How often do you clean your rifle suppressor?

[USAFRet]

I got my Banish 30 today. Since I ordered the baffle removal tool, I was trying to research cleaning. In my research, I see many folks not even breaking it down, but putting it into a sonic cleaner with solvent. I was also reading one article that said 10s of thousands of rounds before cleaning a rifle suppressor, if not ever cleaning it at all.

A few questions for suppressor owners...

How often do you clean your suppressor?
How do you know when it needs to be cleaned?
Do you not clean it at all?

Would love to hear folks thoughts and experiences.

 

[GSRetrievers]

I've had a surefire since late 2000s and never cleaned it, with well over 25k rounds. I may should but I haven't.

 

[QuietTexan]

How often do you clean your suppressor?

Never have cleaned a centerfire can. Barbour Creek put up a video of him "cleaning" a Lane can by jackhammering on it with an air hammer and sliding the cover off. So I bought one to see if I can make it dirty enough to actually need to clean one. Other than that I just unscrew the bits every so often and they seem fine.

How do you know when it needs to be cleaned?

In theory when it gains weight. Mine haven't though, and I have the weight when new written down to combare back against.

Do you not clean it at all?

Figure there's no need if they still shoot well.

 

[ObiWanKannoli]

Weigh it clean, and go from there. It's an easy way to to keep track of carbon build up. TBAC recommends cleaning every 1 gram of build up I believe on their cans Precision rifle / bolt action can I will probably clean once a year. I just throw it in an ultrasonic cleaner I got on amazon. My hard use 5.56 cans...maybe ever couple thousand rounds I clean.

 

[Ucsdryder]

I clean before hunting season regardless of use. I had a gun become a paperweight from carbon flakes falling out of the suppressor into the action while packing in (gun attached to my pack with barrel up).

I use TBAC suppressors so cleaning is simple. Plug small hole, fill with CLR, set it aside for a few hours, repeat.

Pro tip…CLR will "bubble" on a dirty suppressor, so fill it 3/4 full, let it settle down, then fill up. You don't want CLR overflowing onto the nitriding on the outside, it'll eat it.

 

[SDPlinker]

A few questions for suppressor owners...

How often do you clean your suppressor?
I clean approximately 100-300 rounds, I do not log the rounds.
How do you know when it needs to be cleaned?
I dont, just guess approximately as it is just a preventative measure.
Do you not clean it at all?
Usually, the folks that do not clean is those who cannot disassemble to clean.

I just put the baffles in the stainless pin tumbler, use a stainless bore brush on the tube after letting it sit overnight with Hoppes 9 inside.
I use the same as you purchased.

 

[Mike D Texas]

I own a dozen suppressors and only 2 have ever been cleaned and they are rimfire cans.

Marketing snake oil by SC and their Banish center fire cans.

 

[crazymonkey]

I have the same can and cleaned it at a few hundred rounds . Mixed time from bolt gun to ar15. Make sure to antiseize the threads . There's been alot of carbon locked cans from not doing this. I'm no different and forgot one time and it's a mother fu$$er to get apart. Soaked the baffles in clr and brushed . Rinse good with water . Don't get clr on the tube it's known to eventually take the finish off.

 

[OFtrash]

When I only had one can I would use it on both center fire and rim fire. But would only clean it when going from rim fire to center fire as everyone knows how dirty rimfire is. Now I have a dedicated rim fire can. My centerfire is a Griffin Paladin and Is user serviceable. I take it apart from time to time to inspect and it still gets pretty nasty but no where near as my rimfire.

 

[BachelorJack]

Wow.

I have close to 30 cans.

The only cans that need to be cleaned are rimfire. Period. The end.

 

[Schw15]

My ultra 9 I cleaned 1 time in under a year. Thunderbeast says to clean by weight of suppressor or every 1000 to 2000 rounds. I cleaned mine after 2000 rds. I just sent it to them pay for shipping and they clean it really good and recoat the can on outside. I could clean it with clr cheaper but I figured they do a good job and the finish looks new again and only missing can 3 weeks or so.

In those 2000 rds they said my can was extremely dirty. I'm going to slow down shooting so I only have to clean it every 2 years is the plan. That's 2 barrels worth in my chamber

 

[BrentM]

I clean mine nearly every time I clean my rifle of carbon. I used to not clean it until I started getting big chunks of carbon falling back down into my chamber and action. It created a mess and issues with firing rounds. I just use CLR now let it soak for a few hours or even over night and rinse it out. This photo is about 150 rounds. I started getting small chunks recently and realized I forgot to clean it last time I cleaned the rifle. With a consistent cleaning process it is super easy. Inside my can looks like it is new and shiny. Here's the thing, I am sure someone will baulk at this, I really don't give a sheet about their opinion about it. This is my rifle, my can, and my experience. I am sure I have more photos buried in my phone of some of the absolute nastiness that came out of these cans at some point, but I think you get the idea.

 

[MOA or bust]

On the Banish 30, I would suggest you break loose the threads between the long section and the two baffle extension after every firing. If you don't do this, it eventually becomes extremely difficult to take apart. I clean mine about every 200 rounds.

 

[Schw15]

I clean mine nearly every time I clean my rifle of carbon. I used to not clean it until I started getting big chunks of carbon falling back down into my chamber and action. It created a mess and issues with firing rounds. I just use CLR now let it soak for a few hours or even over night and rinse it out. This photo is about 150 rounds. I started getting small chunks recently and realized I forgot to clean it last time I cleaned the rifle. With a consistent cleaning process it is super easy. Inside my can looks like it is new and shiny. Here's the thing, I am sure someone will baulk at this, I really don't give a sheet about their opinion about it. This is my rifle, my can, and my experience. I am sure I have more photos buried in my phone of some of the absolute nastiness that came out of these cans at some point, but I think you get the idea.

View attachment 531399

I have noticed the carbon flakes falling back and out of suppressor. Crazy thing I swear it's worse when it's clean after I get more rds on it seems like that doesn't do it. It's very interesting either way at least thunderbeast seems easy to clean clr.