Crush washer or lock nut?

[LOBO]

I've got a Smith Enterprise Good Iron muzzle brake that I want to install. Can I use a crush washer instead of a lock nut? Can a lock nut be re-used? Thanks.

[MistWolf]

Lock nut should be reusable. I would only use a crush washer as a last resort

[LOBO]

Thank you.

[Hmac]

Crush washer is all I ever use for non-suppressor muzzle devices, especially those that need to be timed. No futzing, very secure, about a 3 minute installation process. I don't care about re-usability..they come in pack of 10 and cost about $.50 apiece.

[GH41]

Crush washer is all I ever use for non-suppressor muzzle devices, especially those that need to be timed. No futzing, very secure, about a 3 minute installation process. I don't care about re-usability..they come in pack of 10 and cost about $.50 apiece.

But remember... Some muzzle devices require shims due to tight exit hole diameters.

[Hmac]

But remember... Some muzzle devices require shims due to tight exit hole diameters.

Huh? What muzzle devices, what do shims have to do with tight exit hole diameters?

[bruin]

Precision Armament, for example, machines the AFAB and EFAB to have tight exit holes and recommends shims only for those devices, no crush washers.

OP, I used to have a Good Iron and correctly timing it with a lock nut leaves a gap between the nut and barrel shoulder. A crush washer is probably fine. If you reuse the lock nut with a different MD, you might end up with a gap as well.

[MistWolf]

Some crush washers are softer than others so you never really get a good feel when tightening down on one. It's too easy to over tighten a crush washer. When you do, it crushes down into threads and often needs to be cut to remove.

The most trouble free way to install and time a muzzle device is to use a shim set.

I don't know how deep the threads run on the Good Iron brake. If you use shims instead of the lock nut, make sure the threads won't bottom out before everything is tight

[Hmac]

Some crush washers are softer than others so you never really get a good feel when tightening down on one. It's too easy to over tighten a crush washer.

To tighten a crush washer, it only needs 90 degrees of rotation to get sufficient torque to hold the device in place. To use it properly on a muzzle device requires tighten-loosen-tighten-loosen-tighten 90-180 degrees to the proper timing of the device. Overtightening a crush washer would mean that it's not being used the way it's designed. You never bottom the threads. A portion of it has to be "un-crushed".

[Auto-X Fil]

I prefer shims. If you do a lot of devices, having this kit around is the best way - you can just use a single shim to get the correct torque and clocking.

http://precisionarmament.com/product...washer-system/