Suppressors TBAC Ultra 9 endcap strike

[drglock]

Already contacted TBAC and will be sending it in this week. Only thing I can think happened was a weld failure. I’ve had it since 2016 on multiple guns, 6 Creedmoor, 6.5 Creedmoor, 308 and .223. Not sure on round count but should be in the neighborhood of 1000 rounds. Had it on my 16” AR today just to check zero and check dope at distance. This gun is used for coyote hunting only. Never shot more than 5-10 rounds in a row at any one time. Never more than 5 with the AR, no mag dumps and no fast strings through it. The load I was using today was 24.3grs IMR 4064, 60gr Vmax’s, CCI SRP and Winchester brass. Velocity is 2667fps. Shot 5 getting my zero. Then switched to my 22 to sight it in and get my DSF out to 400 to get it ready for this season’s matches. Before I left the range I had 4 rounds of my .223 left and shot targets at 200,250,300 and 350 yards. Not sure on which shot it failed. All shots hit the steel targets and it wasn’t till I was putting it in the gun rack at the range that I noticed it.
This is a Ultra 9 30 cal.

 

[Zak Smith]

Clearly a projectile hit the inside of the endcap. The weld is still intact

 

[drglock]

Clearly a projectile hit the inside of the endcap. The weld is still intact

That’s what I thought when I first saw it. Looking through it I can’t see any baffle strikes. Not saying there isn’t but I would think a 22 cal 60gr Vmax would do more damage than that.

 

[drglock]

 

[drglock]

If that’s what is then I won’t be using it on that gun anymore.

 

[Zak Smith]

Sometimes it doesn’t even make a hole. Bullets sometimes frag themselves too

 

[Zak Smith]

If it only hit the endcap the fix is very easy

 

[drglock]

If it only hit the endcap the fix is very easy

@Zak Smith can you pm me.

 

[TBACRAY]

That is an obvious strike. I bet bullet came apart inside

 

[Cypress87]

Crazy that all your shots still hit the steel!
tbac cans are so good even when they are broken they still work haha

 

[Holliday]

Well this is one reason I really love TBAC cans. I know if something like this happens, they’ve got me. For the investment in time and hassle jumping through the ATF hoops for each can, I enjoy that piece of mind.

 

[drglock]

Crazy that all your shots still hit the steel!
tbac cans are so good even when they are broken they still work haha

It had to of happened when I was sighting it in and shooting the group.

 

[PostOak]

Props to TBAC for building a solid can, all things considered it held up great.

 

[DIBBS]

"Already contacted TBAC and will be sending it in this week"

Curious as to why the OP @drglock didn't WAIT to see what TBAC determined had happened and report back after resolution. Appears it WASNT a weld failure as the OP stated.

TBAC builds awesome products, and supports the shooting sports and , gives out LOTS of suppressor & discount certificates for prize tables.

@TBACRAY and @Zak Smith a sincere thank you for ALL you do for our shooting community.

 

[EbTac]

"Already contacted TBAC and will be sending it in this week"

Curious as to why the OP @drglock didn't WAIT to see what TBAC determined had happened and report back after resolution. Appears it WASNT a weld failure as the OP stated.

TBAC builds awesome products, and supports the shooting sports and , gives out LOTS of suppressor & discount certificates for prize tables.

@TBACRAY and @Zak Smith a sincere thank you for ALL you do for our shooting community.

Probably to get other people's opinions. Would be my first guess. I would assume having a bullet strike on an ultra series is pretty rare. Especially on a 30 cal can shooting 223 and it only striking the end cap. And it's a square hole. No copper traces to be seen. I'm really curious as to what happened as well. But a vmax coming apart at a low speed?? Very rare situation in my opinion.

 

[Zak Smith]

This wasn't even that bad, I've seen a .30 cal hole through most of a stack before..

 

[WB300]

Twist rate for each barrel shot with the can that day?

And type/grain bullet shot??

