45Osprey Disappointment, Am I expecting too much?

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swapmeet
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45Osprey Disappointment, Am I expecting too much?

Post by swapmeet »

Let me start by explaining that i'm quite new to suppressors.
I ordered a Sparrow and a 45 Osprey based solely off of extensive internet research.

My host is a 4" Kimber 1911 (4.5" now). I had a STI barrel threaded and modified to fit.
I've only run 50-75 rounds through my can so far, and its been run dry.

Since I have no experience I obviously don't know what to expect... so please don't flame me too hard for this.
I'm only asking because I have quite a bit of money invested into this and after yesterday I don't really want to use the can.

When firing, the report is still painful to my ears. I'm going to try a few varieties of ammo, but thus far i've used Mag tech 230 ball, and 230 ball reloads I purchase and have used for years prior to the suppressor.
Obviously I don't have a SPL meter, but my ears were ringing for a hour after shooting two mags, and had that dull pain consistent with SPL exposure.

Also the blow back i'm experiencing is very uncomfortable. After running two magazines through it yesterday, I didn't want to aim the gun because it was slinging so much hot crap into my face.

The last issue is fouling. Although I think that is to be expected. I'm just amazed how quickly it fouls and how much. Two magazines (8rds ea) and I start having FTF on a gun that had just been cleaned.

I don't expect it to be anywhere near as quiet as my sparrow, but thus far, shooting with the can on is flat out unpleasant.

Hopefully ya'll can share some wisdom or give some suggestions.
Thanks in advance.
samson7x
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Re: 45Osprey Disappointment, Am I expecting too much?

Post by samson7x »

I own a Tirant instead of an osprey so take this with a grain of salt, but 45 is just loud. While it may be considered "hearing safe" according to OSHA standards run dry, I always run mine wet when shooting 45. Having said that, it is much more pleasant on a 9mm with 147s.

Get used to the fouling. Suppressors naturally dirty up a gun faster. It shouldn't have caused reliability issues after two mags though. I'm assuming it was clean to begin with?
swapmeet
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Re: 45Osprey Disappointment, Am I expecting too much?

Post by swapmeet »

Yes, I just cleaned the pistol and wiped the piston assembly on the can, re-lubed with white lithium grease.
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Bendersquint
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Re: 45Osprey Disappointment, Am I expecting too much?

Post by Bendersquint »

swapmeet wrote:Let me start by explaining that i'm quite new to suppressors.
I ordered a Sparrow and a 45 Osprey based solely off of extensive internet research.

My host is a 4" Kimber 1911 (4.5" now). I had a STI barrel threaded and modified to fit.
I've only run 50-75 rounds through my can so far, and its been run dry.

Since I have no experience I obviously don't know what to expect... so please don't flame me too hard for this.
I'm only asking because I have quite a bit of money invested into this and after yesterday I don't really want to use the can.

When firing, the report is still painful to my ears. I'm going to try a few varieties of ammo, but thus far i've used Mag tech 230 ball, and 230 ball reloads I purchase and have used for years prior to the suppressor.
Obviously I don't have a SPL meter, but my ears were ringing for a hour after shooting two mags, and had that dull pain consistent with SPL exposure.

Also the blow back i'm experiencing is very uncomfortable. After running two magazines through it yesterday, I didn't want to aim the gun because it was slinging so much hot crap into my face.

The last issue is fouling. Although I think that is to be expected. I'm just amazed how quickly it fouls and how much. Two magazines (8rds ea) and I start having FTF on a gun that had just been cleaned.

I don't expect it to be anywhere near as quiet as my sparrow, but thus far, shooting with the can on is flat out unpleasant.

Hopefully ya'll can share some wisdom or give some suggestions.
Thanks in advance.
45 is hard to suppress, shoot it wet and it shouldn't ring your ears.

If they are ringing for an hour after shooting 2 mags, your hearing is really really good so its really affected by the noise.

Shooting anything suppressed is going to be much dirtier than shoot it without the can.

Did you oil your gun after cleaning it or was it shot dry? I have run hundreds of rounds through my Sig P220 before it starts gumming up.

Welcome to silencer ownership, got some tweaking to do to get it running just right. ;)
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MJF1911
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Re: 45Osprey Disappointment, Am I expecting too much?

Post by MJF1911 »

I have a 45Osprey and I recommend that you shoot it with a cap full (like a 20 oz bottle) of water or a squirt of wire pulling gel (get the clear kind). I haven't had any reliability issues with my 1911.
SWR 556 Specwar, 762 Specwar, Octane 45HD, Spectre II; SilencerCo Osprey 45, Omega; AAC Pilot, 300TM; Ruger AC556
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jh1990
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Re: 45Osprey Disappointment, Am I expecting too much?

Post by jh1990 »

Could be host related as well. I've had hosts that unlock too quickly ring my ears with my 9mm osprey. (G19 and HK USP) Other hosts like my Beretta 92fs are scary quiet.
swapmeet
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Re: 45Osprey Disappointment, Am I expecting too much?

