WTB a Muzzle Brake for my CZ 52...

[jfoss1701]

Hi Everybody,

   I'm new to this forum and was hoping for some assistance.  I have recently purchased a CZ 52.  It was constructed in 1954 (the last production year for this model)  I got it with the idea of adding a number of after market parts and basically customizing it.  My goals were to get the following things.

Hard Chrome refinish.  (check)!  Bought it that way! :?)
Stainless steel barrel with a threaded end.  (check)!
Ivory (simulated :?() grips with a thumbrest and an extended slide release cut out.  (check)!
Hardened steel cam rollers.  (check)!
Extended slide release.  (check)!
Replacement alloy firing pin.  (check)!
Wolff 18lb main recoil spring. (check)!
Modified magazine heel plates. (check) sort of...  I'm planning on getting ones for a Tokarev and modifying them.

I have acquired the following ammunition for use depending on the situation:

Military surlus FMJ    1000   
Wolf JHP      100
Magsafe Frangible    32
Timbs Accerators    50

What I am MISSING is a COMPENSATOR for this gun.  They used to be available at Markarov.com but that was a couple of years ago.  I've seen pictures of them.  Google CZ 52 compenastor and look at Images.  I've noticed a few people mentioning on some of the forums that they have them.  This is the final piece that I need that has me stumped.  Anybody out there know where I can find one?  Anybody want to make a tidy bit of profit selling me theirs? :?D  I'm really hoping to finish up this project and get moving on to my next one which is to do a similar set up on at Tokarev TT33. 

Thanks everyone!  Any helpful suggestions will be greatly appreciated!

Jason

[Grendel]

Place a 'WTB' ad in the Classifieds.

[jfoss1701]

Thanks Will do.

[Otto N Sure]

I've got a chrome CZ 52 with a compensated barrel, not an added compensator. It sticks out about 1.5-2 inches beyond the barrel shroud.  I bought it this way from a guy on another forum a couple of years ago.

Please post pics of yours, it sounds waaay cool!!

Otto

[gandog56]

Muzzle brake on a pistol? Am I right in assuming he means a compensator?

[Otto N Sure]

I think those terms are kinda interchangeable. I have a "muzzle brake" on my .308 SAIGA and a "compensator" on my CZ 52. Both are doo hickies with slots cut into them on the end of the barrel. Is there an actual difference in the terms?

Otto

[jfoss1701]

Thanks Otto,

I will post pics soon.  The gun is at the gunsmith right now getting a trigger job and a slight (very slight) stoning of the stainless's barrel trunnion as it appears to occasionally have a clearance issue with the frame.  Fortunately I found this out BEFORE I tried to fire it with that stainless barrel.  :?D

I'd be just as happy to purchase a barrel with the compensator already on it!

If you see one... please let me know! 

Thanks!

[skucera]

Is there an actual difference in the terms?

Yeah, there is a difference, but nobody is going to get all pedantic about the differences.

A muzzle brake is intended to use excess gasses from the muzzle to counteract recoil.  Muzzle brakes are found on light artillery pieces, especially wheeled pieces where recoil might be severe enough to move the gun carriage, which would slow down the rate of fire as the gun crew would have to re-aim with every shot.  The gasses are vented sideways and rearwards, resulting in an equal and oppposite force forwards.  Here is a muzzle brake on an M-198 in Iraq:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:4-14_Marines_in_Fallujah.jpg

A compensator directs excess gasses to compensate for muzzle rise.  The same principles are involved, but the gasses are vented upwards, with the resulting in and equal and opposite force downwards on the muzzle.  The most common implementation is rows of gas ports drilled in the muzzle end of the barrel, or in a barrel extension.  Here is a typical implementation on a Springfield Armory XD-40:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Custom_XD-40_V-10.jpg

There are other variations called a flash suppressor or a flash hider that simply try to darken the muzzle flash from the shooter's point of view to prevent dazzling soldiers in night fighting.  There are three common forms.  One is a cone of metal added to the end of the muzzle (http://www.pof.gov.pk/products/images/LARGE/Machine-Gun-MG3.jpg).  You see those on old pictures of German bombers from WW2.  Another is to simply cut the muzzle diagonally, which can act as a compensator too.  I've seen this type on M-14's and AK-47's.  A third is to have an extension with prongs or lots of slots on the muzzle.  These work by cooling the gasses that pass through the narrow slots enough that they don't glow.  The ones with prongs, like on older FN FAL's, used to snag on vegetation, which was a distraction in battle, but later ones use a ring at the end to close off the prongs.  Here is a typical, easily machined slotted extension:

http://www.mississippiautoarms.com/images/dphusfh.JPG

I don't think I want to go into "silencers" here, which are really not well named anyway.  Those easily researched on-line.

Anyway, I hope I don't start a holy war about nomenclature here.  The friendly, helpful folks who contribute here are usually above that anyway.

Scott

[Surculus]

Thanks everyone!  Any helpful suggestions will be greatly appreciated!
 

Well, 1st thing: check the threads on that threaded stainless barrel! If it's one of the Federal barrels that Mak.com used to sell, iirc, it's threaded 1/2-32 [decidedly special], whereas most muzzle components out there seem to be based on the 1/2-28 "standard" derived from AR-15 barrel ends.

Any .30 cal rifle comp will do the job *if* it fits, but since most are going to come w/ the 1/2-28 threads [too small for a .30 muzzle; the industry should "upgrade" to the old 9/16-32 standard from the M1 Garand ] they likely won't fit if my remembry is working correctly (that's a big IF!  )

Net result: you can find the muzzle toys that Federal sold to go along w/ their barrels, but they'll all be for 9mm, .40 Short&Weak or .45 Browning. AND you'll have to prowl GunBroken(er) or crawl gun shows to find'em. Alternatively, you could make your own. That latter option will be a lot more expen$ive, but more fun too! And just imagine the satisfaction when you're done.

Last observation: since the muzzle toys are going to affect the unlocking of the barrel from the slide, you might need to go back to the stock recoil spring. I doubt it, since in my experience even with the extra power Wolf spring the CZ-52 doesn't suffer overmuch from any extraction difficulties [ie: only flings brass 20ft instead of into the next county!  ] but since the CZ-52 seems to have plenty of hot gases to work with and that's how the muzzle toys do their "thang," it's a real possibility. Just something to keep in mind.