Method and apparatus for installing a fixture to the muzzle end of a firearm

A method for installing a fixture to a threaded muzzle end portion of a barrel of a firearm having a sight rearwardly of the threaded muzzle end portion, the barrel having a forwardly facing annular shoulder rearwardly of the threaded muzzle end portion, comprising the steps of:

• providing a fixture including a generally cylindrical wall, an axial passageway having a threaded bore, a rearwardly facing annular shoulder rearwardly of said threaded bore, and a vent through said wall communicating with said passageway;
• providing a plurality of annular shims of predetermined thicknesses;
• providing a chart having an aperture for axially receiving said fixture, said chart including a sight alignment mark vertically above the center of said aperture, said chart including sectors about said aperture including indicia identifying shims for being interposed between said shoulders when said fixture is threaded onto the threaded muzzle end portion and a predetermined torque is applied thereto for rotationally positioning said fixture with the center of said vent substantially at top dead center, one of said sectors corresponding to no shims required being displaced from said sight alignment mark by a rotational displacement representing application of the predetermined torque;
• threading said fixture onto the threaded muzzle end portion of the barrel until said shoulder of said fixture is in contact engagement with the shoulder of the barrel;
• placing said chart to said fixture such that said fixture axially extends through said aperture and with said sight alignment mark rotationally aligned with the sight of the firearm;
• noting the identifying indicia in the sector to which said center of said vent is rotationally aligned;
• removing said chart from said fixture;
• unthreading said fixture from said threaded muzzle end portion;
• selecting shims from said plurality of shims, the selected shims determined by the noted identifying indicia;
• placing said selected shims about said threaded muzzle end portion;
• and
• fixedly securing said fixture to the barrel when said fixture is threaded onto the threaded muzzle end portion with said selected shims interposed between said shoulder of said fixture and the shoulder of said barrel and with said predetermined torque applied to said fixture.

In a method for installing a fixture to a threaded muzzle end portion of a barrel of a firearm having a sight rearwardly of the threaded muzzle end portion, the barrel having a forwardly facing annular shoulder rearwardly of the threaded muzzle end portion, the steps comprising:

• providing a fixture including a generally cylindrical wall, an axial passageway having a threaded section, a rearwardly facing annular shoulder rearwardly of said threaded section, a vent through said wall communicating with said passageway;
• and a mark on said wall substantially 180° displaced from the center of said vent;
• providing a plurality of annular shims of predetermined thicknesses;
• providing a chart having an aperture for axially receiving said fixture, said chart including a sight alignment mark vertically above the center of said aperture, said chart including sectors about said aperture including indicia identifying shims for being interposed between said shoulders when said fixture is threaded onto the threaded muzzle end portion and a predetermined torque is applied thereto for rotationally positioning said fixture with said vent substantially at top dead center, one of said sectors corresponding to no shims required being displaced from a chart location substantially 180° from said sight alignment mark by a rotational displacement representing application of the predetermined torque;
• threading said fixture onto the threaded muzzle end portion of the barrel until said shoulder of said fixture contacts the shoulder of the barrel;
• placing said chart to said fixture such that said fixture axially extends through said aperture and with said sight alignment mark rotationally aligned with the sight of the firearm;
• noting the identifying indicia in the sector to which said mark on said wall is rotationally aligned;
• removing said chart from said fixture;
• unthreading said fixture from said threaded muzzle end portion;
• selecting shims from said plurality of shims, the selected shims determined by the noted identifying indicia;
• placing said selected shims about said threaded muzzle end portion;
• and
• threading said fixture onto the threaded muzzle end portion until said shoulder of said fixture and the shoulder of the barrel are engaged with said selected shims therebetween.

In a method for installing a fixture to a threaded muzzle end portion of a barrel of a firearm having a sight rearwardly of the threaded muzzle end portion, the barrel having a forwardly facing annular shoulder rearwardly of the threaded muzzle end portion, the steps comprising:

• providing a fixture including a generally cylindrical wall, an axial passageway having a threaded bore, a rearwardly facing annular shoulder rearwardly of said threaded bore, and a vent through said wall communicating with said passageway;
• providing a plurality of annular shims of predetermined thicknesses;
• providing a chart having an aperture for axially receiving said fixture, said chart including a sight alignment mark vertically above the center of said aperture, said chart including sectors about said aperture including indicia identifying shims for being interposed between said shoulders when said fixture is threaded onto the threaded muzzle end portion and a predetermined torque is applied thereto for rotationally positioning said fixture with said vent substantially at top dead center, one of said sectors corresponding to no shims required being displaced from said sight alignment mark by a rotational displacement representing application of the predetermined torque;
• threading said fixture onto the threaded muzzle end portion of the barrel until said shoulder of said fixture contacts the shoulder of the barrel;
• placing said chart to said fixture such that said fixture axially extends through said aperture and with said sight alignment mark rotationally aligned with the sight of the firearm;
• noting the identifying indicia in the sector to which said mark on said wall is rotationally aligned;
• removing said chart from said fixture;
• unthreading said fixture from said threaded muzzle end portion;
• selecting shims from said plurality of shims, the selected shims determined by the noted identifying indicia;
• placing said selected shims about said threaded muzzle end portion;
• and
• threading said fixture onto the threaded muzzle end portion until said shoulder of said fixture and the shoulder of the barrel are engaged with said selected shims therebetween.

