Changing muzzle device

[parishioner]

I'm in the process of switching out my A2 flash hider with a battlecomp. In the past, after I installed a vtac rail, when I hand threaded my A2 back on it went to the point of only needing about a 1/4 turn with the wrench to get it tight and properly aligned.

Now, when I hand thread the battlecomp, it looks like its going to need a little more than 1/2 a turn to be properly aligned. Basically, its upside down. The battlecomp logo is on top. I tried to turn it with a wrench with just my dad holding the upper down and I couldn't get it properly aligned. I needed another 1/4 of a turn. Just to check, I put the A2 back on to see if I could tighten and align it with the wrench with my dad holding down the upper and I could.

I don't have a lot of experience with changing these so I was wondering if this sounds within reason and before I go put it in a vise and try to tighten it with a good bit of force.

Thanks.

[Brahmzy]

DON'T over tighten it. I assume you're using the supplied crush washer? I typically hand file down the crush washer (pain in the ass) until I can get about an 1/8th turn on the comp to tighten to TDC. Use blue loctite.

[parishioner]

I want to add that I used the crush washer that was supplied as well as the one that I already had on there and both result with the battlecomp in the same positon.

I may try to grind the washer down a bit. Thanks.

[Luke_Y]

Tighten a 1/4 or so, loosen/tighten, loosen/tighten, loosen/tighten...

It should work it's way around.

[Supermoto]

Are you using a new crush washer or the old one, use a new one,

try a split washer or

Try it without the crush washer, see if it will time on correctly without it.

You can mill or file the back of the comp so that it will, that gives the cleanest look

[parishioner]

Im using the new one. I also tried to use it without the washer and it wasn't timed right.

[cop1211]

I just did this myself with 2 Battle comps. The first went on a BCM 11.5 easy as could be. The second went on a Larue 12.5 and was a pita, took 40 minutes to get it timed.

But I dont have a vice and was doing it all by myself.

[parishioner]

I just did this myself with 2 Battle comps. The first went on a BCM 11.5 easy as could be. The second went on a Larue 12.5 and was a pita, took 40 minutes to get it timed.

But I dont have a vice and was doing it all by myself.

Okay so it's normal. Wasn't sure if something was wrong or what. Thanks.

[PRGGodfather]

Tighten a 1/4 or so, loosen/tighten, loosen/tighten, loosen/tighten...

It should work it's way around.

Yup. A 1/4 turn and then backed off gains about an 1/8 of a turn. It's a gradual compression of the crush washer.

[Robb Jensen]

I also use a bit of blue painters tape after degreasing on the wrench flats of the Battlecomp. This keeps from marring/scratching the finish.

[556Cliff]

Grease the threads.

You could also try a peel washer.

[parishioner]

Yup. A 1/4 turn and then backed off gains about an 1/8 of a turn. It's a gradual compression of the crush washer.

Thanks PRG. ;)

[bp7178]

Use blue loctite.


I wouldn't use blue loctite on a muzzle device, or really anything that will get hot.

Heat degrades the strength of loctite.

If you need some type of threadlocker on a componet that will get hot, Rocksett is comparable to blue loctite but is VERY heat resistant.

[Brahmzy]

I wouldn't use blue loctite on a muzzle device, or really anything that will get hot.

Heat degrades the strength of loctite.

If you need some type of threadlocker on a componet that will get hot, Rocksett is comparable to blue loctite but is VERY heat resistant.
Blue loctite is perfect for a muzzle device - never had any issues with movement. However, I did mistype - it's NOT ideal for a supp. mount. Anything that will get twisted while extremely hot, rocksett's def a better choice.

[rdbse]

Does Battlecomp or other manufacturers recommend loctite?

[PRGGodfather]

I wouldn't use blue loctite on a muzzle device, or really anything that will get hot.

Heat degrades the strength of loctite.

If you need some type of threadlocker on a componet that will get hot, Rocksett is comparable to blue loctite but is VERY heat resistant.

ABSOLUTELY!

NEVER use blue loctite on a muzzle device. If some adhesive is needed, e.g. in conjunction with a shim kit/peel washer for suppressor usage -- or a perfect timed device on the barrel shoulder -- please use Rocksett.

Blue Loctite degrades with heat, as do most Loctite products. Also, please do not use Red Loctite on optic mounts, as it requires heat to loosen, and getting a torch near your glass is bad juju.

[PRGGodfather]

Does Battlecomp or other manufacturers recommend loctite?

Nope. Crush washers, peel washers or shims and no more than 45 lbs. of torque.

Anything using a suppressor requires peel washers or shims AND Rocksett. NO CRUSH WASHERS for suppressors. Concentricity is critical with a long device such as a suppressor.

Blue loctite is good for other threaded parts that could potentially vibrate off, e.g. flashlight mounts, grip screws, scope mounts, rail screws, etc. -- EXCEPT the castle nut. Castle nuts should be staked (Red loctite is NOT recommended, although some people do this).

We don't really recommend the Red loctite for anything -- as it is a near permanent attachment, and requires heat for removal. There may be some applications that could require it, but we have not encountered such scenarios as yet.

[bp7178]

It's worth noting that different locktite compounds, mainly green, red & blue, in addition to breakaway torque, also differ in the sizes of screw threads they are suppose to be used on.

For non heat related componets, blue. Heat, Rocksett. This general rule works well for AR15 componets. When in doubt, read the package.

[Hmac]

I'm a little puzzled at the difficulty - using crush washer to install a muzzle device is pretty simple. You can almost always get more than 360 degrees of turn on the FH while crushing the washer so timing isn't a problem. You can use an open-end crow's foot for a torque wrench and torque to about 25 ft-lbs, but as long as you have at least 90 degrees of crush on the washer, the torque is going to be fine.

Perhaps the OP's biggest problem was not using a barrel vise. IMHO, you have to secure the barrel from rotating. A lot of people try to do that with a receiver block in their vise - I think that's a bad idea. I just use a radial arm saw to cut a V-groove across the grain in a couple of 2x4 blocks and slip a length of bicycle inner tube over the barrel so as to not mar the barrel finish. With the barrel secured - installing a flash hider or compensator is about a 3 minute job. Rocksett/LocTite is totally unnecessary and just complicates the whole process. Using a crush washer is too simple. Peel washers are only a little more complicated..... 45-90 degrees of rotation with a peel washer will give adequate torque (just peel 'em off until you're at least 45 degrees short of timed, then crank it down). A lot of places recommend only 45 degrees, but I've have FH's loosen, and using a torque wrench, 90 degrees will still (usually) leave you at less than 45 ft-lbs.

[parishioner]

Finally got around to installing it today. It took about 10 min to get it TDC. Thanks for the help everyone.