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Possible stupid suppressor question

kenzup

Facta Non Verba
Supporter
Full Member
Minuteman
Jan 1, 2019
183
117
Albuquerque, NM
I just recently got a surefire 300 sps. I have noticed carbon build up on my barrels of behind the suppressor. I am just curious if this is normal?
 
How are you attaching the suppressor?
 
I just recently got a surefire 300 sps. I have noticed carbon build up on my barrels of behind the suppressor. I am just curious if this is normal?

What do you mean by "carbon build up..."? Suppressors do add some back pressure. As a result, you will typically get some carbon build up on the muzzle device. That is normal. Is that what you are experiencing?
 
Here are some pictures sorry for the delayed response things have been a bit crazy.
 

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Here are some pictures sorry for the delayed response things have been a bit crazy.

Wow, that looks like a lot of gas leaking from the back of the suppressor around the mount. I have not used that particular model Surefire but have shot quite a few other Surefire suppressors and never experienced that much gas leaking.

I would try talking with other users of that model suppressor and maybe even contact Surefire about it. That honestly does not look right to me. I'd even question if it was the correct mount.
 
I am trying to get an answer from surefire. I did think that was right

Stay on them, man. I've had quite a bit of experience with various suppressors over the last 15+ years and I can honestly say I've never seen one leak gas that badly. Something is not right. Hope you get it resolved. When you do, please let us know so that we can all learn from it.

Take care,
 
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Thanks, I am definitely frustrated we spend so much money on a suppressor and wait so long. This shouldn’t happen.
 
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I get that but we're all human. And stuff us humans make isn't always perfect. The better companies will take care of the issue though. SureFire customer service, at least in the past, has always been great. I'm sure they will take care of you.
 
My SDN6 leaks worse than that. So does my M4-2000, Mini4, and Surefire Socom. In fact all of my qd suppressors leak, so I'm going with normal.
 
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My SDN6 leaks worse than that. So does my M4-2000, Mini4, and Surefire Socom. In fact all of my qd suppressors leak, so I'm going with normal.

I don't know, those pictures show a LOT of carbon on the barrel. The older AAC stuff leaked a little but not as bad as I see in those pics. I have those suppressors same as you and my M42K has been abused on several MGs. Even on the MGs I didn't end up with that much gas leaking out the back of the suppressor.

I run several Rugged Suppressors products as my "go to" stuff now and they don't leak at all. The dual taper mount helps a lot with that.
 
I don't know, those pictures show a LOT of carbon on the barrel. The older AAC stuff leaked a little but not as bad as I see in those pics. I have those suppressors same as you and my M42K has been abused on several MGs. Even on the MGs I didn't end up with that much gas leaking out the back of the suppressor.

I run several Rugged Suppressors products as my "go to" stuff now and they don't leak at all. The dual taper mount helps a lot with that.

That’s cool. I still don’t see anything abnormal. My SOCOM 556-RC leaks exactly like his, around the indexing notch on bottom and out the back, that’s where the most gaps are.

This is a pic of my SDN6 on my bolt gun, look at the barrel behind it, that’s not even as bad as it has been. Just part of it and really nothing to worry about.
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There does seem to be a lot of carbon on the tube. That being said, I use copious amounts of lube on my brake before attaching the can. I use this can on a FDE colored bolt gun & I still don’t get that much carbon build up on the barrel. I wish I would’ve seen this pics a few weeks ago before I did a thorough clean of said rifle.

I’ll post some pics of my M4 below. I’ve had zero issues w/ mine in the last year. I cleaned this gun probably 120 or so rounds before taking these pics.

*FWIW, this is the 7.62 RC2 version.
 

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Here are some pictures sorry for the delayed response things have been a bit crazy.


that is a little excessive for any can IMO... so mounts are worse than others but i have not seen any of the 5 or 6 surefire cans i have been owned or been around leak that bad or any can i have seen for that matter.... A lot of newer suppressor mounts are designed for there to be no leaking.. Q cherry bomb is one of them
 
I love the Q cherry bomb attachment. I have the Thunder chicken and never have any carbon build up ( on the threads) still builds up on the ports and a little inside the can but not enough to make the suppressor lock on. Will say though is that you can’t get the can off until it cools down. The same taper that locks the carbon gasses in the can expands and locks the can in place to prevent it backing off under fire. Unless I use a wrench on the front it’s not coming off by hand. Still my favorite suppressor though
 
That’s cool. I still don’t see anything abnormal. My SOCOM 556-RC leaks exactly like his, around the indexing notch on bottom and out the back, that’s where the most gaps are.

My 762-RC leaks pretty bad, and in the same spot on the bottom behind the indexing notch. Surefire also told me it was normal. Not thrilled, but have learned to live with it.
 
Dude, I've got a lot of cans, I'd have to go count but more than a dozen I guess. NONE of them leak like that.

My WORST ones, an SDN6 using a mount that I hand worked to smooth the bevel so it'd lock up tighter, only leaks a tiny, tiny bit. Really not worth mentioning.

A tiny leak, a tiny bit of carbon outside the can and behind the brake is normal. A foot long streak of the shit isn't.

