AR-15 - How To Install A Muzzle Device

drop a quarter in the center slot of a flash hider... helps with alignment.

Even though this is an old video- I have to say that I look for your vids when I have questions on this stuff. Great job- thanks for the help sir.

I am in the process of removing a stock birdcage-style flash hider to replace it with a muzzle compensator. This video really has helped me to understand the basics of getting the new one lined up correctly. The forwards, backwards, forwards process is going to be a great help. Thank you!

Excellent advice about tightening to time, not loosening! Thanks for the great video.

Thanks NSZ for the tightening tips and crush washer orientation my flash hider installation went well.

Thanks for the video. I just did this for the first time tonight. When I initially hand tightened it, I needed about 270 deg of rotation to get it lined up correctly. I was skeptical as to whether I'd be able to get that much rotation out of the crush washer, but I did like you said, tighten, loosen, repeat, until it went around enough to line up properly. Some of the folks have asked how to secure the barrel in the vise. I used the Magpul BEV block and it worked quite well.

Excellent video. Perfect camera location, straight to the point, 4 min long!

Thank you so much. Just got a muzzle brake for a Remington 700 308 and I have never installed a brake before. Not to mention it’s my first rifle that’s not a youth size

Thanks man. I spilt a crush washer trying to put on a muzzle device and I only had one more so I wanted to know how much to torque it but then I realized I didn't have the right tools anyways but it was still a helpful video so thanks for that. I never thought of backing it off and then tightening it in again a few times.

I have always tightened it so that the centerline of the barrel is between two slots with the extra slot on the right. I'm right-handed and this pushes the barrel slightly to the left, compensating for the tendency of the rifle to pull to the right. It also ensures that the flash from the two slots straddles the sight line so you don't look directly at the flash.

Thanks!  I've been building and collecting firearms for many years and you can always learn a new trick,  I do it a bit differently, however I think your way is easier. Thanks! Great Videos!!

Great advice and video. A tip that would help make it as exact as possible is something I learned when putting barrels on Garand actions. Ensure the upper is perfectly level in the vice. Take a long and straight rod or dowel (a thin, squared-off piece of wood works best) and lay it on the upper receiver T-rail so that the ends of the stick extend out perpendicular to the barrel. Then take a slender rod or stick (a Popsicle stick works, but the longer the better) and slide the stick through the lateral flash hider ports in the A2 birdcage. Stare at the rifle from the muzzle end and look to ensure the two sticks are parallel and tighten as needed to make them exactly parallel. You should approach the final tightness before using this technique, leaving a slight amount of tightening left to achieve a perfect parallel result with the guiding sticks. As you said in the video, you don't want to loosen anything to get the right alignment, you should tighten to get there and then stop when it's good. That technique works when you really have to make sure it's exact, as with the M1 Garand where the front sight attaches to the barrel on the gas cylinder, so the threaded barrel going into the receiver needs to be as exact as possible. For the A2 birdcage, this kind of precision is not a necessity like it is on a Garand, but it's a technique to use if you really want to make sure it's the best you can make it. Great video, thanks!

Thanks 4 the informative video nsz85,I was looking for proper flash suppressor alignment. Cheers

Thanks for the demo. I'll be having to do just that shortly.

WARNING: anyone doing this, you MUST lock your barrel from turning while doing this. otherwise you can end up turning your barrel, breaking the pin holding it place and knocking your barrel out of alignment which will almost certainly end in a catastrophic failure. Not fun when your bcg releases at 60,000 PSI. You won't have a good time.

excellent informative video sir, i myself was a bit scared to attempt to remove and install a muzzle device on my new ar-15 upper, after watching your video this job appears to be ok for the noob such as my self.

Another informative video!

Thanks needed a quick reference vid and I cam across you're very helpful

Great video. Just what I needed to know. Thanks!

Lol looking forward to it. When i do get an ar some day im sure i will be coming to channel a lot.