How To Remove A Flash Hider

How to Remove an A2 Muzzle Device

How to Remove an A2 Cage Device & How to Install a New Cage Device

With a bonus tip on how to time them!

As near of y'all know already, we like to indulge in all things NFA. Merely when information technology comes to getting a new silencer for your firearm, there's potentially i more than stride standing in the way of fulfilling all your suppressed shooting needs, and that's how to remove your original muzzle device, and how to install a new one.

Now, you may take defenseless the caveat higher up when nosotros say potentially. Some silencers accept your original cage device; that data is usually on the manufacturer's website if you're questioning whether or not the i you have, or the one you lot're interested in, does.

Removing your A2 cage device

We're not trying to over-complicate a unproblematic consequence here. Some people may be thinking that you just unscrew it and wham-bam it's washed. Others may be thinking it'due south got to be complicated because there'southward a full blog mail dedicated to information technology. Well, nosotros're hither to let yous know it's a lot simpler than you lot may think. It all depends on how it was put on to the host firearm to begin with though, so we'll bear upon each selection below.

First and foremost, information technology is very important that you secure the barrel before trying to alter or accommodate annihilation. We recommend using a barrel clamp or reaction rod to preclude any angle, shearing, or breaking. Though you tin can (and nosotros have) get away with simply clamping your receiver in a vice. It all depends on how secure the barrel is on the device. Simply note that if you lot are not secured in a butt block or to a reaction rod, y'all are going to be exerting strength on your butt index pin which is not infallible. This is why we recommend torqueing confronting the barrel itself.

Next, you need to make up one's mind how the device was secured, so we'd suggest you get in this social club based on what we've experienced:

Pin-and-Weld

The first affair you'll desire to look for is markings on the cage device itself for a pivot-and-weld. This is commonly used for barrels where, if the muzzle device is removed, they are shorter than sixteen inches, making it require paperwork for being considered a brusque butt burglarize, or SBR. In this particular example, the muzzle device is usually pin and welded on to the barrel to brand information technology a 16-inches or longer.

Silencer Store Note:

The removal of a pin-and-welded device on an existing burglarize with a barrel shorter than xvi inches constitutes constructing a Short Barrel Burglarize. You lot need to already take an approved Form 1 before attempting this procedure yourself.

The easiest way to spot a pivot-and-weld job is to observe the circumference of the rear part of the muzzle device toward the shooter. In almost every case, at that place will be a noticeable iii-5mm hole that's filled with a metal pivot and welded over. In many cases, that weld is finished, and will exist smooth, only still noticeable.

Whether you make up one's mind to go to a gunsmith, or you desire a DIY chore, to remove a pin and weld, cutting and sparks will be involved (for safety purposes, we must note that if this is something you're wanting to attack on your own, protective gear is always advised). We'd recommend an angle grinder with a cut off bike. You'll want to use the angle grinder to the elevation of the weld and to cut through the weld to betrayal the pin. Recall, you just need to cut through the surface weld, Not the threading on the barrel.

Tightly Screwed On

Once you lot decide that there are no pin-and-weld markings, might desire to try is to use a wrench to see if information technology will unscrew on its own. If it seems too hard to remove, and won't budge with a wrench, Loctite or Rocksett may have been used.

Loctite

Threadlocker

The most mutual manner a muzzle device is secured to a firearm is past Loctite, a compound that breaks down under estrus. If you've got one, a blow torch can be used to heat up the threads and loosen the Loctite. Plainly the amount of oestrus y'all utilize and time it will take will depend on your heat source, only the thought here is to become the threads hot merely not red hot. Side note: Most heat guns (not blow dryers but proper heat guns) will heat metal up to the 400-500 degrees needed to defeat ruby thread locker but forced air is not nearly as efficient as direct flame in this application. If a heat gun is all y'all have, it volition work, you're only going to be standing there for a while.

