SRT Suppressor Cleaning Procedure?

[dbaird]

I have a SRT .22 rimfire suppressor.The directions that came with it says “do not clean ever”. Says it will get quieter after about 1000 rounds. I was thinking of using suppressor cleaner in orbit sonic cleaner. What do you experts think? I would feel Leary of never cleaning it due how dirty rimfire ammonia is.

 

[dantiff2]

I have a SRT .22 rimfire suppressor.The directions that came with it says “do not clean ever”. Says it will get quieter after about 1000 rounds. I was thinking of using suppressor cleaner in orbit sonic cleaner. What do you experts think? I would feel Leary of never cleaning it due how dirty rimfire ammonia is.

You have very good intuition It will certainly get lead buildup over time. There's no way to prevent this. The easy way to deal with lead is the "dip" 50/50 peroxide and white vinegar. Keep changing it out until the bubbling stops and wash thoroughly with a soapy water to deactivate the acid and disposed of properly because it is very toxic! I just recently tried the ballistol suppressor cleaner on a sealed can that had 3000+ rounds through it and it did great with carbon but did not touch the lead. the DIP cleaned it right up and back to new
Dan

 

[STS]

Here are a couple of facts. You can come to your own conclusion.
1. Suppression effectiveness is directly related to internal volume of the suppressor. Larger volume suppressors divert more gas, therefore are quieter.
2. Fouling, either lead or carbon, is cumulative. Meaning that from the first shot, the fouling continues to accumulate in the suppressor until it is completely full and effectively has no internal volume for gas capture. At that point, the suppressor simply becomes nothing more than a weight on the end of the barrel , and has minimal, to no, suppression.
Do you think that it would be a good idea to remove the fouling from the can? It's really hard to believe that someone in the suppressor business, would actually recommend that their product should never be cleaned.

 

[ricco1949]

Do you think that it would be a good idea to remove the fouling from the can? It's really hard to believe that someone in the suppressor business, would actually recommend that their product should never be cleaned.

Totally agree, seems as though the mfg may be promoting their future revenue stream.

A regular dip in a sonic cleaner works wonders.....right down to bare shiny SS cones and tube free of carbon.

 

[Knotwild]

Thunderbeast made a sealed rimfire supper once. They recommended sending it in for them to clean it in house. I don’t think that model lasted long. After seeing the inside of mine after only 500 rounds, I can’t imagine why anyone today would make a sealed one.

 

[HandgunHTR]

Here are a couple of facts. You can come to your own conclusion.
1. Suppression effectiveness is directly related to internal volume of the suppressor. Larger volume suppressors divert more gas, therefore are quieter.
2. Fouling, either lead or carbon, is cumulative. Meaning that from the first shot, the fouling continues to accumulate in the suppressor until it is completely full and effectively has no internal volume for gas capture. At that point, the suppressor simply becomes nothing more than a weight on the end of the barrel , and has minimal, to no, suppression.
Do you think that it would be a good idea to remove the fouling from the can? It's really hard to believe that someone in the suppressor business, would actually recommend that their product should never be cleaned.

While I agree with point 1, for point 2 there is a significant difference between rimfire and centerfire cans.

For rimfire, due to the exposed lead and low pressures, you will get lead deposits that should be cleaned off. I highly recommend against using the dip because lead acetate is no joke. It is very easily absorbed through the skin and is a pain to get rid of properly. Just dumping down the drain or into the toilet is just asking for the ground water somewhere to get contaminated (it isn't removed through normal water treatment methods if you are on sewer).

For centerfire cans, they are exposed to pressures that will essentially lead to a "balance" point of carbon buildup. Yes, some will accumulate, but once it gets to a certain point, the excess will get "blown out". I have a SilencerCo SpecWar that has over 5000 rounds of .223, .300BO, and 308 through it. It gained about 2.5oz in the first couple of years of use, but hasn't gotten any heavier in the last 10. It has never been cleaned. I am coming up on 3000 rounds on my Dead Air Sandman Ti. It topped out at 2oz extra.
Moral of the story, centerfire cans don't need regular cleaning. Do it if it makes you feel good, but it isn't necessary.

 

[STS]

While I agree with point 1, for point 2 there is a significant difference between rimfire and centerfire cans.

For rimfire, due to the exposed lead and low pressures, you will get lead deposits that should be cleaned off. I highly recommend against using the dip because lead acetate is no joke. It is very easily absorbed through the skin and is a pain to get rid of properly. Just dumping down the drain or into the toilet is just asking for the ground water somewhere to get contaminated (it isn't removed through normal water treatment methods if you are on sewer).

For centerfire cans, they are exposed to pressures that will essentially lead to a "balance" point of carbon buildup. Yes, some will accumulate, but once it gets to a certain point, the excess will get "blown out". I have a SilencerCo SpecWar that has over 5000 rounds of .223, .300BO, and 308 through it. It gained about 2.5oz in the first couple of years of use, but hasn't gotten any heavier in the last 10. It has never been cleaned. I am coming up on 3000 rounds on my Dead Air Sandman Ti. It topped out at 2oz extra.
Moral of the story, centerfire cans don't need regular cleaning. Do it if it makes you feel good, but it isn't necessary.

While I agree with point 1, for point 2 there is a significant difference between rimfire and centerfire cans.

For rimfire, due to the exposed lead and low pressures, you will get lead deposits that should be cleaned off. I highly recommend against using the dip because lead acetate is no joke. It is very easily absorbed through the skin and is a pain to get rid of properly. Just dumping down the drain or into the toilet is just asking for the ground water somewhere to get contaminated (it isn't removed through normal water treatment methods if you are on sewer).

For centerfire cans, they are exposed to pressures that will essentially lead to a "balance" point of carbon buildup. Yes, some will accumulate, but once it gets to a certain point, the excess will get "blown out". I have a SilencerCo SpecWar that has over 5000 rounds of .223, .300BO, and 308 through it. It gained about 2.5oz in the first couple of years of use, but hasn't gotten any heavier in the last 10. It has never been cleaned. I am coming up on 3000 rounds on my Dead Air Sandman Ti. It topped out at 2oz extra.
Moral of the story, centerfire cans don't need regular cleaning. Do it if it makes you feel good, but it isn't necessary.

If that's the case, then it stimulates the question, why would we ever need to clean a barrel? The carbon fouling would eventually reach equilibrium, and there would never be a need to clean. Thunderbeast offers an example of one of their centerfire suppressors that was returned for cleaning, that had about a pound of carbon accumulated in it. They said it took weeks to get it all out. They also tested it prior to cleaning and said the decibel reduction was almost non existent.

 

[HandgunHTR]

If that's the case, then it stimulates the question, why would we ever need to clean a barrel? The carbon fouling would eventually reach equilibrium, and there would never be a need to clean. Thunderbeast offers an example of one of their centerfire suppressors that was returned for cleaning, that had about a pound of carbon accumulated in it. They said it took weeks to get it all out. They also tested it prior to cleaning and said the decibel reduction was almost non existent.

A sample of one does not a trend make. What was shot in that suppressor? Until we know that, we can't make any conclusions. I know quite a few people that have thousands of rounds through various suppressors, including TBAC ones, that have never been cleaned and they haven't had any substantial reduction in performance. Over 100 samples. Conclude from that as you will.

As for barrel cleaning, I have a .223 bolt gun that is currently at just over 1200 rounds on it and hasn't had a patch down it since it was taken out of the box. I don't clean my rifles until accuracy drops off to the point that they need it. For most of them that is in the hundreds of rounds. Some even more.