My 4 year battle with AAC to fix a defective suppressor...

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Redneckbmxer24
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My 4 year battle with AAC to fix a defective suppressor...

Post by Redneckbmxer24 »

In March 2012 I purchased an AAC Ranger 2 suppressor from a local dealer for $577.50 + $200 tax stamp because I had the desire for a direct thread on 5.56 can for a DMR competition rifle. The approval was quick (a little over 5mo total), but the excitement ended there.

After picking up my new can I immediately noticed horrible POI shifts and accuracy. Shifts were anywhere from 6-12" @100 yards which was hard to measure exactly due to the basketball sized groups. This was consistent across several rifles. It was discovered that the threads inside of the suppressor were not concentric to the mating shoulder, you could actually see a gap with light on the other side when tightened down. I contacted AAC and this was the first time it went back for "repair". It came back to me a few months later and upon testing I realize it had the same issue. After tightening it down on several rifles and seeing the same 1/3 contact it was quickly apparent that all they did was recoat the suppressor and send it back out. I was disgusted by this and made numerous attempts to get it back to AAC to repair and was pretty much told to piss off.

Early last spring I met a contact who referred me to someone within AAC to contact and hopefully get it taken care of (who as of today is no longer with the company), I made contact and another RMA was generated to send it back. A few weeks later the can arrived back to me the same as the first time, same problem, just refinished. Absolutely no fix was done.

Today I contacted AAC yet again due to having a government regulated paper weight. The lady I spoke to reviewed the case and said that they don't have the parts to fix it. All they would offer was a replacement for a cheaper product, and not a comparable product when I purchased this for the direct thread feature, they said they would not cover the cost for the new tax stamp either. I asked about a refund and was informed the same thing, they would refund purchase price but not $200 for the tax stamp. Incurring a loss due to a defect on their part is not acceptable to me, especially when at the time that it first went in for repair the model was stilled offered therefor parts to actually fix it were most likely available.

To say that I'm disgusted with this company is an understatement. For over 4 years I have had a defective item that has been virtually unusable, it has been back twice for repair in which no repair was ever done. This is not my only AAC can that I have had problems with and they would not/could not fix, but the other one I came up with a solution on my own.

I would highly suggest avoiding this company at all costs. They obviously put out defective products and their customer service and willingness to right a mistake on their part is an absolute joke. I'm glad that I decided to go with the Surefire Ryder 9TI vs the TiRant that I was considering last night when I ordered 3 more suppressors (Other two are Thunderbeast) from Silencer Shop.
thecameraman79
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Re: My 4 year battle with AAC to fix a defective suppressor...

Post by thecameraman79 »

Don't quote me but I have heard of guys removing SBR's from NFA status (turning the item back into a pistol) and informing the ATF and getting a refund of the tax stamp. Someone that has done this can chime in or possibly try contacting the ATF and see what can be done if you return it to AAC for the refund option.
mbogo
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Re: My 4 year battle with AAC to fix a defective suppressor...

Post by mbogo »

Sorry to hear that.

Who determined that " the threads inside of the suppressor were not concentric to the mating shoulder"?

Has AAC ever admitted or confirmed that determination?

What do the work orders returned with the can say they did?

Are you experiencing baffle strikes? Bullet contact at the muzzle end of the can?

mbogo
7 stamps and 1 in jail :mrgreen:
Redneckbmxer24
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Re: My 4 year battle with AAC to fix a defective suppressor...

Post by Redneckbmxer24 »

mbogo wrote:Sorry to hear that.

Who determined that " the threads inside of the suppressor were not concentric to the mating shoulder"?

Has AAC ever admitted or confirmed that determination?

What do the work orders returned with the can say they did?

Are you experiencing baffle strikes? Bullet contact at the muzzle end of the can?

mbogo


Regarding concentricity, please see pic below of the mating service. It was professionally examined by numerous people but from the pic you can see that it hardly takes an expert to see there is a problem. The pic was taken today.

Image

Of the six papers that came back after the most recent trip, none of them indicate anything as far as what was done. My opinion is that nothing was done to address the concern, so there was nothing to note.

