DK Firearms

How Often Do You Clean Your Suppressor?

The #1 community for Gun Owners of the Gulf Coast States

Member Benefits:

  • Fewer Ads!
  • Discuss all aspects of firearm ownership
  • Discuss anti-gun legislation
  • Buy, sell, and trade in the classified section
  • Chat with Local gun shops, ranges, trainers & other businesses
  • Discover free outdoor shooting areas
  • View up to date on firearm-related events
  • Share photos & video with other members
  • ...and so much more!
  • RackinRay

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    13   0   0
    Joined
    Sep 28, 2012
    Messages
    3,538
    Points
    113
    Location
    Pensacola, west side.
    Shot a few more rounds out of my .30 cal can today and thought, I wonder how often I should clean it? I probably have 50 rounds total through it.

    I know rimfire runs more dirty, but how often do you clean a center fire can?
     

    FLT

    Master
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Joined
    May 15, 2017
    Messages
    3,847
    Points
    113
    Location
    Havana
    You are going to get a lot of different answers, my center fire rifle cans don’t get cleaned . They aren’t user serviceable. I have a thunderbeast that has several thousand rounds through it and it looks about the same as it did with a hundred rounds fired. I don’t use lead bullets and believe that makes a big deference in how dirty they get. I wouldn’t shoot lead in anything I couldn’t clean.
     

    Daezee

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    13   0   0
    Joined
    Dec 17, 2012
    Messages
    3,354
    Points
    113
    Location
    Milton
    I clean my 30 cal suppressors every time I clean my cars' mufflers. On the other hand, I clean the mount portion of my Gemtech Quicksand about once a year.
     

    kendive

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    1   0   0
    Joined
    Dec 22, 2012
    Messages
    2,084
    Points
    113
    Location
    offline
    I clean my 30 cal suppressors every time I clean my cars' mufflers. On the other hand, I clean the mount portion of my Gemtech Quicksand about once a year.

    Same here. I have own suppressors since 2000 and I have cleaned one because I got bored. So I whipped up a simple green and soap solution in my Frankford Arsenal Rotary Tumbler stuck the Gemtech 9mm Trinity suppressor in there let it run for about an hour and man it was shiny inside again. Would I do that again? Probably not I just wanted to see what would happen. No there was no media in the tumbler when I did this... Just Dish Soap and Simple Green.

    Also it did remove the BROWNELLS ALUMA-HYDE II FDE Paint I had on it, but I wanted that off also so I could change the color of the can again.

    Also to add the Gemtech Outback II .22 can was my first suppressor that I owned and I have never cleaned it and don't plan too.

    As mentioned above I do clean the mounts and L.I.D. (Linear Inertial Decoupler) such as the 9mm and .45 cans use.





    .
     
    Last edited:

    RackinRay

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    13   0   0
    Joined
    Sep 28, 2012
    Messages
    3,538
    Points
    113
    Location
    Pensacola, west side.
    Thanks for the responses guys.

    Daezee; on "I clean my 30 cal suppressors every time I clean my cars' mufflers", I have to ask how often is that? I suspect it is sarcasm, but I really suck at picking up on sarcasm. This is even worse when I do not know the person writing or speaking.
     

    bigbirney

    Expert
    Rating - 100%
    2   0   0
    Joined
    Jan 3, 2017
    Messages
    320
    Points
    28
    Location
    Milton
    Have 3 and never cleaned any. I've heard / read that 22lr suppressors can build up gunk and should be cleaned. Meh. I've got a gemtech outback I've put untold thousands threw and never cleaned. Incidentally have put prob 20k+ rounds threw a ruger 22/45 and only clean it when it starts jamming.


    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
     

    Daezee

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    13   0   0
    Joined
    Dec 17, 2012
    Messages
    3,354
    Points
    113
    Location
    Milton
    Thanks for the responses guys.

    Daezee; on "I clean my 30 cal suppressors every time I clean my cars' mufflers", I have to ask how often is that? I suspect it is sarcasm, but I really suck at picking up on sarcasm. This is even worse when I do not know the person writing or speaking.

    It’s an old suppressor joke. As long as cast bullets or .22 rimfire are not used, many feel cleaning is not needed. In my oldest 30 cal suppressor I did have some buildup in the first chamber from firing thousands of M160 frangible bullets. Firing full power jacketed bullets blasted the vast majority of it away.

    One maker did send me some suppressor cleaning fluid safe for all metal including aluminum, but I have not done anything with it so far.
     

    kendive

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    1   0   0
    Joined
    Dec 22, 2012
    Messages
    2,084
    Points
    113
    Location
    offline
    One maker did send me some suppressor cleaning fluid safe for all metal including aluminum, but I have not done anything with it so far.

    Interesting.

    I looked at one of the manuals that came with my Gemtech suppressors a long time ago and remember it had directions on how to make a cleaning solution with mineral spirits and transmission fluid. Never tried it.

    How to clean your Suppressor from Silencer Shop:

    https://www.silencershop.com/blog/post/how-to-clean-my-silencer
     

    donr101395

    Master
    Super Moderator
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Joined
    Jan 26, 2013
    Messages
    2,984
    Points
    83
    Location
    Crestview
    Interesting.

