Just curious, I read a statement from Bartlein stating suppressor life may reduce barrel life by up to 50% on a gas gun? I've never heard of this before...Any of you shoot a gas gun 100% suppressed and notice a big drop in barrel life?
Gas gun barrel life with suppressor use
- Thread starter alan98
- Start date
I shoot my gas gun almost 100% suppressed.
While I'm unsure if there's a degradation to barrel life, suppressors do add a bunch of wear and tear to a semi auto especially an AR style gun. The main reason being that when most companies decide on a gas port size for them, they error on the side of being over gassed so they don't have cycling issues with the whole spectrum of ammo. Now add a suppressor to the mix (even more gas) and you have a pretty over-gassed gun that it beating the snot out of itself.
While I'm unsure if there's a degradation to barrel life, suppressors do add a bunch of wear and tear to a semi auto especially an AR style gun. The main reason being that when most companies decide on a gas port size for them, they error on the side of being over gassed so they don't have cycling issues with the whole spectrum of ammo. Now add a suppressor to the mix (even more gas) and you have a pretty over-gassed gun that it beating the snot out of itself.
I saw that on their site when shopping barrels recently. I have no idea as I’ve not yet worn out a barrel, but for certain, I run SLR AGB’s on my suppressed gas guns. When suppressed, I run my AR10 gas block two click positions out from full closed. Hopefully that will at least mitigate the degradation some.
Some of the factors in barrel life are harmonic whip, resonant shockwave compression and relaxation, and peristalsis-like bell effect (snake swallowing an egg in reverse). As the steel flexes like a tuning fork/accordion/snake, the microscopic crystalline structure of the steel stretches across itself in a series of bending moments throughout multiple points of flexion and rebound as the pipe returns to its tempered state.
Adding a heavy suppressor to the end of a barrel usually exacerbates this effect because there is more mass at the muzzle resisting the bending/flexing moments throughout the grain structure.
These phenomena could be contributing factors to reduced barrel life when suppressed, if the assertion from Bartlein is correct. Usually when Bartlein makes a statement about something, I tend to listen. I would expect to see more stress on lightweight barrels right around the area of the shank transition to the profile step, which is often very sharp on AR-15s compared to bolt guns. Along that line, increasing the rate of fire in conjunction with a radical step profile from shank to the main OD might be something worth looking at if you want to reduce these effects. Lightweight suppressors might also help reduce this, like TBAC Ultra 100% Ti.
Adding a heavy suppressor to the end of a barrel usually exacerbates this effect because there is more mass at the muzzle resisting the bending/flexing moments throughout the grain structure.
These phenomena could be contributing factors to reduced barrel life when suppressed, if the assertion from Bartlein is correct. Usually when Bartlein makes a statement about something, I tend to listen. I would expect to see more stress on lightweight barrels right around the area of the shank transition to the profile step, which is often very sharp on AR-15s compared to bolt guns. Along that line, increasing the rate of fire in conjunction with a radical step profile from shank to the main OD might be something worth looking at if you want to reduce these effects. Lightweight suppressors might also help reduce this, like TBAC Ultra 100% Ti.
It's because shooting suppressed is so much fun that you'll end up doing lots of long strings of very rapid fire. It'll reduce barrel life but you'll have a huge smile!!!
You'll wear the barrel out cleaning it before the suppressor damages it.
Great barrel dildo gif !!! 
A lot of factors here, like barrel diameter (HBAR / SOCOM) tend do better suppressed than pencil thin. Chrome lined tends to wear less and handle pressures, especially around the gas port better than stainless. Dwell distance and barrel length right have a play here.
but, keep the comparisons real. Short barrels can see 50k lbs of pressure at muzzle, and 22” barrels under 20k lbs. how much back pressure does a suppressor add? Not much. It adds more to the gas tube than the barrel itself. And then, a chrome lined barrel will last 10k’s of rounds, while a stainless might last 5,000 rounds. The gas port will erode walker, but. On effect on lands and grooves.
A lot of factors here, like barrel diameter (HBAR / SOCOM) tend do better suppressed than pencil thin. Chrome lined tends to wear less and handle pressures, especially around the gas port better than stainless. Dwell distance and barrel length right have a play here.
but, keep the comparisons real. Short barrels can see 50k lbs of pressure at muzzle, and 22” barrels under 20k lbs. how much back pressure does a suppressor add? Not much. It adds more to the gas tube than the barrel itself. And then, a chrome lined barrel will last 10k’s of rounds, while a stainless might last 5,000 rounds. The gas port will erode walker, but. On effect on lands and grooves.
Bartlein makes awesome barrels but in regards to the statement...I am not really seeing it, Suppressors have been relativity common in various online boards as well as training courses and this statement has really not played out in any practical sense and nobody is really say that their 308 barrel shit that bed at some odd low round count.
Also while M110's do not have the reputation of being the most accurate gas guns, if suppressed use degraded barrel that much it would of shown that in testing and down range performance.
Also with the latest developments with materials as well a low pressure designs, cans are getting more and more efficient and having less of an impact on the operating system
Also while M110's do not have the reputation of being the most accurate gas guns, if suppressed use degraded barrel that much it would of shown that in testing and down range performance.
Also with the latest developments with materials as well a low pressure designs, cans are getting more and more efficient and having less of an impact on the operating system
Lots of good replies! I just built a 6.5 creedmoor and its a Bartlein with +2 gas with Superlative adjustable gas block. I have it tuned perfect suppressed and it's just much more enjoyable shooting suppressed so I plan on running it 100% suppressed with the Sico Omega. I just got a little concerned when I read the statement from bartlein so I guess we'll see what barrel life I get. No complaints if I get close to 2000 rounds through it!
adjustable gas blocks are your friend. I throw an agb on all my builds just even if i dont originally plan to run them suppressed becauseuse i like to tune them so they aren't as overgassed. there are alaso bgc's and charging handles that market being for suppressed builds and allowing extra gas to escape and all that, personally i haven't tried any because i run normal internals and do fine. I have a superlative arms abg on a 556 build currently and an odin works abg on my 6.5 build, both work great and get the job done
