Blown suppressor baffle - Launched 20m downrange

Bit of excitement down the range on Friday with the suppressor.
All was going well sighting in a couple of other rifles until i pulled out the 24" 6mm creedmoor. The first shot felt good and looked good on target though sounded just a touch different. Upon working the bolt and looking over the scope i noticed the suppressor 'bike innertube' cover flapping around like a split banana skin. The bloody front half of the suppressor was gone!:wtfsmilie:
The bloody thing was 20m down range!


I don't believe the bullet struck any part of the suppressor as there was no indication on any of the baffle holes and end cap. The bullet hit 1 inch high as expected on the target at 100m. The bullet hole was nice and clean.
Definitely was a clean, dry, clear bore as i had boresnaked it straight out of the gun safe and then checked for a clear bore at the range bench before i put the bolt in after screwing the suppressor on.

The ammunition is a known load that has been fired approximately 50 times through this suppressor previously (200 rounds through my other suppressor also) . This suppressor I usually use on my 223rem(22" barrel) and has fired approximately 700 rounds. This suppressor had also had approximately 150 6.5 creedmoor shots through it also. I use the suppressor for hunting (fine weather) and some range test shooting (Less than 6 shots in any string and not fast).
I have disassembled the suppressor and cleaned it multiple times previously though it never seems to have much if any (a thin layer) built up stuff in it.

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I use my .223 regularly so chucked up the suppressor in the lathe and machined out the baffle remnants until the old baffle thread came out like a wire/spring. It reassembled mint except 1 baffle shorter!

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I have spoken to DPT and asked for assistance with the issue. They wanted me to send it to them but thought the issue would be corrosion anyway. I didn't really want to send it as i use the .223 regularly and didn't want to be without it. I said I'd be happy if i could buy a replacement baffle at a discounted price. Preferably a S/S baffle to avoid any future issues.
They got back to me later after speaking to the 'Boss'. They believed the fault would have been corrosion of the alloy as the suppressor must be between 5-7years old. Not covered by any warranty and that I could purchase a replacement baffle from them for full price ($100) + freight.

So be aware that if you have an older DPT (or as your current DPT ages) to maybe switch the rear baffle out to the front or replace the rear baffle before it pops.

Ive just bought one and after taking it apart and having a look at it I decided that Ill be rotating the baffles through it when I use it. I have actually seen that happen once before to one of those suppressors.

Same happened to me with my 300saum. It looked just like yours. Killed the deer I shot at.
I biffed it and got a new one.
I had never cleaned it and it had done a lot of work. Trouble is the baffles seize up pretty quickly after new and getting them apart becomes impossible.

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Originally Posted by Tahr

Same happened to me with my 300saum. It looked just like yours. Killed the deer I shot at.
I biffed it and got a new one.
I had never cleaned it and it had done a lot of work. Trouble is the baffles seize up pretty quickly after new and getting them apart becomes impossible.

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They have a maintenance pdf floating around. If i recall, something along the lines of cardboard on the baffles and an appropriate sized strap wrench helps loosen them. I try to oil mine whenever I remember to.

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Originally Posted by Tahr

Same happened to me with my 300saum. It looked just like yours. Killed the deer I shot at.
I biffed it and got a new one.
I had never cleaned it and it had done a lot of work. Trouble is the baffles seize up pretty quickly after new and getting them apart becomes impossible.

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Yeah I've seen the same happen.

Sent from my SM-S916B using Tapatalk

I love my maes heavy but never had one blow apart.

Just like every other firearm part suppressors require cleaning and maintenance.

How do you clean the one piece suppressors like Hardy's.

Mine
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Originally Posted by Tahr

Mine
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Saums killing deer since 2002 :)

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Originally Posted by Tahr

How do you clean the one piece suppressors like Hardy's.

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Good question, maybe ask the people that sell them?

Copper or nickel antisieze on the threads, and that helps stop the crap from combustion getting into the threads and seizing them up. I'd run with the nickel myself just with the alloy threads from personal preference but that's just me. The other issue is with a hot can after firing the threads can work up really tight, gently warming the thing up with a few shots haha can help you spin them apart. The makers often supply clampy thingies to help you grab and unscrew them.

As far as cleaning a sealed can, an ultrasonic cleaner is one way - I wouldn't fill it with solvents after seeing what happened to one that the owner drowned in petrol. Let it drip dry and a few hours later put a shot through expecting everything to have evaporated. I think the conclusion was that there was still a bit of petrol remaining in it, and the resulting pop blew a nifty split down one side. Rooted it...

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Originally Posted by STC

Just like every other firearm part suppressors require cleaning and maintenance.

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Sorta like saying remember to breathe. Look at the DPT website. Maintenance is so easy. Darren produces a quality product. 2C.

Suppressor maintenance instructions - DPT Machinists

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Originally Posted by TeRei

Sorta like saying remember to breathe. Look at the DPT website. Maintenance is so easy. Darren produces a quality product. 2C.

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I would have thought so too. Yet still the "never clean anything" faction continues to breathe.

