Cleaning a .22 suppressor?

[MatthewVanitas]

Since we don't have an NFA forum here, thought this would be the closest.

I bought an integrally-suppressed Ruger MkII recently, most cool.

I had the work done by John's Guns, since his version has a screw-on endcap which can be removed by the owner for cleaning. Other "sealed" cans require you to send them back to the mfg every X many rounds to be broken down, cleaned, and rebuilt.

I opened it up after, say, 200rds of copper-washed .22LR. Took off the cap and pulled out six "baffles", little cone-like aluminum critters, all good.

Here's the catch: whatever crud lives in .22 cans is _tough_. Some of the crud came off with just a little toothbrush work and solvent. However, there's a dense layer of junk on certain parts of the baffles which doesn't come off with solvent, scrubbing, or extended soaking in hot/soapy water.

I understand this is typical of .22 baffles, that the crud inherent is tough due to lube, unburned powder, and vaporized lead. Does anyone have any experience getting this stuff off, other than using a tumbler or cabinet of coarse media to abrade it off?

I'll call the mfg for his input too, but IIRC he just said that it "does take some work to get the baffles clean".

Thanks for any tips. The can is cool, but it'd be great to find the most efficient way to scrub the critter out.

-MV

 

[rockstar.esq]

My guess is that if the baffles are aluminum, you'd be safe using the carburetor dunk tank stuff available at auto parts stores. That stuff liquefies all sorts of plastics and rubbers so you might want to be double sure that there aren't any on the parts prior to taking the plunge. Further, it might remove any sort of finish like parkerizing, I don't know what it would do to anodized parts. On internal parts that might not be an issue. Another completely different path might be an ultrasonic cleaner which might get it clean without anything caustic.

 

[Broke]

Be careful with aluminum and an ultrasonic cleaner, as the energy found in the imploding air bubbles is great enough to cause cavitation damage to aluminum.

Ally is soft enough the ultrasonic will pit it. If left alone, it'll eat aluminum up.

I'd glass bead blast the baffles clean if it were me, as shown here http://www.silencerresearch.com/tac_67.htm

Broke

 

[rockstar.esq]

Interesting. I'd never heard that about aluminum and ultrasonic cleaners. I did come up with another idea. I've obtained a steam cleaning device. Similar to this one:

http://4-asseenontv.stores.yahoo.net/scunhanhelst.html

It'll loosen the hardest burnt on stuff stuck to my BBQ so I'm guessing that you'll find it works great on your suppressor.

 

[gezzer]

Dirty cans shoot quieter IMHO

 

[Broke]

It'll loosen the hardest burnt on stuff stuck to my BBQ so I'm guessing that you'll find it works great on your suppressor.

Your BBQ isn't exposed to a mist of vaporized lead over and over.

The unburned powders, carbon, and other debris isn't too bad to remove, it is the spatter of lead that gets vaporized and re-formed on the surface of the baffles with each shot that is a pain to remove.

The lead provides a layer of protection over the carbon, preventing you from getting to it. Even if you manage to knock it free of the baffles, you'll never get the chunks out of the sealed suppressor.

Dirty cans shoot quieter IMHO

To a point.

A small amount of carbon on the baffles surfaces can help in the dissipation of the sound, providing an irregular surface and greater surface area on the baffle, but as it fills with lead and carbon, you lose the volume of space inside the unit that once was able to contain the volume of hot gasses produced with each shot. This makes it louder.

Tactical Solutions states on their site they have had cans ship out new at 4.1 ounces, and have been returned at over 12 ounces from lead build up. A slightly used can will suppress more than a brand new one....but when it fills up, it is junk. It starts to become more of a barrel extension than a suppressor.

I saw a signature line I thought was quite clever.... "sealed 22 cans are like the Taliban.... they fill up with lead and quit working."

Broke

 

[Mac Attack]

I clean my Gemtech Outback II every 500 rounds or so. Like someone else said, it seems to get more quite the dirtier it gets. I never heard of having to send it back to the manufacture for service.

The Outback is a closed suppressor. The way I clean mine is to put it into a container deep enough to hold the whole can and then put WD40 or Hoppes #9. I leave it sitting in the solution for a day or so and once or twice flip it in the container. You would be surprised how much gunk ends up at the bottom of the container.

 

[Broke]

My sealed integral MKII Ruger was getting louder and louder by the time I got to 5000 rounds, and I sold it off at 6500 rounds because it was just as loud as any other muzzle can (and doing nothing but getting louder), but I couldn't open it to clean it, so it is now not my problem

Broke

 

[only1asterisk]

I had a good friend (who has now gone to his reward) that came up with the best method I have ever seen. He filled the can up 75-80% full of solvent and stuck it in a pneumatic paint shaker he had adapted for this specific purpose.

David

 

[MatthewVanitas]

but I couldn't open it to clean it, so it is now not my problem

cans ship out new at 4.1 ounces, and have been returned at over 12 ounces from lead build up.

This is why I bought a user-serviceable can. The only downside: now I have no excuse not to get it nice and clean.

I soaked the baffles in soapy water for a day, got more crud off them. Will go out and shoot it today, note how the volume changes as it gets dirtier.

Am I correct in assuming that copper-washed ammo will splatter less lead inside my baffles than uncoated rounds? Or will it just splatter lead AND copper onto my baffles?

-MV

 

[Correia]

I squirt mine with brake cleaner once in awhile, swish them around, and pour it out. Seems to remove quite a bit of stuff.

 

[quatin]

LOL i was about to say that. Everytime someone says..."I need help getting this crap off" the answer is brake fluid . However, I wonder if it will strip the finish if some get splattered.

 

[waterhouse]

Slip 2000 makes a "carbon killer" or something like that. I've only shot my .22 can a couple times but the baffles clean up really well after soaking in that stuff.

 

[farscott]

I soak my integral Ruger Mark II and my Seahunter in Kroil for a few days. The Mark II comes apart for cleaning and the Kroil is good at getting underneath the fouling.