Cleaning baffle stacks

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  • lazarus

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 23, 2015
    13,678
    Finally headed to the range with my new to me rimfire silencer (is way new, but it’s been sitting in my FFL’s safe for 10 months). Post range use, take out the baffle stacks I’d clean it? No idea how many I am going to put down the pipe. Let’s estimate 100 rounds.

    Can I drop the stack in to a case tumbler with walnut media to clean it? It’s an Element 2 if that helps.

    I assume I don’t want to drop the tube in also.

    Or other suggestions for cleaning it?

    Or do I really not need to clean it that often. Between range uses I’ll likely put the occasional round through it keeping ground hogs and squirrels in check (the later in the appropriate season of course). If I am really just running, say, a dozen or so rounds between range trips through it, should I bother cleaning it in there at all? Break the end cap off and make sure the baffle stack is loose?

    Or am I really concerned about nothing and I should be planning to clean it every few hundred rounds?

    Thanks!
     

    woodline

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 8, 2017
    1,947
    Suppressors are like firearms in that we are more likely to damage them from too much cleaning/fussing than from neglect. I clean my rimfire cans every 500-1000 rounds or so. Probably biased toward 1000. Is the element's baffle stack steel, titanium, or a combination? Either way walnut is probably fine. I just soak cans in solvent and then use some elbow grease to get off what I can. The only build up I would take seriously is along the bore, for obvious reasons. Otherwise, meh. The can will benefit from minor build up on the baffles anyway.
     

    Oswaldo87

    Active Member
    Feb 1, 2020
    151
    Frederick County
    My 22 can is full stainless so I use “The Dip”. I clean after 500+ rounds. Kind of like seeing how much gets built up. Might just let it go all the way and see what happens.
     

    MacGuns

    Ultimate Member
    Jan 14, 2013
    1,899
    Damascus
    I went two years without cleaning mine. I estimate I had about 3000 rounds through mine based on my competition schedule. This is what mine looked like.

    i-Sp2mN4Q-L.jpg


    I let them soak in CLR for 24 hours. My baffles are stainless, so I don't need to worry about damage from the chemicals.

    i-H9pR2mC-L.jpg
    51qcj0sZPaL._AC_.jpg


    Poured out the liquid and sludge into a coffee can for later disposal after 24 hours. Then a quick rinse with water and here is the result.

    i-XN6ph5S-L.jpg


    I learned this method from 22LRMarksmen
     

    alucard0822

    For great Justice
    Oct 29, 2007
    17,643
    PA
    A dry tumbler won't do crap, have tried lightly fouled baffles for days and nothing. Ti or Steel can be cleaned with CLR or "the dip", wet tumbling or an Ultrasonic, aluminum is far more limited. Wet with pins does a decent job, ultrasonic can be hit or miss, chemical cleaning works best with minimal effort, but the spent cleaner is toxic. I use a light coat of silicone oil on the inside of the can and coat the baffles, it helps keep fouling from sticking, then it cleans in a few minutes in the ultrasonic cleaner. As others have mentioned you don't need to clean it often or spotless, just enough to keep fouling and added weight down. The best performance is with a slightly dirty can.
     

    outrider58

    Eats Bacon Raw
    MDS Supporter
    Jul 29, 2014
    49,818
    A dry tumbler won't do crap, have tried lightly fouled baffles for days and nothing. Ti or Steel can be cleaned with CLR or "the dip", wet tumbling or an Ultrasonic, aluminum is far more limited. Wet with pins does a decent job, ultrasonic can be hit or miss, chemical cleaning works best with minimal effort, but the spent cleaner is toxic. I use a light coat of silicone oil on the inside of the can and coat the baffles, it helps keep fouling from sticking, then it cleans in a few minutes in the ultrasonic cleaner. As others have mentioned you don't need to clean it often or spotless, just enough to keep fouling and added weight down. The best performance is with a slightly dirty can.
    DOT #5 brake fluid is a great source for this. I do not recommend soaking the threaded parts in it though. It makes them difficult to keep threaded tight.
     

    lazarus

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 23, 2015
    13,678
    So sounds like getting pins and wet tumbling should be fine for SS baffles. Also I probably really only need to worry about cleaning it every few hundred rounds. Maybe pushing 1k.

