# Firearms and Shooting > Firearms, Optics and Accessories >  Suppressor Cleaning

## MattyP

So how do people clean their suppressors?

I have a Hardy Gen IV that can't be disassembled - one solid piece. Don't think it's too bad yet, probably only a couple hundred shots through the 308. But how would I best go about cleaning it? Getting right in among the coils and all the rest, rather than just straight through the middle.

A mate suggested just pouring boiling water through it but this screams of rust rust rust to me  :Psmiley: .

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## gimp

what for?

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## MattyP

A good question. I assume it will need cleaning at some point?

But mostly because of the loose stuff that falls down my barrel from it (no, I don't store the rifle with it attached).

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## gimp

> A good question. I assume it will need cleaning at some point?


nah

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## MattyP

As informative as always!

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## Dino

The carbon buildup on the baffles can help to deaden the sound is what I have been told.

This could be complete BS

I don't clean my suppressor and have no intention of cleaning it

My 2cents

Cheers

Dino

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## res

Centerfire suppressors don't really need cleaning, especially with hunting rifle round counts. The high pressure gasses each time you fire it sort out most of the crud. 
I put a can thru a ultrasonic cleaner after aprox 6000 rounds of .223 and afterward it only weighs .2 grams less. 
Don't think I'll ever bother again. 

Lots of crud comes out when I do the same to a rimfire can, but they do seem to work better after the crud started to build up again.  


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## Carpe Diem

Hi There I also had a Hardy Gen IV that I enquired to Dan Hardy about cleaning as i was noticing a large buildup of powder residue causing "folding on the internals of the Supressor". Any further questions I'd go to them direct they are really good about getting back to you. "copper brush"works well just remember - one way in direction the bullet travels eh!"

HI Paul,

Not a lot required to maintain the suppressors.
What I’d recommend is if you can notice folding in the bore of the suppressor, use your copper bore brush to scrub it away and that’s about it.
If it’s extremely stubborn then you can send it down to us and we can run out reamer through it.
This is generally not required.

Cheers,


Crossed rifles pocket logo (400x346).jpg


Dan Hardy
Weapons Engineer / Director

- Hope that covers it for you mate - I ended up sending it to them to put the reamer through as mine seemed a little "uneven" Its come back and shot a million dollars... Best $35 bucks freight I've ever spent and i sent the whole rifle with it to ensure no alignment issues as they originally threaded it for me too...

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## gimp

You'll do more harm than good trying to "clean" it. Chuck a strip of tape over the muzzle when hunting, keep it somewhere dry.

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## Carpe Diem

Just in case you were wondering what folding looks like - hard to get a shot down into the internals with the camera but here's some that showed up on the last baffle edge.

BTW - Caused through running in with Federal Blue at the range as it seems to deposit a lot of residue after the fact. This is prior to brush cleaning and some didn't come off so i got it re-reamed.

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## MattyP

Thanks Carpe, very useful. Will keep an eye out for it.

It's more the bit of crap that falls down the barrel that shits me. It looks very gritty and I worry about a round hitting it and doing something to the inside of the barrel. Probably pointless worry, I know.

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## Carpe Diem

In modern firearms you'll be fine give the suppressor a good clean with your brush, make sure you've cleaned well for carbon and copper - you'll be fine....

Its not like we're rolling hundreds of rounds through it like a 22 or semi. Its probably likely were doing 20 rounds and cleaning which is fine.. due to heating etc...
superheated gasses do a good job of clearing the barrel in front of the round as well as the pressure wave itself. best compressed air clean you'll find and the buildup in the rifling will be negligible.

I think you'll be fine..

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## chalkeye

Would an ultrasonic cleaner work?

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## Munsey

If I was going to clean mine I'd take to it with a can of pasloade nail gun cleaner . The carbon just flows out when the spray hits it . Must be safe on plastics,  aloys and circuits etc . So a supresser be fine .

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## DPT

> Would an ultrasonic cleaner work?


Yes and also take the anodizing off. Not a good idea.

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## dogmatix

> Yes and also take the anodizing off. Not a good idea.


Don't put your AR bolts in the sonic cleaner too.

 :Yuush:

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## res

> Yes and also take the anodizing off. Not a good idea.


Would you care to elaborate on that please, as I have put a fair few anodised items in ultrasonic cleaners and not had any issues. 
To be fair most have not been shooting related but I don't think that would change anything. 
Hell, hornady make/market a ultrasonic cleaner that's sold as for putting a whole ar upper in-every ar upper I have seen has a whole lot of anodising. 

Am I just missing something?


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## dogmatix

I was referring to putting citric acid in the solution... not good for nitrated BCGs.

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## Kaimai Views

> Hi There I also had a Hardy Gen IV that I enquired to Dan Hardy about cleaning as i was noticing a large buildup of powder residue causing "folding on the internals of the Supressor". Any further questions I'd go to them direct they are really good about getting back to you. "copper brush"works well just remember - one way in direction the bullet travels eh!"
> 
> HI Paul,
> 
> Not a lot required to maintain the suppressors.
> What Id recommend is if you can notice folding in the bore of the suppressor, use your copper bore brush to scrub it away and thats about it.
> If its extremely stubborn then you can send it down to us and we can run out reamer through it.
> This is generally not required.
> 
> ...


Lol...... You didn't believe that hogwash did you??? Carbon folding  - WTF!   No, what you are seeing there is what happens on cheap alloy suppressors once the anodising layer is cut through. The impacting gases then peen the the bare aluminium baffle face collaping the hole edge inward. I have a sako muzzle brake and even on steel you can see the same thing happening, but not as bad as what will be happening inside your suppressor. Thats the reason you couldnt scrub it out - the dags you were seeing is the aluminium baffle material itself.  So they ran a drill through and took the top off the burrs, and charged you for it. It will simply happen again. Guy i know has one of those same cans that rattles like a castinette when you shake it, there is that much loose aluminium grit rattling around in there.  Many of the decent european alloy suppressors have stainless baffle inserts to stop the issue that you are having there. If the baffle dags get really bad you may get bullet strike or graze which wont help accuracy. Sorry.  :Oh Noes:

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