Crush washers
- Thread starter CV32
- Start date
If copper will work for you, the Plumbing aisle is a good place to start. Heat a copper washer to red heat and plonk it into a cup of water. The heat makes the copper dead soft, the water just cools it faster than if you waited for it to cool, and somewhat reduces the scale that forms when the copper is heated. Aluminum can be annealed the same way. Common trick is to draw a line on the washer with a Sharpie, and heat it until the line vanishes.
If you don't mind the effort, you can index a flash hider using a steel washer by adjusting the thickness (wet or dry sandpaper and a block of wood) and thinning until it indexes correctly at torque.
If you don't mind the effort, you can index a flash hider using a steel washer by adjusting the thickness (wet or dry sandpaper and a block of wood) and thinning until it indexes correctly at torque.
Yeah, if it's the right size.
I mean, realistically, a fella could use a couple layers of paper stacked to the correct thickness, and crushed up by the torque.
Not gonna work well if you ever take it off after some use, but not like it'll burn away in use, just that the stuff will carbonize and become brittle while it's there.
Rayleigh_Scattering
Regular
- Location
- Under the arch
+1 on the washer-and-sandpaper suggestion
Slow but sure.
Slow but sure.
Mystic Precision
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Summerland, BC
Give me a shout
Jerry
Jerry
Munkey1973
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Regina, SK
Give TNA a call... their crush washers are (for real) about $3.50.
No need to bother looking for substitutes.
https://truenortharms.com/ar15_default_store_view/crush-washers.html
No need to bother looking for substitutes.
https://truenortharms.com/ar15_default_store_view/crush-washers.html
Give TNA a call... their crush washers are (for real) about $3.50.
No need to bother looking for substitutes.
https://truenortharms.com/ar15_default_store_view/crush-washers.html
Oh, oh. Stand by for a visit from BLM.
This question is a bit like polishing a turd trevj. You are right in that all is theoretically possible but for the effort, time, money, why even bother?
But from a technical standpoint, there are probably quite a few alternatives, none of which are likely any cheaper or simpler. As you know, crush washers are made to withstand the heat produced in the barrel whilst maintaining torque of the muzzle device. So for someone plinking, it probably doesn't mean a high temp. Someone partaking in competitive shooting probably much more so.
Brake temperatures would be similar to in the spikes in temp to a standard AR 15 barrel. Even engine oil plug washers are probably ok. All of them would require more fitting than a purpose built barrel crush washer.
It may amount to a polished turd, but when you need it now, not next week, at the end of the day, there is absolutely nothing that is genuinely unique about the washers used for crush washers on a muzzle brake. It's simply a washer that is of the correct dimensions, and is soft enough that it will flow out as the brake is torqued into correct alignment.
My suggestion to anneal either copper or aluminum washers is based upon my experiences with them, that they are seldom supplied in a 'dead soft' state, which, I am sure has a lot more to do with the manufacturer's ease of handling of the parent material, than the relative benefits to the user. Handling dead soft sheet metal goods, is a PITA, and it is more commonly available in a work hardened state. Think in terms of the difference between handling soft copper pipe, vs. handling hard copper straight tubes.
Add enough heat and those hard copper tubes will bend like a wet spaghetti noodle too.
As per my suggestion about paper, 'anything' that is compressible and the correct size, will work fine. You just won't have a chance to re-use the paper one. But there are a lot of cereal boxes around anyways.
