Ruger Rimfire Can Cleaning

[mtnbkr]

I've been neglectful of my can and it is now quite crusty inside. I soaked the SS baffles overnight in mineral spirits and got a good amount of carbon and such off, but there are still crusty deposits left to be cleaned.

I'm lazy and do not want to spend quality time with a pick. I was considering either my rotary tumbler with lemishine and detergent, what I use for brass, and hope for the best. Or, the same tumbler, but with SS pins or airgun BBs (the latter being cheap and easy). Or, invest in a Harbor Freight Ultrasonic Cleaner. But I'd have yet another piece of equipment to maintain...

Ruger suggests ultrasonic cleaning in difficult cases, for what it's worth.

What have all of you used (aside from not letting it go so long between cleanings)?

Chris

[flyrodr]

Haven't tried it on a suppressor, but way back when I was autocrossing, Gunk Hydro Seal used to work great for cleaning all small metallic parts, particularly baked-on grime.

https://gunk.com/product/gunk-hydro-seal-ii-heavy-duty-parts-cleaner-hs3/

Actually, this one might be better for small parts (has a dip basket so you can just dunk the parts into the container):

https://gunk.com/product/gunk-parts-cleaner-with-drip-basket-cc3k/

I expect these are "more better" than they were a few decades ago, i.e., less likely to be injurious to the user or environment, but perhaps not quite as aggressive in cleaning.

[LittleLebowski]

Pins and tumbler, all day. I'm assuming that you don't want to do the dip.

[jandbj]

Pins and tumbler, all day. I'm assuming that you don't want to do the dip.

This and the dip are your two best easy button options.

[mtnbkr]

Pins and tumbler, all day. I'm assuming that you don't want to do the dip.

Nope, no desire to do the dip.

Chris

[mtnbkr]

Haven't tried it on a suppressor, but way back when I was autocrossing, Gunk Hydro Seal used to work great for cleaning all small metallic parts, particularly baked-on grime.

https://gunk.com/product/gunk-hydro-seal-ii-heavy-duty-parts-cleaner-hs3/

Actually, this one might be better for small parts (has a dip basket so you can just dunk the parts into the container):

https://gunk.com/product/gunk-parts-cleaner-with-drip-basket-cc3k/

I expect these are "more better" than they were a few decades ago, i.e., less likely to be injurious to the user or environment, but perhaps not quite as aggressive in cleaning.

Based on what I've been reading, once you get beyond a very superficial level of build-up, the dip is the only chemical method that works. After an all-night soak in mineral spirits, I don't see the Gunk products doing much.

Chris

[flyrodr]

Based on what I've been reading, once you get beyond a very superficial level of build-up, the dip is the only chemical method that works. After an all-night soak in mineral spirits, I don't see the Gunk products doing much.

Chris

Yeah, I recall carb parts coming out sparkling. Even pistons with their tops encrusted in combustion products (largely carbon) out clean after a good soak. Just don't forget and put any O-rings or other rubber parts in it. Or get it on your hands - - - so a friend told me . . .

[CCT125US]

Pins and tumble for me, on the DA Mask.

[Hansohn Brothers]

I use a dental pick: pick off the big chunks then clean and lubricate the threads and reassemble. Doesn’t have to be “like new” clean.

[joshs]

I use a dental pick: pick off the big chunks then clean and lubricate the threads and reassemble. Doesn’t have to be “like new” clean.

I agree. I mostly just knock off the big chunks and keep the threads clean and lubricated. It takes a lot more fouling than I initially thought when I first started getting into cans to adversely affect sound reduction.

[mtnbkr]

Thanks all. I wasn't looking for "like new" clean, just not "encased in its own feces" dirty. :)

A couple of the baffle segments are chunky, but the rest probably don't need anything other than a wipe-down. I'll go at the chunky ones with a pic. Noise reduction hasn't be affected that I've noticed, this is mainly preventative maintenance.

Chris

[UNM1136]

No one has mentioned soda spraying... this may be important to me in a year or two when I decide to clean my rimfire can....

pat

ETA: Harbor Freight has a soda sprayer that I have looked at in the past for this reason. Soda spraying was recommended at silencertests.com when that site was up and running...

[mtnbkr]

No one has mentioned soda spraying... this may be important to me in a year or two when I decide to clean my rimfire can....

pat

ETA: Harbor Freight has a soda sprayer that I have looked at in the past for this reason. Soda spraying was recommended at silencertests.com when that site was up and running...

It seemed to me to be a good way to spread contaminates.

Chris

[UNM1136]

It seemed to me to be a good way to spread contaminates.

Chris

Hadn't thought of it that way, assumed a workspace and PPE....

pat

[mtnbkr]

Hadn't thought of it that way, assumed a workspace and PPE....

pat

That's a good point. I had originally looked at a soda blaster for cleaning frame and large part rust on my 4x4, so the idea of having an enclosed workspace (ie cabinet) was pushed out of my mind. Therefore, when I saw mention of the same tool for suppressor cleaning, I immediately thought of it in terms of blasting parts in my driveway. :D

If one has a cabinet and can contain the media and such, it should be fine. I wouldn't want to do it outside in my yard or in the garage though, with or without PPE.

Chris

[jandbj]

No one has mentioned soda spraying... this may be important to me in a year or two when I decide to clean my rimfire can....

pat

ETA: Harbor Freight has a soda sprayer that I have looked at in the past for this reason. Soda spraying was recommended at silencertests.com when that site was up and running...


Tried it. Way too much worktime for the results yielded.


Either use the steel pins in a rotary tumbler or DUB wheel cleaner and airsoft BB’s in the same tumbler.