Suppressors Baffle strikes on brand new Deadair nomad with ebrake

[Ruger308]

Hey guys,

Finally got my nomad out of jail and preceded to the range to resight in with the dead air brake, then measure a POI shift with the nomad, keymo and ebrake.

This is a hunting rig........ ruger predator 308 setup shooting 165 grain federal sierra game kings or federal fusion 165s depending on availability. Groups were averaging about 1.25 - 1.5 moa.

Mounted my suppressor setup and to my disgust, groups opened up to 3 moa with the same ammo. I tried both ammo types, same result. Pulled out some random power shok 180's to see if they would do any better and no luck. Made sure everything was tight but couldn't help but curse my year wait and $1,300 I spent on this thing.

So I decided to start working from the front back, and the end cap looked good and tight. Took off the ebrake and the inner baffle had a bunch of baffle strikes on the inside edge closest to the suppressor. I took off the ebrake, put the end cap directly on the nomad and shot my last few rounds of fusion 165 I had. All 3 shots were touching each other at 100 yards, my best group ever with this rifle.

Not sure what the deal was with the ebrake but Deadair will be getting a call from me tomorrow. Anyone else have this issue or any idea what the issue may have been?

 

[TxWelder35]

Are you sure they are baffle strikes? Was the end cap deformed?

Nomad has clipped baffles.

I highly doubt you had baffle strikes. If you did your group size would probably be measured in feet not inches.

As for the good 3 rounds after you took it off, I’d call it dumb luck. None of the ammo you mentioned is good match ammo. I bet 1-1.5 moa is all they are capable of.

 

[Ruger308]

maybe baffle strike is the wrong term.

Nothing was hitting in the can from what I can tell. The hole in the e brake had chips around the edges like the bullet was coming in contact.

Pic attached

 

[TxWelder35]

Any pictures?

 

[Sieg]

Factory threaded barrel?
Adapter torqued to spec?
Did your rod it and bore sight view it before firing?

 

[Ruger308]

Factory threaded barrel?
Adapter torqued to spec?
Did your rod it and bore sight view it before firing?

Factory threaded barrel
Yes.
Not rodded or bore sighted before firing

 

[TxWelder35]

I don’t think that’s evidence of the bullet hitting it tbh. If it did it would be a very obvious deformation in the end cap

 

[Ruger308]

I don’t think that’s evidence of the bullet hitting it tbh. If it did it would be a very obvious deformation in the end cap

Then what are the chips in the material caused from? Any reason it shot well after I removed it?

 

[TxWelder35]

Then what are the chips in the material caused from? Any reason it shot well after I removed it?

Looks like copper to me. Could just be the bullet shedding little pieces of jacket as it leaves the bore. If the bullet was hitting it would be a smear on one side with a deformation of some kind. There is no way the bullet can touch that end cap with zero damage to it.

As for the good group after you took it off I’d say dumb luck. One 3 round group is statistically irrelevant. Now if you shot 5 in a row the same way, put it back on and shot 5 in row much bigger then there might be some type of issue somewhere

 

[Sincerd]

How longs your barrel? That doesn't look right

 

[Sieg]

Did you measure the can's bore diameter? Those marks look like impacts..... by something. Are they uniform around the diameter?

 

[Sincerd]

Looks more like shrapnel getting pushed out the bore. Twist rate?

 

[Sincerd]

Ive seen bullets over twist and shed their jacket. Jave you cleaned barrel yet? You would notice

 

[Ruger308]

its an 18" barrel with a 1:10 twist

 

[TxWelder35]

Ive seen bullets over twist and shed their jacket. Jave you cleaned barrel yet? You would notice

Looks more like shrapnel getting pushed out the bore. Twist rate?

This

 

[Ruger308]

Ive seen bullets over twist and shed their jacket. Jave you cleaned barrel yet? You would notice

Ran some patches down the bore at home and didn't see anything abnormal. Just typical carbon on the patches.

Would the shrapnel cause the group to open up?

 

[Huskydriver]

Pic straight on looking down the ebrake if you can. It doesn't look like a strike to me from that angle.

Are you sure the brake you mounted on the barrel was a 308 bore? It will be now ?

 

[TxWelder35]

Ran some patches down the bore at home and didn't see anything abnormal. Just typical carbon on the patches.

Would the shrapnel cause the group to open up?

The shrapnel is indicative of a different problems. Jackets coming apart isn’t really normal. Wonder if there is a burr somewhere grabbing bits of jacket

 

[TxWelder35]

Pic straight on looking down the ebrake if you can. It doesn't look like a strike to me from that angle.

Are you sure the brake you mounted on the barrel was a 308 bore? It will be now ?

