[cpileri]

Is it legal to make a muzzle brake?
Specifically, on those Yugo SKS's that have the grenade launcher which no one will ever use to launch a grenade; can you drill some holes in it radially and call it a muzzle brake? No threading the bbl or anything, just drilling some holes.

Not to offend any collectors sense of originality, just a question/
C-

[TexasVet]

You can make a muzzle break, but if the Bad Attutude Towards Freedom boys even THINK that it reduces the muzzle flash, then you are toast for making an illegal flash hider.

[Giant]

However! If one were to give the bad attitude jack booted thug boys a diagram before the fact of proposed modification to said firearm, asking for their written authorization and legal signoff of the modification, then it would probably be alright. Unless of course the bad attitude jack booted thug boys changed their mind at a later date, and or denied any and all knowledge of alleged written authorization, then one might end up with said agent types stating; "Not my signature! Nope, definitely not my signature."

Don't do verbal business with BATF! Don't do any business with BATF, unless it is with the assistance of a well versed attorney with mucho experience on BATF and firearm matters!

Change a gun and go to jail! BATF types are promoted and receive salary increases based upon volume of arrest and money brought into the agency -- More true now than ever before because agency heads and agents have been requested to justify their existence, worth, etc...

Giant

[Zundfolge]

You can make a muzzle break, but if the Bad Attutude Towards Freedom boys even THINK that it reduces the muzzle flash, then you are toast for making an illegal flash hider.
While I don't trust the BATF to know anything about guns, I still don't see how drilling more holes in the muzzle break could reduce muzzle flash :p

However, Giant's advice is probably best.

[cpileri]

Flash hiders are illegal? I knew suppressors are (generally), but lots of guns have flash hiders?
Clue me in!
C-

[TexasVet]

Flash hiders are one of the forbidden things that added together make an illegal "assault rifle" since that last bit of congressional stupidity. As are, pistol grips, large capacity removable mags, bayonet lugs, etc.

[Sleeping Dog]

Lotsa OLD guns have flash hiders. Er, actually they're more like flash "spreaders". They don't reduce total flash, because that's just the flame from the powder. They spread the flash to reduce its intensity, so as not to ruin the night vision of the shooter.

Anyone off in the distance will see the flash of your gun. An old M16 has a distinctive flash pattern. Same with a M14.

My Spanish Mauser has a flash-spreader, but since it's a bolt-action gun I don't think it matters.

As far as evil features go, they are as evil as pistol grips or bayonet lugs. The anti's will believe that a flash hider is a "sniper cloaking device", Klingon technology.

Regards.

[WilderBill]

Man, everybody's badmouthin' the BATF!

Frankly, I don't care WHAT the bat f'ers are doing with consenting bats, in the privacy of thier own homes. ;)

[E357]

Muzzle brakes are fine. The problems start when you make one where there are NO HOLES TO THE OUTSIDE SIDES - this gets you into trouble. Ultra benchrest guys are always working on "Bloop-Tubes" had look like supppressors. These cause problems for a few days when the BATF comes around.

Elliot

[winwun]

I was thinking about drilling about a 1/16" hole in the barrel of my Ruger BH .30 Carbine maybe 1" to the rear of the front sight to help keep the barrel from kicking up on hot, rifle length loads.

It shoots OK with mild stuff, like 4.5 grains of RD and the little 90 grain Hornady XTP, but put about 15 grains of H-4227 and the 115 grain FMJ, and you start grouping 10 - 12" high at 25 yards.

Any comments on my proposed "fix" ? ?

[TexasVet]

Any comments on my proposed "fix" ? ?
Totally legal and probably totally ineffectual. Need more holes than that. And, BTW, just drilling holes will leave accuracy destroying burrs inside the bore. If you clean them up you will probably still shave lead badly as the bullet passes them. They need to be countersunk from inside, with a taper toward the front of the bbl to really work cleanly.
I once cut slots either side of a sight with a dremel using 3 cutting disks for width and really had a time getting the front of the slot tapered forward to stop the lead shaving. (ever try to find a 1/16" wide file?) It worked well once I got it done, though.