Suppressor Puzzle

[joken]

I was shooting a bolt action ,22 and it suddenly started shooting several feet in random directions. I stopped shooting and found the Silencerco Switchback Suppressor was a little loose but there was no damage to the can. A friend just told me that he tightens his after every mag. I think a thin silicone o-ring might solve the loose issue, but why was the bullet point of impact so far off without damaging the can?

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[Ben B.]

Because it can lightly/barely graze a baffle without a full on strike and, so I am told by a mfg, come close enough to one WITHOUT actually touching the baffle but encounter different pressures that shift bullet's nose attitude.

I encountered this with a suppressor on a newly threaded barrel that was a touch long on threads for that can. The accuracy went to hell, no baffle strikes, no problem with that can on other barrels, no problem with other cans on that barrel. A thin flat machine washer on that particular barrel spaced the can far enough forward to remove the problem.

 

[Ben B.]

Teflon tape on the threads, or even some blue Loctite, work well. With an O ring you may encounter shouldering problems in keeping the can straight with the bore.

 

[Ben B.]

I find a muzzle can on fixed barrels almost never loosens up.

I said ALMOST never. I checked a rifle can on an AR at a match this month and found…it had loosened up about a quarter turn. But you gotta check em on pistols, every magazine is a good rule.

 

[joken]

Thanks Ben, that makes sense.