I haven't had baffle strikes but I haven't shot it much either due to it being such a spectacular piece of s--t.
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Re: My 4 year battle with AAC to fix a defective suppressor...

Post by mbogo »

Image

That IS ridiculously obvious!

How did that pass QC? And how on earth can AAC fail to replace the internals and end cap to satisfy you?

mbogo
7 stamps and 1 in jail :mrgreen:
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fishman
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Re: My 4 year battle with AAC to fix a defective suppressor...

Post by fishman »

If it were me, I'd have an 07/02 either square the shoulder or replace the endcap
300 blackout form 1: http://www.silencertalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=137293

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http://www.silencertalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=141800&p=955647#p955647
Redneckbmxer24
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Re: My 4 year battle with AAC to fix a defective suppressor...

Post by Redneckbmxer24 »

mbogo wrote:
That IS ridiculously obvious!

How did that pass QC? And how on earth can AAC fail to replace the internals and end cap to satisfy you?

mbogo
It needs the end cap cut off and a new one welded on. AAC's claim today s that they don't have the parts to do this. Judging from the phone conversation it's my belief that they knew this is the repair it would take the last time I sent it in, but did not do it.
mbogo
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Re: My 4 year battle with AAC to fix a defective suppressor...

Post by mbogo »

How can they not have the parts? They're a frigging suppressor manufacturer! Manufacture them!

They make .30 caliber baffles for the 7.62SD. All they'd have to do is fit them to the tube and make an end cap.

Based on your experience and other tales of terrible customer service, I don't see myself buying any AAC products.

mbogo
7 stamps and 1 in jail :mrgreen:
Redneckbmxer24
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Re: My 4 year battle with AAC to fix a defective suppressor...

Post by Redneckbmxer24 »

mbogo wrote:How can they not have the parts? They're a frigging suppressor manufacturer! Manufacture them!

They make .30 caliber baffles for the 7.62SD. All they'd have to do is fit them to the tube and make an end cap.

Based on your experience and other tales of terrible customer service, I don't see myself buying any AAC products.

mbogo
Your guess is as good as mine, its an end cap for f***s sake.

I would absolutely avoid them. My main reason for contacting them today was to give it another shot to see what they would do. Last night I spent a couple hours deciding to get the Ryder 9TI or TiRant 9, the Ryder won out because of this very issue. I decided to call though to see what they would do while it was still possible to make a change to my order for the new can and go with the TiRant because I do know its a great design. My problem, and what was confirmed today is, what happens if you get a bad one? Well now I know and I'm glad I went with the Surefire. I gave them an opportunity to earn my business back (against my better judgement) even after this mess.
mbogo
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Re: My 4 year battle with AAC to fix a defective suppressor...

Post by mbogo »

Consider the SilencerCo Osprey as well. I have one in .45 and a bunch of pistons. Its eccentric profile negates the need for high sights.

mbogo
7 stamps and 1 in jail :mrgreen:
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themonk
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Re: My 4 year battle with AAC to fix a defective suppressor...

Post by themonk »

fishman wrote:If it were me, I'd have an 07/02 either square the shoulder or replace the endcap
I agree with fishman, 07/02 is probably your best option.
Redneckbmxer24
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Re: My 4 year battle with AAC to fix a defective suppressor...

Post by Redneckbmxer24 »

themonk wrote:
fishman wrote:If it were me, I'd have an 07/02 either square the shoulder or replace the endcap
I agree with fishman, 07/02 is probably your best option.

I made this post not to find a resolution, but to warn people who may be looking at buying AAC products. I wrote it off as a loss a long time ago, not that I should have had to.

I believe I chose the best option when I chose to go with another suppressor to replace this turd, and again last night when I chose another brand for a 9mm suppressor over the AAC option because of their lack of customer service.

Machining the mating surface to be concentric to the threads still wouldn't fix the problem entirely. You can actually watch it wobble around as it's spun on so it's only a matter of time before there's a baffle strike.
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fishman
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Re: My 4 year battle with AAC to fix a defective suppressor...

Post by fishman »

Redneckbmxer24 wrote:
themonk wrote:
fishman wrote:If it were me, I'd have an 07/02 either square the shoulder or replace the endcap
I agree with fishman, 07/02 is probably your best option.

