Muzzle Brake

[Vince Cutajar]

There were two types of muzzle brake used on the Tiger 1. The larger one was mostly fitted on the early / mid Tigers. The smaller one was used on the late variant Tigers and also on the King Tigers. I suspect from the shape that the muzzle brake I have on my late Tiger 1 is the early variant although up till now I have never bothered to measure it up but it has been bugging me for a long time. Just in case I decide to machine a new one I decided to make a drawing.

There is information on the early muzzle brake on the tiger1.info website but nothing on the later smaller type. I have been looking for more information about the smaller muzzle brake but could only find very little information regarding it's size. I found a French blueprint but no dimensions on the plans and on a forum it was mentioned that the late muzzle brake was 450mm long.

I drew the basic shape of both next to each other. The one on the left is the early type using the detailed information found on the tiger1 website. The one on the right is the later type using the French drawing and a reference length of 450mm.

Does the smaller muzzle brake look feasible compared to the other? Does anybody have more size information on the later muzzle brake?

Vince

[Vince Cutajar]

I should have done this exercise last year. With hindsight everybody is wiser.

I compared the dimensions of the above muzzle brake drawings with the Armortek item I have installed on my Tiger 1. Happy to say that it compares reasonably well to the drawing of the late muzzle brake. The only thing off is the big diameter around the middle of the muzzle brake which is a bit too big. Also the apex of this diameter is rounded when it should be flat in this area. If I remember correctly, there isn't a lot of metal that can be removed from that area. So I am leaving everything as is.

Instead, I continued adding all the details to my late muzzle brake drawing for a possible liquid resin 3D print in the future.

There is still an important part that still needs to be added and that is the male thread that screws into the barrel. I don't know the size of that thread. I could measure the thread diameter and pitch on my muzzle brake but am reluctant in removing it. All I need to do is unscrew the muzzle brake from the barrel but maybe I'll do it in the future.

So until then, this muzzle brake is still a work in progress.

Vince

[Vince Cutajar]

Finally bit the bullet and unscrewed the Armortek muzzle brake from the barrel. Managed not to damage the paintwork (phew) so no touch-ups are required. Measured the thread and as far as I can tell it is M22 x 1.5 which is good as dies exist in this size.

The plan is to make a separate end piece. The threaded part will screw in the barrel and the plain end will fit (bond) in the 3d printed muzzle brake. The idea is that it will help in the final orientation of the muzzle brake.

I could make a threaded 3d printed end piece and clean up the thread profile with a proper die but I suspect it will be too weak so I might do it with aluminium and thread it on the lathe.

Back to the drawing board.

Vince

[Adrian Harris]

M22 x 1.5 is a standard plumbing thread, so you might be able to find a threaded coupler which would save you the problem of cutting the thread.

Adrian.

[Vince Cutajar]

M22 x 1.5 is a standard plumbing thread

Thanks for the tip. Did not know that.

Will have to check the "Might Be Useful Some Day" pile in the workshop to see if I have something in that size unless it has be transferred to the "Junk" pile and thrown out.

Vince

[Robert E Morey]

Hi Vince
Really neat looking muzzle break. I'd be happy to do a print test when you're ready. You will have to model the full thread profile in order for it to translate to the print (and thread on to gun barrel). Add a tiny bit of clearance (undersize the thread a tad). I suppose one could find or make a metal tap to clean up the resin threads afterwards.

I'm sure you can model a helix in F360.

Really cool work!
Best regards,
Bob

[Vince Cutajar]

Did not have much to do so came back to "play" a bit with the virtual muzzle brake.

M22 x 1.5 is a standard plumbing thread

Adrian do you mean domestic (house) water plumbing? I could not find locally any water fittings with that thread. A little research on the internet shows that this thread is used in hydraulic (oil based) plumbing fittings.

I think the cheapest solution to make the thread in aluminium would be to cut it on the lathe but I still need a nut with that same thread to use as a reference. Anybody have an M22x1.5 nut lying around ?

Made also the lock washer look like the real thing. Previously it was drawn as if the lock washer had tabs which are bent over.

Lock washer with bent over tabs.

But now I have redrawn it. Most probably it will hardly be visible in a liquid resin print but what the heck.

Redrawn bent lock washer.

Vince

[Vince Cutajar]

Finally got around to printing my late style muzzle brake mostly to satisfy my curiosity. I was going to do it Belgium but at the end decided to do it locally and save a little money. Took some time to clean it up from the remains of the supports. There are a couple of printing defects but on the whole satisfied of the results. I also printed the threaded endpiece and after a bit of fettling managed to fit it to the Aluminium barrel.

As can be seen it is very similar to my modified Armortek muzzle brake. It is practically the same length but mine is a bit slimmer. At the end of the day I will be keeping the modified Armortek model.

Vince

[Robert E Morey]

Looks really good Vince. So satisfying to design and make your own parts. Did you buy a printer, or find someone locally with a Resin one?
B

[Vince Cutajar]

Yes Bob, it's extremely satisfying designing and making your own parts. I haven't taken the leap of owing my own printer yet because I worry that after a while it would end up idle like thousands of 3D printers around the world. I found somebody locally who printed it for me.

Vince

[Jerry Carducci]

Does anyone have a closeup of a full sized barrel which shows the recess on the main gun barrel that the locking pin/ block on the brake fits into?
I assume this was machined into the barrel to simplify aligning the brake ports when attaching the brake to the barrel - impressive machining efforts to keep the thread timing of all the parts correct. I read an assessment of the high efficiency of the 'German' pattern muzzle brake; very efficient but extremely expensive to make. The other tidbit I've noticed is there never seems to be much of a gap between the locking ring and the end of the threaded portion of the gun barrel; at least it doesn't show up in period photos.

Great job Vince.

Jerry

[Vince Cutajar]

Jerry

I think the information you are looking for is here:
https://tiger1.info/EN/Muzzle-brake.html

Vince

[Jerry Carducci]

Jerry

I think the information you are looking for is here:
https://tiger1.info/EN/Muzzle-brake.html

Vince

Yes I've seen that one thanks.

Jerry