Gunsmithing Drill bit TAP for 5/8-24?

chalupakabra

Private
Minuteman
Jan 5, 2012
5
0
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what drill bit tap size do i need to loosen my 5/8-24 muzzle device a little? Right now its TOO TIGHT of a fit because barrel threading and muzzle device thread would not cooperate.

I'm trying to look for one in my local hardware store but they don't say "5/8-24"
 
Re: Drill bit TAP for 5/8-24?

ye they're everywhere online. i guess its one of those "special" tool.
central WA...thats close to snohomish area right? lol jk,, central wa's still pretty far from me
 
Re: Drill bit TAP for 5/8-24?

19/32" for a 50% thread and 37/64" for a 75% thread. You also dont want to take away too much as it could become prone to cross threading. Consider also getting the tap and die and carefully cleaning up the threads of both. Id be careful with the drill bit if you cant assure that you have good alignment to the existing axis of the internal threads.
 
Re: Drill bit TAP for 5/8-24?

What firearm and what muzzle device? I would take both to gunsmith or machinist and see which part has the out of spec threads before doing anything else. If your muzzle device is going to be used as an attachment device for a suppressor, you need to keep those threads as concentric with the bore as possible and in spec. Using a hand tap or die vs. being done properly on a lathe can lead to baffle strikes on a suppressor or even strikes on a long muzzle brake. If you're just putting on a bird cage type flash hider without a suppressor, alignment isn't as critical.
 
Re: Drill bit TAP for 5/8-24?

If the muzzle brake is a mass-produced item most likely it's the thread job that is the problem. Assuming the thread job is just shallow and not completely botched you might be able to simply chase the existing threads with a 5/8x24 die to cut them a touch deeper.
 
Re: Drill bit TAP for 5/8-24?

The flip side of the coin is that the muzzle break is mass produced and probably threaded with a tap in a lathe, and after a while as the tap gets on you get a threads that might go through allow a go gauge and not the no-go, but are on the tight side as a result. Now if the threads on the muzzle are not quite deep enough to boot, even by a hair, then a tolerance stack is occuring. My vote is on buy a tap and an run it through the muzzlebreak and give it a try. Worst that can happen is ruining a muzzlebreak, whereas inexperience with a die on a barrel could result is a ruining a barrel. OP's choice but this is my take.
And NO you won't find these bits in a Black and Decker Multi pack at the Hardware MEGA store down the road, they are not necessarily 'special' but the sizes are not something joe homeowner needs, so MSC, McMaster Carr etc will have them as well as 5/8 x 24 taps.
 
Re: Drill bit TAP for 5/8-24?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Ratbert</div><div class="ubbcode-body">If the muzzle brake is a mass-produced item most likely it's the thread job that is the problem. Assuming the thread job is just shallow and not completely botched you might be able to simply chase the existing threads with a 5/8x24 die to cut them a touch deeper. </div></div>

I would do this first. Your barrel could have been cut with a dull thread bit and the valley is to shallow. I had this same problem and ran "fresh" die and it was good to go!
 
Re: Drill bit TAP for 5/8-24?

That's the ones I ordered 300, they work like a charm. I haven't NOT corrected one yet by just running the tap into the break with lots of oil and being done with it.
 
Re: Drill bit TAP for 5/8-24?

Here is something I have done on tight assemblies. Try a wire brush on a dremel, it might remove a thin coating, lightly antisieze and give it a shot. Or use a extra fine lapping compound if it can be made up and is just to hard to turn. Mix the antisieze with the lapping compound. This could be pissing in the wind but if you have it, ya might gett lucky.

Nothing substitues a single point cut.