Dead air does indeed sell a 6.5mm end cap which I’m sure after a little clearance is close to .308 diameter. Would be an awfully tight fit

 

[Ruger308]

Here is another pic. Just to confirm, this is not in the end cap, but in the ebrake itself.

 

[Sieg]

Measure that bore diameter.

 

[Ruger308]

Here is the end cap itself, fired from the end of the ebrake as well as directly to the suppressor itself. Perfectly intact

 

[Ruger308]

Measure that bore diameter.

I believe deadair only sells one size of the ebrake but different sized end caps.....

 

[Sieg]

I believe deadair only sells one size of the ebrake but different sized end caps.....

Stick a bullet in it and check it for clearance. Sure looks like it could be shaving the bullet.

 

[2aBaC̶a̶]

Almost looks like a shot blast of unburnt powder.

 

[Sincerd]

That sounds like its it. But. The brake hole looks bigger than end cap hole to me atleast

 

[Ruger308]

Stick a bullet in it and check it for clearance. Sure looks like it could be shaving the bullet.

Bullet fits through with room to spare.....

 

[Sincerd]

I dont think its unburnt powder. Not that fast. Its 17-4 like the rest of the suppressor correct?

 

[Ruger308]

Almost looks like a shot blast of unburnt powder.

It it was just color/copper I would say yes but there are clear chips or indents in the material.

 

[Ruger308]

I dont think its unburnt powder. Not that fast. Its 17-4 like the rest of the suppressor correct?

It's aluminum

 

[Sieg]

This is getting interesting, I'm guessing if you send that "strike" pic to Deadair they'll have an answer..... unless you're lucky enough to be the "first one we've ever seen like this."

 

[2aBaC̶a̶]

It it was just color/copper I would say yes but there are clear chips or indents in the material.

Yeah just saying. zooming in the pic there looks like there are little spherical indentations and marks like it took a blast of pellets. Interesting to say the least.

 

[Ruger308]

This is getting interesting, I'm guessing is you send that "strike" pic to Deadair they'll have an answer..... unless you're lucky enough to be the "first one we've ever seen like this."

That's usually my luck. I will call them tomorrow and send them a link to this thread.

I was all for the bullet losing it's jacket but the rest of the suppressor doesn't have a single nick or mark in it. I find it hard to believe the shrapnel makes it through the entire suppressor then just nicks the ebrake.

 

[Sincerd]

I'd agree. Nothing really explains it other than it being aluminum and not standing up to muzzle blast.

 

[Sincerd]

Shrapnel would spread elsewhere and at the very least affect the end cap. End cap titanium IIRC?

 

[Sincerd]

Honestly I'd return the E brake n tell em to keep it

 

[Sincerd]

Barrel length?

 

[Threadcutter308]

maybe baffle strike is the wrong term.

Nothing was hitting in the can from what I can tell. The hole in the e brake had chips around the edges like the bullet was coming in contact.

Pic attached

Why do you guys insist on coming on here and shitting on the manufacturer before you even call them to discuss your supposed “problem” ?

“Maybe baffle strike is the wrong term” Seriously ? You’ve got to be kidding. You have no idea what you are talking about. Stop speculating on things that you don’t know anything about and contact the manufacturer.

There was an almost identical thread about this same thing not three or four days ago. That OP was trashing the manufacturer just like you. He went so far as to say he’d never buy another of their products again. IIRC, it was also Dead Air.

Do you actually think suppressors cause baffle strikes ? Baffle strikes are caused by either mis-alignment due to a shitty muzzle threading job, the can simply being loose on the mount and in very, very rare instances, the can’s mounting components being improperly machined.

I have a Dead Air can and have never had any problems with it. In my life, I have only ever had one baffle strike. It was because I hadn’t gotten the can tight on the mount. Entirely my fault. I sent it back to the manufacturer, fully expecting to have to pay for repair. They fixed it for free. I am highly confident Dead Air will do the same (assuming they can even find a problem), they are a standup company. If I were Dead Air, I’d fix your “problem” and also request that you delete this entire thread.

 

[Sieg]

Barrel length?

Ruger .308 Predator is listed at 22".

 

[TxWelder35]

Could be the jacket isn’t hurting the rest of the can because it’s 17-4 which is much tougher than what the ebrake is made of. I’m still in the shedding jackets theory

 

[Ruger308]

Why do you guys insist on coming on here and shitting on the manufacturer before you even call them to discuss your supposed “problem” ?

“Maybe baffle strike is the wrong term” Seriously ? You’ve got to be kidding. You have no idea what you are talking about. Stop speculating on things that you don’t know anything about and contact the manufacturer.

There was an almost identical thread about this same thing not three or four days ago. That OP was trashing the manufacturer just like you. He went so far as to say he’d never buy another of their products again. IIRC, it was also Dead Air.

