View Full Version : 5.56 suppressor blast baffle life.
I understand that construction, barrel length, muzzle device (some say :() and rate of fire have significant impact on the equation but I’m wondering if anyone has actually worn out there blast baffle.
Pictures would be a plus.
Similar recent topic:
https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=92550&highlight=suppressor+baffle
And the Suppressor Baffle wear image topic I'm sure you've seen.
Nutshell - so many rounds that you probably don't care about suppressor cost anymore. What few organizations have the desire and resources to beat the crap out of a can that badly are probably the suppressor makers themselves - and they're not going to show you the inside of those, because illiterate people will get the wrong idea and think that some can that has seen a 20,000+ proof cycle and has taken noticeable wear is the same thing they'd be buying new.
Similar recent topic:
https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=92550&highlight=suppressor+baffle
And the Suppressor Baffle wear image topic I'm sure you've seen.
Nutshell - so many rounds that you probably don't care about suppressor cost anymore. What few organizations have the desire and resources to beat the crap out of a can that badly are probably the suppressor makers themselves - and they're not going to show you the inside of those, because illiterate people will get the wrong idea and think that some can that has seen a 20,000+ proof cycle and has taken noticeable wear is the same thing they'd be buying new.
I asked because I read on here and other places to use muzzle brakes as sacrificial “blast baffles” to keep the wear off the can but I can’t SBR in MI and I’m looking to perm attach a muzzle device to a 14.5” barrel and I’m not interested in running a brake. I guess I’m still a little concerned as the thread I started concerning muzzle device wear had a great picture of a worn 17-4 stainless brake. How many rounds that took I don’t know but I’m sure it never got near as hot as a can will.
http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg76/gi57/M4-2000/P4131805.jpg
I went with a Muzzle Break for my 10.5 inch SBR with a M4-1000. On my longer guns I just use a Flash Hider.
The 10.5 pretty much always has the can on it and gets shot a lot. It would probably still never get worn out. But better safe than sorry.
Consider that erosion slows as the whole enlarges, and that the first baffle in that muzzle brake is significantly closer to the muzzle than the blast baffle.
I asked because I read on here and other places to use muzzle brakes as sacrificial “blast baffles” to keep the wear off the can but I can’t SBR in MI and I’m looking to perm attach a muzzle device to a 14.5” barrel and I’m not interested in running a brake. I guess I’m still a little concerned as the thread I started concerning muzzle device wear had a great picture of a worn 17-4 stainless brake. How many rounds that took I don’t know but I’m sure it never got near as hot as a can will.
The longer the barrel the less wear you will see in general, a 12.5" barrel is significantly less harsh on a can than a 10.5" Hence your 14.5" will be way off better still.
I really would not worry about it. Even after you have shot LOT, as in thousands and thousands of rounds through your can it's not like its just going to magically stop working.
It might get a couple decibels louder many thousands of rounds later than the day your first bought it brand new and unfired but I doubt you will even notice the difference.
My friend shoots his M4 2000 Mod 08 through an 11.5" SBR with an AAC blackout flash hider only. When you look inside at the can's blast baffle you can see a very tiny amount of wear in a very subtle triangle shape (the shape of the 3 prong flashhider) but the can still runs just as great as it did on day one. That's the whole point of the can's internal blast baffle. It's doing its job.
After shooting it a bunch it might not look shiny new like it was out of the box but its doing just fine.
Just shoot it and don't worry about it and enjoy your suppressor.
14.5" ? Suppressed part-time? Flash hider, and don't look back. By the time you've worn through that blast baffle you'll have a pile of worn out barrels, bolts, magazines, and a small mountain of brass.
14.5" ? Suppressed part-time? Flash hider, and don't look back. By the time you've worn through that blast baffle you'll have a pile of worn out barrels, bolts, magazines, and a small mountain of brass.
EXACTLY!!!
Absolutely no need for a brake on a 14.5". I've been running a FH for years. My blast baffle looks like new... other than being black with carbon.
Yeah if it was an SBR and I wanted to shoot supressed I guess it would be no big deal to just screw on a muzzle brake.
So at what length would a brake be a good idea?
Eurodriver
11-30-11, 11:50
So at what length would a brake be a good idea?
It depends on so many factors. Are you going to shoot at a high rate of fire suppressed? How often?
Personally, I only have a brake on one rifle and that is being shot 100% suppressed. Anything I plan on shooting unsuppressed, ever, wears a flash hider regardless of muzzle length. 11.5" unsuppressed with a brake? No thanks.
