Looking for opinions here. My brother in-law called this weekend and is buying a suppressor for his .223. After talking with him he needs to send in the barrel to have it threaded by the manufacturer selling him the suppressor. This is a match grade Shilen barrel. I myself would have serious reservations letting someone cut muzzle threads on my match barrel. I'm old school I guess but what does this do to the muzzle crown? Have any of you had any issues having this done?
Suppressor question re Barrel Threading
- Thread starter Ajohnse
- Start date
ballisticdaddy
Silver $$ Contributor
How would you intend to mount a suppressor if not threading it to the barrel?
Any rifle with a brake or suppressor has a barrel threaded...is this really a question?
Any rifle with a brake or suppressor has a barrel threaded...is this really a question?
As long as it’s a reputable smith that knows what they are doing I would have zero reservations.
fwiw he likely does not need to send it to the can manufacturer, any good smith can cut whatever thread pattern that can uses
fwiw he likely does not need to send it to the can manufacturer, any good smith can cut whatever thread pattern that can uses
243Lapua
Silver $$ Contributor
Ive
Exactly, I just let my Smith thread it for the correct thread or Suppressor adapter. I have never had any problems.
Wow! I know it has to be threaded! The question is would you. Sorry I ruined your morning!
Thanks guys,
I'm an old guy and suppressors are somewhat new to me. Sounds like you guys haven't .
had any problems. Appreciate the response.
Ballisticdaddy,
Again, thanks for clarifying that the barrel needs to be threaded. I thought all this time they were taped on. Now go take your morning nap because you're getting fussy.
I'm an old guy and suppressors are somewhat new to me. Sounds like you guys haven't .
had any problems. Appreciate the response.
Ballisticdaddy,
Again, thanks for clarifying that the barrel needs to be threaded. I thought all this time they were taped on. Now go take your morning nap because you're getting fussy.
Codeman
Gold $$ Contributor
I have numerous suppressors and have never heard of the manufacture wanting to thread a barrel. They come with different thread pitches. I recommend ordering it with "standard" thread pitch so you could use it on other devices. The standard sizes are 1/2 x 28 and 5/8 x 24.
What caliber can is he getting - I recommend a 30 caliber - (even if he's putting it on a 22 caliber) - that way its more versatile. Also what kind of mount is it coming with - direct thread? or one that needs a muzzle device (flash hider or muzzle brake).
What caliber can is he getting - I recommend a 30 caliber - (even if he's putting it on a 22 caliber) - that way its more versatile. Also what kind of mount is it coming with - direct thread? or one that needs a muzzle device (flash hider or muzzle brake).
If he wants to put a device on it, then yes he will have to have it threaded. If he/you are afraid of having that done on his barrel, then don't use a device on it.
Then again you/he might try one of Witt Machines new clamp on threaded device to allow a device to be used, without threading a barrel. Just another thought.
Thank you sir! Good information. I will relay that to him.
Ajohnse,
I have had this done on almost all my long range guns. They all have very expensive match barrels and I have never had any problems with loosing accuracy after the fact. I do have one recommendation for you. If this is a new barrel, make sure that you do your load development with the suppressor on if the intent is to shoot with it on all the time. Loads for a barrel with and without a suppressor may vary. Point of impact shift is also an issue when go from using a suppressor to not. These are not major issues, just something to be aware of.
Rob
I have had this done on almost all my long range guns. They all have very expensive match barrels and I have never had any problems with loosing accuracy after the fact. I do have one recommendation for you. If this is a new barrel, make sure that you do your load development with the suppressor on if the intent is to shoot with it on all the time. Loads for a barrel with and without a suppressor may vary. Point of impact shift is also an issue when go from using a suppressor to not. These are not major issues, just something to be aware of.
Rob
Bill Rodolph
Silver $$ Contributor
Anytime I thread a barrel for a brake or suppressor, I recrown it as the last thing I do. Just to make sure.
