Direct Thread Suppressor: How Tight to Stay Tight?

[Chris_in_Idaho]

I have a can (Nomad LT) and I'm about to get my Tikka barrel threaded. I'm leaning toward direct threading instead of a QD system purely for minimum weight.

My questions for those of you that direct thread your suppressors are how tightly do you thread them on, and do they ever come loose?

There are wrench flats on my direct thread mount, should I use them to snug my can onto my barrel with a wrench? Or is grabbing and twisting with a bare hand going to suffice? Do you guys periodically reach up and check snugness throughout the day or is it set and forget?

Thanks!

 

[sierracharlie338]

Hand tight is plenty. I would periodically check tightness between strings of fire so you don’t get a baffle strike by accident. I’ve even seen some QD mount styles loosen a bit on a range session so I check regardless of mount type.

 

[jhm2023]

The way I install my direct thread cans is to hand tighten them just until the can touches the shoulder, back off about a quarter to a half of a turn, then snap my wrist tightening it back down, if that makes sense. It always stays put that way vs just tightening it by hand normally. It's always a good idea to check tightness periodically anyway, especially after firing.

 

[ORJoe]

Grabbing and twisting bare-handed to 1.5 ft-lbs is how direct thread silencers got the reputation of coming loose.
If you put any torque onto it with a wrench, it should be good.

 

[Matt5266]

I dont use the wrench to tighten on bolt guns. I hand tighten and never have had them come loose. I dont use the wrench cuz I dont want to pack it and if for some reason I need to pull my can off I want to be able to do it by hand. I will a couple times throughout the day just check to make sure its tight.

Gas guns are a different story. Probably cuz I'm shooting more rapidly. But it often will work a little loose. I typically will give it a little more with the wrench on these. But YMMV

 

[thinhorn_AK]

The way I install my direct thread cans is to hand tighten them just until the can touches the shoulder, back off about a quarter to a half of a turn, then snap my wrist tightening it back down, if that makes sense. It always stays put that way vs just tightening it by hand normally. It's always a good idea to check tightness periodically anyway, especially after firing.

This is what I do too.

 

[Weldor]

With class 3 threads I just hand tighten and check between shots at the range. when hunting I don't worry about to much. If the threads are not class 3 they are more apt to shoot lose. I also use food grade anti seize sparingly to prevent galling or cold weld . JMHO

 

[Formidilosus]

If you don’t want it to come loose, use a wrench and tighten, you don’t have to crank on it. Just snap the wrist as @jhm2023 wrote, then use the wrench and tighten until it stop with moderate pressure.


As @ORJoe stated, hand tightening direct thread cans is what made the two of them coming loose. And they will come loose if you actually shoot and use them.

 

[Juan_ID]

I’ve never used a wrench to put one on but have had to use a wrench to remove one after lots of range trips. I’ve also not had one come loose while shooting but maybe I’ve just gotten lucky. I do find the more rounds you put through it before trying to remove it the tighter it seems to get

 

[Formidilosus]

I’ve never used a wrench to put one on but have had to use a wrench to remove one after lots of range trips. I’ve also not had one come loose while shooting but maybe I’ve just gotten lucky. I do find the more rounds you put through it before trying to remove it the tighter it seems to get

Carbon (like rust) is the best thread locker. grin.

I haven’t had a suppressor come loose in years… until this fall. Pulled a suppressor off one rifle, and put it on another but didn’t have a wrench. Rifle was new so didn’t have any carbon build up. Thought “eh, it’ll probably be ok”, and it was through zeroing and trueing. Then, somewhere in the middle of killing an elk it came loose- rather, it was loose when I checked it at the end, by about a quarter to half a turn.


Much like everything else, it’s about reducing the probability of failures.

 

[Weldor]

All my barrels with the right threads have not shot loose. The barrels I have without class 3 threads have shot loose. obviously you can tell when tightening them the extra resistance of the last couple of threads. The part I hate is when things are going good at the range and when I am finished the suppressor is off the shoulder by a hair. It's start over time.

 

[Quicksilver]

I’d feel more comfortable with a wrench. Although the ones I’ve tightened by hand have never come loose, my buddies is a different story. I tell them they need to quit working office jobs

If you can support the rifle in a way you can use 2 hands to tighten the suppressor, it gets very snug. But in a pinch you should be able to break it loose with 2 hands in the same way.

 

[gbflyer]

Use some of that “gooood red Loctite”. Lol.

 

[JRS3]

Does anyone use anti-seize on their threads when direct threading?

 

[Mike D Texas]

All my barrels with the right threads have not shot loose. The barrels I have without class 3 threads have shot loose. obviously you can tell when tightening them the extra resistance of the last couple of threads. The part I hate is when things are going good at the range and when I am finished the suppressor is off the shoulder by a hair. It's start over time.

What are “class 3 threads”?


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[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

What are “class 3 threads”?


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They’re needed for NFA items that require a class 3 FFL.




Just kidding it has to do with the tolerances of the threads, class 3 tolerances are meant to make the joint fit tighter vs loosely spinning on like a hardware store nut and bolt.

 

[Matt5266]

Does anyone use anti-seize on their threads when direct threading?

Yes, I do

 

[Weldor]

yeap, I use food grade. It's made for stainless and other alloys.

 

[Weldor]

yeap, I use food grade. It's made for stainless and other alloys. Plus its made for high temp.

 

[Sled]

I go hand tight and retighten during the first shooting session. If the barrel gets hot and you hand tighten then it likely isn't coming off by itself after cooling.