Post by swapmeet »

Thanks everyone for your reply. I'll try to address all the comments

I do have very good hearing.

The gun was oiled. Do you think that is contributing to my problem? I.E. Oil absorbing the gunk and exacerbating my reliability issues?

I have clear wire pulling gel, but i've been reluctant to try it because I was concerned it would blow the gel back into my face somehow.
I'll give it a try today with both 'brands' of ammunition and see how it runs.

Concerning the host, my 1911 seemed like the best choice based on cost and performance.
SilencerCo's videos show a 5" 1911 being the least noisy host among .45 hosts. It was a negligible difference, but it was the best.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vt4AJM75dIU

Also, re-barreling my 1911 saved me the cost of having a dedicated host gun/ purchasing another gun. (see: Keeping my wife happy)

I'm already invested, so I have to figure it out. I guess i'm a little let down by the results.

If anyone has any suggestions, or wants to suggest a better host, please chime in.
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Bendersquint
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Re: 45Osprey Disappointment, Am I expecting too much?

Post by Bendersquint »

Very good hearing and cans will throw you off for sure. You will hear more than most shooters at that point.

An oiled gun CAN contribute, I shoot mine dry and haven't noticed any issues.

Most wire pulling gel is water soluble and non toxic.

The 1911 suppress OK, not like a Sig or a Beretta though.
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Re: 45Osprey Disappointment, Am I expecting too much?

Post by a_canadian »

If it is a case of the back pressure causing the slide to fly open too easily/early (and take this with a grain of salt as I'm not a firearms guy at all) then would replacing the return spring with something a bit stiffer help keep the noise down a little? That is, if early opening of the breech is causing explosive gases to release sideways/backwards, increasing the volume from the shooter's perspective. And another ignorant suggestion; what about using subsonic ammo? Unless you're shooting at ranges beyond 50 metres or so, there doesn't seem to be a lot of point using supersonic loads, especially if the result is having to wear hearing protection with a suppressor mounted.
Historian
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Re: 45Osprey Disappointment, Am I expecting too much?

Post by Historian »

Calibration point dredged up from the far, far hoary past, OCONUS:

1911A1; threaded special barrel; ball/ test can ( all WAG approximate
specs ): ~7.5 - 8".0" long/ ~ 1.75" diameter/ Aluminum/
many flat bronze washers and spaces/ heavy such that each shot required
hand pulling back of slide/ perceived level comparable or ≤ to Hush Pup.

[ Above befogged data should be considered as reliable, so told, and as objective
as images of how good looking 'dates' actually were after foggy weekend
around Subic Bay, with "I Can't Get No, Satisfaction" blaring in
background hammering auditory channels. :) ]
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MJF1911
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Re: 45Osprey Disappointment, Am I expecting too much?

Post by MJF1911 »

Water tends to splash back a little for me, wire pulling gel does not.

You could try a stiffer recoil spring, although Commanders typically have an 18lb spring in them already.
SWR 556 Specwar, 762 Specwar, Octane 45HD, Spectre II; SilencerCo Osprey 45, Omega; AAC Pilot, 300TM; Ruger AC556
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swapmeet
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Re: 45Osprey Disappointment, Am I expecting too much?

Post by swapmeet »

Historian... You just exceeded my velocity sir.

Concerning the spring, that makes a little sense. I might look into that option. Hopefully it's easier than finding/ making a barrel.

.45ACP is subsonic by nature. This is why I'm so disappointed I think. Subsonic round with a nice big can and the report is still uncomfortable.


The more I think about it, the more the spring thing makes a little sense. Cause the blow back I'm experiencing is "hot things spraying my face."

Hmmm.
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ATCDoktor
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Re: 45Osprey Disappointment, Am I expecting too much?

Post by ATCDoktor »

The one question nobody's asked is where are you shooting it, indoors or out?

Shooting at an indoor range, just about all cans are loud (22 cans with subsonic ammo being the exception).

For the record, my tirant is quiet (to the shooter) outdoors.

In my garage, it rings my ears every round.
wmdaniel70
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Re: 45Osprey Disappointment, Am I expecting too much?

Post by wmdaniel70 »

Following up on the recoil spring comments, would it make sense to find the stiffest recoil spring that still reliably cycles the host to help cut down on blowback?
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chrismartin
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Re: 45Osprey Disappointment, Am I expecting too much?

Post by chrismartin »

If you want to delay the action a bit, rather than (or even in addition to) a stiffer recoil spring, you should get a firing pin stop with a smaller radius.

This will keep the action locked a little bit longer and it will take more force to cock the hammer.
The factory slide stop on the Kimber is a gentle slope, which allow the hammer to be cocked by the slide very easily.

Pick up one of these:

https://shop.harrisoncustom.com/hd-206- ... g-pin-stop

Double check that it is the correct model, however, they have several.