Did you install it properly? I don't own one of these, but some cans can go on about halfway and feel like they're on all the way. Besides risking a baffle strike, I bet gas leak would be high on the list too.

DO NOT let them get away with tellling you that's normal. The whole point of cans is that they direct gas through the can, not bleed it out of random orifices. Nobody that knows their shit will tell you that's normal. Not to that degree. If they feel it's normal, then tell 'em they shouldn't have a problem taking that one back and swapping it out with another normal one just to give you peace of mind.

FWIW, never heard of this before, so obviously it ain't THAT goddamn common or normal.
 
I presently have a Omega for my long guns. Bought it originally with the brake/QD mount setup. Never leaked (unless the can (mount) wasn't tightened all the way onto the brake. After a while, I started to dislike all the fiddle farting around I was having to do with the mount and went direct thread. No leaks there either.

You should check to make sure the barrel/muzzle prep was done properly and the shoulder on the barrel is perfectly perpendicular to the bore. Might not be a suppressor problem.
 
So, dumb question back? Is this a subsonic .308 or .300 BLK? Either way, the loads are lighter and don't necessarily burn all the powder. Especially if they are double based ball powder.

If that was the case, I could see the brake and anything inside the can being filthy as shit. But, outside the can and back on the barrel does not seem normal. I would see what I could as far as not being fully attached.
 
My Ultra 7 and my Gemtech halo doesn’t leak carbon like that. There is carbon build up on the muzzle device but not leaking to the barrel.
 
The surefires, on the socom mounts, are going to leak like that. Mine is the same way.

Because the indexing notch isnt an interference fit, and does have a bit of play, its not going to seal up. Mine all seal up around the taper seat, and the rest of the entire mating surface (as you can see in the pic) but you will get some around that index mark.
 

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I mostly use my 20” .308 barrel on my AXMC. I shoot 100% suppressed with a Surefire SOCOM 762 RC2. It has always coated the barrel and first inch or two of the forend tube with carbon. This screen shot and video clip illustrates the leakage. It wasn’t noticeable on video until I shot this session with my .300WM barrel. I contacted Surefire, and was also told this was normal.



45526DA2-EEF0-4A86-A794-BC1E40D27955.png
 
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Well, I have ordered a new can. I will use my surefire on my gas guns but will use the TBAC on my precision rifles
 
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As mentioned before, I use the SureFire RC2 model. I heavily lube the brake before mounting the can (comes off easier) & I get a little gas leakage around the indexing notch too. That’s my only complaint, & even that doesn’t bother me too much. This issue doesn’t affect accuracy or reliability so I drive on. I don’t think that the can receives it’s due credit for the performance it delivers.
 
I have 3 RC2's. One 762 and two 556's. I have had the same experience. I wish my barrels and handguards didn't end up with carbon buildup, but they do.
 
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Very happy I found this thread. I have 12 SilencerCo suppressors and have never experienced this. I just got my first RC2. Shot it and had the same gas leak called surefire today and they acted like they’ve never heard of this. So this gives me piece of mind.
 
Here are some pictures sorry for the delayed response things have been a bit crazy.
Wow ... not normal. I use ASR brakes on all my rifles and get carbon buildup on the brake that's inside the can ... but nothing on the outside of the barrel. You've got a problem there.
 
I just recently got a surefire 300 sps. I have noticed carbon build up on my barrels of behind the suppressor. I am just curious if this is normal?
I have used a Surefire RC2 extensively on a 14.5" midlength and 10.3" 5.56. It will always bleed carbon around the back of the suppressor simply due to the tolerance around the indexing tab of the mount. Once you shoot enough with the suppressor on, and enough carbon fouling builds up around the area it will leak less. Often on the 10.3 the gas will turn my support index finger black as this is closest to the locking collar of the suppressor.
 
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I mostly use my 20” .308 barrel on my AXMC. I shoot 100% suppressed with a Surefire SOCOM 762 RC2. It has always coated the barrel and first inch or two of the forend tube with carbon. This screen shot and video clip illustrates the leakage. It wasn’t noticeable on video until I shot this session with my .300WM barrel. I contacted Surefire, and was also told this was normal.



View attachment 7155313

This is a great video and very accurately depicts the issue. I have the same rifle AI AXMC in short action, with a 6.5 CM barrel with the SOCOM 7.62 RC2. I also get a coating of residue at the 6 o’clock indexing notch stretching back a few inches on the outside of the barrel. No residue at 12 o’clock but only at the 6 position. Thanks for making the video and posting the pic.
 
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I have two SOCOM cans and they both leaked like that when new. They don't anymore. Either because carbon worked its way towards the ring and seals it off better, or because I took my QD rings off when Cerakoting them and maybe added a bit more material to the locking ring. Not sure but they barely leak any more. My 556 RC has about 20k rounds through it, and my 762RC has about 5k rounds through it. They even sound better now than they did before, which is odd, because traditionally suppressors tend to lose some effectiveness as they fill with carbon.
 
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This is completely normal, I own half a dozen Surefire cans and they all do this. After you shoot them some, the internal carbon buildup will improve the seal. Don’t sweat this in the slightest.