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Old June 26, 2019, 10:56 AM   #5
Theohazard
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Join Date: April 19, 2012
Location: Western PA
Posts: 3,829
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pops1085 View Post
Couple of quick questions, I've heard there are things called boosters (?) that you need to use to make sure the slide reciprocates.
Virtually all current-production centerfire pistol silencers come with a booster assembly (though sometimes you have to buy the correct booster piston for your barrel’s thread pitch). With most pistol silencers it’s actually more difficult to run the can without a booster since you either need to buy a separate direct-thread adaptor that replaces the entire booster assembly, or you need to buy a fixed-barrel spacer that replaces the spring that goes around the piston in the booster assembly.

Basically, this is my complicated way of saying that it’s almost always cheaper and easier to run a pistol can with a booster than without.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Pops1085 View Post
Does a Beretta 92 need one?
Probably not, depending on the can. That said, it won’t hurt anything to use one since the 92 doesn’t have a fixed barrel, and it’ll almost certainly be cheaper than buying the extra parts to remove or negate the booster mechanism. I have an M9A3 and I run it with the booster assembly on my Octane 9 and it works just fine.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Pops1085 View Post
Secondly, if I use a suppressor, will it affect reliability or parts longevity after I stop using one?
I haven’t noticed an obvious acceleration in parts wear on my Glock 19 host (the only centerfire handgun I shoot regularly with a silencer) other than the recoil spring. A silencer gets hot quickly, and that heat extends to the firearm too. I’ve noticed that I have to replace my Gen 3’s recoil spring more often than the recommended 3k rounds, probably because it gets hotter than normal. But I’ve also done a few high-volume torture tests with my setup where the gun got super-hot, so I might be an outlier.

The main thing you’ll notice about running a silencer is that it will make the gun way more dirty than normal shooting.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Pops1085 View Post
Thirdly, I hear conflicting reports on wheather or not you need to actually clean a suppressor. Some come apart, others are machined that way somehow.
General rules of thumb as far as cleaning silencers:

1) You don’t need to clean a rifle silencer: the thin build-up of carbon helps protect the baffles and makes the can a smidge quieter. The carbon doesn’t get too thick since the high pressure of a rifle blasts out any excess carbon. The vast majority of rifle silencers have baffles that are sealed and can’t be removed, and this makes the can lighter and stronger.

2) It’s helpful to be able to take apart a pistol silencer, but not required. Yes, there is carbon build-up on the baffles, but it takes a very large round count to effect anything. If the carbon gets too thick and you want to clean it, there are various cleaning methods that don’t require disassembly (however, most current pistol silencers can be disassembled). The only part on a centerfire pistol can that requires regular cleaning is the piston assembly, which is always removable. If the piston assembly gets too dirty a locked-breech pistol can stop cycling properly.

Generally speaking, there are currently two main types of centerfire pistol silencers: first, the “traditional” types that have an outer tube with a stack (or monocore) of removable baffles, and second, there’s a recent trend of sealed pistol cans where the baffles are welded into one piece and aren’t able to be disassembled, and there’s no outer tube. These welded cans are usually rated for 300 Blackout supers (most regular pistol cans are just rated for subs) because they’re stronger. They’re also usually better for full-auto fire.

My pistol can is an Octane 9 that has the normal tube with removable baffles. I’ve put thousands of rounds through it and I’ve cleaned it several times, but each time it really didn’t need it. Sure, it was carboned up, but not enough to affect performance.

3) You probably want to clean a rimfire silencer on a semi-regular basis. 22 LR is a dirty round that is copper plated at best, so you’re going to get a lot of carbon and lead build up. Add in the smaller volume of a rimfire can, and it’s going to get dirty way faster than a pistol can, and the lead is going to be a lot harder to clean out than just carbon alone. That said, you can go a long time without cleaning your 22 silencer and not experience a noticeable drop in performance. Odd Job is a moderator over on THR and he’s done tests where he’s put 10s of thousands of rounds though his 22 silencers without cleaning them. He noticed the cans getting heavier, but not noticeably louder. However, he lives in a country where silencers are cheaper and easier to get than they are here, so he’s not as worried about his silencer investment as we are.


Quote:
Originally Posted by Pops1085 View Post
Lastly, I've been doing a little bit of digging, but is there a huge difference in sound suppression qualities between brand types or is the cost difference more a reflection of the quality of the components?
The difference in quietness of various silencers has less to do with the manufacturers and more to do with the design. A large, long can with baffles specifically designed for that caliber will tend to be quieter than a smaller can or a can that’s over-bored. For example, a .45 can is generally a tad louder when shooting 9mm than the equivalent 9mm can is. But .45 cans are often larger, so that can help negate the difference (or at least make it unnoticeable). Also, often you can buy a 9mm endcap for your .45 can, which will make it quieter when shooting 9mm.

Some companies make “shorty” pistol cans that are lighter and more maneuverable but are quite a bit louder. But a recent trend has been for cans that can be shortened: you run it in the long configuration for maximum suppression but you have the option to shorten it for a louder, but more maneuverable, set-up.
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Last edited by Theohazard; June 26, 2019 at 03:25 PM.
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