How tight is tight?????

[Olle]

Originally Posted by Dick Herman

Using a lubricant or an anti-seize compound reduces the friction. Some threading compounds incorporate graphite and copper to reduce friction. Friction and high contact stress are the enemies of all threaded members. Stainless steels and titanium are awful for galling when attempting to screw those type members together.

Stainless can stick like the dickens, that's why the custom builders always build stainless guns with looses tolerances. If they even use stainless guns, I believe most prefer carbon steel.

I was playing with some of my guns yesterday, and once again I started wondering why Luger barrels "should" be torqued so much. Compare with, for example, an AK-47 where the barrel is pressed into the trunnion, and held in place by friction and a small cross pin. I have never heard about one coming loose. A Luger barrel is threaded so it can't be pulled straight out, so all that's really needed is enough torque to keep it from turning when you shoot. It's not like you're torquing the heads on a Top Fuel dragster, it only needs to be tight enough to stay put and it doesn't take much at all IMO.