Need advice - is it worth shortening this barrel?

[tschwarz]

No problem and please don't take offense as none was intended. Just messing with you.

Oh, and nice rifle you have there.

None taken. I read your response, then read dustin's initial reply again, and now I've been sitting here for the last 40 mins wondering how I possible glazed over the obvious. Only on a Monday...

 

[338Shooter]

Dad gum that muzzle brake didn't want to come off. I thought it might have some red locktite on it so I gave it a little heat...no dice. Maybe rocksett so I boiled it for a few minutes...still nothing. They must have let an arm wrestler tighten it down because it had no thread adhesive, just muscled on there.

 

[tschwarz]

Dad gum that muzzle brake didn't want to come off. I thought it might have some red locktite on it so I gave it a little heat...no dice. Maybe rocksett so I boiled it for a few minutes...still nothing. They must have let an arm wrestler tighten it down because it had no thread adhesive, just muscled on there.

Hah! You should have seen the guy I bought it from, who says he assembled it. He claimed he was 6'4" and 390 lbs. I think he was probably closer to 415.

 

[338Shooter]

He should have used shims to time the muzzle brake instead of a crush washer.

 

[txnavalaviator]

now that I see that dustingaunder has it, what are you getting it cut down to? Thats an awesome looking stick.

 

[338Shooter]

I'm gonna start cutting it at 22" and hopefully by the time I do a good job on it it will have been cut to around 18". That 4" should give me enough to attempt threading it at least 4 times.

 

[Ignored Member]

I'm gonna start cutting it at 22" and hopefully by the time I do a good job on it it will have been cut to around 18". That 4" should give me enough to attempt threading it at least 4 times.

haha that should bring you plenty more customers

 

[338Shooter]

haha

 

[338Shooter]

After seeing it cut down to 18". It was well worth it. This rifle is going to be a sexy beast when he gets it put back together. I hope he shares a picture with us.

 

[tschwarz]

Alright, first let me say that Dustin did a great job and his modification made this firearm drastically more usable for hunting purposes. The balance / center of gravity difference is substantial. Also to Dustin's credit, he brought the upper back in the exact condition it was in when I gave it to him. There are no tool marks, no new scratches (read above where he talks about his difficulties with the brake) and no metal shavings.

Now to the pics. I'm disappointed that I did not take more pictures prior to his work - in fact, I have just the one already posted above (link now broken).

Before:
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After:
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Closer look at the barrel / brake:
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Comparing (roughly) length vs 16" armalite 5.56:
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Excuse the dog. She figured out I was up to something important and naturally could not resist the opportunity to get in the way.

I received the upper back from Dustin this afternoon and did not feel like going to shoot in this heat, thus I can not report at this time on the gas port adjustment he made to compensate for the pressure differences of the shorter barrel. Based on the quality of the rest of the job, I have little doubt that he got it right. That said, I will update this again after I have had a chance to put a few rounds down the tube.

Tom