daily over-reaction or lesson learned. Muzzle break over-tightening?

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

Hey guys,

So I was torquing up my Surefire muzzle break and it too 30-35 foot pounds to get it aligned correctly. The manual says 20-30. There is a video where a surefire dude says 30 pounds is the outside because of barrel constriction issues. So, I am now worried I have bunged up my barrel. I am guessing, from years of experience, that I am over-worrying this thing and that it won't make a difference. I have seen where AAC recommends 40 or so pounds so I guess that Surefire is just being extra cautious.


What say you? Quietly reassemble my stock rifle and trade it in on another 700 or forget about it and find another pointless thing to worry about?

[MBtech]

I doubt that you hurt anything, that isn't a huge difference. As long as you don't go Hee Man on it I would think it should be fine. Surefire may recommend a slightly lower torque spec due to construction and materials due to expanding and contracting from hot/cold ??

[Failure2Stop]

I wouldn't sweat it, but if you used Rocksett, it won't be fun to remove.

[Ned Christiansen]

I've seen an AR barrel constricted by .004. It was probably more but the guy I believe had shot it back out to "only" .004 undersized. But to get it in that condition he had tightened the FH so much that it stripped the threads.

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

I was able to avg .75 moa at 200 yards with 168gr Win Match. This was my first time shooting the rifle suppressed and I was pleasantly surprised. I presume I was over worrying it. I will keep an eye out for copper build up, etc.

[Eurodriver]

When I had disastrous groups from over tightening a FH (much more than 10 ft lb over the spec) my zero returned to right back where it was and groups shrank as well when the MUzzle device was removed.

[LRRPF52]

I saw a recent case for 0 torque and Rocksett, from the former AMU Commander, who is a big gun guy and precision shooter. Makes sense when you look at it, steel behaving like a fluid under any kind of stress, to include even minimal torque.

I have really dialed down the amount of torque I use over the years, and find any device that requires timing to pose the most challenge, with a lot of back and forth shimming.

[Eurodriver]

I saw a recent case for 0 torque and Rocksett, from the former AMU Commander, who is a big gun guy and precision shooter. Makes sense when you look at it, steel behaving like a fluid under any kind of stress, to include even minimal torque.

I have really dialed down the amount of torque I use over the years, and find any device that requires timing to pose the most challenge, with a lot of back and forth shimming.

Was he running a suppressor on his rifle? I have degreased threads, properly applied a good amount of rocksett, and torqued to 20ft lbs and still had my muzzle device break free when removing the suppressor.

I always do 25+ now and am extremely delicate when removing the can. I can't imagine 0 torque ever holding up to a stuck can.

[Failure2Stop]

Was he running a suppressor on his rifle? I have degreased threads, properly applied a good amount of rocksett, and torqued to 20ft lbs and still had my muzzle device break free when removing the suppressor.

I always do 25+ now and am extremely delicate when removing the can. I can't imagine 0 torque ever holding up to a stuck can.

I'm with Euro on this.
No torque might be fine for a precision guy, but not for a device that has to bear strain.

[JohnnyC]

Shims man!!!! They make precision ground shim kits to time stuff like this. You SHOULD be fine, and it sounds like you should be ok if it's still shooting decent groups, but in the future, a shim kit and the patience to properly time is will remove any doubt. And they're cheap too, much cheaper than replacing a barrel that's been jacked up.

And yes, there's a pretty substantial difference between a precision guy screwing on a brake and a silencer mount. There is a reason torque specs exist.

[Pappabear]

Greg, you should be fine. Especially if you shot it and it shooting great. Good shooting by the way.

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

Hilarious side note. A few weeks I shot a slightly under 1/2 inch group at 200 yards (TOTAL FLUKE, not something I can reproduce although my buddy Bill did take pics). My buddy bill was talking to a local deputy and showed him the pic. The guy said "that's OK, maybe with better ammo it will be tight. I am a hunter so we are more precision oriented." DAMN!!!

[Eurodriver]

I hate those guys.

Hate them.

They are the same guys who will look at me shooting my 12.5" AR at 600 yards and make snide comments on my 2 MOA group.

While they shoot their 24" custom built 308s at 100 yards. Six times. In three hours. On $250 sleds.

[Pappabear]

Those guys are out there. Ever since long range hunting shows started up, they are everywhere.

[JohnnyC]

Those guys are out there. Ever since long range hunting shows started up, they are everywhere.

Those are the guys you throw $10 on the table and bet them they can't go 10 for 10 in a minute on a 12" gong at 600 even after you give them a sighter. (If you can even get them to the steel range) Since most have never shot more than 2 rounds in 5 minutes with their little bitty featherweight barrels, it's never an issue. Then it's even more fun to pull out the 11.5" SBR and do the same thing just to accentuate the point that they're being pricks.

I was out at 3 Points with a female friend who had never shot a firearm of any kind. 100yd range with a little .22 just to get the mechanics down. Shit you not, a dude was sitting there 4 benches down, some featherweight loudenboomer, probably made by Lazzeroni, lead sled in full effect, thermos sitting next to it. No kidding dude would put a single round downrange, look through his spotting scope for about 2 minutes, MAKE A CUP OF TEA, and finish his tea before the next round. Did this 3 times!!!!!! At one point, as girlie is chewing the bullseye out of a shoot-n-see, dude decides to impart his wisdom of, "'bout an inch an a half high should be good I figger." Picks his stuff up, and leaves. Not an old timer who probably hasn't missed a deer since the 70's, maybe mid-40's. Surreal as hell.....but I bet he posts at longrangehunting...