Suppressors Do you clean your suppressor?

#104

I took it out last night to see if I could take the end cap break off and the threaded mount. The break came off with a little bit of force from the wrench, but the threaded mount is completely locked. I would have to heat it again probably and attach the wrench and hit it with a hammer to break it loose. It does have anti seize on the threads, but this is from the carbon build up. I'm currently trying to find my scale to do a pre-soak weigh in for an accurate measure. My Two 32oz bottles of BoreTech C4 arrived today.

Hoping I can find this scale and start tonight. I'll put up pics before hand.
 
#105
In it goes. 18.02 oz ( thought it was 5oz over but it has been a while since last weighing it). Was a hair over 14oz new.

I’ll see what can be scrapped off in 24 hours and decide to let if to let it sit longer. Pics of the last chamber before end cap brake. Cannot get the back as its seized.






UPDATE : 20 hours in... its loosening up, but this might take a few days. I dumped what was currently in there and add more. Came out looking like Windex.

 
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#106
You guys might be interested in this thread: https://www.snipershide.com/shootin...r-serviceable-center-fire-suppressors.6962443

It's an updated list of user-serviceable centerfire suppressors for rifle/pistols.

Please let me know of any others.

I was running into some resistance in that thread, as you can read for yourself. Ultimately, I was unconvinced by the "sealed can" arguments, so I bought a user-serviceable can, the Banish 30. I can't give you my impressions of the Banish yet, as it's in jail until November or thereabouts. I have no relationship with that company, or any company.

The company that makes the Banish (which used to be called the Varminteer 3.0 and 4.0), did some tests on a whole bunch of silencers here: https://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/largest-30-caliber-silencer-testing-event-ever/

You can take whatever you want from the test. After all, it was conducted by the Banish manufacturer, a party with a stake in the results. I noted the Banish/Varminteer cans ranked right up next to TBAC's. Also, Mr. Biceps (maybe he's a choad, I don't know, not sure if this is a paid "review" or not) seems to like it: Mr. Biceps

Edit: TBAC was interested enough in the above test in TTAG to run their own test here, where their can came out further ahead. But…the end cap for the Banish/Varminteer potentially wasn't optimized for the caliber (they're user swappable). I read this in the Mr. Biceps vid's comments (look under user "Lexngton Green", read note from fellow named "Lucas S").

But look, this isn't a Brand X vs. Brand Y comment. Hell if I know how anybody ran their tests. My point is, once acceptable performance is obtained, I look at the product's other features.

I reckon, unless there is some awesome reason for welding up the can so the end-user can't clean it, I say LET THOSE BAFFLES RUN FREE! :)

Obviously, as we're hearing, sealed cans can be a bear to clean. My personal arguments around owning a take-apart suppressor revolve around long-term maintenance in keeping the suppressor functioning. The argument is as follows (updated):
  1. I would prefer my suppressor to last at least as long as my guns…it is not a consumable. And laws may change, making new suppressors impossible to obtain. Therefore, I would hope it will last 100+ years and be passed down through a trust to my children. Within that timeframe, it's going to need regular cleaning.
  2. Suppressors are not cheap, and take forever to obtain; you probably won't just throw one away and you cannot immediately buy another at the gun store and near improbable to sell
  3. Even center-fire cans get filled with crap (see https://www.snipershide.com/shooting/threads/do-you-clean-your-suppressor.6981560/)
  4. It's harder to clean a sealed up suppressor (heck, a sealed up anything) than to clean something you can take apart
  5. As they fill with crap, cans tend to become louder. Louder is not better.
  6. Heavy, filled-up suppressors may cause POI shifts because they become a big(ger) weight at the end of your barrel. Also, it seems that ground-effects in very dirty cans might contribute to the problem (link 1, link 2)
  7. Do you really want to send your can back the manufacturer for a few weeks, just for a cleaning? Or would you rather just inspect all of it and quickly clean it yourself?
  8. If your suppressor's manufacturer goes out of business, I am unsure of the legality of shipping it to a third party for cleaning.
  • Additionally, a side benefit is that a take-apart can lets you use the same can for both centerfire and rimfire, if you so choose. Handy in a pinch, as well.
 
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#107
Same here, should be in early next week. The mineral spirits soak for 4 days now isn’t completely useless. It is helping break up some carbon in the last baffle stack. A pick is going through it easier than before the soak. In the blast chamber, not so much. It isn’t dissolving anything, but it is helping break up.
 
