O-Ring on Threaded Barrel?

[gr8smiles]

Picked up my PC 15-22 today and hurried home. Removed the thread protector and screwed on my YHM Phantom. Attached a weapon-light and headed outside in the backyard and ran a couple mags through her. Ran great and the trigger is MUCH better than my MOE 15-22. I noticed that their is a black o-ring on the threads. I am thinking that I want to remove it prior to installing my suppressors. Correct? I have the small washer/spacer that makes the threading shorter, but did not use it with the Phantom. Thanks
Rick

 

[tacticool22]

That "O" ring is a steel crush washer. Since the threads in the flash hider and the threads on the barrel are not timed, the crush washer gives you some adjustment so the ports can be timed.
Most suppressor manufacturers suggest NO washer. Some need a spacer because they want the thread length to be their custom length instead of the standard.
Follow their instructions to the letter. If you don't, bad/expensive things can happen. Call their C/S if you need any help.

 

[gr8smiles]

That "O" ring is a steel crush washer. Since the threads in the flash hider and the threads on the barrel are not timed, the crush washer gives you some adjustment so the ports can be timed.
Most suppressor manufacturers suggest NO washer. Some need a spacer because they want the thread length to be their custom length instead of the standard.
Follow their instructions to the letter. If you don't, bad/expensive things can happen. Call their C/S if you need any help.

Thanks for the response. The MOE and the 15/22P came with the 'flash hider' and they had the crush washer on them both. The PC 15-22 only had a thread protector and a black rubber o-ring. I just removed the o-ring and attached the Phantom's quick attach. My AAC Element and YHM Mite both use the 'spacer' that is sold by some folks around here and a couple other forums. The rubber o-ring was what I was unsure about.

 

[tacticool22]

I didn't catch the PC in my first read. Yeah, the "O" ring is just to keep the protector from vibrating loose and not lock up too tight against the barrel.
Sounds like the BRD bug got ahold of you. Enjoy the ride.

 

[ifly]

Can someone elaborate on the above reference to ports being timed? I have a MOE and took the flash hider off to put a supressor on and when finished, just screwed the hider back on hand tight. If not using a supressor, do I need to "time" the flash hider? How do I do it and how do I know when it is correct? What is the difference between a timed and untimed hider? Will I actually be able to tell? Is it really that critical? Just trying to learn as this is new/news to me!

 

[cmb2474]

The main purpose of the crush washer is to allow for some "wiggle room" when installing the flash hider/ compensator. If you have a flash suppressor that does not need to be indexed (ports in all directions), it is a non issue. However, most current flash suppressors omit the downward facing ports to prevent dust being kicked up (when in prone position) and to help counteract barrel rise (although I seriously doubt it really does much with our .22lr's).

I put a YHM phantom on mine and the ports did not index properly (pretty much pointed down). Absent the crush washer, it would require further machining the flash suppressor, or the barrel to allow the ports to properly index. However, because I used the crush washer included with the flash suppressor, I was able to continue turning the flash suppressor another 1/2 turn, until it was properly aligned.