Originally Posted By BadSVT @ar15.com ~ Reposted in BIY & warning typed By FALARAK @ar15.com
Many people hate their mini-Y comp muzzle brakes that came on Bushmaster postban barrels, and want to remove it to install a common flash hider. Here is a how-to.
We Started with this: [ image disabled ]
This is where the pins are, one at 6 o'clock and one at 12 o'clock [ image disabled ]
I ground down far enough to find the pins but they wouldn't budge, so I took my dremal and used a cut off wheel to cut the comp in half. Make sure you do this right down the middle of the pin.
Then using a cold chisel, I split the comp. When I did this, it loosened the pins up. [ image disabled ]
I turned the pin by using the slot cut down the middle of the pin. Then I ground around the pin, using the cut off wheel until I had enough room to grab the pin with a needle nose pliar. [ image disabled ]
After the pin is out, cut down the middle a bit more, to connect the hole to the rest of the cut. Then split the comp open using the chisel. [ image disabled ]
The comp comes right off. [ image disabled ]
And here is the barrel with a phantom mocked up [ image disabled ]
It is VERY IMPORTANT to remember, that most of the Mini-Y's came on 14.5" barrels, and you MUST install a muzzle device that will get the barrel back to 16" or more (Phantom, Vortex) and that MUST be permanently installed, in a fashion acceptable and documented by the ATF.
AS SOON AS YOU TAKE THE BRAKE OFF, your barrel will make your AR a SBR, which is illegal, unless you have registered it and payed the ATF stamps, etc. Do not assemble your barrel back on the rifle until you have installed the new device permanently, and dont wait a long time to get the new device installed..... or "plan to" "someday" get it mounted permanently. The reward does not match the risk.
"He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house…" (Prov. 15: 27)
A well regulated Militia , being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed. ~Article II -Bill Of Rights~
"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." ~Thomas Jefferson~
"From My Cold Dead Hands!..." ~Charlton Heston~
"Chance Favors The Prepared Mind" ~Louis Pasteur~
"Youth is wasted on the young" ~George Bernard Shaw~
ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ
"If everything seems to be going well, you have obviously overlooked something."
"Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God" ~Benjamin Franklin~
"It is far better to grasp the universe as it really is, than to persist in delusion" ~ Carl Sagan~
Originally Posted By wildearp @ar15.com ~ Reposted By FALARAK @ar15.com
If you have a barrel that is 14.5", you must permanently attach a muzzle device that makes the total length 16" or more. Best to go 16.1" at least to be safe. For the 14.5" barrel, it is commonly accepted to use the Vortex or Phantom style of flash suppressors. The ATF states to be permanently attached, the muzzle device cannot be removed with hand tools easily and must use 1100 degree silver solder, blind pinned and welded, or welded completely around the barrel. This writeup will demonstrate the most common method, the blind pin and weld.
1.Start by pre-drilling the muzzle device through one side - while removed from the barrel. The drill size should be the same diameter as your pin size. Coat hanger works great.
[ image disabled ]
Next - attach the muzzle device, time it with a peel or crush washer, and then drill into the barrel, using the hole in the muzzle device as a guide. A drill press works well here, to ensure you do not drill too deep. If you penetrate the bore you will destroy the accuracy of the barrel - go slow here. You only need to drill deep enough to accept the pin.
[ image disabled ]
It should look like this:
[ image disabled ]
Now we are ready to insert the pin.... this is coat hanger, cut to fit.:
[ image disabled ]
Before welding, cover the barrel well to ensure you dont mark it up with welding splatter. Wrap it well. Melted adhesive comes off. Welding splatter doesnt so well. (another great option here is to wrap the barrel surfaces with a few layers of aluminum foil.... no adhesive mess.
[ image disabled ]
A pic after welding. At this point - you can hit it with a dremel, or sander, to blend it in (careful!!!) Then hit it with some cold blue to darken it.
"He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house…" (Prov. 15: 27)
A well regulated Militia , being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed. ~Article II -Bill Of Rights~
"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." ~Thomas Jefferson~
"From My Cold Dead Hands!..." ~Charlton Heston~
"Chance Favors The Prepared Mind" ~Louis Pasteur~
"Youth is wasted on the young" ~George Bernard Shaw~
ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ
"If everything seems to be going well, you have obviously overlooked something."
"Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God" ~Benjamin Franklin~
"It is far better to grasp the universe as it really is, than to persist in delusion" ~ Carl Sagan~
"He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house…" (Prov. 15: 27)
A well regulated Militia , being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed. ~Article II -Bill Of Rights~
"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." ~Thomas Jefferson~
"From My Cold Dead Hands!..." ~Charlton Heston~
"Chance Favors The Prepared Mind" ~Louis Pasteur~
"Youth is wasted on the young" ~George Bernard Shaw~
ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ
"If everything seems to be going well, you have obviously overlooked something."
"Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God" ~Benjamin Franklin~
"It is far better to grasp the universe as it really is, than to persist in delusion" ~ Carl Sagan~
Casket, thanks for the pics and info on blind pinning, exactly what I was looking for! For clarification, can you tell me how long the pin needs to be? Is is flush with the muzzle device, shorter, longer? And what type of welder should be used?
Casket, thanks for the pics and info on blind pinning, exactly what I was looking for! For clarification, can you tell me how long the pin needs to be? Is is flush with the muzzle device, shorter, longer? And what type of welder should be used?
Np sir, happy to help. After you determine how deep you need to drill , make the pin the same size. Theres really no difference if the pin is flush , protrudes or is recessed a bit as long as you get penetration between the pin and flash suppressor when welding. With the pin slightly recessed it will be easier to weld imo/experience.
Theoretically you could weld it anyway you wanted (stick, mig, tig) but the most common setup around is a mig so thats what is usually used. You can do much finer beads/work with a tig , so for me its preferable but i dont own a tig unit so i usually mig them. You could use a stick welder but i wouldnt want to burn up an expensive vortex or phantom so it was never even a consideration
"He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house…" (Prov. 15: 27)
A well regulated Militia , being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed. ~Article II -Bill Of Rights~
"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." ~Thomas Jefferson~
"From My Cold Dead Hands!..." ~Charlton Heston~
"Chance Favors The Prepared Mind" ~Louis Pasteur~
"Youth is wasted on the young" ~George Bernard Shaw~
ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ
"If everything seems to be going well, you have obviously overlooked something."
"Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God" ~Benjamin Franklin~
"It is far better to grasp the universe as it really is, than to persist in delusion" ~ Carl Sagan~
There are a few how-to's on removing blind pins, but this is the only worthwhile one that describes how to actually put one in, and with pictures to boot! Nice work.
"He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house…" (Prov. 15: 27)
A well regulated Militia , being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed. ~Article II -Bill Of Rights~
"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." ~Thomas Jefferson~
"From My Cold Dead Hands!..." ~Charlton Heston~
"Chance Favors The Prepared Mind" ~Louis Pasteur~
"Youth is wasted on the young" ~George Bernard Shaw~
ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ
"If everything seems to be going well, you have obviously overlooked something."
"Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God" ~Benjamin Franklin~
"It is far better to grasp the universe as it really is, than to persist in delusion" ~ Carl Sagan~
