Drilling out pinned muzzle device

EddieE

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Mar 20, 2017
682
144
Do you guys have an advice on drilling out a pinned muzzle brake without damaging the barrel? I don't have a drill press, will be attempting with my hand drill. Smith wants to hose me for $100 to do it. I'll be damned! I would rather screw up my barrel and get a new one then pay that.
 
I've done a few. If I don't care about saving the muzzle device I'll just go at the weld with a cut off wheel on an angle grinder till the pin is visible, then a couple taps with a hammer pops it out. If I care about the device I take great care to grind the weld flat till I can see the pin. Then I center punch it and drill it with an undersized bit. Usually the bit will catch and spin the pin right out.
 
I've simply heated the muzzle device to glowing cherry red with an acetylene torch concentrated on the pin, and turned it off with a wrench. It may damage a few threads around the pin but there is plenty left undamaged.
So, I'm no metallurgy pro, but I'm pretty sure you may have altered the heat treatment of the barrel with this move, as well as ruined the threads for future use.

But, you do you.
 
I've simply heated the muzzle device to glowing cherry red with an acetylene torch concentrated on the pin, and turned it off with a wrench. It may damage a few threads around the pin but there is plenty left undamaged.

Do-It.jpg


😂
 
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I've done a few. If I don't care about saving the muzzle device I'll just go at the weld with a cut off wheel on an angle grinder till the pin is visible, then a couple taps with a hammer pops it out. If I care about the device I take great care to grind the weld flat till I can see the pin. Then I center punch it and drill it with an undersized bit. Usually the bit will catch and spin the pin right out.
This is good advice.

I've done similar with a drill. Drilled down until I saw the edges of the pin start to show, rolled it over, and tapped the flash hider until the pin popped out.
 
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After heating with the torch glowing red, just grab the buttstock and beat the muzzle against a cinder block or concrete floor until it submits. May take a few hard strikes. If anything gets fucked up, it was junk to begin with. Buy a KAC.