I just got my first threaded barrel weapon and have another on the way. What is everyone using to keep the thread protectors on? Lock-tite? Is there a certain type that works better?

Meant to come off-just hand tight.
Typical problem is thread direction, trying to unscrew a left hand thread by going wrong way.

finger tight, no threadlocker.

I've only 3 threaded barrels. I've never had one shoot loose. I just give it a good hand tighten and they just stay.

You could put a small O ring on the threads if it matters that much, but I wouldn't worry about it.

I use these O-rings.

The O-rings that are recommended after googling were too big and didn't fit properly on my threaded barrels.
The ones in my link above are the correct fit for my 22lr and 9mm guns. Of course they would be too small for 45 caliber barrels.

Why would you loctite the thread protector??

I have weapons with threaded barrels that I've lost the thread protectors for - including competition rifles.

I'm not worried about them getting damaged when they are in storage (in cases, and when they aren't in cases, they have cans (or much less frequently, brakes) attached to them. You really need to be misusing your weapons if you're damaging the threads...

I have been known to put a dab of fingernail polish on the threads. It can still be broken loose by hand, but it keeps the thread protector from working loose.

quote:

Originally posted by hudr:
I have been known to put a dab of fingernail polish on the threads. It can still be broken loose by hand, but it keeps the thread protector from working loose.

That's a horrible idea. That, and loctite both.

Are none of you people concerned about that shit getting into the threads in your cans? I don't know about you, but I'm not interested in seizing a $1000 can onto my rifle and damaging it trying to get it back off again. I mean, it's not like I can just run down to Walmart and buy another one..


As a guy who has seen cans cold-welded onto barrels, and having helped chuck them into lathes and bore out the remains of the barrel after cutting it off with a chop saw, trust me, it's no fun.


copper anti-seize is what goes on my threads, if anything.

Hmmm...
I've never had nail polish "seize" on anything. It gets soft when heated, more so and with less heat than blue loctite.
I only have the one can so it gets a pretty good workout as far as moving from host to host, and getting the piston swapped out for different barrel threads....

But I have had my can "shoot loose" a couple of times during extended sessions. I'd rather not have a baffle strike.

I guess I can see some issues with a can that doesn't have interchangeable pistons for different barrel threads.

quote:

Originally posted by hudr:
Hmmm...
I've never had nail polish "seize" on anything. It gets soft when heated, more so and with less heat than blue loctite.
I only have the one can so it gets a pretty good workout as far as moving from host to host, and getting the piston swapped out for different barrel threads....

But I have had my can "shoot loose" a couple of times during extended sessions. I'd rather not have a baffle strike.

I guess I can see some issues with a can that doesn't have interchangeable pistons for different barrel threads.

I get what you're saying. The issue would be similar to that of carbon if the threaded shank is too short on one rifle, and then the proper length on another rifle (the issue that caused the situation I mention above).

Anything that is on the threads will cause the threads to tighten up. If you get carbon, or loctite, or nail polish, or anything else, on those threads, it will cause the two pieces being screwed together to require more effort. If there is something between the threads on one side, the forces holding said pieces together will be cocked to the other side. Not enough that the items would be screwed together crooked, this isn't something that could be seen with the naked eye, and may not be something that could even be measured in terms of runout.

But it will cause unequal loading of the threads on one side vs the other side, and they can certainly seize together in a direct-thread application (which is presumably what OP is talking about, since very few brake mounts have thread protectors). A bigger problem with your proposed nail polish solution would be that it provides incorrect torque feedback (because it's not soft when you put a can on a cold weapon), and then it heats and melts, and now you have a can on a weapon that was not installed with enough torque, thereby creating the very situation you are attempting to avoid.

If your can "shoots loose" then it wasn't properly tightened to begin with - whether as a result of insufficient torque, or of unequal loading due to debris (as previously mentioned) causing you to think it was tighter than it really was.


I've never had a rifle can "shoot loose". I've had one pistol can "shoot loose", one time. It was VERY loose, perhaps only 3 or 4 threads remaining engaged. Still no baffle strike. You'd be surprised at just how hard it is to have a baffle strike (though admittedly, that was a 45 can on a 9, so I would have had to damn near bend the can to get a strike). The above is why I like to use cans that are larger caliber than their application - I use 30 caliber cans on 6.5, 6, and .223, and 45 caliber cans on 45 and 9. All cans I own are 30 or 45.

Rifle cans I check out of habit before I begin every stage at a competition. I've never found one loose. Pistol cans, I make a point to check now. I've found that they do loosen just a bit, but I can usually go 6 or 8 mags.


Hopefully this rambling response has made some sense...

I use a oring behind the thread protector. Just make sure to take the oring off when using your suppressor.