Do you actually think suppressors cause baffle strikes ? Baffle strikes are caused by either mis-alignment due to a shitty muzzle threading job, the can simply being loose on the mount and in very, very rare instances, the can’s mounting components being improperly machined.

I have a Dead Air can and have never had any problems with it. In my life, I have only ever had one baffle strike. It was because I hadn’t gotten the can tight on the mount. Entirely my fault. I sent it back to the manufacturer, fully expecting to have to pay for repair. They fixed it for free. I am highly confident Dead Air will do the same (assuming they can even find a problem), they are a standup company. If I were Dead Air, I’d fix your “problem” and also request that you delete this entire thread.

I never shit on dead air nor did I say I would never buy one of their products. In my first thread I stated I would be calling them in the morning to discuss what the issue may be. Not sure why you are bent out of shape about me coming to a message board to post an issue I am having to see if anyone can shed some light as to why this is happening. Maybe its manufacture defect, maybe it's something I am doing wrong....hence the thread.

Do you have a link to the other thread you are referring to?

 

[Huskydriver]

This is getting interesting, I'm guessing if you send that "strike" pic to Deadair they'll have an answer..... unless you're lucky enough to be the "first one we've ever seen like this."

Will not happen dead air will replace it but the pic straight on is not a strike.

Op pull your brake off the muzzle and look at it straight on and let's see if we see the same/similar pattern

 

[TxWelder35]

Why do you guys insist on coming on here and shitting on the manufacturer before you even call them to discuss your supposed “problem” ?

“Maybe baffle strike is the wrong term” Seriously ? You’ve got to be kidding. You have no idea what you are talking about. Stop speculating on things that you don’t know anything about and contact the manufacturer.

There was an almost identical thread about this same thing not three or four days ago. That OP was trashing the manufacturer just like you. He went so far as to say he’d never buy another of their products again. IIRC, it was also Dead Air.

Do you actually think suppressors cause baffle strikes ? Baffle strikes are caused by either mis-alignment due to a shitty muzzle threading job, the can simply being loose on the mount and in very, very rare instances, the can’s mounting components being improperly machined.

I have a Dead Air can and have never had any problems with it. In my life, I have only ever had one baffle strike. It was because I hadn’t gotten the can tight on the mount. Entirely my fault. I sent it back to the manufacturer, fully expecting to have to pay for repair. They fixed it for free. I am highly confident Dead Air will do the same (assuming they can even find a problem), they are a standup company. If I were Dead Air, I’d fix your “problem” and also request that you delete this entire thread.

OP could have gone about it better. I don’t think the thread should be deleted. If anything do some selective editing to make clear this is not the fault of dead air (if it’s proven to not be their fault) thread like this can provide answers to someone down the line

 

[Sincerd]

While op may be jumping the gun...its the wait time and the expense that causes it. I get it. That being said DA is my go to and good ppl. Aluminum may not be the best material for the job here if it is in fact aluminum.

 

[TxWelder35]

Will not happen dead air will replace it but the pic straight on is not a strike.

Op pull your brake off the muzzle and look at it straight on and let's see if we see the same/similar pattern

I highly doubt it. Brakes are heat treated hardened steel. Not gonna show damage from copper jackets

 

[TxWelder35]

While op may be jumping the gun...its the wait time and the expense that causes it. I get it. That being said DA is my go to and good ppl. Aluminum may not be the best material for the job here if it is in fact aluminum.

I know a lot of people with nomads and have used one personally at my local range that has a metric F load of mileage on it with no issues on the ebrake.

Op has an issue somewhere that I don’t believe to be the fault of dead air.

 

[Huskydriver]

I highly doubt it. Brakes are heat treated hardened steel. Not gonna show damage from copper jackets

It would if the bore wasnt .320-.330 to start with... Seen it happen before ?

 

[TxWelder35]

It would if the bore wasnt .320-.330 to start with... Seen it happen before ?

‘Tis is true. I don’t think dead air makes a mount under 30 cal though.

 

[TxWelder35]

They make a 223 version obviously, but I imagine that would be catastrophic and only comes in 1/2-28

 

[loveha]

I never shit on dead air nor did I say I would never buy one of their products. In my first thread I stated I would be calling them in the morning to discuss what the issue may be. Not sure why you are bent out of shape about me coming to a message board to post an issue I am having to see if anyone can shed some light as to why this is happening. Maybe its manufacture defect, maybe it's something I am doing wrong....hence the thread.

Do you have a link to the other thread you are referring to?

He was talking about my thread down below, but I gave them TWO chances to make it right. I have every right to air my complaints if I want, and write off ever buying another can from them.
I also had a Sandman S that I picked up out of jail that was also not aligned, but they got that fixed and is perfect. Two samples, both with the same issue, to me, their QC is garbage.