Badger Ordnance FTE Brake Installation

December 1, 2013 Bill Marr Gunsmithing 0

Side view, note the two large ports and pinch screw to secure and index the brake.

The Badger Ordnance FTE Muzzle brake is a fairly popular design.  The large expansion chambers provide excellent recoil reduction and a cool look.  Easily indexed and removed from a rifle as needed, installation of the FTE brake requires a tenon with two shoulders and, in the case of calibers over 22 caliber, the brake must be bored at least .020″ over bore diameter. The brake shown here has a 5/8-24 thread, other threads are available.

An installation diagram can be found here.

Front view of Badger FTE. Notice "Front Toward Enemy" engraved.
Front view of Badger FTE. Notice “Front Toward Enemy” (FTE) engraved.  Google search “claymore mine” if you haven’t seen one, it has the same thing on the front.
Side view, note the two large ports and pinch screw to secure and index the brake.
Side view, note the two large ports and pinch screw to secure and index the brake.
Rear view of FTE brake.
Rear view of FTE brake.

The following items were supplied by Brownells:

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The barrel is mounted through the head stock of the lathe. The bore will be indexed with a range rod- shown here. The rod has a bushing the same diameter as the bore and is tapered.
The barrel is mounted through the head stock of the lathe. The bore will be indexed with a range rod- shown here. The rod has a bushing the same diameter as the bore and is tapered.
The bore is dialed with a dial indicator.
The bore is dialed with a dial indicator.
If the barrel won't fit through the head stock, this can be performed between centers as shown here. In this case the barrel was too short pass through the headstock.
If the barrel won’t fit through the head stock, it can be mounted between centers as shown here. In this case (photo above) the barrel was too short to pass through the headstock.
The tenon is then cut for the threads and behind the threads shoulder. The thread tenon is .575" long and the relief cut behind the threads is .7995" in diameter by .900" long.
The tenon is then cut for the threads and the shoulder behind the threads. The thread tenon is .575″ long and the relief cut behind the threads is .7995″ in diameter by .900″ long.  We use high-speed steel insert tools available from Brownells with Viper’s Venom cutting oil.
The threaded tenon is coated in Dykem.
The threaded tenon is coated in Dykem.
The threads are cut at 24 teeth per inch.
The threads are cut at 24 teeth per inch.
The area behind the threads and before the tenon's shoulder is cut to the minor diameter of the threads.
The area behind the threads and before the tenon’s shoulder is cut to the minor diameter of the threads.
A .420 dished crown tool is used to crown the end of the muzzle.
A .420 dished crown tool is used to crown the end of the muzzle.
Front view of the crown.
Front view of the crown.
After the inside diameter of the brake is opened up .020" larger then the bore diameter, the brake installation is complete.
After the inside diameter of the brake is opened up .020″ larger then the bore diameter with a boring bar, the brake installation is complete.

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