A chart for facilitating installation of a fixture to a threaded muzzle end portion of a barrel of a firearm having a sight rearwardly of the threaded muzzle end portion, the fixture including an axial passageway having a threaded bore, a rearwardly facing annular shoulder rearwardly of the threaded section, and a vent communicating with the passageway, the barrel of the firearm including a forwardly facing annular shoulder rearwardly of the threaded muzzle end portion, the chart comprising:

• a substrate having a central aperture for axially receiving the fixture;
• a sight alignment mark on said substrate vertically above the center of said aperture;
• and
• printed sectors about said aperture including indicia identifying shims for being interposed between the shoulder of the fixture and the shoulder of the barrel when the fixture is threaded onto the threaded muzzle end portion and a predetermined torque is applied to the fixture for rotationally positioning the fixture with the center of the vent substantially at top dead center, one of said sectors corresponding to no shims required being displaced from a chart location at a predetermined rotational angle from said sight alignment mark by a rotational displacement representing application of the predetermined torque.

A chart for facilitating installation of a fixture to a threaded muzzle end portion of a barrel of a firearm having a sight rearwardly of the threaded muzzle end portion, the fixture including an axial passageway having a threaded bore, a rearwardly facing annular shoulder rearwardly of the threaded bore, and a vent communicating with the passageway, the barrel of the firearm including a forwardly facing annular shoulder rearwardly of the threaded muzzle end portion, the chart comprising:

• a substrate having a central aperture for axially receiving the fixture;
• a sight alignment mark on said substrate vertically above the center of said aperture;
• and
• printed sectors about said aperture including indicia identifying shims for being interposed between the shoulder of the fixture and the shoulder of the barrel when the fixture is threaded onto the threaded muzzle end portion and a predetermined torque is applied to the fixture for rotationally positioning the fixture with the center of the vent substantially at top dead center, one of said sectors corresponding to no shims required being displaced from said sight alignment mark by a rotational displacement representing application of the predetermined torque.

A chart for facilitating installation of a flash suppressor to a threaded muzzle end portion of a barrel of a firearm having a sight rearwardly of the threaded muzzle end portion, the flash suppressor including an axial passageway having a threaded bore, a rearwardly facing annular shoulder rearwardly of the threaded bore, and a vent communicating with the passageway, and a mark on the flash suppressor substantially 180° displaced from the center of the vent, the barrel of the firearm including a forwardly facing annular shoulder rearwardly of the threaded muzzle end portion, the chart comprising:

• a substrate having a central aperture for axially receiving the flash suppressor;
• a sight alignment mark on said substrate vertically above the center of said aperture;
• and
• printed sectors about said aperture including indicia identifying shims for being interposed between the shoulder of the flash suppressor and the shoulder of the barrel when the flash suppressor is threaded onto the threaded muzzle end portion and a predetermined torque is applied to the flash suppressor for rotationally positioning the flash suppressor with the center of the vent substantially at top dead center, one of said sectors corresponding to no shims required being displaced from a chart location 180° from said sight alignment mark by a rotational displacement representing application of the predetermined torque.

Apparatus for installing a fixture to a threaded muzzle end portion of a barrel of a firearm having a sight rearwardly of the threaded muzzle end portion, the barrel having a forwardly facing annular shoulder rearwardly of the threaded muzzle end portion, the apparatus comprising in combination:

• a fixture including a generally cylindrical wall, an axial passageway having a threaded section, a rearwardly facing annular shoulder rearwardly of said threaded section, and a vent through said wall communicating with said passageway;
• a plurality of annular shims of predetermined thicknesses;
• and
• a chart having an aperture for axially receiving said fixture, said chart including a sight alignment mark vertically above the center of said aperture, said chart including sectors about said aperture including indicia identifying shims for being interposed between said shoulders when said fixture is threaded onto the threaded muzzle end portion and a predetermined torque is applied thereto for rotationally positioning said fixture with the center of said vent substantially at top dead center, one of said sectors corresponding to no shims required being displaced from said sight alignment mark by a rotational displacement representing application of the predetermined torque.