Suppressor cleaning & Useful Life

[AndyA]

Just wondering how people are cleaning all the buildup off the inside of their suppressors. Are you using chemical, mechanical or combination of both? How often should they be cleaned?

 

[rebel]

I have yet to clean my 30 cal suppressor. 5 years and hundreds of shots and it bore scopes fine. I always answer this question with "how often do you clean your car muffler?" Cleaning doesn't hurt them at all but I haven't noticed a loss in performance yet. Most use an ultrasonic cleaner and a mild solution.

 

[Geno C]

I haven't had a need to clean any of my centerfire cans. I weigh them when they are new and after make sure they don't gain too much weight.
Rim fire cans are a entirely different animal. They get taken apart and cleaned with solvents and picks and brushes. I don't like he byproduct of using the dip method.

 

[rebel]

The dip, as it's called, produces a highly toxic solution that is not disposed of easily. I rub a bit of lithium grease on my rimfire baffles and they are much easier to clean. Wipe of and chunk them in SS pin media and lemi shine and water, roll 'em for two hours and dry.

 

[Geno C]

The dip, as it's called, produces a highly toxic solution that is not disposed of easily. I rub a bit of lithium grease on my rimfire baffles and they are much easier to clean. Wipe of and chunk them in SS pin media and lemi shine and water, roll 'em for two hours and dry.

Shotgun choke tube lube works well also

 

[wildfowler]

The only suppressors I feel the need to clean are ones that can be dismantled as built from the factory. For example 22 Long rifle and 9 mm in my case.

I take them apart and drop the baffles into my stainless steel media Tumbler.

Kind of a lengthy process, that involves changing the water a few times over the course of a day or two but it will get all the crud and build up off the baffles. Actually, I have not attempted to get them 100% brand-new looking, I'm satisfied even when there's a little build up left in the hard-to-reach spots.

I mistakenly put the outer tube inside the media Tumbler one time and it remove most of the anodized finish from the outside.

I would spend less time in the stainless steel Tumbler if the baffles were made from aluminum as a precaution against eroding the softer material with the stainless steel pins.

 

[JRS]

Most suppressors don't need to be cleaned. 22LR suppressors do need to be cleaned. Never clean a sealed suppressor in a water based/flammable liquid.

 

[shoot4fun]

I use my YHM Phantom QD on several different rifles. As I finish with the suppressor on one rifle I just give it a couple of taps on a wooden table or shooting bench to clear the loose stuff.
My first .22 Rimfire suppressor was a mistake; it won't come apart for cleaning. I can tell you there is many times more junk on the table after giving it a light rap than on the others I own.
I now have one that will "in jail" that I hope will be home soon (at 7 months so far).

 

[AndyA]

Thanks for the replies. This is my first experience with a suppressor and it looks like a chimney inside with a lot of soot and crud so I was wondering how much maintenance these were. Sure do like it!

 

[Prairiedogger]

Found this a while ago. http://www.rrdvegas.com/silencer-cleaning.html I coated my 22 take down with this recipe before any shots. Still waiting to clean it.
It's a good read

 

[XL105]

This is a spin off of the ever popular Barrel Life thread. If you haven’t posted your experiences with barrel life go post something. Got lil muddy due to a Precious Snowflake on the forum. But l digress.

My question is what has been your experience with suppressors?
What model?
How long have you owned it?
How many do you have?
Is it caliber specific? What calibers
How many rounds through it?
Do you run it hot?
Is yours designed to come apart and cleaned? How often do you clean?
Have you damaged the baffles and replaced them?
Is it a quick connect model?
Are you running subs or supers?
Any POI shift?
FPS differences?
Any other issues or comments about it?

 

[shoot4fun]

Snowflake checking in!
Do YOU own a suppressor?
Start by telling your experiences with the ones you own.
I own five and will be happy to provide my evaluation on all of them once you tell us about yours.

 

[XL105]

Snowflake checking in!
Do YOU own a suppressor?
Start by telling your experiences with the ones you own.
I own five and will be happy to provide my evaluation on all of them once you tell us about yours.