Stainless steel and aluminum don't get on very well, especially when moisture is added, I'm not sure what the gases and carbon add to the mix but suspect this is why they are quite confident in the corrosion theory

I have 5 DPTs the oldest is nearly 8 years old and seized together and never ever cleaned (never read the instructions). It has in excess of 5k shots thru it. Works perfectly still. The other four all have less than 500 each thru them and still come apart easily as they are cleand as per the referenced instructions after every use. In any case I see them a bit like barrels onsumables).

For what they are/cost and how they work/perform I dont think you can go past DPT as a suppressor.
I also have a couple A-Techs as well for comparison

I have twice now had a couple of stuck baffles. Just get some masking tape and tape the baffles together either side of the stuck one to allow a better grip. (no tools)

I regularly clean mine and never leave it on the gun when not in use.
Wipe the insides with a rag sprayed with some crc and also put some lithium based grease on the threads .. also dont over tighten the baffles when the suppressor is re-assembled after cleaning.
I also regularly check for any loosened off baffles ...

Nickel or copper based antisiezes have a lot more thickness to them than most lithium soap greases. Might as well just use a bog standard nlgi2 wheel bearing grease... Most suppressors are designed that they work up tight rather than loose (a slight twist on the baffle holes and muzzle break component). Often times just shooting them is enough to tighten the buggers to the point you can't get them apart by hand.

The only can I've ever had to clean has been on .22's as an aside, for some reason those are generally really mucky in comparison to bigger calibers. I'm sure some pro culler working out of a helo will be along shortly to correct me there but all of the cans I currently own are sealed and none of them have ever been cleaned (just repaired or replaced when the corrosion killed them).

It's interesting that further development in the NZ suppressor market seems to have more or less stalled for the last 8 or 10 years. Not much noticeable change

Wasnt a nz supressor company denied the opportunity of a military contract. Perfect for r&d jobs etc?

Its not just suppressor development that has stalled sadly.

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Originally Posted by distant stalker

Stainless steel and aluminum don't get on very well, especially when moisture is added, I'm not sure what the gases and carbon add to the mix but suspect this is why they are quite confident in the corrosion theory

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There is no stainless steel in my baffle that failed.
I think dpt just looked at my first pic of the dirty suppressor exterior (just a residue from in the bike inner tube and cleaned off easily once I was home ) and said it must be corrosion. Corrosion is just their easy out option.
I think the baffle failed prematurely due to fatigue.
Either way I'll keep shooting it as it is now. Maybe I'll buy another one later, probably I'll change brand. They couldn't even offer a small discount for a replacement part after that bad experience. Definitely not the customer service i was hoping for.

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Originally Posted by Roarless20

There is no stainless steel in my baffle that failed.
I think dpt just looked at my first pic of the dirty suppressor exterior (just a residue from in the bike inner tube and cleaned off easily once I was home ) and said it must be corrosion. Corrosion is just their easy out option.
I think the baffle failed prematurely due to fatigue.
Either way I'll keep shooting it as it is now. Maybe I'll buy another one later, probably I'll change brand. They couldn't even offer a small discount for a replacement part after that bad experience. Definitely not the customer service i was hoping for.

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looking at the picture its not just the outside that is dirty mate.

Corrosion and fatigue go hand in hand with aluminium alloys.

I wonder if a bike inner tube sleeve traps moisture more than otherwise and promotes corrosion?

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Originally Posted by gimp

I wonder if a bike inner tube sleeve traps moisture more than otherwise and promotes corrosion?

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Yeah probably the case. I usually roll it back to the middle from each end when the suppressor gets wet hunting, though the only suppressor that gets wet is my 6.5prc suppressor. I'll keep a closer eye on it from now.

Hi all,

This discussion perfectly highlights the importance of the maintenance instructions. We engrave on our suppressors: "Read instructions before use." The reason behind this is simple yet crucial. Each time a bullet is fired, a small amount of moisture is left inside the suppressor. This is exacerbated when used in the rain, leading to moisture accumulation. When this moisture interacts with gunpowder, it produces ammonia, which can gradually damage the alloy of the suppressor. However, a quick disassemble and spray of WD40 inside the suppressor after every day out shooting can significantly mitigate these moisture-related issues.

We had hoped to examine the suppressor firsthand to definitively determine the cause of failure and to inspect for any additional signs of corrosion that could cause future issues. Unfortunately, upon contacting the customer, we learned that he had already machined the baffle out in his lathe and was not keen on returning the suppressor for our evaluation. Based on the images we received, it appeared that corrosion, likely due to the described issues, led to the failure, and that is not covered under the extended warranty. The customer's request for a discount on a new stainless steel baffle was declined as we were unable to assess the suppressor directly. It's worth noting that the suppressor in question is between 5-7 years old, and our warranty does not extend to baffles over this period due to their susceptibility to wear and tear. Nonetheless, we offer replacement alloy baffles for $50.

Despite this, we remain willing and eager to examine the suppressor to ensure its overall integrity. Getting the suppressor back would allow us to conduct a thorough check and provide peace of mind regarding its condition.

Cheers
Darren

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Originally Posted by Tahr

How do you clean the one piece suppressors like Hardy's.

