Suppressor corrosion and metal fatigue

Discuss any Title II or NFA items like machineguns, suppressors, SBR's, SBS's, DD's and AoW's.
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Suck My Glock
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Suppressor corrosion and metal fatigue

#1

Post by Suck My Glock »

On another forum I hang out on, there is an American fellow who has lived in Germany for decades and raised a family there, who gives us insights into what the gun scene is like there. In fact his son works in a German gun store.

We were discussing suppressor cleaning, and since such items are far more common there, he had some interesting things to say about sloppy or lazy maintenance of them. Because we pay so much for ours and they are a big deal for us, we tend to pay special attention to them. But in Germany, where they are nearly disposable items that many don't think twice about, some people have found out the hard way how NOT to clean and store a suppressor.

From my friend in Germany;

"A few years ago they decided that everyone who shoots guns should be using a suppressor, as with the socialized health insurance, it only makes sense to protect everyone's hearing. Everyone ran out and started buying suppressor, and my son's gun store made a killing threading barrels. Now, a few years later, all of these suppressor are blowing apart, because the remaining powder dust turns to sulphuric acid when wet, and eats the aluminium suppressor, and they are disentigrating, sometimes with every amusing results."

"So he and his boss have these silencer dryers made, and they sell them as fast as they come into the shop. It is just a hair dryer on a timer, with some plastic hose, and that have them made in China, including the logo. They pay about 6 dollars for them. But, it is important to dry out your silencer. Especially if you store the weapon barrel up, with the silencer on, as the acid has run into the barrel, and my son loves to sell replacement Blazer barrels for over a thousand dollars each."


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Kingjoey
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Re: Suppressor corrosion and metal fatigue

#2

Post by Kingjoey »

Would believe the issue is more likely oxidizers in the propellant creating aluminum oxide and eroding the suppressors
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Re: Suppressor corrosion and metal fatigue

#3

Post by A65453 »

Kingjoey wrote: March 4th, 2021, 2:32 pm Would believe the issue is more likely oxidizers in the propellant creating aluminum oxide and eroding the suppressors
You're right that corrosion is synonymous with oxidation. But why do you doubt the explanation in the quote? I don't think modern smokeless powder really has separate oxidizers; at least they aren't listed on Hodgdon's SDS sheets.
Suck My Glock wrote:Because the remaining powder dust turns to sulphuric acid when wet, and eats the aluminium suppressor, and they are disentigrating
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Kingjoey
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Re: Suppressor corrosion and metal fatigue

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Post by Kingjoey »

All powders have oxidizers, that's how they work. Can't burn something without oxygen, hence why they have potassium nitrate, potassium perchlorate, or some other compound that produces oxygen for the reaction. When you have heat, pressure, and free oxygen then things will oxidize/burn, including metal. Throat/muzzle erosion on barrels is mainly due to the powder burning a little of the surface of the bore. The propellant will likewise burn suppressor baffles and tubes over time as well. This is why you see a lot of cans using Iconel main baffles, they are more resistant to heat, abrasion, and oxidation. Aluminum has a low melting point and low oxidation point and doesn't require much heat and oxygen to oxidize/burn. Modern gunpowders don't have sulfur compounds like black powder did because it doesn't burn as fast and the residue absorbs moisture and produces sulfuric acid (H2SO4) which corroded barrels. Most modern powders use nitrocelluose or other compounds. Hence why I would say that the corrosion is mostly due to actual burning of the aluminum in presence of oxidizers and heat. If a suppressor was made to be "disposable" then using aluminum would be economical and easier to machine but would have a lot higher erosion. Basically, an aluminum can is going to wear out faster than other metals
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Re: Suppressor corrosion and metal fatigue

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Post by delta6 »

Kingjoey wrote: March 5th, 2021, 10:42 am All powders have oxidizers, that's how they work. Can't burn something without oxygen, hence why they have potassium nitrate, potassium perchlorate, or some other compound that produces oxygen for the reaction. When you have heat, pressure, and free oxygen then things will oxidize/burn, including metal. Throat/muzzle erosion on barrels is mainly due to the powder burning a little of the surface of the bore. The propellant will likewise burn suppressor baffles and tubes over time as well. This is why you see a lot of cans using Iconel main baffles, they are more resistant to heat, abrasion, and oxidation. Aluminum has a low melting point and low oxidation point and doesn't require much heat and oxygen to oxidize/burn. Modern gunpowders don't have sulfur compounds like black powder did because it doesn't burn as fast and the residue absorbs moisture and produces sulfuric acid (H2SO4) which corroded barrels. Most modern powders use nitrocelluose or other compounds. Hence why I would say that the corrosion is mostly due to actual burning of the aluminum in presence of oxidizers and heat. If a suppressor was made to be "disposable" then using aluminum would be economical and easier to machine but would have a lot higher erosion. Basically, an aluminum can is going to wear out faster than other metals
Could you say that real fast..3 times :clap: :handgestures-salute:
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