School me on Suppressor Cleaning

[BigWoods]

I just picked up my B&T TiGer 22 yesterday and hope to get it to the range soon.

Being that it is a 3d printed can that can't be taken apart for cleaning, what are people's preferred methods?

From a bit of looking it seems a combination of CLR or simple green and an ultrasonic cleaner might be the best option? I'd like to avoid $1/oz fluids if possible (Breakthrough!)...but lmk if I should just bite the bullet.

 

[Benchrest Braxton]

I just picked up my B&T TiGer 22 yesterday and hope to get it to the range soon.

Being that it is a 3d printed can that can't be taken apart for cleaning, what are people's preferred methods?

From a bit of looking it seems a combination of CLR or simple green and an ultrasonic cleaner might be the best option? I'd like to avoid $1/oz fluids if possible (Breakthrough!)...but lmk if I should just bite the bullet.

View attachment 1039125

you will probably ruin the finish it you put that whole thing in CLR.

If it were me i'd bite the bullet and just buy the breakthrough.

 

[22rave]

Soak it overnight in Breakthrough Suppressor Cleaner, then rinse out with water. Breakthrough might eventually harm the finish, although it hasn't bothered my R9 yet.

 

[BigWoods]

@Benchrest Braxton & @22rave - Thank you both! Obviously it depends on dirty the can is, have you found that you can reuse it multiple times? That obviously offsets the cost per ounce if workable. Sounds like I just need to bite the bullet.

 

[ArmedInMD]

From what I have read and seen you can reuse multiple times and use a coffee filter to get out particles. I have not used it though just watched YouTube.
I have been looking at the Otis system as well. Seems like good performance and I like they you could use water to mix cleaner. If I understood correctly also seemed less toxic then then the Break through system.
Looking forward to hearing what you choose and how it works. I know I have a rimfire suppressor that really needs cleaning.

 

[BigWoods]

Just ordered a 32oz bottle of Breakthrough. The simplicity of it won out in my thinking. Looks like I should get 10+ cleanings out of it so that's only ~$3.50/per use. I'll probably just leave enough in a jar to submerge my 22lr can.

 

[Shortschaf]

you will probably ruin the finish it you put that whole thing in CLR.

If it were me i'd bite the bullet and just buy the breakthrough.

this can doesnt have a finish.
And if it does, I have soaked clr on my TBAC for days, doesnt seem to affect coating, and who cares if its always wearing a cover?

OP, No experience with Breakthrough. But reports suggest you cannot go wrong.
I have only used CLR but not yet for my rimfire. Would be curious if others have used both and what their experience has been

 

[BigWoods]

this can doesnt have a finish.
And if it does, I have soaked clr on my TBAC for days, doesnt seem to affect coating, and who cares if its always wearing a cover?

OP, No experience with Breakthrough. But reports suggest you cannot go wrong.
I have only used CLR but not yet for my rimfire. Would be curious if others have used both and what their experience has been

Yeah my understanding is that it's raw titanium so not worried there. Even if there is some coating, the Ti would hold up on its own.

 

[Benchrest Braxton]

this can doesnt have a finish.
And if it does, I have soaked clr on my TBAC for days, doesnt seem to affect coating, and who cares if its always wearing a cover?

OP, No experience with Breakthrough. But reports suggest you cannot go wrong.
I have only used CLR but not yet for my rimfire. Would be curious if others have used both and what their experience has been

fair point, still has the potential to alter the color some I would imagine. Worst case scenario you could just get it cerakoted. Personally i'd buy the gallon of breakthrough for 0.83c per and have enough to last a few years.

 

[gf99-99]

I just picked up my B&T TiGer 22 yesterday and hope to get it to the range soon.

Being that it is a 3d printed can that can't be taken apart for cleaning, what are people's preferred methods?

From a bit of looking it seems a combination of CLR or simple green and an ultrasonic cleaner might be the best option? I'd like to avoid $1/oz fluids if possible (Breakthrough!)...but lmk if I should just bite the bullet.

View attachment 1039125

I would be very curious to see what the long term impact is of having one of these 3D printed 22 cans. You should weight it now while it’s new and after 10k rounds I would love to know what the weight is then.

I have a 22 fetish and shoot it a lot!! I have four 22 cans now and that b&t one I have always wanted but have avoided these 3D printed ones simple because I know how dirty 22s are and the crazy build up I get on the baffles. I have tried CLR, simple green, the super expensive breakthrough stuff, all for multiple days and even after that I still need take take a heavy duty bras pocket and scrap aggressively each baffle followed by shotgun brass in a drill. So I can only image the build up that happens inside those 3D printed cans. But maybe the technology with the printed baffles somehow reduces it.

I guess last resort would be “the dip” this I have done on my sparrow when it was really really bad and I can say it works well but I try to avoid using this due to the disposal and handling issues.

 

[BigWoods]

@gf99-99 - Yes I am skeptically optimistic about the idea. As said, I have breakthrough inbound, but we'll see how thoroughly it cleans. Weighing the can is a good idea. 3.4oz as of now.

10k rounds is going to take me a while, but I'll be curious over time.

Part of what drew me to this can was its .223 rating. Its likely will find a permanent home on my Howa Mini for a super handy hunting rifle. I won't need to worry about serviceability as much then. With cheaper cans coming on the market (Sonicore Skarv 22 @ $180), it's very likely that one of those ends up living on each of my 22lr. guns.

 

[RockAndSage]

Just remember that you're not dealing with "carbon" - it's varying ratios of micronized heavy metals that have been blast welded against the can and each other.

In .22s it's mostly micronized lead particulate, along with some of the bullet lube and some other fouling. In centerfire pistols it's about 70/30 lead to copper. And in centerfire rifles the fouling ratio is flipped, at about 70/30 copper to lead. There's also smaller amounts of tin, antimony, and some other stuff depending on the priming compound mostly, though sometimes bullet and casing composition too. Temps spike to about 5000F in centerfire rifle cartridges for a microsecond, and that's atomizing a tiny amount of the metals around it, then pressure-blasting those atoms into small spherules about in the half-micron range, give or take some tenths.

With Breakthrough, my understanding is that it has DMSO in it - that's a chemical intentionally used to help things actually pass through the skin. Very common in ointments and sore-muscle balms.

So...be sure to use proper safety equipment, especially glasses and good, heavy chemical-resistant gloves if you're going to be chemically cleaning your suppressors.