over torqed barrel?

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kx592

New member
I had installed a muzzle brake on my ar few months back and had to give it some good pressure to get it indexed just right. I think I might have over torqued the barrel. Is there any way to tell if it is without any tools?
 
If you stripped the threads, it's probably over-torqued.

Did you use a torque wrench? If so, did you go torque according to the manufacturers specs of the muzzle brake?

AR barrels are pretty robust. I have seen receivers break before a barrel twists out of alignment-on VLTORS clamp-on front sight posts demonstration.
 
I can honestly say I did not know what I was doing when installing it so I simply screwed it on with a wrench tight and indexed. No measurement taken. It shoots Ok but seems like I might have over done it and moved the barrel, It could very well be me "seeing what I want to see" type of deal but just checking into it to be on the safe side.
 
Moved it as in over torqued, twisted it to the right a hair. I look from front and rear and it look to me like the front gas block sight post is slightly to the right(front to back) and to the left from rear to front when looking from a distance. Is it possible that over tightening the barrel while everything was together could move the block?
 
The only way that would happen is if you bent the locator pin on the barrel extension, or stretched out the slot on the receiver. That would take a LOT of torque.
 
Unless you were using a break over bar or cheater bar on the wrench to tighten the brake/flash suppressor, then you shouldn't have put enough torque on the barrel to "move it"...
 
VLTOR has tested this for us:
"The clamping system has been carefully designed to provide an unparalleled hold when installed properly. During testing, the VST-1 withstood over 100 ft/lbs of rotational torque and is stronger than the barrel’s receiver indexing pin."
Click to expand...

http://www.vltor.com/vst.htm

Just an example that if your receiver pin aint broke, then you should be fine.
 
If the barrel assembly turned at the receiver,the pin in the slot thing,your barrel extension would have turned.The feed ramps and slots for the locking lugs would have turned.
Theoretically,the barrel could screw tighter into the barrel extension,unlikely,the are torqued tight against a shoulder.
A skinny M-4 barrel,maybe if you were really brutal you could twist the barrel.
I doubt you were that brutal without a cheater bar.
But,what is very possible ,through over torquing a muzzle attachment is distorting the bore right where the bullet is released.Remember the threads are amplifying force and the steel is less than 1/8 th in thick.
There are other ways to index than more white knuckles.
I do not have a specified torque figure,but think in terms of 15 to 20 ft lbs rather than more.The right number may be less.
What is done is done.Next time.....
 
Relax, Kx592...If you felt/seen brl. turn...You now have Gain-Twist rifling! Endorsed by no other than H.M. Pope himself.
 
kx592 said:
It shoots Ok but seems like I might have over done it and moved the barrel,
Click to expand...

If it shoots the same you didn't move anything. If you are truly concerned, send the upper to me for proper disposal, no charge.
 
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