Suppressors Question on Lead Buildup in .22LR Suppressor

[Longshot231]

What does everyone do to remove the lead buildup in your .22LR suppressors?

I have good results when I tumble the 9mm and .45 ACP baffles in the tumbler with citric acid, dawn and steel pins. However, I don't get as good results with .22LR baffles.

If you tumble with steel pins do you completely cover everything with water or partially fill the tumbler?

If you use the DIP, how do you dispose of it? That stuff also scares the heck out of me. So even if I get over my fear of using the DIP, is it as good as they say it is to remove lead buildup?

I thought that if I use it that I would leave it in an unopened throw away container in a tool shed for the liquid to evaporate. That way, the solid waste left over would be easier to dispose.

I just put my .22LR baffles in some Kroil to soak last night. I had good results with soaking a bullet mold in it for a couple of weeks. The mold had lead build up in the usual places. A wood skewer got some of the lead off but I followed it up with Blue Wonder and brush that got it all off. I'm hoping to get similar results with the baffles.

Are there any other methods that I'm unaware of to get rid of the lead buildup on the baffles?

If some of you do clean the baffles but can't get all the lead off, is it anything to be concerned with? Are you like me and just clean as best you can then reassemble the suppressor to use again?

 

[eca7891]

I forgot where I read this but it seems to work.

Once you have your baffles clean heat them in an oven to 250 ( I really don’t think you have to do that but it is what I read so... ) for 5-10 min.

Remove them from the oven and place them in dot5 fluid to cool. DOT5!,not 5.1. You want the silicone based fluid.

Once cooled down remove from the fluid and place on paper towels and let some of the fluid run off.

Wipe dry and reassemble.

The next time you use the suppressor just disassemble, wipe clean or hit them with brake cleaner. Everything comes right off. Don’t let the suppressor sit for days after shooting as the cleaning results are less than optimal.

Repeat process.

Once again. This isn’t sometime came up with but I have tested it and it seems to work well.

Best of luck.

 

[Longshot231]

I forgot where I read this but it seems to work.

Once you have your baffles clean heat them in an oven to 250 ( I really don’t think you have to do that but it is what I read so... ) for 5-10 min.

Remove them from the oven and place them in dot5 fluid to cool. DOT5!,not 5.1. You want the silicone based fluid.

Once cooled down remove from the fluid and place on paper towels and let some of the fluid run off.

Wipe dry and reassemble.

The next time you use the suppressor just disassemble, wipe clean or hit them with brake cleaner. Everything comes right off. Don’t let the suppressor sit for days after shooting as the cleaning results are less than optimal.

Repeat process.

Once again. This isn’t sometime came up with but I have tested it and it seems to work well.

Best of luck.

I think that might work for a baffles that are factory new. However, mine have been shot and have some lead build up.

If I could get all of the lead removed I would give them the silicone treatment.

Here's a long boring video about how to treat the baffles. Skip to about the 9 minute mark to get to the important stuff.

 

[eca7891]

Elbow grease to clean.

“The dip” is very effective it’s is also very controversial.

Tumble the baffles, brush, use a dental pick or tooth pick to address problem areas.

Just keep at it until they are cleaned.

This is what I have done. Once I thought they where as clean as I could get them I then dipped them and did the silicone dot5.

This is the only way I know of to insure they were as clean as possible.

Read and understand the risks and hazards that the dip creates. Use your own judgement to decide if it’s acceptable to you.

Hopefully other will have a better cleaning method.

 

[RS14]

I use Lucas gun oil and coat the monocore very heavily with it. And at the end of the range day while still at the range. I make sure I recently fired a couple shots so it’s at least warm. I take it apart and just bump the monocore against a good piece of wood. And a basically everything falls off. I recoat with Lucas and put it back together. Maybe every 2-5000 rounds I’ll do a deep clean with brushes pics and such. But honestly the Lucas keeps all the large deposits off the baffles

 

[Quiet6.8]

On rimfire cans with steel baffles, I've found out that if you take a small soldering torch, you can dehydrate the lead, and then tap the baffles on a hard surface, and typically the lead will just fall off. This process only takes a few seconds, and you can watch the lead change colors. Be sure to do this in a well ventilated area, with a respirator, and be sure not to get your baffles too hot.

 

[Longshot231]

On rimfire cans with steel baffles, I've found out that if you take a small soldering torch, you can dehydrate the lead, and then tap the baffles on a hard surface, and typically the lead will just fall off. This process only takes a few seconds, and you can watch the lead change colors. Be sure to do this in a well ventilated area, with a respirator, and be sure not to get your baffles too hot.

And you aren't worried about ruining the temper of the steel by doing this?

Do you tap the baffles while still hot or wait for them to cool?

 

[Quiet6.8]

And you aren't worried about ruining the temper of the steel by doing this?