#109
I just ordered some Bortech c4 from Amazon will be here Sunday. Let mine soak for about 18 hours with CLR in it and stuff defiantly came out but not a lot. Currently soaking in simple green bow over night and then may do another round of CLR after this tomorrow.
 
#110
According to what TBAC told me, it could take weeks of 24 hour cycles in CLR to completely remove 4 oz of carbon. Nothing will cause it to come out in couple of days.

I was not able to get my Lane disassembled after four 24 hour cycles in CLR.
 
#111
Am I the only one that’s just a little ticked that TBAC said for years there’s no need to clean a can? Apparently they should be cleaned, and with a sealed can it’s no easy task.
 
#113
Really guys, the answer for cleaning your sealed can quicker is really an ultrasonic cleaner. Now, I realize that Harbor Freight is cheap Chinese crap, but I have been using this USC successfully for a couple years now. It really shortens the cleaning process. I only use it with the simple green as CLR in a Stainless USC is not a good idea, but it works. Here’s the one I use. It’s plenty big enough for most any can for $80. Plus you can get a 20% off coupon most anywhere, making it less than $70.
 
#117
I think there is a max time of like 7 or 8 minutes. I run full cycle time multiple times over about a day or so, with the unit dialing in the simple green in between. I use disposable gloves to handle it in between cycles and sometimes shake up the stuff inside the can to help dislodge carbon. Basically, I use one weekend when I’m not shooting to do this, though it can be done during the work week. Heat and US.

Let me know how it turns out for you.
 
#123
So I’m thinking that if Silencerco recommended mineral spirits as ok for the materials used in the suppressor, what about putting the Omega in a jar full of mineral spirits, then putting that in a ultrasonic cleaner? That way the solvent won’t damage the cleaner and you could use just water in the main tank.
 
#124

so I got my cleaner this morning from my local Harbor Freight. Have been running cycles every 8 minutes or so. Ran 4-5 with a 50/50 water and simple green solution. Then cleaned out the water and ran 4-5 cycles with the Hornady ultra sonic cleaner for gun parts and carbon build up. So far it seems to be working. After about 2-3 cycles the water is darker and every time I change out the water you can see the little bit of carbon that’s been coming out so, so far, so good.

I plan I’m running this through out the day and then letting soak overnight again with CLR and then repeat the sonic cleaner again tomorrow
 
#128
It’s what the manufacturer recommends (TBAC) but I’ve been told to only soak the inside of the can and not to submerge the whole thing in it as it may take off some of the bluing. ?‍♂️
I imagine the same principal would be fine for the omega. Oddly enough I have probably twice as many rounds down one of my omegas as I do my TBAC but it still fairly light on carbon. I’m guessing because I have it strictly on my AR’s and run them a lot. ?‍♂️
 
#133
So, 64 hours into the soak, I decided to pull it and see what I could get out. I was able to remove the mount with ease now and it was caked! The soak really helped loosen a lot up, but I can say this needs a good 5-6 days to really break it down. I got a lot out with a pick and screw driver. Some big chunks just fell off.

What did all of this get me in reduction? About 1/2 and oz. So, again, this needs almost a week to penetrate deep ( thats what she said ). For now, it’s cleaner. I’m going to wait and see what BoreTech releases with their suppressor cleaner and go from there.

Rinsed at the sink, wiped out and hit it with my air compressor.



 
#134
I’ve been using a jar of mineral spirits with the can inside and throwing that into the ultra sonic cleaner. There is definitely carbon coming off as you can see it floating around in the jar. Not huge chunks but more like tiny particles. I plan on doing this all day today before my Boretech shows up tomorrow.
 
#135
So I’ve been letting mine soak in CLR for about 12 hours over night (3 nights now) and yesterday picked up an ultra sonic cleaner and ran it in that throughout the day. It will only go for 8 minutes at a time so I give it about 4-5 minutes to cool down and run it again. I’ll run it about 4 times with just water and the Hornady 1 shot cleaner for sonic cleaners and then I’ll have to change out the water as it gets pretty black. Then I’ll do it for another 4-5 times with 50/50 water and simple green. Did about a dozen cycles yesterday and started again today. I weighed my TBAC first thing this morning after I flushed out the CLR our. It’s dropped about 1.2oz sims I first started. Definitely a time consuming process but it’s slowly working.
 