Possible exploding (over twisted) bullet???

Just spit balling here.

 

[Zak Smith]

And an Ultra 7 filled up with 9mm bullets

That was a good one

 

[drglock]

Twist rate for each barrel shot with the can that day?

And type/grain bullet shot??

Possible exploding (over twisted) bullet???

Just spit balling here.

.223 1-7 twist 60gr Vmax at 2650fps.

 

[Supersubes]

Sure looks like a frag to me.

 

[drglock]

"Already contacted TBAC and will be sending it in this week"

Curious as to why the OP @drglock didn't WAIT to see what TBAC determined had happened and report back after resolution. Appears it WASNT a weld failure as the OP stated.

TBAC builds awesome products, and supports the shooting sports and , gives out LOTS of suppressor & discount certificates for prize tables.

@TBACRAY and @Zak Smith a sincere thank you for ALL you do for our shooting community.

Was just wanting opinions and insight. Probably should of waited a bit before posting to have a clearer head. In my mind it didn’t look like a bullet had hit it. Never crossed my mind that the bullet may have come apart. Have a tad over 90 rounds of this load through the can. Has been a good accurate load for an AR. Actually killed a coyote with it a week ago. Just eyeballing through it I can’t see any baffle strikes. Not saying there isn’t just doesn’t look like it.

 

[drglock]

Checked alignment again before boxing it and the paperwork up to mail off. Cleaning rod from the back of the AR through the exit of the can.

 

[BigPrince]

Interesting damage. My non-professional guess would also be a projectile coming apart. I suppose there isn't any rattle if you shook the can?

I may not be 100% correct or grounded in science with this feeling but I'm always hesitant to use my TBAC cans on anything other than my precision bolt guns due to the welded front caps. I know TBAC has great support but seems front cap strikes are the most common strike if it happens and I use other cans for ARs as I can just screw on a new front cap.

 

[deersniper]

Hornadys QC dipping to new lows during the Plandemic?

 

[deersniper]

And an Ultra 7 filled up with 9mm bullets

That was a good one

Pics?

 

[hafejd30]

I’m going to guess it failed on previous shots. Not the last few. I don’t see a bullet coming apart and hitting a target at 200-350 yards

I say it failed on previous shots or you sent a foreign object unknowingly down the bore with a round

 

[djarecke]

I had the same thing happen with some 75 ELD’s on 2 of my cans. The Hornady bullets are garbage honestly and I won’t shoot them through a suppressor any longer. You’ll read multiple issues with Hornady bullets coming apart en route to the target.

I was also fireforming BRA the other day and had 4 out of 300 108 ELD-M’s come apart as well. These were newer 108’s. The 75’s were from approximately 3 years ago.

 

[hafejd30]

I had the same thing happen with some 75 ELD’s on 2 of my cans. The Hornady bullets are garbage honestly and I won’t shoot them through a suppressor any longer. You’ll read multiple issues with Hornady bullets coming apart en route to the target.

I was also fireforming BRA the other day and had 4 out of 300 108 ELD-M’s come apart as well. These were newer 108’s. The 75’s were from approximately 3 years ago.

I know the ELDM had issues coming apart

I’ve seen Berger’s blow up 100 yards down range at a 1,000 yd fclass match.

The blow ups I seen were on cartridges pushing .284 180 gr bullets about 3400 FPS

 

[Steel head]

I know the ELDM had issues coming apart

I’ve seen Berger’s blow up 100 yards down range at a 1,000 yd fclass match.

The blow ups I seen were on cartridges pushing .284 180 gr bullets about 3400 FPS

What cartridge in f class goes that fast?

That’s 600 fps faster than the common 284 Winchester and well over the saum capabilities.

 

[hafejd30]

What cartridge in f class goes that fast?

That’s 600 fps faster than the common 284 Winchester and well over the saum capabilities.

Custom caliber/chamber. Necked down 8mm brass

 

[PostOak]

Pics?

