Not yet.. my rimfire can is still in jail. I'm curious too see how much of a pita it'll be to clean.Has anyone tried wet tumbling their baffles with steel pins yet?
It depends on what your baffles are made of! Best check with the manufacturer first.
This is what I got back from Ruger:
Thank you for contacting Ruger Customer Service.
Your Customer Service Issue # is 10139636
It is best to be cleaned after every 2000 rounds. At that point there is significant buildup of carbon in the silencer and it starts to get louder (according to a meter) 2000 rounds on a pistol make the silencer dirtier than on a rifle just because of the barrel length difference. The Silent-SR .22 LR is specifically designed to be easily disassembled and serviced by the user, even after a couple thousand rounds of lead and carbon buildup.
There are detailed cleaning instructions in you instruction manual, and we also have a video demonstrating how to clean you suppressor on our website at www.ruger.com/resources/videos then select "Ruger Accessories" or go to https://ruger.com/videos.html?vid=145392992&cat=3769467
We do not recommend coating the parts of your suppressor prior to use, as we have not tested these methods and cannot attest to their effectiveness or effect upon your suppressor. We also do not recommend the use of high concentration hydrogen peroxide for cleaning, as this can create a dangerous condition.
While we do not recommend any particular brand of cleanser, a mild solvent or plain water should be sufficient to clean your suppressor in an ultrasonic cleaner. Regardless of the cleaner you use, heavy lead/carbon deposits will require manual removal beyond what an ultrasonic cleaner can achieve.
Please be sure to read the instructions and SDS for any cleanser that you select and be sure to follow all appropriate safety precautions.
Original message: Would you have any concerns with cleaning the baffles in a wet tumbler with stainless steel pins? Similar to how Brass would be cleaned.
Ruger Customer Service
I'm waiting to heart back from Surefire.
I cleaned my Spectre II this weekend, it had probably about 400 or 500 rounds through it. I can't imagine going 2k, that thing would probably be packed solid.
I soaked the baffles in Hoppes 9 for a while to soften it up, but most of what I removed came off through a liberal application of elbow grease. I was primarily using my old Benchmade Mini-Grip as the tool of choice (take that, you gun hating liberals). It took a fair bit of scraping to remove the bulk, and then I followed it up with a brass 12ga. barrel brush to get the remainder off the inside of the baffles. I used a regular small brass brush on the outside 'cone'. I brushed and wiped off the threads, and put a drop of Hoppes synthetic gun oil on them before reassembly. Took the better part of an hour, but it looks like new.
I recently ran a 1K though my Specter II all full auto. Only reason I cleaned it was because I was cleaning several other guns & cans.I cleaned my Spectre II this weekend, it had probably about 400 or 500 rounds through it. I can't imagine going 2k, that thing would probably be packed solid.
Too much work! No need at all for that (unless you're really into cleaning or something.) Go to 2k, there's really no reason to clean at 4-500 unless you like doing extra work.
Don't make them look new, don't worry about the carbon. Just get the big chunks of lead out, put the can back together and shoot. If you get it perfectly clean, you're actually reducing the performance of the suppressor.
Think of it like a pair of work boots. Knock off the big chunks of mud and rocks, toss them in the garage, and call it good.
I have both a Specter II & a tumbler & would never think of tumbling the baffles.So do you agree that it's not a good idea to put baffles in a SS tumbler? I know it depends on what it's made of so lets use the Spectre as an example as that's what I need to clean.