    Knowing how often I run my 10/22, probably once a year.
     

    rayrevolver

    Active Member
    Jul 26, 2012
    422
    So sounds like getting pins and wet tumbling should be fine for SS baffles. Also I probably really only need to worry about cleaning it every few hundred rounds. Maybe pushing 1k.

    Knowing how often I run my 10/22, probably once a year.

    Thats what I do. Bought the single barrel tumbler from HF and some SS pins.

    Find a coupon first. I want to say this was $42 shipped for me.
    https://www.harborfreight.com/3-lb-rotary-rock-tumbler-67631.html

    I also use this setup for cleaning up brass. If you are going to reload then you might want a bigger tumbler.
     

    rayrevolver

    Active Member
    Jul 26, 2012
    422
    i-H9pR2mC-L.jpg
    51qcj0sZPaL._AC_.jpg


    Poured out the liquid and sludge into a coffee can for later disposal after 24 hours. Then a quick rinse with water and here is the result.

    Is the resulting CLR+sludge a similar hazard to the dip? That looks easier than wet tumbling!

    I also used the brake fluid trick to coat the baffles. Not sure if it helped after 1000 rounds, but its easy enough to do.
     

    MacGuns

    Ultimate Member
    Jan 14, 2013
    1,899
    Damascus
    Is the resulting CLR+sludge a similar hazard to the dip? That looks easier than wet tumbling!

    I also used the brake fluid trick to coat the baffles. Not sure if it helped after 1000 rounds, but its easy enough to do.

    Yes the CLR+Sludge will be toxic with lead. You should dispose of it responsibly.
     

    Sundazes

    My brain hurts
    MDS Supporter
    Nov 13, 2006
    21,304
    Arkham
    Any suggestions where to properly dispose of? My local landfill only takes twice a year which is a PITA.

    I have used the DIP several times. I let is evaporate slowly in the jar. I loosen the lid and leave in the shed in a secured place. The lead is left behind and still in the jar, but the toxic liquid is gone. It does take a while though.
     

    Pinecone

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 4, 2013
    28,175
    I have used the DIP several times. I let is evaporate slowly in the jar. I loosen the lid and leave in the shed in a secured place. The lead is left behind and still in the jar, but the toxic liquid is gone. It does take a while though.

    The powder left is still soluble lead, not elemental lead.

    So proper disposal is difficult.
     

    lazarus

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 23, 2015
    13,678
    When you take it to the dump, do you just leave it in a container and label it "lead acetate" or something? It always makes me curious how the hazardous waste guys know how to handle the different stuff.

    Got to the range finally. All my handloads (first time loading!) worked perfectly. So that was pretty awesome. Chorno (first time using one) also worked perfectly. New barrel (16.1") on my 10/22 was meh. Winchester usually isn't that accurate for me and the Winchester Subs proved that. I attached the silencer and holy heck! My group sizes dropped by at least 50%. 50yd groups were running 1.5-2" with Winchester 45 and 40gr subs and went down to about a silver dollar size for 10 shot groups. CCI Suppressor was the best at closer to quarter size 50yd groups (also much smaller groups with the silencer on, but didn't shrink as much).

    Silly quiet also. Sadly guys were blazing away on the other pistol range so I couldn't shoot with ears off (though I did pull out one ear plug for a couple of seconds just to pop off a couple. I'll be honest I've never done a mag dump in my life (largely because the ranges I use that's pretty frowned on). But I did dump a 10 round mag through the silencer because it was just so silly stupid quiet. It felt like a quieter paintball gun.

    I did find Aguila subs don't work in the gun. Also CCI Quiet semi-autos didn't really want to run. Which is odd because they worked fine in the 18" barrel. Maybe just some break-in needed or something? Aguilas were massively short stroking, not picking up the next ground. Mostly the same with the CCI Quiet semi-autos, but the last 3 in the mag ran just fine. Weird. I've run at least 150 through the 18" barrel with no issues.

    I didn't have enough time to run a lot with the silencer off. Just ran a mag to get it zeroed and then slapped the silencer on for about 60 rounds or so of a few different ammos to try out.
     

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