M14 Forum

SOCOM16owner · January 5th, 2012, 11:53 AM

Does anyone know is there is a tool available to clean the inside surface of a SOCOM 16 muzzle brake? The part that comes in contact with the actual barrel is horribly dirty and I would like to clean it so I can get good contact with my freshly re-crowned barrel. I have tried #9, tetra, gun scrubber and a few others but that carbon is stubborn and i don't really want to go scratching at it with a dental pick.

pjomalley · January 6th, 2012, 08:20 AM

soak in simple green or slip2000 carbon killer

Ted Brown · January 6th, 2012, 09:39 AM

One of the problems with the SOCOM 16 is the face of the barrel muzzle doesn't contact a mateing surface inside the muzzle break. This allows carbon build up and I suspect contributes to poor accuracy.

CAVman · January 6th, 2012, 09:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ted Brown

One of the problems with the SOCOM 16 is the face of the barrel muzzle doesn't contact a mateing surface inside the muzzle break. This allows carbon build up and I suspect contributes to poor accuracy.

Interesting Observation, Ted !

Any Solutions/Suggestions ?

Thanks!

CAVman in WYoming

SOCOM16owner · January 6th, 2012, 10:22 AM

I noticed on my barrel that it had some raised portions that would prevent the barrel from coming in contact with the brake. Also do you think there would be any degrade in accuracy is I was able to make the brake sit proud to the muzzle of the barrel? I haven't tried simple green. I will soak it. How long a few hours?

bfoosh006 · January 6th, 2012, 12:44 PM

I wonder if one of the cheap Harbor freight Ultra-sonic cleaners would work for you? Not the cheapest idea but they are effective.

RAMMAC · January 6th, 2012, 10:48 PM

Reducing the gap was one of the improvements that I did to my SOCOM 16, the result was a noticeable improvement in group sizes.

The gas jet, as it is called, needs to be as uniform as possible. Those gases actually accelerate and influence the trajectory of the bullet for a several inches past the muzzle. The gap will arbitrarily break up the jet so that it causes the bullet to have a nonuniform yawing action as it leaves the muzzle.

SOCOM16owner · January 6th, 2012, 11:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RAMMAC

Reducing the gap was one of the improvements that I did to my SOCOM 16, the result was a noticeable improvement in group sizes.

The gas jet, as it is called, needs to be as uniform as possible. Those gases actually accelerate and influence the trajectory of the bullet for a several inches past the muzzle. The gap will arbitrarily break up the jet so that it causes the bullet to have a nonuniform yawing action as it leaves the muzzle.

How did you reduce the gap between the muzzle and the brake RAMMAC?

RAMMAC · January 7th, 2012, 12:19 AM

As an amateur the only way I could reduce the gap was by taking some material off of the mating face of the break...with a knife honing stone

I know, it sounds weird but it worked. While this helped reduce the gap, and in my case it seems to have virtually eliminated it, after having done it I would use this method more as a way to make the break's mating face flat rather than as a primary way to reduce the gap. It looks like you need to have some milling done on the inside of the break to get the muzzle and break to fit perfectly.

My muzzle was a little rough so I smoothed it out first and recrowned it. Then I simply hand honed the mating face of the break by slowly drawing it across the stone. The important thing is to do this slowly so that the face of the break stays perpendicular to it's centerline. I found that the face was not flat and once I got it smoothed out the gap was greatly reduced. Before doing the hone work I would get a lot of carbon blown back along the outside of the barrel. After the stoning work, I now have no carbon fouling on the outside of the barrel. Be careful though, take your time and do test fits often.

I do believe that I still need to have the break worked a little by a machinist before the fit is as good as it can be, but I've improved my groups and I don't have carbon blowing back along the barrel any more.

Mocos · January 19th, 2012, 10:53 AM

I placed the brake in a small jar of slick2000 and placed it into a ultrasonic cleaner...ran for 30 minutes and let it sit overnight...it didn't turn the carbon to mush, but it seemed to make it brittle and I still had to dig it out with whatever tools were available to me. I later discovered that a .625 wide speed borer drill bit will take the carbon out at least to the flat inner surface of the muzzle brake.(did it by hand)....it only takes a couple turns. You still have to use a dental pick or something similar to dig out what the drill bit doesn't reach.

Mocos · January 19th, 2012, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RAMMAC

As an amateur the only way I could reduce the gap was by taking some material off of the mating face of the break...with a knife honing stone

I know, it sounds weird but it worked. While this helped reduce the gap, and in my case it seems to have virtually eliminated it, after having done it I would use this method more as a way to make the break's mating face flat rather than as a primary way to reduce the gap. It looks like you need to have some milling done on the inside of the break to get the muzzle and break to fit perfectly.

My muzzle was a little rough so I smoothed it out first and recrowned it. Then I simply hand honed the mating face of the break by slowly drawing it across the stone. The important thing is to do this slowly so that the face of the break stays perpendicular to it's centerline. I found that the face was not flat and once I got it smoothed out the gap was greatly reduced. Before doing the hone work I would get a lot of carbon blown back along the outside of the barrel. After the stoning work, I now have no carbon fouling on the outside of the barrel. Be careful though, take your time and do test fits often.

I do believe that I still need to have the break worked a little by a machinist before the fit is as good as it can be, but I've improved my groups and I don't have carbon blowing back along the barrel any more.

When you stoned off sufficient metal so that the muzzle crown would seat flush with the internal mating surface of the muzzle brake, did you do anything to compensate for the reduction of the gas volume resulting from shortening the gas lock. I"m thinking that it shouldnt matter as the volume technically decreases with every shot taken as the carbon builds up. Maybe the initial reduction in volume resulting from the initial stoning may have contributed to accuracy somehow because of the volume of gas being reduced?

Alpha Wolf · January 19th, 2012, 11:13 AM

I soak mine in cleaner fluid and then use the nylon brush for large bore pistols to scrub it.
Good to go.

RAMMAC · January 19th, 2012, 01:20 PM

No, I didn't do anything to compensate for lost volume. But taking only a couple thousandths off the face probably didn't reduce volume by very much. Group sizes improved and I can't say why with any certainty but I think it was more due to the improved gas jet shape as it exited the muzzle than any other factor.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mocos

When you stoned off sufficient metal so that the muzzle crown would seat flush with the internal mating surface of the muzzle brake, did you do anything to compensate for the reduction of the gas volume resulting from shortening the gas lock. I"m thinking that it shouldnt matter as the volume technically decreases with every shot taken as the carbon builds up. Maybe the initial reduction in volume resulting from the initial stoning may have contributed to accuracy somehow because of the volume of gas being reduced?

Mocos · January 19th, 2012, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alpha Wolf

I soak mine in cleaner fluid and then use the nylon brush for large bore pistols to scrub it.
Good to go.

mine was crudded up after 2000+ rounds... and the exposed threads were essentially filled smooth.....what brand cleaner did you use ?

SOCOM16owner · January 19th, 2012, 04:54 PM

No cleaner I have found can remove the crud after a bunch of rounds.