Removing a Barrel Extension

[Press Check]

I wonder if he's contacted each barrel manufacturer and asked what their torque specs are, or if he's using the German Gudentite spec. I think the baseline is somewhere in the realm of 125 ft/lbs.

[tom12.7]

To the OP, I would not attempt this for any combination that did not have a documental procedure that proves the process. Not just random parts. With an acceptable process and components, you can remove the BE from the barrel and re-install them within an acceptable range of alignment for the given torque range in tension. There's a lot of variables that can go wrong when attempting this blindly.

[Ned Christiansen]

Lots of potential for problems, to include (in my opinion) overstressing the barrel extension untorquing and retorquing. I have removed maybe a dozen barrel extensions for various reasons over the years, never fro the above stated reason and all but one or two were done "destructively". The ones actually screwed off did not come off easily.

Sure, a guy with a proper rock-solid setup and real-deal tools could take it off and get it back on to the same spot. If done with great care.

I would do it myself, for myself, but I would never offer to do it or trust anyone else to do it for me.

[Stickman]

I have had a barrel extension come off using the commonly found extension tension pieces. I was more than a little disgusted, and after a few days decided I would see how impossible it really was to get it back to functional. Oddly enough, it wasn't hard at all, and there have been no problems with the weapon since then.

I want to point out, while this barrel functions, and the groups are very tight, I would NEVER rely on the as an actual functional real world weapon, and recently pulled it back apart.

It is possible to reinstall a BE? Yes, it certainly is. However, intentional removal is not something I would ever suggest, or be satisfied with. I know this isn't uncommon for companies to simply slap them back together if they come loose, but to openly state they are providing a shoddy practice baffles me.

[Stickman]

Lots of potential for problems, to include (in my opinion) overstressing the barrel extension untorquing and retorquing. I have removed maybe a dozen barrel extensions for various reasons over the years, never fro the above stated reason and all but one or two were done "destructively". The ones actually screwed off did not come off easily.

Sure, a guy with a proper rock-solid setup and real-deal tools could take it off and get it back on to the same spot. If done with great care.

I would do it myself, for myself, but I would never offer to do it or trust anyone else to do it for me.

LOL, you are probably the one person I would consider to pull and reaffix a BE on a weapon for me.

[tom12.7]

I have removed and installed the BE from certain barrels without damage, but the barrel has been the key component. That interface between the barrel and the BE is the issue. There's more than a few that the BE can be removed without damage, however finding barrels without damage is less common. There are some barrels with the BE that you can separate the barrels from the extensions to use those extensions for a "project" with good success for a use. This is not to imply in any way that the removal would fit the OP's purpose for a pinned muzzle device is an acceptable process for most.

[pezboy]

I wonder if he's contacted each barrel manufacturer and asked what their torque specs are, or if he's using the German Gudentite spec. I think the baseline is somewhere in the realm of 125 ft/lbs.

Colt spec is 150 lb ft +/- 5 lb ft

[Ned Christiansen]

A long time ago there was no such thing as buying a new barrel extension. You bought demil'd barrels that were worn out or rejected, torch-cut in half, and salvaged the extension. I removed the extension by turning the shoulder off the barrel; from there it required only the torque it took to overcome whatever had worked its way into the threads. The reason for needed salvaged BE's was, again this was far enough back, nobody was offering primo barrels, or, later, fast-twist barrels. You bought a Hart or Douglas or Shilen blank and made it, and threaded a used / carefully vetted barrel extension on.

Some were extremely worn-in but checked out perfectly dimensionally. The "newest" one I got was nearly new but had a jag stuck in it.

As tight as these go on it's surprising they ever come loose by, for example, removing a flash hider.

One gun I am currently running, I salvaged the barrel from a KaBoom. BE "looked" OK but for safety's sake I removed it by milling a split in it and popping it open, installed a replacement salvaged from a barrel with five rounds through it that had a chamber that had been roughed too deep. Naturally, the gas port was no longer on top, so I just drilled another one. I like doing salvage operations like this for myself to see how bad things can be and still work, but I would never do them for a customer. This Lothar Walther nitride 1-8 barrel shoots very well despite a bad upbringing :-)

[Clint]

Barrel extensions can come loose from improper nitriding and/or improper initial installation.

We've seen two barrels come loose - one from shooting and one from flash hider removal with a reaction rod.

The barrels index properly after re-torquing with thread locker, but aren't trusted for serious uses.

To the OP:

Removing the barrel extension instead of the muzzle device is just. doing. it. wrong.

[MegademiC]

Would you would remove a barrel extension to install a barrel nut on a barrel with a pinned and welded muzzle device? Would you trust a barrel that has had the barrel extension removed and reinstalled?

Remove the muzzle device. Drill pin out and pin on a new one when done. I wouldn't touch a barrel extension as I don't have tools, or experience to deal with timing issues.