Rocksett

A less likely, just withal potential securement of a cage device is using Rocksett. Rocksett is an interesting textile and there is a considerable corporeality of misinformation out there on this substance. We'll beginning by saying that – in most instances – Rocksett can be defeated by simply applying torque. It is a ceramic cement that is intended to secure threads from vibrating loose under temperatures up to 2000 degrees. By definition, this ceramic is a water-soluble compound, meaning information technology breaks down when wet. If you are experiencing whatever problem torqueing off a device that was secured with Rocksett, you'll demand to soak the muzzle side of the barrel in warm water for a few hours at least. Before doing so, it'southward highly recommended that you lot spray WD-xl down the barrel to prevent any rusting or damage to it.

Side annotation: There will be someone who tells you lot that they got their Rocksett off past applying rut. This person is non wrong. They did utilise heat and the device did come loose. Only the device would have come off without estrus anyway. See to a higher place regarding estrus rating of Rocksett.

Out with the old, in with the new

Whatever you decide to practice with your removed A2 muzzle device, take the trounce washer that was put on the firearm and put information technology wherever that original device is going. Nosotros repeat – Practice NOT re-use the original trounce washer. Y'all'll demand to use the new shims that most likely came with your new muzzle device.

How to Install a new Muzzle Device

At this indicate, y'all're in the home stretch. If you've perused our site, you may take already seen that there are more than a few muzzle device options out in that location, so installing one depends on what blazon you purchased, or what might have come with your silencer. Nigh manufacturers volition provide you with a torque specification that they recommend for installing their devices. In most cases it is somewhere betwixt 25 and 35 foot pounds. If your device did non have a recommendation, 30ft lb has always done well for us and not acquired united states whatsoever issues with the crown or shoulder.

To install a flash hider or omnidirectional muzzle device

If the muzzle device is a flash hider (like an AAC 51T], for case), or omnidirectional (similar this Q Cherry Flop), simply screw it on with the appropriately-sized wrench (a torque wrench is preferred and so you know how many foot-pounds yous're tightening it) or ratchet depending on the mountain.

To install a cage device that needs to exist timed

If you're installing a muzzle brake (like a Rugged brake [https://www.silencershop.com/rugged-muzzle-brakes.html]), or your new device has an indexing notch and you lot want to time it (like this Expressionless Air device [https://www.silencershop.com/dead-air-flash-hider.html]), you'll need to time information technology using shims. Shims nearly likely came with the device when you bought information technology.

Smart hack for timing a muzzle device

The easiest style to time your device is to screw it all the way onto the butt until it bottoms out. You lot do not demand to tighten information technology, merely go to the point where y'all can't rotate it anymore with your hands. And so, un-thread the muzzle device until information technology is in proper alignment. Use your shims by sliding them into the gap created between the shoulder of the barrel and the muzzle device. Stack and adjust your shims until you are able to fill up the gap created with your shim combination. Back the muzzle device off all the way and place the shim(s) over the threads on the barrel. Then reinstall your muzzle device.

Typically, when you tighten your new device by hand, information technology should fall between 15 to 25 degrees brusk of aligned. A torque wrench should put you into proper alignment, but at that place will be some guess work involved to fully align information technology. At the end of the twenty-four hour period, if it's 34 foot-pounds (the measure of rotational torque) to go it properly aligned, information technology'due south okay as long every bit it is properly aligned.

Final thoughts

Continue in mind that if your barrel is shorter than 16 inches when your pin and welded muzzle device is removed, yous'll either demand to re-pin and weld the new muzzle device on to it, or you'll demand to Form 1 it to annals the rifle as a SBR. Unless you lot're a hardcore DIY-er, we recommend taking it to your trusted gunsmith to pin and weld your new device on to your rifle; they'll have the correct tools, and it'southward adequately cheap and quick. We've covered a lot of information and got into the weeds with some stuff. Every bit always, if y'all have any additional questions, contact us! Additionally, if you want to read a little more than nearly muzzle devices, we become in to the nitty gritty with them hither.