Yeah that'd make a cool thread, pictures of stuff that comes back for "warrantee" thats complete misuse.

 

[Lawnboi]

Think a plastic tip could do that? Iv pulled plastic tips from some pretty hard shit, I can’t image them not doing anything if you snapped one off.

 

[DIBBS]

And Hornady will likely deny having heard of the blowup issues... even though it has been happening for years.

Am sure TBAC will fix you up.

 

[Hollywood 6mm]

Hey OP, do you wet tumble with stainless steel pins to clean your brass?

 

[drglock]

I don’t but I bought these once fired and they had been cleaned with stainless steel pins

 

[Hollywood 6mm]

I don’t but I bought these once fired and they had been cleaned with stainless steel pins

You had a pin or two in a flash hole. I had a similar endcap failure on my U7 and thought it was an issue with the metal or something. Once they cleaned it out and sent it back with a new end cap, there were several obvious strikes from cleaning pins in the baffles. I still wasn't convinced until I started processing another batch of 223 brass and found a case with 2 pins wedged in the flash hole, slightly recessed from the bottom of the primer pocket. They were almost impossible to see unless you looked dead on at the flash hole and realized there was no light coming through.

The damage to my end cap looked VERY similar to yours, just on the actual aperture in the end cap instead of off to the side. TBAC was able to repair mine after a deep cleaning (which took quite a while due to the amount of carbon build up), and it still runs great. I've since stopped using steel pins entirely for my brass processing.

 

[deersniper]

You had a pin or two in a flash hole. I had a similar endcap failure on my U7 and thought it was an issue with the metal or something. Once they cleaned it out and sent it back with a new end cap, there were several obvious strikes from cleaning pins in the baffles. I still wasn't convinced until I started processing another batch of 223 brass and found a case with 2 pins wedged in the flash hole, slightly recessed from the bottom of the primer pocket. They were almost impossible to see unless you looked dead on at the flash hole and realized there was no light coming through.

The damage to my end cap looked VERY similar to yours, just on the actual aperture in the end cap instead of off to the side. TBAC was able to repair mine after a deep cleaning (which took quite a while due to the amount of carbon build up), and it still runs great. I've since stopped using steel pins entirely for my brass processing.

Did you bore scope the barrel ?

 

[Hollywood 6mm]

Did you bore scope the barrel ?

Nah, that barrel was near EOL anyway, and I don't have a scope. The barrel is still sitting on my shelf after the rifle was rebarreled then sold off. The bolt gun it happened on was my trainer, and I moved to a second Tempest action so I could have a trainer and match rifle on the same action. I only ever found stuck pins in that exact way with 223 brass due to the size of the flash holes, never had an issue with 308, 6GT, 6CM, etc.

 

[djarecke]

My TBAC cans that had to be repaired had to do with Hornady bullets coming apart, not with stainless steel pins. Nor did the current issue with 108’s, 143’s and 208’s coming apart have to do with stainless pins.

I don’t understand why folks so quickly jump to Hornady’s defense when bullets are clearly coming apart consistently, routinely and even at slow speeds in new barrels.

 

[Hollywood 6mm]

My TBAC cans that had to be repaired had to do with Hornady bullets coming apart, not with stainless steel pins. Nor did the current issue with 108’s, 143’s and 208’s coming apart have to do with stainless pins.

I don’t understand why folks so quickly jump to Hornady’s defense when bullets are clearly coming apart consistently, routinely and even at slow speeds in new barrels.

I said nothing about Hornady either way, so I am not sure why you're implying I'm defending them. My TBAC end cap strike was 100% from steel pins.

 

[Ledzep]

OP also said that the bullets hit the target...

 

[Hollywood 6mm]

OP also said that the bullets hit the target...