Do you tap the baffles while still hot or wait for them to cool?

It doesn't take a lot of heat to dehydrate the lead, you can visibly watch it dry out, that's what you're looking for. You could probably get away with using a HarborFrieght heat gun as well. If they are 17-4 heat treated baffles, you should be perfectly fine doing so. I will tap the baffles while they are still warm, cooled down enough to touch them.

I have done this with my DA Mask multiple times, sometimes I have gotten the baffles to hot to where they start to show color, but I have never had an issue with tempering the steel to the point where they lose their strength.

 

[carbonbased]

I forgot where I read this but it seems to work.

Once you have your baffles clean heat them in an oven to 250 ( I really don’t think you have to do that but it is what I read so... ) for 5-10 min.

Remove them from the oven and place them in dot5 fluid to cool. DOT5!,not 5.1. You want the silicone based fluid.

Once cooled down remove from the fluid and place on paper towels and let some of the fluid run off.

Wipe dry and reassemble.

The next time you use the suppressor just disassemble, wipe clean or hit them with brake cleaner. Everything comes right off. Don’t let the suppressor sit for days after shooting as the cleaning results are less than optimal.

Repeat process.

Once again. This isn’t sometime came up with but I have tested it and it seems to work well.

Best of luck.

Heads up about aerosolized silicone…probably not good for you… https://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums/showpost.php?p=5471635&postcount=9

 

[sawgunner2001]

If you use the DIP, how do you dispose of it? That stuff also scares the heck out of me. So even if I get over my fear of using the DIP, is it as good as they say it is to remove lead buildup?

Yes, the DIP works very well.

I called my county hazardous waste disposal facility and asked if they'd take lead acetate. The gal I spoke with had no idea what that was, so after a brief explanation that it is "POISON," she said to simply put it into a puncture/shatter resistant container, mark it POISON, and they'll take it, no questions asked.

I repurposed an empty motor oil bottle and labeled it with blue painters tape.

*NOTE: After using the DIP and pouring it into the oil bottle and screwing the cap on, the bottle swelled like a son-of-a-gun. Leave the cap loose for a day or two before sealing it. And then check it periodically for the next day or two to see if you need to let some gas out.

 

[Longshot231]

*NOTE: After using the DIP and pouring it into the oil bottle and screwing the cap on, the bottle swelled like a son-of-a-gun. Leave the cap loose for a day or two before sealing it. And then check it periodically for the next day or two to see if you need to let some gas out.

I'll pass.

 

[Adam B]

I tumble mine in a wet tumbler with stainless steel pins. It get 95% of the lead off.

 

[manicpuma]

I use an ultrasonic cleaner with a 50/50 mixture of distilled water and Zep purple cleaner. I run them for 15 minutes and then take them out to pick at the stubborn spots (they are mostly clean at this point), and then I run them for another 10 minutes to finish up. I let them dry and then coat them in white lithium grease before reassembly. The baffles shown below are from a Dead Air Ghost shooting 9mm and a Dead Air Mask shooting 22lr and 17hmr.

 

[KnowNothing256]

What's the material of construction? TBAC has recommended CLR for titanium, and I can confirm it takes care of EVERYTHING on the baffle. You'll see it form bubbles, but that's the lead, not the baffle; this is evident when it's clean, as it stops bubbling.

YMMV, but this is what I use and it's effortless. Just rinse the baffles off thoroughly with water when finished.

 

[Holliday]

Yes, the DIP works very well.

I called my county hazardous waste disposal facility and asked if they'd take lead acetate. The gal I spoke with had no idea what that was, so after a brief explanation that it is "POISON," she said to simply put it into a puncture/shatter resistant container, mark it POISON, and they'll take it, no questions asked.

I repurposed an empty motor oil bottle and labeled it with blue painters tape.

*NOTE: After using the DIP and pouring it into the oil bottle and screwing the cap on, the bottle swelled like a son-of-a-gun. Leave the cap loose for a day or two before sealing it. And then check it periodically for the next day or two to see if you need to let some gas out.

Yea our waste disposal takes it in glass. For HW you need to call, make an apointment and drive it over. Nice folks.

The dip is not that bad. You just need some planning and reasonable safety precautions. It really isn’t brain surgery but I am quick to tell folks that you must do it properly.

I save glass peanut butter jars and cat litter. I only fill with as much mix as I need. When I am done I pour in some cat litter, let it set up for a bit, then I seal the lid, duct tape the lid on, mark it “LEAD ACETATE” “WILL KILL YOU” and double bag it in heavy gallon zip locks. Then I store it where it won’t get disturbed in the garage until my once a year HW run. The idea is that should it get broken and breech the glass container it is less likely to go far. That rather than simply carrying a glass contain that could smash and spray.