Well Mr. Snowflake I’m not interested in a pissing contest. So let’s keep it on the up and up on this thread.
I have one suppressor Deadair Sandman L. It’s the quick connect model.
You can’t take it apart.
I use it mostly on 300 blackout and 300WM, but have shot it on 223 and 260 rem.
I would have to check my records but I’m sure I only have 500 rounds through it.
I usually don’t go crazy on running it. Let it cool after a handful of shots
I have owned it for a few years and really haven’t used it as much as I should.
So my experience with them has been limited due to my decision on when to run it.

Thats why I’m asking other people’s experiences. To get a better feel for how much these things can be pushed, while not abusing them.

 

[shoot4fun]

Well Mr. Snowflake I’m not interested in a pissing contest. So let’s keep it on the up and up on this thread.
I have one suppressor Deadair Sandman L. It’s the quick connect model.
You can’t take it apart.
I use it mostly on 300 blackout and 300WM, but have shot it on 223 and 260 rem.
I would have to check my records but I’m sure I only have 500 rounds through it.
I usually don’t go crazy on running it. Let it cool after a handful of shots
I have owned it for a few years and really haven’t used it as much as I should.
So my experience with them has been limited due to my decision on when to run it.

Thats why I’m asking other people’s experiences. To get a better feel for how much these things can be pushed, while not abusing them.

Addressing your last statement first, I'll say that, IME, the manufacturer knows the limits of their product better than anyone. That is who I go to first with any question on my suppressor's capability.
All my gear has seen only supers except for one of the YHMs that I use when I drag out the SBR 3300BLK for fun.
My first suppressor experience was on my HK MP5 SMG a few years ago. It was Gem Tech and could handle all the 9mm I put through it and just want more. But that was only 9mm, even with sustained FA fire.
Next was a local friend's 22LR rimfire "can" that I bought to use on one of my sample guns. It has an aluminum body, is lightweight and is quiet. It does have slight effect on accuracy in most guns it has been on but very little impact shift in on v. off for any host. It will likely last two lifetimes, especially since I put it aside after buying a YHM Stinger that will come apart for cleaning and is rated for up to 5.7x28 sustained fire.
My CF gear is two from YHM (one steel & one Ti) in 30 caliber and a Gem Tech that does my AR work.
The Gem Tech, per manufacturer, is NOT rated FA and only gets 223 Remington work on AR's but it has gotten. very hot and there was zero change in POI or sound moderation.
The YHM Ti gets more fun than the heavy steel model for sure. They both do mainly anything 30 or below for me but include 22-250 in that (not recommended per Gem Tech in their 22CF can).
The YHM Steel can has been used up to 300 WM but I prefer a brake over it so it doesn't get a lot of use there.
I have owned the present array for about ten years and, given minimal attention to cleanliness or detailed maintenance ( but maximum adherence to MFG advice), I expect they will last my lifetime and probably my son's as well.
If I were doing it all over I likely would have made some different decisions on makes and models (IE maybe something Silencerco that would be more modular and have better deep clean options).
Also, having never damaged one in any way, I have no idea of how the MFGs I chose would handle any issues on warranty. I do have a friend who damaged his SIlencerco by failed to get it completely tightened before sending a round. They were EXTREMELY generous and promptly repaired it at NO charge, That would certainly make a difference in my decision if I were buying another.
There are thousands (at least it seems) of suppressor manufacturers on the playing field today so one must do their due diligence to get the right one for their needs.
Guess that is all for snowflake but I'll answer most any other question you wish.

 

[XL105]

Isn’t this nice how well we playing when wearen’t melting over one word. But enough of that nonsense let’s move on.

What I really like about Deadair quick connect is there muzzle brake. It takes my 300WM down to a 260 rem recoil or less. Then put on the Sandman L with ear plugs and it has little to recoil and all you hear is the pssst noise from suppressor.
It is rated for full auto. But I should do lil more research on it to make sure.
It does affect POI, but to be honest I don’t know how much. Because I throw it on when I’m shooting 1000-1200 yards and make whatever adjust I need.
I don’t shoot it a whole lot because I don’t shot my 300WM very often. She is my baby and the first bolt action I ever built. Kinda why I was asking about barrel life.
But I will do some testing on POI shift on all my rifles this summer.
I will shoot it more this Summer because I’m going to do a deep dive on 300 blackout. Really need to learn the intricacy of that cartridge.