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I've seen a hardies that blew on a 280, pretty messy and no user salvageable bits. Hardies weren't interested even though the remains were sent to them, so a dpt replacement was fitted

if its seized solid then a 50/50 mix of kero and atf is the best penetrating oil i have used

@DPT thank you for the comment. I tried to accurately relay the situation in my first post.
However the second email sent to me from your team was pretty bland without any compromise or options given. I was expecting a phone call in follow up of my initial call, though that appears something went amiss when it was tried. I didn't receive a response to my follow up email.
The reason for my first post was to show what happened with the suppressor and for other people to be aware that this is possible, as I was not before this incident.

In a previous suppressor thread on here I noted that none of the one piece suppressors fitted to three ARs were ever cleaned, 2x Gunworks and 1x Waitaki Engineering, and they were all working fine after in excess of 5000 rounds each. Same can’t be said for CJA ? ARs. Had one Sonic 45 develop a hole in isolator tube after only approx. 2-300 hundred rounds and I actually cleaned that one. Replacement Sonic 35 doesn’t get cleaned, checked it a couple of times in first 500 rounds, and it still going ok after 2000 rounds. These are all 223. Have one DPT Stubby fitted to a Bergara BA13 in 308. Pulled it apart a couple of times just to be mosey but won’t be pedantic about cleaning. They are just a consumable tool to me but I do have my doubts regarding longevity of modular suppressor threads. Time will tell I guess.

Ive got several DPT's. My .223's fire thousands of rounds. Never maintained them and am thoroughly happy with them.
The bit that blew off my magnum one was ordinary wear and tear from hundreds of full house magnum rounds coupled with my own lazy approach to its maintenance (none). They all have an end life.

Arising from this thread I will now at least squirt some wd40 into them from time to time.

DPT are a great product.

I clean my DPT suppressors occasionally. What strikes me is even blowing with compressed air and wiping off the excess WD-40 I get a massive cloud of smoke out of the suppressor the next shot and the smell is terrible. The suppressor stinks for ages and stinks out my cabinet! I must be doing something wrong.

In case you want to ever clean a stainless baffle soak it in clr and then use a q-tip... like new.

Obviously dont use clr on the aluminium parts.

good on you Darren for taking time to post ,I have a @DPT suppressor,the 2nd one Ive owned and reckon they are pretty darn good.
if you averaged out the number of shots fired through suppressors of all types and compared that to "incidents of unintentional distruction" the number would be so high its not at all surprising there is the occasional mishap.

and WTF is up with that 3rd photo...... that looks like two COMPLETELY DIFFERENT sized cylinders???????

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Originally Posted by Roarless20

@DPT thank you for the comment. I tried to accurately relay the situation in my first post.
However the second email sent to me from your team was pretty bland without any compromise or options given. I was expecting a phone call in follow up of my initial call, though that appears something went amiss when it was tried. I didn't receive a response to my follow up email.
The reason for my first post was to show what happened with the suppressor and for other people to be aware that this is possible, as I was not before this incident.

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I don't think you are giving DPT fair go, regardless of what you state here.
They offered to assess their product to determine the cause of the failure.
You declined and decide to modify the product yourself and continue using it.
Should it fail again DPT should be exempt from all liability.

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Originally Posted by 7mmwsm

I don't think you are giving DPT fair go, regardless of what you state here.
They offered to assess their product to determine the cause of the failure.
You declined and decide to modify the product yourself and continue using it.
Should it fail again DPT should be exempt from all liability.

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I think he's giving dpt more than a fair go. There was no follow-up, not really surprising for Nz companies in my experience.
It's certainly not the first suppressor to explode, and they're all prone to it.
If you shoot enough guns, it will happen.You need to decide if you want a suppressor that requires regular maintenance or one that doesn't.

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Originally Posted by BRADS

I think he's giving dpt more than a fair go. There was no follow-up, not really surprising for Nz companies in my experience.
It's certainly not the first suppressor to explode, and they're all prone to it.
If you shoot enough guns, it will happen.You need to decide if you want a suppressor that requires regular maintenance or one that doesn't.

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Thanks BRADS, i appreciate that!

My only phone call with DPT was with Rick- Rick mentioned returning the suppressor for removal of the baffle and checking it out. I responded that i had machined out the bushing already and preferred not to send it back if i didn't have to as i use the rifle(.223) regularly. Rick said he wasn't very good at explaining the reasons about getting it checked as he was "just the computer guy and that he would get the Boss (i assume Darren?) to call me to discuss it further." I thought that was great and thanked him. I mentioned i would be happy to purchase a replacement baffle (preferrably SS to avoid a future problem) at a discounted price so i wouldn't have to send it.

I didnt receive that phone call. Only an email stating it must be corrosion due to age, not covered by warranty and they would sell me a replacement baffle at full RRP + Postage.

While waiting for the call i actually was thinking i should send it back. But i never got the chance, only the re-buff email, which didnt mention sending it back. No other communication, just the post in here by DPT that wasn't even directed at me, AND i tried to re-engage with my reply.

What else am i supposed to do? other than bend over and take it!

I like my other DPT suppressor and had no issue with DPT until their poor aftersales service.