How to clean a suppressor

[Mac Attack]

How do you clean a suppressor that you cannot take apart? I have had my Outback for about a month now and have fired about 1k rounds through it. I have noticed that it is not performing as well now and believe it needs to be cleaned. So how do you do it? Thanks for your help.

Mac

[Hkmp5sd]

Contact the manufacturer and ask them. The ones I have do not require cleaning and I've pumped thousands of rounds through them.

[Benton]

I do not have an Outback, but do have a couple of .22 suppressors from other manufacturers. In my reading posts on various fora, however, I've not heard of the Outback giving problems after so few rounds.

Are you using the same types of ammo that you were when the can's performance was more satisfactory? I know that various ammunition types yield different levels of report. Also, I've read that automatic fire can contribute to more rapid accumulation of lead accumulation on baffles, sometimes interfering with a can's ability to suppress noise. I don't believe the Outback is designed for use on automatics though.

[Mac Attack]

Strangest thing happened today when I was shooting it. I normally shoot my suppressor dry and know that the first shot normally is much louder pop than the following shots. Well the first shot today was almost like I didn't have The suppressor on at all . Come to think of it I would say the first few rounds sounded like they were unsuppressed . I can't explain it .

To answer your question I have been using different brands trying to find the right combination for my firearm. I have been using ammo from the same brick of .22 LR as I had the past several hundred rounds.

Anyway, I looked at Gemtech's website and also looked through the pathetic owners manual that came with my suppressor on how to clean it. According to the owners manual it is ideal to clean the suppressor after 500 rounds to keep it's optimal sound suppression. The instructions say to clean with solvents such as WD40 or a mixture of mineral spirits and transmission fluids and let drain from the threaded side. After wards compressed air can be used to blow out the excess oils.

Mac

[Dark Tranquility]

Dude, you’ve put 1000 rounds through the thing and haven’t cleaned it! Man I absolutely cherish my suppressor. When I brought home my vortex 2, I cleaned it as per the instructions before I even fired the first shot. Whenever the suppressor is going to sit for any length of time more than a couple days it does so in a 1 inch tube of PVC pipe filled with WD-40.

.22 are so dirty, yours is probably packed with un-burnt powder. Here’s what I want you to do: Go to Home Depot and buy a half gallon jug of WD-40. Get yourself a clear glass jar deep enough for the suppressor. If you use a plastic jar is will start to lose its shape. WD-40 doesn’t seem to have any affect on PVC (which isn’t a plastic BTW). Put the suppressor into the jar and pour in the WD-40. Swish the suppressor up and down a couple times to make sure there are no trapped air bubbles. The suppressor will probably drink up a little so you will have to add more. Make sure the suppressor is completely submerged and let it sit there for a couple days. Just guessing here but you will probably have an inch or two of powder residue that will settle on the bottom after a couple days. At this point remove the suppressor and put it into a clean jar, with fresh oil. Take the old oil to Discount Auto Parts and dump it in their used motor oil tank.

Don’t worry about blowing out the oil with an air compressor. Just screw it on and fire it. It will dry out after about 20 or so shots.

If you really want to make it quiet add some water (distilled water please) shake it up and dump out the excess (or not).

BTW: The quietest bulk pack ammo is the Remington 36 grain bulk pack stuff. The Remington subsonic are (at least in a pistol) no quieter. The CCI sub-sonics are well worth the extra cost however, as they are RELLY quiet. The Aquila subsonics however is are favorites since it is a 40 grain solid projectile. I don’t want a hollow point in any caliber, but epically not in a .22. The Aquila doesn’t seem any louder that the CCI, but if I had to give an edge to one it would be the CCI. Whatever you do don’t try the 60 grain, it wont stabilize in the gun and will tear up all the internals of your suppressor.

Dan

[Mac Attack]

Dan,

Thank you very much for your help! I will go and pick up the supplies and start cleaning my suppressor.

Mac

[Dark Tranquility]

Good deal. Don’t get too excited, give it a couple days to really soak. Let me know how much you get out of it. The best advice I can give you is to make your self up a little container to hold the suppressor. Before I go shooting I take it out, pour out the excess, go out side and shake out any more I can (I don’t go over board, just shake it a couple times), and go shooting. When I return I drop it back in the oil until I go shooting again. Let us know how much crap comes out.

So what kind of gun do you have it mounted on?

BTW: I picked up a can of CRC white lithium grease at discount auto parts yesterday. It seems to add a nice artificial environment with out dripping out like water or oil. I’m still experimenting with it though.

Dan

[Wozzer]

Re: dumping WD40 in the motor oil tank - this sounds pretty bad, are you sure you're supposed to put WD40 in that tank (I think probably not)?

[Hkmp5sd]

dumping WD40 in the motor oil tank

It is a waste oil tank, so dumping used petroleum products is what it is designed for.

[Mac Attack]

Wow I thought I posted a reply but guess it didn't sent.

About 2 weeks ago I cleaned my suppressor just as Dark Tranquility suggested. Rather than give it couple of days I let it sit for a week. I wasn't sure if I should have the threads down or up as it soaked so I did it both ways for a few days each. The color of the WD40 changed dramatically from a translucent golden color to a hazy white opaque glob. At the bottom of the glass I used to soak it it there was about 2 inches of this white sediment intermixed with black specks.

Anyways, after a week of soaking I pulled my suppressor out of it's bath, gave it a few generous shakes, connected it to my Walther P22 and test fired it. The sound suppression was excellent and I would even fathom to say that it was better than I had ever heard it. My Gemtech Outback is squeaky clean and is ready for a weekend of shooting fun.

Anyways, thanks DT for your suggestions.

Mark

[MrPink]

I soak my suppressors in a product called Carbon Cutter (??? or something Carbon, I'll look it up when I get home). Don't need to soak it for a week, maybe just a few hours and then blow it out with compressed air. Works well for gun parts too.