Savage off/on muzzle brake--need help!

i have a 300wm barrel with the Savage off/on muzzle brake, been using it for close to a year and never had it lock up on me as long as i would rotate it once in awhile and clean it with brake cleaner when i got home. well i didn't do the last few outings(don't know why, i guess lazy) and now she's locked up on me and i can't get it to work. i sprayed it with PB blaster, soaked in brake fluid, tried WD-40 and now it's soaking in Coleman lantern fuel(cleans almost anything).
is there anybody that has gone through this and got it to brake loose? i would appreciate any help guys! thanks in advance.

Bruce

i'm not in the market for another brake, i have one but would rather get this one working again.

ditched the Coleman fuel idea. had a revelation and thought about the bore cleaner i use to remove carbon(DUH). soaking it in that for the moment, will leave in for a few hours and see what happens.

Bruce

I used something in one of the holes to break it loose. I think I used an awl. It gave just enough leverage to move it a tiny bit. Then worked it back and forth a bit until it was finally free.

Another idea would be a good strap wrench.

Spray it with mercury power tune.

i still have it soaking in Shooter's Choice bore cleaner. checked on it about 3 hours later and looked like there was a bunch of black crud in the bottom of the bottle. i tried turning it as hard as i could, still nothing. i'll check in the morning and try some other suggestions if i still need to.
i appreciate the suggestion s guys, i may still need them.

Bruce

i let it soak in bore cleaner all night and tried to break it loose this mornig. had it in the barrel vise and wrapped it with some leather and got out the channel locks, still will not break free. i put it back in the bore cleaner again and will check it again later tonite or in the morning again. if it doesn't break free after that i am going to just let it be, it's in the on position right now and that works for me.

Bruce

I've dealt with a couple of locked up ones. I just used penetrating oil, time and a leather belt along with a pair of vise grips.
The Coleman gasoline lantern fuel and other products you seem to be using now act as more of a solvent and probably removed all the lubricant/penetrant that you had on it.
Let it dry and get the PB blaster or other penetrating lubricant out again. Spray some in the holes and around the ends and let it soak overnight.
Wrap the knurled part at the bottom of the brake up with a piece of leather and grab it with the vice grips. Rock it back and forth and it will give a very little at a time until it's free.
The back and forth motion is probably the key that you're missing.
After shooting it closing the brake and hitting a couple of the holes with a drop of CLP and opening and closing it a few times will prevent it from ever happening again.
Good luck

bhj, it's been airing out all day after i gave it another try to break loose after soaking all night again. i'll go out now and hit it with the PB blaster again and let it sit over nite and try the leather and vice grips gig tomorrow. i really don't need the on-off functionality but it would be nice. thanks for the info.

Bruce

still stuck in same position, even after having it soak in PB blaster all nght and this morning. i put it back in for one more night soaking and if that don't work it's staying that way for now. it's too hot here to keep picking at this thing without ac in my work area.

Bruce

Leave the muzzle brake in the sun for an hour (cover the rest of the gun. Hopefully, the infrared rays will cause the brake to expand a bit.

Insert a drill bit through both the ports of the brake and try to twist the brake.

George
P.S. You are turning in the correct direction, correct?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by GeorgeS

Leave the muzzle brake in the sun for an hour (cover the rest of the gun. Hopefully, the infrared rays will cause the brake to expand a bit.

Insert a drill bit through both the ports of the brake and try to twist the brake.

George
P.S. You are turning in the correct direction, correct?

---

i've tried heating it up a bit with the torch and put a philips screwdriver through it and turning it either direction. don't remember which way to close it, forgot. still no movement. luckily i do most of my shooting in the desert by myself. thanks for the tip.

Bruce

Looking at it from the muzzle end, counterclockwise closes the brake.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Hotolds442

Looking at it from the muzzle end, counterclockwise closes the brake.

---

thank you.

Bruce

Try standing the rifle on its recoil and striking the end of muzzle brake hard with a brass or wooden mallet. Neither will damage the brake or muzzle.

If that doesn't work, call Savage for a suggestion.

mbogo

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by GeorgeS

Try standing the rifle on its recoil and striking the end of muzzle brake hard with a brass or wooden mallet. Neither will damage the brake or muzzle.

