How to Remove an A2 Muzzle Device

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

With a bonus tip on how to time them!

Every bit nearly of you know already, nosotros similar to indulge in all things NFA. But when it comes to getting a new silencer for your firearm, in that location'southward potentially one more footstep standing in the manner 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 have caught the caveat above when we say potentially. Some silencers take your original muzzle device; that information is usually on the manufacturer's website if y'all're questioning whether or not the one you have, or the one y'all're interested in, does.

Removing your A2 cage device

Nosotros're non trying to over-complicate a simple issue here. Some people may be thinking that you just unscrew it and wham-bam it'southward done. Others may be thinking it's got to be complicated because there's a full blog post defended to it. Well, we're here to let you know it'south a lot simpler than you may think. It all depends on how it was put on to the host firearm to brainstorm with though, so we'll affect on each choice below.

Showtime and foremost, it is very of import that you secure the butt before trying to modify or adjust anything. We recommend using a butt clamp or reaction rod to prevent whatsoever bending, shearing, or breaking. Though you can (and we have) get away with but clamping your receiver in a vice. It all depends on how secure the barrel is on the device. Just note that if you are not secured in a butt cake or to a reaction rod, yous are going to be exerting force on your butt index pin which is non infallible. This is why nosotros recommend torqueing against the barrel itself.

Next, yous demand to determine how the device was secured, and then we'd advise you lot go in this order based on what nosotros've experienced:

Pin-and-Weld

The get-go thing you'll want to look for is markings on the muzzle device itself for a pin-and-weld. This is commonly used for barrels where, if the muzzle device is removed, they are shorter than 16 inches, making information technology require paperwork for being considered a short butt rifle, or SBR. In this particular case, the muzzle device is usually pin and welded on to the butt to make it a 16-inches or longer.

Silencer Shop Note:

The removal of a pin-and-welded device on an existing rifle with a barrel shorter than xvi inches constitutes constructing a Brusque Barrel Rifle. You demand to already have an approved Form 1 earlier attempting this process yourself.

The easiest manner to spot a pin-and-weld job is to observe the circumference of the rear role of the cage device toward the shooter. In about every case, in that location will be a noticeable 3-5mm hole that's filled with a metal pin and welded over. In many cases, that weld is finished, and volition be smooth, simply still noticeable.

Whether you lot decide to become to a gunsmith, or y'all want a DIY job, to remove a pivot and weld, cutting and sparks will be involved (for safety purposes, we must note that if this is something you're wanting to set on on your ain, protective gear is always advised). We'd recommend an angle grinder with a cut off cycle. You'll want to apply the angle grinder to the tiptop of the weld and to cut through the weld to expose the pin. Recollect, you only need to cut through the surface weld, Non the threading on the barrel.

Tightly Screwed On

Once you make up one's mind that there are no pin-and-weld markings, might desire to effort is to utilize 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 take been used.

Loctite

Threadlocker

The most common way a muzzle device is secured to a firearm is by Loctite, a compound that breaks downwardly under heat. If you've got one, a accident torch can be used to heat upwardly the threads and loosen the Loctite. Plainly the corporeality of heat you use and time it will have volition depend on your heat source, but the idea hither is to go the threads hot but not red hot. Side note: Most heat guns (not blow dryers but proper heat guns) will heat metallic up to the 400-500 degrees needed to defeat ruby-red thread locker but forced air is non nigh as efficient as direct flame in this awarding. If a heat gun is all you take, it will work, you're merely going to exist standing there for a while.

Rocksett

A less likely, but still potential securement of a muzzle device is using Rocksett. Rocksett is an interesting material and there is a considerable amount of misinformation out there on this substance. We'll starting time by saying that – in nigh instances – Rocksett can exist defeated by but applying torque. Information technology 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, significant it breaks down when wet. If you lot are experiencing any trouble torqueing off a device that was secured with Rocksett, you'll need to soak the cage side of the butt in warm h2o for a few hours at least. Earlier doing so, it's highly recommended that you spray WD-twoscore down the barrel to prevent any rusting or damage to it.

Side annotation: There will be someone who tells you that they got their Rocksett off past applying heat. This person is non incorrect. They did utilize rut and the device did come loose. But the device would have come off without estrus anyway. Run across above regarding oestrus rating of Rocksett.

No Crush Washer

Out with the old, in with the new

Whatsoever you make up one's mind to do with your removed A2 muzzle device, accept the crush washer that was put on the firearm and put it wherever that original device is going. We repeat – DO NOT re-use the original crush washer. You'll need to employ the new shims that most likely came with your new muzzle device.

How to Install a new Cage Device

At this point, you're in the home stretch. If you've perused our site, y'all may have already seen that there are more than a few cage device options out in that location, so installing 1 depends on what type yous purchased, or what might take come with your silencer. Nigh manufacturers volition provide you with a torque specification that they recommend for installing their devices. In nearly cases it is somewhere between 25 and 35 foot pounds. If your device did non have a recommendation, 30ft lb has always done well for usa and not caused the states whatsoever issues with the crown or shoulder.

To install a flash hider or omnidirectional muzzle device

51TFlash Hider

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

To install a muzzle device that needs to be timed

51TFlash Hider

If yous're installing a muzzle brake (like a Rugged brake [https://world wide web.silencershop.com/rugged-muzzle-brakes.html]), or your new device has an indexing notch and you want to fourth dimension it (like this Dead Air device [https://www.silencershop.com/dead-air-wink-hider.html]), you lot'll need to fourth dimension it using shims. Shims most probable came with the device when y'all bought it.

Smart hack for timing a cage device

The easiest way to time your device is to screw it all the manner onto the barrel until it bottoms out. You lot do not need to tighten information technology, just get to the bespeak where you lot tin't rotate it anymore with your hands. And then, united nations-thread the cage device until it 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 conform your shims until you are able to fill the gap created with your shim combination. Back the muzzle device off all the style and place the shim(southward) over the threads on the barrel. Then reinstall your muzzle device.

Typically, when you tighten your new device by hand, it should fall between xv to 25 degrees curt of aligned. A torque wrench should put you into proper alignment, simply at that place volition exist some guess work involved to fully align it. At the end of the day, if it's 34 pes-pounds (the mensurate of rotational torque) to get information technology properly aligned, it'due south okay as long every bit information technology is properly aligned.

Last thoughts

Proceed in mind that if your barrel is shorter than 16 inches when your pin and welded muzzle device is removed, you'll either need to re-pin and weld the new cage device on to it, or you'll need to Form 1 it to register the rifle equally a SBR. Unless y'all're a hardcore DIY-er, we recommend taking it to your trusted gunsmith to pivot and weld your new device on to your rifle; they'll have the correct tools, and it'south fairly inexpensive and quick. We've covered a lot of information and got into the weeds with some stuff. Every bit always, if you take any boosted questions, contact the states! Additionally, if you desire to read a trivial more than about muzzle devices, we get in to the nitty gritty with them here.