 

[shoot4fun]

Isn’t this nice how well we playing when wearen’t melting over one word. But enough of that nonsense let’s move on.

What I really like about Deadair quick connect is there muzzle brake. It takes my 300WM down to a 260 rem recoil or less. Then put on the Sandman L with ear plugs and it has little to recoil and all you hear is the pssst noise from suppressor.
It is rated for full auto. But I should do lil more research on it to make sure.
It does affect POI, but to be honest I don’t know how much. Because I throw it on when I’m shooting 1000-1200 yards and make whatever adjust I need.
I don’t shoot it a whole lot because I don’t shot my 300WM very often. She is my baby and the first bolt action I ever built. Kinda why I was asking about barrel life.
But I will do some testing on POI shift on all my rifles this summer.
I will shoot it more this Summer because I’m going to do a deep dive on 300 blackout. Really need to learn the intricacy of that cartridge.

Both my YHM are quick-attach and both utilize brake adaptors. I just chose to use the Badger FTE brake on my 300WM because it works and everyone knows when it goes off .
the Ti suppressor shifts about 1 1/2" at 100 yards with shots going low and left. I just have the rifle it goes on most zeroed to cover that.
My 300WM is now 11 YO and averages 250 rounds per year. Most has been 230 grain Berger with a goodly mount of Retumbo. It has wear but still does what I ask. There is a Krieger blank waiting for the day it will no longer satisfy.
I learned the intricacy of 300BLK. It is called getting my ammo from Hornady.

 

[moondog]

I have 4, all TBACs, all direct thread. 338, old 30Cal with new baffle stack, Ultra7, and a 223 that lives on an AR. Never had a baffle strike. 10s of thousands on the 30 Cal. The end cap came off that one, they said bad weld. Got an Updated Ultra stack put in it in with less than a week turn around from TBAC. I've run everything from 20 VarTarg to 300 PRC. 30 Cal has seen several 260 barrels, 6BR, 6.5×55 GWI.
I will say that the tune is different with a can than without. Also, you WILL get more carbon in the throat area shooting with a can. You need to be careful about carrying muzzle up as carbon can fall back into the chamber (ask me how I know). You should weigh it when you get it, record that #, and clean it when it gets 1 Oz heavier? I clean mine every 500 rounds in an Ultrasonic. I try and shoot with suppresed groups only.

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

2 direct thread, 300 Harvester, 556 Sig. The Sig is full auto rated, I will shoot it on prairie dogs, Sig tech told me it is good up to 22-250. The 300 is for hunting, so far coyote,fox,few raccoons. Neither can be opened for disassembly. Haven't cleaned either. Probably 500-600 rds combined so far. Only issue so far concerning poi shift, I developed loads for a carbine 223. Shot them through both sound modulators, no problem. I purchased an adapter to go from 1/2-28 to 5/8-24 so I could move the harvester from heavy 22-250 barrel to the AR light barrel without changing the Harvesters 5/8-24. Saw a big grouping change running the adapter between barrel threading and the suppressor. Never have had a baffle strike, most of my barrels threaded by Dakota threading, AR barrels have came threaded before assembly. Almost always grouping has improved when going from unsuppressed to suppressor. Hard not to shoot without them anymore, less recoil and noise. Kids love shooting with them.

 

[shoot4fun]

I have 4, all TBACs, all direct thread. 338, old 30Cal with new baffle stack, Ultra7, and a 223 that lives on an AR. Never had a baffle strike. 10s of thousands on the 30 Cal. The end cap came off that one, they said bad weld. Got an Updated Ultra stack put in it in with less than a week turn around from TBAC.

I had a buddy who's TBAC came apart in the same manner. I believe it was 338 but TBAC was just as good on CS with him as your experience. Never questioned anything on his end.

 

[moondog]

The Guys at TBAC are great! Never a question. Plus they are just up the road from me, kinda.