If that doesn't work, call Savage for a suggestion.

mbogo

---

done this with piece of maple(i think it was) between brass mallet and end of muzzle brake. no go. thank you for the suggestion.

Bruce

If it were mine, I'd stand it muzzle down with the brake submerged in a small container of Kano Kroil for about a week, then tighten the barrel in a couple wood blocks in my vice, put a screwdriver through some of the holes in the brake (if I could), and apply steady turning pressure to the screwdriver while rapping the brake sharply with a plastic hammer I have. If that didn't work, I'd dry the Kroil off of the brake and heat the brake where its threaded onto the barrel with my acetylene torch to expand the threads while trying to turn the brake off. If that didn't work, I'd chuck the barrel into my lathe, cut the brake off, rethread the barrel, and install another brake. If it didn't shoot like I wanted it to after that, I'd be looking for a different barrel... but that's just me... :)

Bill

That would probably work if he was wanting to remove the brake.

Its an on-off style brake and it won't change from on to off.

Try setting it muzzle down in a glass of coca-cola. You'd be surprised what that stuff can do.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Hotolds442

Try setting it muzzle down in a glass of coca-cola. You'd be surprised what that stuff can do.

---

And if that doesn't work, Add some Rye. You'd be surprised what that combination can do not just to a rifle but the human body. I could be wrong but coke is acidic and not sure I'd want to soak a rifle in it.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by twindad

If it were mine, I'd stand it muzzle down with the brake submerged in a small container of Kano Kroil for about a week, then tighten the barrel in a couple wood blocks in my vice, put a screwdriver through some of the holes in the brake (if I could), and apply steady turning pressure to the screwdriver while rapping the brake sharply with a plastic hammer I have. If that didn't work, I'd dry the Kroil off of the brake and heat the brake where its threaded onto the barrel with my acetylene torch to expand the threads while trying to turn the brake off. If that didn't work, I'd chuck the barrel into my lathe, cut the brake off, rethread the barrel, and install another brake. If it didn't shoot like I wanted it to after that, I'd be looking for a different barrel... but that's just me... :)

Bill

---

LOL, i'm not wanting to turn this into a full time project! i had it standing up in a small pill bottle soaking in coleman fuel, bore cleaner, PB blaster and i don't recall what other stuff. i even took my propane torch to it while in my barrel vise and tried turning the brake with no success. at this point i am just going to leave it unless i decide to install another at a later date. it's in the open position right now and i'm good with that, i don't shoot around other people so i have no worries there!

thanks for the help and comments guys, much appreciated.

Bruce

gotta add, you guys are creative!

Bruce,

Contact Savage technical assistance at http://savagearms.zendesk.com/anonymous_requests/new; they may have a quick solution for you (that does not involve shipping them the gun).

mbogo

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by GeorgeS

Bruce,

Contact Savage technical assistance at http://savagearms.zendesk.com/anonymous_requests/new; they may have a quick solution for you (that does not involve shipping them the gun).

mbogo

---

thank you George, sent them an email through the link. worth a try!

Bruce

I had the same issue with mine. They told me to stick something through the holes that went all the way through (like a punch). Then told me to completely take it off. Once that is done, it should come apart and needs to be cleaned. I did this and it worked. I cleaned it up and never had an issue with is not working. Just be careful as mine had a couple of ball bearings in it and they fell out the first time I took it apart.

I had the Model 16 FHSAK if that is the same type of brake.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by rc109a

I had the same issue with mine. They told me to stick something through the holes that went all the way through (like a punch). Then told me to completely take it off. Once that is done, it should come apart and needs to be cleaned. I did this and it worked. I cleaned it up and never had an issue with is not working. Just be careful as mine had a couple of ball bearings in it and they fell out the first time I took it apart.

I had the Model 16 FHSAK if that is the same type of brake.

---

thanks rc, that's the same brake. guess i'll try removing it and clean it up. i'll let you know how it goes.

Bruce

rc109a, those holes are kinda small, what did you find that wouldn't break off? i tried one of my punches that fit perfectly and it snapped off. did you heat the barrel also?

