Edited to keep people on topic.
Like me, I'm sure many of you are tired of cleaning the damn things with a brush and solvent for hours trying to get them "mostly clean" or "good enough." Along with my research I have discovered a couple methods of cleaning that make it effortless though I am more leaning towards 1 method over the other...
Method 1: soda blasting.
Items needed:
Soda blaster
Soda media (baking soda)
blast cabinet or respirator
basically sand blast the baffles with baking soda inside a cabinet, or wear a respirator while doing it.
Downside to this method is cost and the mess...
Soda blasting is very expensive because the media can't be re-used. It's one time use sorta thing. spent blast media needs to be tossed.
Method 2: Wet tumbling!
items needed:
6-12lb capacity Rock tumbler (example: thumlers tumbler)
5lbs stainless pellet pin tumbling media (re-useable for a LONG time)
lemi-shine detergent (lasts a long time as only about 1/3 teaspoon is needed per batch)
dawn dish soap (or other brand dish soap/degreaser) not much of this is needed either... few drops really
enough water to raise the water level above the tumbling media and the baffles (and casings if you reload)
after that, seal up the drum and put it on the tumbler and let it run for 4-6hrs. should come out with 95-100% clean baffles that look good as new. some reports say you may need to pick one or two spots off after they are done but the vast majority of buildup will be gone.
Added bonus of the tumbler is if you reload or plan to reload in the future for your pistol or rifle, you can toss your brass in with the baffles and let it clean your brass at the same time!
From every report I have seen, this method is the cats meow and causes no damage to aluminum baffles.
Just make sure to clean your tube and end caps by hand if they are anodized otherwise the coating my get cleaned off... endcaps and the tube are simple enough to clean by hand, but cleaning 6 baffles and a spacer ring on top of that is a PITA!!!
I think I am definitely taking up method 2 soon as I get paid
All suggestions/comments welcome! if you have a different method, post it up with before/after results! Would love to see em.
Or if you have tried any of these methods post up how it worked out for you!
Like me, I'm sure many of you are tired of cleaning the damn things with a brush and solvent for hours trying to get them "mostly clean" or "good enough." Along with my research I have discovered a couple methods of cleaning that make it effortless though I am more leaning towards 1 method over the other...
Method 1: soda blasting.
Items needed:
Soda blaster
Soda media (baking soda)
blast cabinet or respirator
basically sand blast the baffles with baking soda inside a cabinet, or wear a respirator while doing it.
Downside to this method is cost and the mess...
Soda blasting is very expensive because the media can't be re-used. It's one time use sorta thing. spent blast media needs to be tossed.
Method 2: Wet tumbling!
items needed:
6-12lb capacity Rock tumbler (example: thumlers tumbler)
5lbs stainless pellet pin tumbling media (re-useable for a LONG time)
lemi-shine detergent (lasts a long time as only about 1/3 teaspoon is needed per batch)
dawn dish soap (or other brand dish soap/degreaser) not much of this is needed either... few drops really
enough water to raise the water level above the tumbling media and the baffles (and casings if you reload)
after that, seal up the drum and put it on the tumbler and let it run for 4-6hrs. should come out with 95-100% clean baffles that look good as new. some reports say you may need to pick one or two spots off after they are done but the vast majority of buildup will be gone.
Added bonus of the tumbler is if you reload or plan to reload in the future for your pistol or rifle, you can toss your brass in with the baffles and let it clean your brass at the same time!
From every report I have seen, this method is the cats meow and causes no damage to aluminum baffles.
Just make sure to clean your tube and end caps by hand if they are anodized otherwise the coating my get cleaned off... endcaps and the tube are simple enough to clean by hand, but cleaning 6 baffles and a spacer ring on top of that is a PITA!!!
I think I am definitely taking up method 2 soon as I get paid
All suggestions/comments welcome! if you have a different method, post it up with before/after results! Would love to see em.
Or if you have tried any of these methods post up how it worked out for you!
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