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Posted: 6/5/2026 10:06:32 PM EDT
I bought a Ballistics Advantage upper a while back that came without a flash hider. I finally picked one up locally but don't own a vise. How do I correctly install it? I have a Magpul wrench, do I just stick the upper on a lower for leverage, put the gun between my knees and send it? 
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Originally Posted By brachiosaur: I... don't own a vise. How do I correctly install it?  In a pinch, you can "carefully" hold an upper receiver in a work bench; https://www.homedepot.com/p/BLACK-DECKER-Workmate-425-30-in-Folding-Portable-Workbench-and-Vise-WM425/202516382 One of your neighbors should have one or a vice you can use for five minutes, and pick up one of these; https://magpul.com/bev-block-ar15-m4.html?mp_global_color=118 |
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Originally Posted By TGWLDR: https://i.postimg.cc/Njp1QkrM/etgk-I0j.jpg Bingo. |
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Thanks all! Originally Posted By Andrewsky: A Smith Vortex you can just spin on with your fingers because it self-tightens. If it's an A2 with a crush washer it might not be too bad either. It looks like an A2, paying as much for shipping as the FH turned me off on buying one online so I bought it from a local shop. They just had it lying around, no packaging. |
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Originally Posted By brachiosaur: I bought a Ballistics Advantage upper a while back that came without a flash hider. I finally picked one up locally but don't own a vise. How do I correctly install it? I have a Magpul wrench, do I just stick the upper on a lower for leverage, put the gun between my knees and send it? If you're using a crush washer it can be tough to torque if you need to get it timed, then it may become overtorqued. A Jam nut is much better since you really shouldn't torque a muzzle device that much, something like 15-20 ft. lbs. |
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Originally Posted By Aimless: You can buy a free standing vice stand at harbor freight. They aren't very big. I think mine was sold as a grinder stand +1 did just this for years when I lived in apartments. HF bench grinder stand and a HF bench vise. Works well for AR stuff, especially if your vice has base that turns and you can adjust it so the legs of the stand are in a diamond shape perpendicular to the face of the receiver for anything needing higher tq. |
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Originally Posted By ROMAD-556: +1 did just this for years when I lived in apartments. HF bench grinder stand and a HF bench vise. Works well for AR stuff, especially if your vice has base that turns and you can adjust it so the legs of the stand are in a diamond shape perpendicular to the face of the receiver for anything needing higher tq. Or you can buy and HF vise secure it to a block of wood and then C clamp the wood to where ever you need the vise. |
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Not really recommending this but once I just wanted to install a FH and get it reasonably tight and didn’t have access to a vise. I put the receiver of the rifle on a chair and had someone sit on it to hold the rifle stable and was able to get a descent torque. No signs of the barrel turning and the front sight was still centered. YMMV |
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| You can stick the entire rifle between your mattress and box spring, with just a few inches of barrel poking out, and turn the Flash Hider on. I would only do this with a crush washer, not for a device with threads only, that should be done with a proper fixture. |
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