Bruce

UPDATE!! finally got the thing to break loose. at this point i was going to remove the whole brake and this is how i went about it(took this advice from some other people). i put it in my barrel vice, heated, put 8d nail through it with leather under nail-head so as not to screw up the brake and tried removing nail with claw hammer. after breaking numerous nails(these nails snapped, did not bend) i was ready to give up again but not until i tried the visegrip and leather method once again. PRESTO, the brake started to work as it was intended! i worked it open and closed for awhile and now being satisfied it works i stood it upright in a small bottle of bore cleaner once again and have been working it back and forth every now and then to get the carbon out from between the 2 sleeves, that stuff is just oozing out now. tonite i will put it in a bottle full of PB blaster and let it soak some more.

i would like to thank all of you who have offered ideas and suggestions to solve my problem, we got if licked!

the bad news is i have one more to do now, hope it goes easier!lol

Bruce

I'm an auto mechanic, if you go to any GOOD shop that has a lot of Snap On equipment, you may be able to get a small amount of a carbon remover known as " Motorvac detergent" if the shop has a Motorvac machine they will have it, it was originally developed for the navy to clean carbon from the bores of artillery , cannons and such, come to find out will also clean out your combustion chamber if mixed with the gasoline and done properly, that stuff Will, without a doubt, dissolve any carbon that is causing you a problem! Good luck , john

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Texanjohn

I'm an auto mechanic, if you go to any GOOD shop that has a lot of Snap On equipment, you may be able to get a small amount of a carbon remover known as " Motorvac detergent" if the shop has a Motorvac machine they will have it, it was originally developed for the navy to clean carbon from the bores of artillery , cannons and such, come to find out will also clean out your combustion chamber if mixed with the gasoline and done properly, that stuff Will, without a doubt, dissolve any carbon that is causing you a problem! Good luck , john

---

duly noted and will keep my eye out for some. this will not harm the finish on the barrel i trust? thanks.

Bruce

Glad you got it.
Though difficult I knew it would give up after some time.
Now after you shoot it just be sure to close it and put a couple of drops of break free in a few of the holes on opposite sides and open and close it a few times.
It wont happen in the future.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by big honkin jeep

Glad you got it.
Though difficult I knew it would give up after some time.
Now after you shoot it just be sure to close it and put a couple of drops of break free in a few of the holes on opposite sides and open and close it a few times.
It wont happen in the future.

---

i've never used this stuff, are you talking CLP or the CO?

Bruce

The break free CLP is really good stuff. I know it doesn't mean much but it was developed for the military and I use that **** on everything :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by big honkin jeep

The break free CLP is really good stuff. I know it doesn't mean much but it was developed for the military and I use that **** on everything :)

---

thanks for the reply, i have to go to Cabelas anyway, i'll pick some up. thanks again.

Bruce

well, made my trip to Cabelas and got some BreakFree CLP now. while i was there i did some browsing to see what they had in reloading components, i was surprised to see numerous powders in both 1 and 8 lbs, lots of primers and bullets! they even had 22 lr in 325packs for $22. looks like it 's starting to look better, i hope. it's good to see the shelves starting to fill up.

Bruce

You might try some of the break free on the other brake first, give it some time and see what kind of results you get turning it loose. I just suggested the PB blaster earlier because It has a penetrating catalyst.
It's been so long that I cant remember if I used kroil or just break free on mine.
Im sure with some lube, time and good technique you'll get it.

i thought i would never get that first one to break free and was about to give up on it. now i have hope i will get the second free also. thanks for the help!

Bruce

GOT IT!!! the second muzzle brake has broke free, i soaked it in bore cleaner all night and tried working it this morning with no results. put it in my barrel vise and put the nail through it with the leather for protection like before and gave it a twist and i saw it budge ever so slightly. at this point i got the leather and vise grips and gave it a little back and forth action and it started working! put it back in the bore cleaner and keeep working it every 15 minutes or so and can see all the carbon that is being broke up. i'll do this for the rest of the morning then spray it down with brake cleaner and put some Break Free CLP on it. next time i will check them more often for function.

Bruce

Well at least the third one you just got will be easy to take apart and clean...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by rc109a

Well at least the third one you just got will be easy to take apart and clean...

---

i will have the experience, that's for sure! still waitning on usps to deliver, seems to be stuck in colorado. **** them!

Bruce

update: came in this morning and that brake is smoooothhh compared to my others! thanks Ron.

Bruce