How much cleaning is necessary with a supressor?

[Jaywalker]

I'm considering buying a suppressor and understand an AR it's on gets very dirty, very fast. Can you tell me how it affects you a and your AR?

For instance, you come home from shooting 100 rounds. Does that mean you needed to lube it during the shoot? Does it mean when you get home you have to remove more than the bolt carrier and bolt and even remove the trigger to clean there? The buffer tube? How about the same questions after 500 rounds?

I understand "it will shoot dirty but it won't shoot dry" - I'm trying to figure out just how much more work a suppressor causes.

Opinions welcome.

[S Jenks]

With AAC M4-2000s on Colt 6933s, after 300 or so rounds you should at least lube the bolt. You’ll see and feel it getting gunked up. -Everything- gets filthy. I’ve never run one to the point of malfunctions but I will typically do a wipe/lube after every qualification day and a full scrubbing for each when the department is finished, to include removal of the trigger components.

The cans so far have only required brushing of the threads and ratchet and a visual inspection. They’re basically sealed so any disassembly is beyond my abilities.

[Jaywalker]

With AAC M4-2000s on Colt 6933s, after 300 or so rounds you should at least lube the bolt. You’ll see and feel it getting gunked up. -Everything- gets filthy. I’ve never run one to the point of malfunctions but I will typically do a wipe/lube after every qualification day and a full scrubbing for each when the department is finished, to include removal of the trigger components.

The cans so far have only required brushing of the threads and ratchet and a visual inspection. They’re basically sealed so any disassembly is beyond my abilities.

Thanks. Good answer.

[RevolverRob]

Every couple of hundred rounds, wipe and lube. I just yank the bolt and wipe it down, stick it back in the gun and shoot enough CLP on it that it slings it out when I run the bolt forward.

I also think no one who regularly runs a suppressor on any rifle/subgun should be without an ultrasonic cleaner. So much easier to dump the bolt and can into the ultrasonic and come back 20 minutes later. Pretty sure this is what LittleLebowski is doing these days when he cleans his guns.

It's expensive (compared to the things from Amazon/Harbor Freight which work just as well), but Hornady has a Sonic Cleaner big enough to drop a whole 16" AR upper into - https://www.hornady.com/reloading/case-care/sonic-cleaners-and-solutions/hornady-hot-tub-sonic-cleaner - If one removed their pistol grip you could probably dunk the lower in there too.

[Default.mp3]

I clean my SureFire SOCOMs by dropping them in Ziploc bags of CLR (double or triple bagged to keep the CLR from chewing through the plastic) after removing the locking ring. I usually do that once the can gets 2 or 3 oz. over the factory weight.

Cleaning the rifle itself, I just do it when it just looks to filthy (which is very rarely). Instead, I usually just keep adding lube. That being said, I have reduced sized gas ports or else AGBs on the suppressed guns I shoot the most outside of my SR-25.

[paherne]

I clean my SureFire SOCOMs by dropping them in Ziploc bags of CLR (double or triple bagged to keep the CLR from chewing through the plastic) after removing the locking ring. I usually do that once the can gets 2 or 3 oz. over the factory weight.

Cleaning the rifle itself, I just do it when it just looks to filthy (which is very rarely). Instead, I usually just keep adding lube. That being said, I have reduced sized gas ports or else AGBs on the suppressed guns I shoot the most outside of my SR-25.

Why don't you make a cleaning tube out of 2" ABS or PVC, with a threaded fitting an cap on one end? It would be neater than using a bunch of ziplocs and would probably cost lest than $10.

[Default.mp3]

Why don't you make a cleaning tube out of 2" ABS or PVC, with a threaded fitting an cap on one end? It would be neater than using a bunch of ziplocs and would probably cost lest than $10.I'm lazy and have cleaned my suppressors 4 times total. Definitely the pro gamer move if you're doing it more often, but not for me.

[Silencer Shop]

We recently partnered up with SilencerCo to go over the different ways to clean a silencer. It might help answer some questions!


https://youtu.be/b3nUP9E1a8k