If you have a choice, always go with the bigger diameter thread. And use someone that understands the meaning of parallel and perpendicular. Good luck!
Paul
Paul
You want to have the threading done by someone who is both equipped (lathe) and knowledgable, and who has the suppressor IN HAND when they do the job. If you are getting the threading done before you have the suppressor, the suppressor mfgr. is the only possible (legal) candidate. Even after you have the suppressor in hand, you cannot legally leave it with your gunsmith for the threading job -- you have to stay there with it -- a pain since the smith does not know exactly when he will get to it and probably doesn't really want you standing around watching anyway.
You want them to have it in hand for two reasons. First, so the smith can verify that the suppressor will thread on! You want the threads as snug as possible (without any binding) so that the can does not easily shoot loose, but get it just a tad too snug and it won't go on without galling and getting stuck. Having the can in hand enables the smith to make sure it is perfect, before removing it from the lathe (and it is a bear to put the barrel back into the lathe to redo it later). Anyone who says, "Oh, I will just get the mfgr's spec's and cut the threads to those spec's and you will be fine" -- is the guy you want to assiduously avoid. You might get lucky, and you also might be driving across the state on Sunday morning to get to the one guy in the whole state who is willing and able to fix it for you after you have flown over for a few days of p-dog shooting only to discover that the can you planned to use will not thread onto the barrel you had threaded by one of the most highly regarded gunsmith/machinist in your state. (Does that sound like a real-life experience to you?
)Second, and you may have to request this, even if the mfgr. is doing the threading, you want the newly threaded nipple to extend past the threads in the suppressor, because if the crown is "down in the well" of the threaded block at all you will get a LOT more buildup of crap on your crown, which quickly degrades accuracy. And you don't just simply remove the can and wipe off the crown the way you do with an unsuppressed barrel -- the high heat inside the can BAKES that crap onto the crown and it is a bear to get off. This does not matter to the people gleefully shooting 1.5" groups and calling their rifles "accurate," but since you are asking about custom barrels I assume you are hoping to at least retain whatever accuracy level your rifle has now.
This method requires more threading than is typically done for a device, and results in a longer nipple than usual, but there is no downside, because the support comes from the suppressor butting up against the newly cut shoulder (perfectly squarely). It does not matter how long the nipple is, other than it (obviously) cannot be so long that it touches the rear baffle or the structure in a welded can. No problem, the smith just needs to cut threads until the crown is .020 - .030" past the threads in the suppressor. With my cans with removable baffles, it is easy to install the can w/o the baffles or front cap and then reach in and measure where the crown is relative to the end of the suppressor threads.
It cost me quite a bit of money and time to learn all this. Your generous donation to help me recover from those experiences will be greatly appreciated, and promptly spent on over-priced primers, losing political candidates and maybe even a couple of non-trans-gender hookers.
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@Kentuckywindage ^^^^^ Respectfully, I don't agree with any of this.
Only my 22RF cans attach directly to the threads. The others are all QD on a muzzle device.
OP: Do like @boltfluter said.
Personally, I would not send it to the mfg, but have a reputable smith/machinist do it.
Only my 22RF cans attach directly to the threads. The others are all QD on a muzzle device.
OP: Do like @boltfluter said.
Personally, I would not send it to the mfg, but have a reputable smith/machinist do it.
The only way to "go with a bigger diameter thread" I know of is to buy a larger caliber suppressor, but it is not a bad idea at all to get a 30-cal suppressor for a 20- or 22-cal barrel. You lose a little bit of sound suppression but gain a lot of versatility.
AFAIK every 22-cal can is made with 1/2" threads, and everything larger (thru .338) is made with 5/8".
I have one of those, too, and the connecting devices (one for each barrel) are spendy and create enough problems of their own that I would not go that route again.
If you are after maximum accuracy, I would not get a can you cannot easily disassemble for cleaning.
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