#136
For those using the ultrasonic and jar other secondary container, I noticed I get much better cavitation and carbon removal by putting the jar right in the tub without the plastic tray. After 2 runs doing this the mineral spirits is black now, I cant see the suppressor anymore.
 
#138
I've been doing the cleaning on an old SiCo Saker 7.62 that was getting pretty clogged up. I've already done multiple rounds of CLR with so-so results....got the blast chamber fairly clean, but I could tell there was still a ton of crap in the other baffles and that it was taking forever for the CLR to break it down. I went to HD today to pick up another bottle of CLR to continue soaking this week. While looking around for CLR, I ran across ZEP Industrial Purple, and said "what the hell" might as well give that a try on the old Saker and see what happens.

I plugged the suppressor end with an earplug and put that ZEP Industrial in full strength for an hour, and then dumped it out. It was like the suppressor suddenly got a case of the shits....chunks of carbon kept blowing out the end when I dumped out the ZEP and also when I'd fill it back up with water, shake it a bit, then dump the water out. ZEP is working good at busting up caked on carbon in this old stainless and stellite suppressor. Note - I took the mount off before soaking the suppressor with CLR and ZEP.

Read the label before you just dive in and use this ZEP Industrial on any random suppressor. It says not to use it on aluminum, and I've got no idea what it would do to cerakote, titanium, etc.
 
#140
Response back from BoreTech asking about their "Rumored" Suppressor solvent

"Thank you for contacting us.

For once the rumor mill is correct……

Our suppressor cleaning system should be available late March/early April.

While the C4 is a very good cleaner, it is not really meant for suppressors hence it will take a few days and still require some elbow grease to get clean.

We can confidently say that the cleaning system we are releasing can get those suppressors extremely clean without the scraping.

If you are not already, sign up for our news letter as we will be making announcements and certainly getting the word out once it is available.

Let us know if you have any additional questions or need anything else."
 
#142
This is the set up I’m using.

The suppressor is in the jar and the jar is filled with mineral spirits. The bath is just just filled with cold water to keep the temperature of the mineral spirits down.


It’s done a pretty good job with the last baffle. I should note that I am using a pick and a dremel with a steel brush to go at what I can access. It is breaking the carbon up on the last baffle pretty well, the blast baffle, not so much.

The blast baffle and chamber is really caked up. The carbon is over 0.125" thick on the baffle. As far as finish goes, the mineral spirits has done absolutely nothing to the finish. This is a good start IMO. I’ll see what the C4 does after soaking that blast chamber for a couple days.
 
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#144
Sorry I didn't mention in my post that I'm going over the can with both a pick and dremel with a steel brush. Not a ton of elbow grease, but not zero either. I edited my post to reflect that. But before starting the steel brush or pick didn't do crap. The mineral spirits in the ultrasonic is making it way easier for the pick and brush to break the carbon up.
 
#145
So just a warning to anyone who tries my ultrasonic method with an Omega, IT WILL CAUSE YOUR OUTER SLEVE TO DISLODGE AND ALLOW IT TO UNSCREW.

I personally think that is a good thing. Now I don’t have to worry about messing up the surface finish and I can see what the baffle stack looks like. It just threads on to the stack and is kind of sacrificial. It has zero impact on performance or use that I can tell.
 
#146
UPDATE: so I’ve been at this for a little over 3 days. Have let it soak over night with CLR for a good 12 hours or so and then started using the ultra sonic cleaner on and off throughout the day. When I first weighed my TBAC it was 22.8oz which is 5.6oz over what it’s suppose to be of 17.2oz. As off today I’m down to 20.7oz so 2.1oz have been cleaned out. I guess if I’d had followed the 2-3oz over is when to clean, I’d be done now. ?‍♂️
Well I’m trying some of this ZEP industrial purple to see if I have similar results as above. Will post back later.
 
#148
So the ultrasonic with mineral spirits and the boretech c4 worked wonders. I only soaked in the C4 for 24 hours and everything came off with a pick no problem. It looks as good as new. I looked at the inside baffles with my borescope and they look better too.

 
#150
I’m not saying that many people will shoot enough rounds for their suppressors to cake up like that, but the idea of just shooting a centerfire can to self clean makes no sense to me. I honestly don’t understand how that works.
 
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