Exx1976: my experience with "shooting loose" has also been only when my Octane 45HD was installed on a pistol, and after several mags of 45ACP.

If nothing else, you've given me food for thought. Thanks.
Also, I do periodically clean the threads on my barrels, and the different pistons I have for my suppressor.

quote:

Originally posted by hudr:
Exx1976: my experience with "shooting loose" has also been only when my Octane 45HD was installed on a pistol, and after several mags of 45ACP.

If nothing else, you've given me food for thought. Thanks.
Also, I do periodically clean the threads on my barrels, and the different pistons I have for my suppressor.

My issue tends to be the threads in the cans. Cleaning the barrel threads is very easy, so I do it often. The threads in the cans, less frequently. It's important to stay on top of that. The situation I mention about the multiple barrels:

One barrel had the shank for threading shorter than recommended, the other was to spec. The can had been shot a LOT on the shorter shanked rifle. As a result, a SERIOUS carbon buildup had occurred on the last couple threads in that can. When the owner went to screw it onto the properly-spec'd threaded muzzle, the can seized onto the threads. There was no way it was coming loose. The result was to cut off the muzzle, re-crown it, re-thread it, then chuck up the can and bore out the old piece of barrel.

It wasn't an inexpensive lesson, and I'm sure wasn't fun for the owner.

quote:

Originally posted by exx1976:

quote:

Originally posted by hudr:
Exx1976: my experience with "shooting loose" has also been only when my Octane 45HD was installed on a pistol, and after several mags of 45ACP.

If nothing else, you've given me food for thought. Thanks.
Also, I do periodically clean the threads on my barrels, and the different pistons I have for my suppressor.

My issue tends to be the threads in the cans. Cleaning the barrel threads is very easy, so I do it often. The threads in the cans, less frequently. It's important to stay on top of that. The situation I mention about the multiple barrels:

One barrel had the shank for threading shorter than recommended, the other was to spec. The can had been shot a LOT on the shorter shanked rifle. As a result, a SERIOUS carbon buildup had occurred on the last couple threads in that can. When the owner went to screw it onto the properly-spec'd threaded muzzle, the can seized onto the threads. There was no way it was coming loose. The result was to cut off the muzzle, re-crown it, re-thread it, then chuck up the can and bore out the old piece of barrel.

It wasn't an inexpensive lesson, and I'm sure wasn't fun for the owner.

Was the above experience with a "dedicated" can? One w/o a removable piston?
I only ask because my Octane 45HD gets swapped around a lot, so it's easy for me to clean the Pistons once they are out of the can.

I take it off when shooting unsuppressed. It will loosen up eventually, and I don't really feel the need for it.

That being said, I rarely shoot that pistol unsuppressed.

quote:

Originally posted by hudr:

quote:

Originally posted by exx1976:

quote:

Originally posted by hudr:
Exx1976: my experience with "shooting loose" has also been only when my Octane 45HD was installed on a pistol, and after several mags of 45ACP.

If nothing else, you've given me food for thought. Thanks.
Also, I do periodically clean the threads on my barrels, and the different pistons I have for my suppressor.

My issue tends to be the threads in the cans. Cleaning the barrel threads is very easy, so I do it often. The threads in the cans, less frequently. It's important to stay on top of that. The situation I mention about the multiple barrels:

One barrel had the shank for threading shorter than recommended, the other was to spec. The can had been shot a LOT on the shorter shanked rifle. As a result, a SERIOUS carbon buildup had occurred on the last couple threads in that can. When the owner went to screw it onto the properly-spec'd threaded muzzle, the can seized onto the threads. There was no way it was coming loose. The result was to cut off the muzzle, re-crown it, re-thread it, then chuck up the can and bore out the old piece of barrel.

It wasn't an inexpensive lesson, and I'm sure wasn't fun for the owner.

Was the above experience with a "dedicated" can? One w/o a removable piston?
I only ask because my Octane 45HD gets swapped around a lot, so it's easy for me to clean the Pistons once they are out of the can.

Rifle cans do not have pistons.

quote:

Originally posted by exx1976:

quote:

Originally posted by hudr:

quote:

Originally posted by exx1976:

quote:

Originally posted by hudr:
Exx1976: my experience with "shooting loose" has also been only when my Octane 45HD was installed on a pistol, and after several mags of 45ACP.

If nothing else, you've given me food for thought. Thanks.
Also, I do periodically clean the threads on my barrels, and the different pistons I have for my suppressor.