Harrison Custom Extreme Firing pin stop. You can also get them at Brownells.
It has the small radius for the hammer and it is a great part. I used to by the over sized EGW and put this radius on by hand. When Harrison Custom released this part, I stopped buying the EGW part because it was so good. Awesome part. It may not be 100% drop in though. You may have to stone or file the sides a little to get it to fit. Several of mine dropped right in though.

I do this to all my 1911's, even the non-suppressed ones.

.45 is a HUGE hole down the middle of the silencer. It's hard to suppress. The TiRant, Octane and as you know the Osprey all call themselves "hearing safe" but that's just an OSHA rule. It will still damage your hearing. Shooting it wet will help a bunch, as mentioned above. Shooting wet will probably kick crap back at you, there isn't much you can do.
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Re: 45Osprey Disappointment, Am I expecting too much?

Post by John Titsworth »

As previously mentioned, the 45 is not easy to make quiet (or what you may perceive as quiet) without water/gel. Were you shooting indoors? Even the best 45 silencers really need water/gel. Its my least favorite pistol caliber for silencers for this reason. Shooting wet with a 45 can cause black splash back that will not come out of clothes. Also the Osprey is a sealed silencer and sealed centerfire pistol silencers will last about 4,500-5,500 shots before the geometry in the silencer becomes clogged up with hard carbon deposits and stops being effective. Aluminum silencers cannot be dipped either so expect a 10dB rise in sound pressure levels after about 5,000 shots of jacketed ammo. Also shooting lead ball reloads will make this problem occur much faster.

Shoot it wet and consider a user serviceable centerfire pistol silencer for your next purchase.
swapmeet
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Re: 45Osprey Disappointment, Am I expecting too much?

Post by swapmeet »

Ok, to address the comments (BTW ya'll are awesome... Thank you. Really.)

Shooting outside.

It sounds like you're on to something with the recoil spring. Most factory 4" guns suggest you replace the factory recoil spring at 800 rounds. I'm sure I'm past that.

Wilson Comment has a improved replacement that they claim lasts 10x longer. Even if it only lasts 3000 or whatever, if it retains the required pressure, it's an improvement.

So I just ordered it.

I'll check out that firing pin thing too...

What's hitting me in the face is very hot. I'm starting to think its powder, not oil etc.
Hopefully a new and improved spring makes an improvement.
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chrismartin
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Re: 45Osprey Disappointment, Am I expecting too much?

Post by chrismartin »

I run the Wilson flat spring in my Kimber 4" Pro Carry II.
It works well. IIRC it's a ISMI Glock 17 spring or something like that. You can google it (for when you need to replace it).
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Re: 45Osprey Disappointment, Am I expecting too much?

Post by rimshaker »

John Titsworth wrote: Shooting wet with a 45 can cause black splash back that will not come out of clothes.
Psssh tell me 'bout it :x Now i only wear dark shirts when shooting.
swapmeet
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Re: 45Osprey Disappointment, Am I expecting too much?

Post by swapmeet »

chrismartin wrote:I run the Wilson flat spring in my Kimber 4" Pro Carry II.
It works well. IIRC it's a ISMI Glock 17 spring or something like that. You can google it (for when you need to replace it).
The WC spring is what I ordered :mrgreen:
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elcapitan1
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Re: 45Osprey Disappointment, Am I expecting too much?

Post by elcapitan1 »

Before purchasing my Osprey 45 I shot it side by side with a Tyrant and believed the Osprey to sound better. But, when I took it out for the first time on my 1911 I was not impressed with it, until I added a little water . I use around 2 caps full and it's giggle quiet.
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Re: 45Osprey Disappointment, Am I expecting too much?

Post by wetboyz »

MJF1911 wrote:I have a 45Osprey and I recommend that you shoot it with a cap full (like a 20 oz bottle) of water or a squirt of wire pulling gel (get the clear kind). I haven't had any reliability issues with my 1911.
I SECOND THIS. I do this all the time and no problem. I prefer the clear line puller.
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Re: 45Osprey Disappointment, Am I expecting too much?

Post by rimshaker »

Froglube paste is my new favorite. Acts as a wet medium, lube, and carbon softener all at the same time. Makes the can smell like mint too!
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Dan
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Re: 45Osprey Disappointment, Am I expecting too much?

Post by Dan »

one thing that you could try to figure out quickly if it is the can or host is to put in a fixed barrel spacer in place of the spring.

then the gun wont cycle and you can hear for yourself what it sounds like

45's are loud unless you add some media. In my opinion, the Osprey is not as good for that aspect as the ablative collects too far blow the bore.
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Re: 45Osprey Disappointment, Am I expecting too much?

Post by Veritas »

MJF1911 wrote:I have a 45Osprey and I recommend that you shoot it with a cap full (like a 20 oz bottle) of water or a squirt of wire pulling gel (get the clear kind). I haven't had any reliability issues with my 1911.

What do you mean a "cap full"? Like filled to the brim?
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