Same thing happened when I had a pin blow mine out. I didn't realize anything was weird until I open the bolt and went muzzle up and had a bunch of carbon fall down the barrel and out of the ejection port. Then I looked at the muzzle and saw the hole. The baffle strikes I had from pins weren't visible at all until TBAC cleaned out all the carbon, either. Once they did, you could clearly see them.

 

[Holliday]

Hey OP, do you wet tumble with stainless steel pins to clean your brass?

This was my first thought too.....

 

[drglock]

You had a pin or two in a flash hole. I had a similar endcap failure on my U7 and thought it was an issue with the metal or something. Once they cleaned it out and sent it back with a new end cap, there were several obvious strikes from cleaning pins in the baffles. I still wasn't convinced until I started processing another batch of 223 brass and found a case with 2 pins wedged in the flash hole, slightly recessed from the bottom of the primer pocket. They were almost impossible to see unless you looked dead on at the flash hole and realized there was no light coming through.

The damage to my end cap looked VERY similar to yours, just on the actual aperture in the end cap instead of off to the side. TBAC was able to repair mine after a deep cleaning (which took quite a while due to the amount of carbon build up), and it still runs great. I've since stopped using steel pins entirely for my brass processing.

This makes more sense to me than anything else.

 

[drglock]

Loaded 50 up this morning to see if it might be the new lot of Vmax’s I’ve got.
Varget 25.6grs
Vmax 60gr
LC brass
CCI SRP
2.250 OAL
2742 fps

This load is actually faster than the load I was shooting when I had the strike on my can. Put my Razor 4.5-27 on just to make sure I could see all my hits. Sighted it in then shot six 5 shot groups on paper. Really wasn’t trying real hard to shoot groups just wanted to make sure all rounds were accounted for. Groups were .4-.7 at 100yds. Then I shot the last 15 on steel at 200yds. All rounds made it to there target. 200 total Vmax’s through it now. Sent the can off to TBAC today so hopefully they can tell if it was a bullet that came apart or maybe a stainless steel pin. Regardless it would be nice if they can at least say yes it was a bullet or no it wasn’t. I probably won’t get that lucky lol.

 

[hafejd30]

Loaded 50 up this morning to see if it might be the new lot of Vmax’s I’ve got.
Varget 25.6grs
Vmax 60gr
LC brass
CCI SRP
2.250 OAL
2742 fps

This load is actually faster than the load I was shooting when I had the strike on my can. Put my Razor 4.5-27 on just to make sure I could see all my hits. Sighted it in then shot six 5 shot groups on paper. Really wasn’t trying real hard to shoot groups just wanted to make sure all rounds were accounted for. Groups were .4-.7 at 100yds. Then I shot the last 15 on steel at 200yds. All rounds made it to there target. 200 total Vmax’s through it now. Sent the can off to TBAC today so hopefully they can tell if it was a bullet that came apart or maybe a stainless steel pin. Regardless it would be nice if they can at least say yes it was a bullet or no it wasn’t. I probably won’t get that lucky lol.
View attachment 7786782

If a bullet came apart it won’t contact the target. So if all your rounds were accounted for during the use of the can you can rule out the bullet

 

[drglock]

If a bullet came apart it won’t contact the target. So if all your rounds were accounted for during the use of the can you can rule out the bullet

I agree but as stated further up in the post I had sighted it in at 50yds and shot a few groups. It could of done it then and I would of thought it went in with the rest of the group.

 

[drglock]

Had the same AR out that I was using when I had my can mishap shooting the same loaded 60gr Vmax’s but wasn’t using the can at the time. This is a round that I extracted from the chamber when I was done shooting. I never did find the tip but now seeing this I’m almost certain this is what happened when I had my endcap strike. Either the tip didn’t completely break off until it was fired or it broke off and stayed in the barrel until fired and that is what struck my end cap.

 

[pell1203]

Curious as to what TBAC said?

Was there any other internal damage to suppressor or did they just replace the end cap?

 

[GBMaryland]

Very curious myself!

I wonder if ballistic tips and cans are now a no-go (in ARs)?