I guess I’m still a little concerned as the thread I started concerning muzzle device wear had a great picture of a worn 17-4 stainless brake. How many rounds that took I don’t know but I’m sure it never got near as hot as a can will.
Nope, the reason you see so much wear on that MB pic is because IT IS a silencer mount, probably on a 10.5" barrel. That amount of wear is because of how hot the MB got inside the silencer, I have never see than kind of wear on a MB at the end of a 16" barrel.
My PWS 556 looked like the brake in the pic above in about 600 unsuppressed rounds. It was mounted on a 14.5 middy.
An inconel blast baffle on my 14.5 shows none of that type of erosion though.
My PWS 556 looked like the brake in the pic above in about 600 unsuppressed rounds. It was mounted on a 14.5 middy.
An inconel blast baffle on my 14.5 shows none of that type of erosion though.
Can't find what they make that out of but Inconel is just a high nickel stainless steel. Maybe the next big thing will be ceramic blast baffles.
My PWS 556 looked like the brake in the pic above in about 600 unsuppressed rounds. It was mounted on a 14.5 middy.
The ones I've seen after running hard are the SF and AAC MB. I think the material difference is why you see some wear on the PWS but I don't notice any.
The ones I've seen after running hard are the SF and AAC MB. I think the material difference is why you see some wear on the PWS but I don't notice any.
Oh, I have no doubt that the SF and AAC's are much higher quality material.
It depends on so many factors. Are you going to shoot at a high rate of fire suppressed? How often?
Personally, I only have a brake on one rifle and that is being shot 100% suppressed. Anything I plan on shooting unsuppressed, ever, wears a flash hider regardless of muzzle length. 11.5" unsuppressed with a brake? No thanks.
Rifle is an AK105 semi-auto only (12.5"). Once I go with a can I would be shooting almost totally suppressed.
Oh, I have no doubt that the SF and AAC's are much higher quality material.
Maybe that is why I can't find out what the PWS is made of.
Eurodriver
11-30-11, 15:44
Rifle is an AK105 semi-auto only (12.5"). Once I go with a can I would be shooting almost totally suppressed.
This is just me, but I would get a FH. (And I am using a FH on a 12.5" as well)
There are many SMEs and Industry guys running flash hiders on 10.5" barrels without any issues. You will still be thousands of dollars into ammunition before your suppressor runs into any real problems.
Its totally your choice of course, remember that if you decide to get a brake for whatever reason you will find it exponentially louder unsuppressed.
Maybe that is why I can't find out what the PWS is made of.
AAC's muzzle devices are constructed from heat treated 17-4PH stainless steel.
http://advanced-armament.com/product.aspx?pid=728
Dionysusigma
12-21-11, 22:24
Maybe the next big thing will be ceramic blast baffles.
I doubt this, unless they find out a way to make ceramic less brittle, more cost effective, and lighter. With currently common ceramics, that much instantaneous change in pressure would crack them in the first shot.
viperashes
12-22-11, 04:30
Maybe that is why I can't find out what the PWS is made of.
Or you could always email Stacy at PWS. Every time I've emailed them, they've answered my questions promptly. Stacy is a good guy and is very knowledgable.
My M4-2K is built like a tank. I run it on a 10.5" barrel on semi and it functions just fine and I see no deterioration of the blast baffle. I recently purchased an AAC break for it and I have noticed wear on that damn thing. I guess overall it will save my silencer but how many rounds would it take to wear out without it who the hell knows? 10K rounds of ammo? 15K rounds of ammo? Haha.
My M4-2K is built like a tank. I run it on a 10.5" barrel on semi and it functions just fine and I see no deterioration of the blast baffle. I recently purchased an AAC break for it and I have noticed wear on that damn thing. I guess overall it will save my silencer but how many rounds would it take to wear out without it who the hell knows? 10K rounds of ammo? 15K rounds of ammo? Haha.
Were you running the Blackout before you got the brake?
Magic_Salad0892
12-22-11, 20:51
I say 20k rounds. Regardless of suppressor, or mount.
When the barrel is shot out, have the can rebuilt. Just to keep everything on the same round count.
At least on 10.5''-11.5'' guns.
I have very little experience on anything longer than 12.5'' with suppressors.
For a 12.5'' gun or longer, a flash hider is optimal. Shorter than that, a brake is better. IMHO.
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