Carbon cleaning

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

Be careful with sonic cleaners, solvents and cans that are not titanium or stainless. I cleaned a can in the sonic cleaner, then dried it in the dehydrator I use to dry my brass at about 160 degrees. A couple days later I'm at the range, fired maybe a dozen rounds through the can. Set up to fire another round and the gun violently came out of the lead sled and hit me in the head. I was stunned, got up to check my head and make sure I wasn't injured too badly, thankfully just a minor cut. Then looked to the gun expecting to find a blown apart action or barrel. What I found was the outer sleeve of the can was completely gone. When I walked down range to retrieve targets, I found the can laying in the grass about 60 yards away if I recall correctly. I returned the can to the manufacturer, they promptly repaired and returned it with no explanation (likely concerned about liability). When I pressed them for an answer they said they don't recommend sonic cleaners or solvents. Hot soapy water, that's it.

Something had to come loose and misaligned for your Suppressor to blowup from a bullet strike. Using a "Sonic Cleaner or Solvent is not going to change the metal or alignment in a Suppressor.
The Sonic Cleaner may have "loosened" the baffles/threads. If you have a Suppressor that can be internally dissembled, you need to make sure everything is properly tightened before use. Probably why the manufacture doesn't recommend Sonic Cleaners. The vibration of a Sonic Cleaner will loosen everything up.
We have several Suppressors and clean in a Sonic Cleaner every several hundred rounds, mostly/especially with pistols. Surprising how much carbon particles end up in the bottom of the cleaner.

 

[JTH]

Something had to come loose and misaligned for your Suppressor to blowup from a bullet strike. Using a "Sonic Cleaner or Solvent is not going to change the metal or alignment in a Suppressor.
The Sonic Cleaner may have "loosened" the baffles/threads. If you have a Suppressor that can be internally dissembled, you need to make sure everything is properly tightened before use. Probably why the manufacture doesn't recommend Sonic Cleaners. The vibration of a Sonic Cleaner will loosen everything up.
We have several Suppressors and clean in a Sonic Cleaner every several hundred rounds, mostly/especially with pistols. Surprising how much carbon particles end up in the bottom of the cleaner.

I had just moved the suppressor from one rifle to another so I know it was tight. The one I have only has a removable brake on the end, which was also tight. There is an outer sleeve that is either held in place by a press fit or possibly a chemical weld, the baffles are in a sealed unit that's inside of this. It's a 30 cal suppressor, I had shot a dozen or so, maybe 20 (tops) rounds of 7mm Max before moving it to 300 win mag. It came apart on the next shot, sending the outer sleeve and brake down range. The internal baffle portion was intact and still threaded to the barrel.

I'm guessing maybe a portion of one of the baffles came loose and made contact with the end of the outer sleeve / suppressor as a bullet passed through, which is what sent it down range. I'd highly recommend following the manufacturer's directions on cleaning.

 

[Ucsdryder]

My TBAC is a breeze. Dump some CLR inside and about 4 hours later it comes out shiny clean. Rinse a couple of times and done!

 

[MW204]

I had just moved the suppressor from one rifle to another so I know it was tight. The one I have only has a removable brake on the end, which was also tight. There is an outer sleeve that is either held in place by a press fit or possibly a chemical weld, the baffles are in a sealed unit that's inside of this. It's a 30 cal suppressor, I had shot a dozen or so, maybe 20 (tops) rounds of 7mm Max before moving it to 300 win mag. It came apart on the next shot, sending the outer sleeve and brake down range. The internal baffle portion was intact and still threaded to the barrel.

I'm guessing maybe a portion of one of the baffles came loose and made contact with the end of the outer sleeve / suppressor as a bullet passed through, which is what sent it down range. I'd highly recommend following the manufacturer's directions on cleaning.

Did you measure the baffle holes, maybe they mismarked a 7mm max with a 30 cal?

 

[JTH]

Did you measure the baffle holes, maybe they mismarked a 7mm max with a 30 cal?

It's a 30 cal suppressor. Good for anything 30 cal and under. Baffles not accessible on this unit.

 

[parshal]

I use CLR. Plug the muzzle end with a foam ear plug, put it in a plastic pringles can and pour in the CLR. I leave it overnight. Pour it out in a jar, fill with water and shake. Weigh the can. If it's over the weight it was new I repeat this process until it's back to new weight. I've had some take more than 10 cycles to get back to new weight. Now, I do this process every few hundred rounds and it takes only a couple cycles. I've not had damaged cerakote using this process over multiple cans.

On my cans that can be take apart I run a barrel hone in the tube to get all the baked carbon off and chip away a the carbon on the baffles.

See this thread I started a while back on SH. Most people start by saying they never clean and then change their mind later in the thread. There's a ton of useful info in it if you want to read 10 pages.

 

[MW204]

It's a 30 cal suppressor. Good for anything 30 cal and under. Baffles not accessible on this unit.

I meant after it blew apart or the entry/exit hole.

 

[ButterBean]

I have several form 1 builds and I recently opened them up to check internal fouling.

1 came apart ok but required a little shaking and tapping to get the baffles and spacers out--- the others are being difficult. I got 1 baffle and spacer out but the others are kinda stuck in the tube with carbon fouling.

Tubes are titanium , some baffles/ spacers are ti, some are ss-- and the outside is cerakote hi temp.

I'm not sure about soaking the whole thing due to the cerakote-- any one use carbon cleaner to "soak" the inside to loosen up carbon deposits to remove the internals. ???

CLR

 

[hydehunter]

I use a sonic cleaner with white vinegar comes out super clean

 

[WileyC]

Nobody using "The Dip" these days? I remember when it was the go-to cleaner.