Cleaning Suppressor

[Bobwire]

How often do you guys clean your suppressor? I had about 1500 rnds thru it and what a mess. I got my spanner wrenches today from Vector and works great on my Coastal. Took it apart and what a freaken mess, the spacers closest to the barrel are just cooked on. Any tricks you can use to clean it up? I'm thinken an ultrasonic cleaner right now. Thanks.

 

[tony k]

Ummm... I never clean my suppressors. Ever. I'm sure they are ugly inside, but until I notice a difference/decrease in suppression, I'm following Doc Dater's advice (and that of most can manufacturers) and I'm leaving them alone. YMMV.

Does that make me a bad parent?

 

[tony k]

BTW, Bobwire, if you use an ultrasonic cleaner, DO NOT put any aluminum suppressor parts in there -- they will dissolve. Ultrasonics are only safe for iron/steel/etc.

 

[Funker]

Good Call Tony

If you used the Ultrasonic Cleaner it would eat the aluminum.soon your sharp edges would start to round and you would lost the gas seal required for suppression.Just drop a piece of aluminum foil in the cleaner ,wait a minute and see what happens under magnification it will look like some one did this :heavy to it.

 

[chili17]

Cleaning

Never have cleaned my bowers cac9 or my tac-ord 9mm cans. Probably roughly 20k through the cans combined. The only time you would need to clean one is if you shoot lead bullets through it, which by the way don't do.

I clean my cac22 can by corking both ends and filling it with kroil oil and hoppes. I go by and shake it every once in a while or if I'm driving I'll put in the back, just to agitate it some. I will also put it in a pcv pipe and leave it on top of the dryer while the old lady does laundry.

Hope this helps.

Chris

 

[Racer]

I rarely clean most of my muzzle cans -- although I regularly clean the threads in the can (each time it gets removed). I used to clean the cans each time I shoot, but after reading from several mfgrs that the cans are actually a bit quieter if they have some carbon build-up, I stopped cleaning them. I do have to do lead removal on my CAC22 from time to time. I use a Outers Foulout II -- do not use this system on a suppressor that has any aluminum parts as it will attack the aluminum!!

I do however, clean my integral cans consistent with the mfgr recommendation--soak in solvent.

 

[Z06]

To quote Dr. Dater at the 2003 SAR Gun Show: "Clean your suppressors as often as you clean the mufflers on your car."
Good enough for me. -Z06:uzi

 

[Renegade]

Internals - Never.

Externals - always check threads and wipe with cloth after each use.

 

[Bobwire]

OOOOHHHH thank you guys so much for the info, I would have totally screwed the pooch on this one. I would have gone to work tomorrow thrown the parts in the ultrasonic and come back later wondering who stole my parts. Thanks again guys!!

 

[roarincreek]

I have taken my 9mm coastal can apart and cleaned it up a few times so far ,I have tried many liquids,and all are better than the smokey,smelly grease it came with .hand cleaner works good,high temp grease,with goop and 147 gr bullets and it is almost movie quiet.

 

[MuzzleFlash]

...hand cleaner works good,high temp grease,with goop and 147 gr bullets and it is almost movie quiet.

Goop hand cleaner? Which brand of grease?

Heck, Bowers recommends KY Vaginal cream! HTF he discovered it might make for an interesting bar story...:cool

Anyhow, I've been told recently that water-based ablatants are not good if you don't clean up immediately afterwards. I guess the heat, H20 and nitrates in unburned powder can create nitric or nitrous acids which are strong oxidixers of baffles, barrels and gun parts.

Anyone else have a take on this? I'm just repreating something I heard from a pretty smart small arms guy.

 

[John3]

I just spray mine inside with "WC-10 Suppressor Spray Oil" from Muscle Products Corp (MPC - the FP10 guys) after every shoot. I repeatedly tilt the can, and roll it around, and then drain off whatever will drool out each end. This seems to at least keep the gunk inside loose, instead of baked on.

Also important - this procedure of keeping the can very wet inside seems to eliminate first round pop.

I have always been worried about destroying the exterior finish and markings over time by total immersion in strong solvents.

Dr. Dater told me that he would personally clean or repair for free any of his cans that ever got really clogged up. John Tibbets says the same thing - no need to ever really get them clean.

Here's a link to the MPC product I use.

http://www.fp10.com/wc10info.htm

 

[Tommygun Guy]

For what it is worth, I e-mailed Clyde Wilson of Coastal Suppressors about this last year. For his suppressors, He recommended taking them apart and cleaning them about every 500 rnds. He also reccommended coating the innards with Lithium grease prior to reassembly.

 

[HK Shooter]

Cleaning

I just heard the opposite. I was told to always clean my suppressor after each shooting to maintain performance. Here are the instruction I got from Larry at CCF for my .45 Impulse II Carbon Fiber can:

1. remove the piston, wipe it off and then rinse with some mineral sprits
2. then take 3 - 4 ounces of mineral spirits, plug front end of can with you finger, pour in, clamp your palm over the back end (with the piston removed) and shake back and forth vigorously for a minute or two, then dump out
3. repeat
4. then let it drain with backend down in sunlight or just whip it so you are trying to throw any remaining liquid out the back end
5. still let it drain for a few minutes or longer if possible,
6. then recharge with the coolant
7. regrease the recoil booster body on the inside, put a little grease on the piston under the spring
8. re-install and put away

Not cleaning would only increase weight (carbon fouling) and degrade performance

 

[Racer]

I suspect that the cleaning that your manufacturer recommends has a lot more to do with continued function of the recoil booster rather than any carbon buildup on the baffles. Also, I notice that the directions are for recharging the coolant -- this is evidently necessary for max suppression from that particular can. In any event it is very good idea to follow the manufacturers advice -- they usually know their product and want it to work good for the customers.

 

[investorsc]

Does the Ultrasonic action "eat" the aluminum, or is it the effect of an acidic solution?

BRUCE

 

[carryaglock]

My Gemtec's just get a blast of compressed air once in a blue moon. I had some of them for years and thousands of rounds later, just like the day I got'um.

 

[piratesover40]

I talked to the owner of Coastal. He said if you feel you have to just soak the whole suppressor in WD40 for 24hrs. then blow air thru it.

 

[johnnywitt]

I just got a SPECTRE from Renegade. So now I shouldn't take it apart and clean it? I can see not cleaning a CF suppressor, but .22 sure gets dirty. Especially in FA.

 

[prebans]

I just heard the opposite. I was told to always clean my suppressor after each shooting to maintain performance. Here are the instruction I got from Larry at CCF for my .45 Impulse II Carbon Fiber can:

1. remove the piston, wipe it off and then rinse with some mineral sprits
2. then take 3 - 4 ounces of mineral spirits, plug front end of can with you finger, pour in, clamp your palm over the back end (with the piston removed) and shake back and forth vigorously for a minute or two, then dump out
3. repeat
4. then let it drain with backend down in sunlight or just whip it so you are trying to throw any remaining liquid out the back end
5. still let it drain for a few minutes or longer if possible,
6. then recharge with the coolant
7. regrease the recoil booster body on the inside, put a little grease on the piston under the spring
8. re-install and put away

Not cleaning would only increase weight (carbon fouling) and degrade performance

I don't argue that, but you've got a carbon fiber can. That's a very different animal than the metal cans most people own.

Mike