
I keep a small mason jar with some boretech C4 in it and soak the break for a day or so then run it in my ultrasonic cleaner. If there are any big chunks left I pick those off and leave whatever is left.
I have never seen performance issues it just makes me feel better about it.
I keep a small mason jar with some boretech C4 in it and soak the break for a day or so then run it in my ultrasonic cleaner. If there are any big chunks left I pick those off and leave whatever is left.
I have never seen performance issues it just makes me feel better about it.
Yes, I'd imagine powder and cartridge make a difference. A gas gun redirecting a good amount of gas/carbon back into the action via the gas port (vs 100% out the muzzle on a bolt gun) would also make a difference. I get significantly less carbon build up from a 223 gas gun than a 6mm bolt gun.
I thought about the carbon redirection too, but I don't really get much in the action either. I do have a 6mm Grendel gas gun that carbons up the upper receiver way worse than the 5.56's, but the brake is still clean. All my bolt guns with brakes are in 5.56, so maybe it's just a pressure/velocity thing that blasts the baffle surface better?
You've vastly overestimated the amount of gas that comes into the action through the gas port. It doesn't make any significant difference as far as a muzzle brake is concerned.
What DOES make a difference is people not knowing how to mount brakes straight, so the baffle clearance is marginal and any little bit of fouling being enough to cause an issue. If that happens, you've probably either got a very poorly aligned brake (like mounted with a crush washer or something) or something else going wrong.
Fouling in all of my centerfire rifle brakes looks pretty much just like the pics Tony posted above, which as I said before ends up being the same whether there are 10 rounds through it or 10K, IF it's not suppressed. Can you get that fouling out of a brake? Yes, but so what, it'll be right back after firing the first few rounds again. It's like polishing your oil pan every time you drive your car.
Yeah IDK. I am guessing port geometry probably matters too, but fluid dynamics is really outside my area of expertise. I guess I'd just rather spend 2 minutes to clean it than found out how long it takes to have an issue.
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