My issue tends to be the threads in the cans. Cleaning the barrel threads is very easy, so I do it often. The threads in the cans, less frequently. It's important to stay on top of that. The situation I mention about the multiple barrels:

One barrel had the shank for threading shorter than recommended, the other was to spec. The can had been shot a LOT on the shorter shanked rifle. As a result, a SERIOUS carbon buildup had occurred on the last couple threads in that can. When the owner went to screw it onto the properly-spec'd threaded muzzle, the can seized onto the threads. There was no way it was coming loose. The result was to cut off the muzzle, re-crown it, re-thread it, then chuck up the can and bore out the old piece of barrel.

It wasn't an inexpensive lesson, and I'm sure wasn't fun for the owner.

Was the above experience with a "dedicated" can? One w/o a removable piston?
I only ask because my Octane 45HD gets swapped around a lot, so it's easy for me to clean the Pistons once they are out of the can.

Rifle cans do not have pistons.

I know that, I have a "fixed barrel adapter" that I have to put in my Octane when shooting it on a rifle, or a pistol w/ a fixed barrel, like a Ruger MkIII. The fixed barrel adapter replaces the spring that allows the can to move a bit and let the action of the pistol work. W/o the spring, it turns a pistol into a single shot.

We also don't know from the OP if this "first threaded barrel weapon" is a pistol or a rifle.

I'm still learning here, also. I only have the one can, and I've only had it a bit over a year, and I haven't shot any competition with it, so I don't have any super long sessions under my belt.

Also, it's only rated for pistol caliber stuff (and subsonic 300blk). I would assume that sho'nuff rifle cans get a LOT hotter.

quote:

Originally posted by hudr:

quote:

Originally posted by exx1976:

quote:

Originally posted by hudr:

quote:

Originally posted by exx1976:

quote:

Originally posted by hudr:
Exx1976: my experience with "shooting loose" has also been only when my Octane 45HD was installed on a pistol, and after several mags of 45ACP.

If nothing else, you've given me food for thought. Thanks.
Also, I do periodically clean the threads on my barrels, and the different pistons I have for my suppressor.

My issue tends to be the threads in the cans. Cleaning the barrel threads is very easy, so I do it often. The threads in the cans, less frequently. It's important to stay on top of that. The situation I mention about the multiple barrels:

One barrel had the shank for threading shorter than recommended, the other was to spec. The can had been shot a LOT on the shorter shanked rifle. As a result, a SERIOUS carbon buildup had occurred on the last couple threads in that can. When the owner went to screw it onto the properly-spec'd threaded muzzle, the can seized onto the threads. There was no way it was coming loose. The result was to cut off the muzzle, re-crown it, re-thread it, then chuck up the can and bore out the old piece of barrel.

It wasn't an inexpensive lesson, and I'm sure wasn't fun for the owner.

Was the above experience with a "dedicated" can? One w/o a removable piston?
I only ask because my Octane 45HD gets swapped around a lot, so it's easy for me to clean the Pistons once they are out of the can.

Rifle cans do not have pistons.

I know that, I have a "fixed barrel adapter" that I have to put in my Octane when shooting it on a rifle, or a pistol w/ a fixed barrel, like a Ruger MkIII. The fixed barrel adapter replaces the spring that allows the can to move a bit and let the action of the pistol work. W/o the spring, it turns a pistol into a single shot.

We also don't know from the OP if this "first threaded barrel weapon" is a pistol or a rifle.

I'm still learning here, also. I only have the one can, and I've only had it a bit over a year, and I haven't shot any competition with it, so I don't have any super long sessions under my belt.

Also, it's only rated for pistol caliber stuff (and subsonic 300blk). I would assume that sho'nuff rifle cans get a LOT hotter.

Actually, I generally get my pistol cans much hotter than my rifle cans since rate of fire with a rifle (generally) is much lower. My cans are primarily used on bolt guns. I do have a "dedicated" rifle can that lives on my blackout SBR. It's partially hidden up under the handguard, so I usually don't go to the trouble of removing it unless absolutely necessary.

Using a fixed barrel spacer on a pistol can doesn't turn it into a rifle can, as you noted. It's still only rated for pistol-pressure loads. The rifle cans I have are full-auto rated, and rated for use on magnum cartridges. Much different animals than pistol cans.


In any event, you're correct, we don't know if OP is talking about a rifle or pistol, but the premise is the same. Except if you stick a can onto a pistol barrel, you're in for a world of hurt as the slide will be stuck between there as well. Also, you can't very well cut off the end of a pistol barrel and re-thread it, since then it would be too short. Your only recourse would be to cut the barrel, bore out the piston in the can (or buy a new one, more than likely, since the machine work wouldn't be worth the headache to save a $40 piston), and buy a new barrel.

I think you guys are completely missing the OP's initial question--what are you using to keep a thread protector on without it slipping.

Thread protectors on pistols will loosen, especially RH twist threads.
Blue loctite, teflon tape, nail polish, and o-rings are all fine fixes.

Just don't use them with the suppressor attached.