    I looked at one of the manuals that came with my Gemtech suppressors a long time ago and remember it had directions on how to make a cleaning solution with mineral spirits and transmission fluid. Never tried it.

    How to clean your Suppressor from Silencer Shop:

    https://www.silencershop.com/blog/post/how-to-clean-my-silencer
    Ed's Red, they include the recipe, but say it's not necessary.

    Sent from my moto g(6) using Tapatalk
     

    Dan1612

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    28   0   0
    Joined
    Sep 5, 2013
    Messages
    10,600
    Points
    113
    Location
    Pensacola
    Never.
    But then I don’t own a rimfire, and I don’t shoot lead.
    Come to think of it, I do have some syntech, and the lead does peek through on some bullets. But I got them as match bullets, not really for the suppressor. I do wonder though.
     

    RackinRay

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    13   0   0
    Joined
    Sep 28, 2012
    Messages
    3,538
    Points
    113
    Location
    Pensacola, west side.
    Interesting saying Daezee. I will have to remember that one!

    I pulled up the first pdf manual I could find on one of my cans. Here is what it says:

    "Maintenance and Cleaning: Because the Osprey has such a substantial amount of internal volume, there is no need to regularly clean the baffles. When you do want to clean the baffles, soak the silencer in a hydrocarbon-based solvent such as WD-40 and certain mineral spirits and/or lacquer thinners. Then, remove the Osprey and blow out the internals with pressurized air, shake all the liquid out, and let dry. The Nielsen device, or booster, should be regularly cleaned. Remove the booster and disassemble all the parts (refer to the “booster disassembly” section). Using an abrasive brush and/or a scotch bright pad and solvent, scrub the components free of the carbon build up. When finished apply white lithium grease to the O-ring inside the spring retainer, assemble the booster and install into the back of the Osprey. NOTE: Do not use sand paper to clean the booster as it may ruin the precision finish and may cause malfunction."

    Makes sense, but I will not worry about the booster until I have several hundred rounds since I also shoot only jacketed ammo in mine.
     

    kanaka

    Expert
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Joined
    Sep 30, 2012
    Messages
    119
    Points
    18
    Ed's Red looks like the home brewed version of Kroil. Yes, late to the party.......
     

    RackinRay

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    13   0   0
    Joined
    Sep 28, 2012
    Messages
    3,538
    Points
    113
    Location
    Pensacola, west side.
    Odd since I started this thread. Today I went to the range and shot a few rifles and one handgun. One rifle was my Marlin Papoose. After getting it re-sighted in at 25 yards following having it threaded, I spun my Specter II on and fire a few rounds. I was using CCI RNL target loads, and the newer CCI Segmented sub-sonic plated HP.

    Suddenly, on a fresh target I could not see where it was printing at 25 yards. I did notice that there appeared to be slight impact damage on the target as viewed through my spotting scope. I took off the can, and shot 5 more. I could still not see where it was hitting.

    I then thought to check the barrel, and the barrel nut was loose despite me using the wrench to torque it on. I again used the wrench to torque the barrel nut tight, and shot five. Back on target! Spun the Specter II back on, and poof; not printing on paper again. I took the can off; and bam, back on target. Looking through the can, I could see some crap in the line of sight so I put it away.

    After I got home, I tore it down and it needed cleaning. I wonder if when the barrel came loose, a round made a partial baffle strike? I saw no damage to any baffles, but it was not really that badly fouled up. I cleaned it with solvent as recommended (every thousand rounds) and reassembled. I am sure I only have less that 500 rounds through it. Guess I will see next trip if that cured it or not.

    Just wondered if anyone else had ran across this or read/heard of it?
     

    Daezee

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    13   0   0
    Joined
    Dec 17, 2012
    Messages
    3,354
    Points
    113
    Location
    Milton
    Does the suppressor look aligned with the bore? Do you have a 22 cal suppressor alignment gage or a perfectly straight rod to check the alignment?
     

    RackinRay

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    13   0   0
    Joined
    Sep 28, 2012
    Messages
    3,538
    Points
    113
    Location
    Pensacola, west side.
    Daezee, the suppressor looked fine and shot fine until the barrel came loose. I do not have an alignment gauge, but JJ has done all my threading and never an issue, so I trust what he did. The first thing I did when I got home was spin the can on and use a straight brass cleaning rod with a straight brass patch jig to check and try to confirm can to bore alignment.

    First pass in I felt some slight resistance, but that was gone when I took it out and passed it through again. I believe the loose barrel may have cause a RNL bullet to shave off in the can; and after all following were similarly affected, and would not impact anywhere on target at 25 yards.

    No damaged baffles, and clean as a pin now. I will torque check that barrel more often while shooting suppressed in the future!
     

    RackinRay

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    13   0   0
    Joined
    Sep 28, 2012
    Messages
    3,538
    Points
    113
    Location
    Pensacola, west side.
    Checking the manual during the cleaning I noticed that said that the can was threaded for .4" in the mount. I had measured my 10-22 and had the Marlin threaded for .5". Not understanding how that could have had any impact on POI (bad pun), but just to ensure that could not have had any play I installed the cleaned can with an AR crush washer and checked alignment with straight rod. All seemed well, so I test fired two sub-sonic rounds through it this morning. Both exited perfectly to point of aim,

    What ever the issue, seems fine now.
     

    Latest posts

    Top Bottom