Thread: Baffle strike?

My mates Howa 308 is tack driver but after taking it out fishing and shooting some goats off a bluff it's spraying all over the place.

I noticed some light impact on the inside bore of the end baffle of his Sonic suppressor, and it has kinda spiral rifling shaped marks like a projectile has hit.
Impact points are on opposite sides of the bore

Suppressor overbarrel and is tightly bushed at the rear, he's never taken it off either
He's been shooting mainly Winchester FMJ

Would firing a 7mm08 in the 308 do this? It's unlikely he has but may be possible

My gut feel is, yes.

Take it off and shoot it. That will tell you pretty quick. That is if he can get it off.

He's never taken it off????!!!! Is he trying to turn himself into a pipe bomb casualty?
You should always take it off and clean it after every outing especially with centerfire?

Originally Posted by Sideshow

He's never taken it off????!!!! Is he trying to turn himself into a pipe bomb casualty?
You should always take it off and clean it after every outing especially with centerfire?

+1 many bores ruined from this, especially the crown area.

Agree with @stug that will let you know if it is suppressor or barrel.

Originally Posted by Sideshow

He's never taken it off????!!!! Is he trying to turn himself into a pipe bomb casualty?
You should always take it off and clean it after every outing especially with centerfire?

He's one of those guys that buys a stainless rifle because then you don't need to clean it, he wanted to go halves in a boat but he's the kind of guy you never lend a chainsaw to. Gets the occasional spray of wd40 and I occasionally feel sorry for it and take it home for a bore brush

Originally Posted by specweapon

buys a stainless rifle because then you don't need to clean it

There really needs to be a hyphen in "stain-less" steal for people like that.

I had to take an extra inch off a barrel for this exact reason, I've learned from my mistake

While uncommon a stray sometimes gets into a box of ammo or projectiles ive got a case marked 243 win that came in a box of 308. A 7mm would go down the tube ok and could be the cause of the mark as it probably starts tumbling on exit. As its overbarrel bore sight it, and if it looks ok run a rod thru from the breech if you can, it shouldnt touch the baffles. The perfect test is to get the supressor off and shoot a group, though if its never been off there could be a follow up storey coming on how to make a twist barrel lots of brake clean and patience may be in order

Originally Posted by Tombi

There really needs to be a hyphen in "stain-less" steal for people like that.

I had to take an extra inch off a barrel for this exact reason, I've learned from my mistake

Same. Stainless rusts just slower. I had to remove and re thread a 223 that had such bad corrosion around the muzzle from the condensation and dissolved carbon because the suppressor was stored on the rifle (a big no no ) It was so bad that we needed a pipe wrench to get the suppressor to turn.

Originally Posted by Marty Henry

While uncommon a stray sometimes gets into a box of ammo

Yeah well last time he was out spotlighting with a 7mm08, 6.5x55, 308. My mate with a 6.5x55 pulled the trigger on a deer and click, he had chambered a 308 round from memory. So is entirely possible a 7mm08 went down this barrel

Originally Posted by specweapon

Yeah well last time he was out spotlighting with a 7mm08, 6.5x55, 308. My mate with a 6.5x55 pulled the trigger on a deer and click, he had chambered a 308 round from memory. So is entirely possible a 7mm08 went down this barrel

Dude, sort ya mates out

Originally Posted by specweapon

Yeah well last time he was out spotlighting with a 7mm08, 6.5x55, 308. My mate with a 6.5x55 pulled the trigger on a deer and click, he had chambered a 308 round from memory. So is entirely possible a 7mm08 went down this barrel

Let me know when and where you guys are next going hunting so i can be somewhere else.
All joking aside there are too many opportunities for blowing up a gun now with families of different cals built on a single parent case. Check your ammo, I would hate to hear on the news "another shooting" only to find in the fine print it was the shooters own gun going boom.

Originally Posted by timattalon

Same. Stainless rusts just slower. I had to remove and re thread a 223 that had such bad corrosion around the muzzle from the condensation and dissolved carbon because the suppressor was stored on the rifle (a big no no ) It was so bad that we needed a pipe wrench to get the suppressor to turn.

I'm not sure I agree, if treated well stainless should resist rust more or less for ever. Provided it is the right grade of stainless and had enough chromium in it.
I've never really agreed stainless actually means stains less.
When we say bra-less.......

416 SS rusts, grab a magnet & stick it on your barrel, if it sticks, (it will BTW) it is ferrous so it will rust given the chance, 303, 304, 314, 316 etc don't