So, this thread is about a hand gun. Not precision. I purchased an FN 502 for plinking and practicing in the back yard. I have it suppressed with a Q Erector. I need to ask, is .22 ammo just dirty ammo? I ask as I I need to clean this FN 502 A LOT. Seems like if I don't clean her every 200-250 rounds, she starts acting up. And it's not a typical dirty. It's a gritty dirty. So, I clean her. I am shooting Aquilla 38 GR Supers through her as that's what she likes. Nice to train with a fire arm that has the same nomenclature as one of my go to firearm. An FN 509 Tactical. Just asking for general knowledge here. I am new to .22's. Been shooting my entire life, Military background, but like said previously, new to .22's. Damned nice to save so much money on ammo when training.
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Is .22LR Ammo Inherently Dirty, Or is it The Ammo I am Shooting?
- Thread starter RLinNH
- Start date
Yes.
Rimfire deposits partially and fully combusted primer and powder in the bore every shot.
The grit is silica particles, that are the ignition agent for the primer, blown into the bore also.
Water vapor, also a byproduct of the combustion, condenses on the burn residue
creating clumps of "mud" all through the barrel. Look down the bore after a shot,
with a light source in the breach, you'll see clumps of "mud" on all surfaces.
Rimfire deposits partially and fully combusted primer and powder in the bore every shot.
The grit is silica particles, that are the ignition agent for the primer, blown into the bore also.
Water vapor, also a byproduct of the combustion, condenses on the burn residue
creating clumps of "mud" all through the barrel. Look down the bore after a shot,
with a light source in the breach, you'll see clumps of "mud" on all surfaces.
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I’ll add this to the equation. I have a Gen 1 VooDoo. If I shoot it suppressed, about 100 rnds, and the bolt starts dragging. Shit all in the receiver, and bolt. Shoot it W/O the suppressor, and it runs forever. Suppressor makes crap back up, and cleaning becomes a more needed task. .22 is just a filthy beast….but fun as crap!
Yes, rimfire ammo is nasty and dirty. if you look at the way .22LR ammo is designed, the lead bullet is a press-fit in the lands, so it engraves heavily in the bore, and sheds lead deposits as it passes through the bore and exits the barrel, which is why .22LR suppressors get dirty so quickly, and require servicing every 350-500 rounds.
I have had better results with CCI SV being somewhat clean (comparatively). The cleanest will always be copper-plated, but most copper-plated .22LR is high velocity, and not subsonic.
I wish CCI would make affordable bulk-pack copper-plated subsonic suppressor ammo in the 1,000-1050 FPS range to keep the bore and can relatively clean.
The fascination of shooting std vel match ammo through a suppressed rifle was quite an attraction at first, but as others have mentioned, it comes at a price. I felt dealing with the RF fouling in my cans was something I could live with - especially if I didn't get lazy and let it build up so long that it was a real job to get cleaned out. But after I realized that the suppressor acted as a non-adjustable tuner, and had a negative effect on accuracy - especially noticeable on my Vudoo V22 rifles with custom barrels - I decided not to shoot suppressed in any of the matches I was shooting. A friend leant his STS adjustable tuner mount to me, and it proved pretty effective in tuning the loss of accuracy out of the equation. But aside from the occasional time when I get one of my RF cans out to play with it, they don't see nearly as much use as when I first got them. OTOH, I seldom take one of my CF rifles to the range without one or both of my Ultra 7 cans, as I've not seen any negative effect on accuracy with either the Gen 1 or Gen 2 Ultras mounted on any of the rifles I've shot with them.
To give you an idea of the debris in y'er bore after a single shot with 22lr
It's all over the rifling, in the lands and grooves.
Worst spot is the 6 o'clock position in the bore just forward of the chamber.
It's all over the rifling, in the lands and grooves.
Worst spot is the 6 o'clock position in the bore just forward of the chamber.
I have a Q Erector. All the baffles unscrew. So just unscrew them and scrub with CLP? Also, what about the inside of the suppressor? Run a .22 copper brush through it?
If you bought a sealed 22LR suppressor, you bought the wrong suppressor!
I have no idea what metal the baffles in your Q Erector are made of? Isn't CLR really hard on aluminum baffles?
The main way is to not buy a sealed rimfire suppressor. That's why most all rimfire cans are takedown for user servicing.
If you already have one, then I'd contact the manufacturer on how to service it with their recommendations.
Also, DO NOT use a sealed centerfire suppressor on a rimfire. It will fuck up your centerfire can with all the lead and debris.
First... My condolences for purchasing a Q product.
Second... Is it a Q Erector 22, Erector 9mm, Erector 45??? You didn't specify.
To clean, you can just unscrew them and soak them in something that is safe for aluminum and cerakote finishes overnight. You should be able to wipe most of the crap off the baffles with water and a rag. A small nylon brush should allow you to clean up the rest of the stubborn stuff.
Third... HELL NO! Don't run a bore brush through it. If you're referring to cleaning the blast baffle portion, then you'll need to measure and find a copper or nylon brush that's just slightly larger than the outside diameter of the suppressor.
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