I made this post not to find a resolution, but to warn people who may be looking at buying AAC products. I wrote it off as a loss a long time ago, not that I should have had to.

I believe I chose the best option when I chose to go with another suppressor to replace this turd, and again last night when I chose another brand for a 9mm suppressor over the AAC option because of their lack of customer service.

Machining the mating surface to be concentric to the threads still wouldn't fix the problem entirely. You can actually watch it wobble around as it's spun on so it's only a matter of time before there's a baffle strike.
I understand your intent of warning us. I'd still ask an 07/02 for a quote to remove the endcap. The way I see it is that you have a paperweight, for x amount of dollars you could have it turned into a fully functional silencer. It might make sense to have it fixed and own two or sell the AAC can after repair.
300 blackout form 1: http://www.silencertalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=137293

5.56 form 1:
http://www.silencertalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=141800&p=955647#p955647
BigBlockBobby
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Re: My 4 year battle with AAC to fix a defective suppressor...

Post by BigBlockBobby »

That is crazy! How in the heck did that ever make it out the door?
rgb03
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Re: My 4 year battle with AAC to fix a defective suppressor...

Post by rgb03 »

Can you post links to your previous posts about this issue over the past 4 years?
Your pics don't really prove a defect. You could have crossed threaded the can.
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fishman
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Re: My 4 year battle with AAC to fix a defective suppressor...

Post by fishman »

rgb03 wrote:Your pics don't really prove a defect. You could have crossed threaded the can.
The threads look pretty darn clean. had he cross threaded it and torqued it on all the way, enough to wear the finish off on one side, the threads would look obviously damaged.
300 blackout form 1: http://www.silencertalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=137293

5.56 form 1:
http://www.silencertalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=141800&p=955647#p955647
hardcase
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Re: My 4 year battle with AAC to fix a defective suppressor...

Post by hardcase »

fishman wrote:
Redneckbmxer24 wrote:
themonk wrote:
I agree with fishman, 07/02 is probably your best option.

I made this post not to find a resolution, but to warn people who may be looking at buying AAC products. I wrote it off as a loss a long time ago, not that I should have had to.

I believe I chose the best option when I chose to go with another suppressor to replace this turd, and again last night when I chose another brand for a 9mm suppressor over the AAC option because of their lack of customer service.

Machining the mating surface to be concentric to the threads still wouldn't fix the problem entirely. You can actually watch it wobble around as it's spun on so it's only a matter of time before there's a baffle strike.
I understand your intent of warning us. I'd still ask an 07/02 for a quote to remove the endcap. The way I see it is that you have a paperweight, for x amount of dollars you could have it turned into a fully functional silencer. It might make sense to have it fixed and own two or sell the AAC can after repair.
Or sell it to someone "as is" that is willing to take a chance on getting it fixed. Offer it for $50.00 or 100.00 bucks. At least you would be rid of the headache and get a fishing weight for a paper weight.

When I have ended up in a similar deal I want the item out of my sight. Every time I would look at it I would just get mad all over again. It's not worth the stomach acid.
Historian
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Re: My 4 year battle with AAC to fix a defective suppressor...

Post by Historian »

Hardcore offers wise advice .. " It's not worth the stomach acid."

This does bring up the idea of a "Suppressor-Yelp-Column".

When HPA passes there will be many novices who will need
the accumulated wisdom of this and sister sites on cans
and related matters on dealers.

Can think of many humorous names but restraint limits
me to a few printable such as
No CAN Do Reviews.

In the 40's there was a pipe tobacco called Prince Albert in The Can* ...
eponymous for Queen Victoria's Husband in 1880s. Many a devilish
child in Southie and surround would random call tobacco shops
asking " Do you have Prince Albert in the Can". When the unsuspecting
clerk replied in the affirmative the kid would yell into the phone
" Well let him out so someone else can use it".

No video games then. :)



* [The brand is the basis of a practical joke, usually made in the form of a prank call.
The prankster typically calls a store and asks if they have "Prince Albert in a can."
When the unsuspecting clerk responds "yes" (because the tobacco is typically packaged in a can,
though other forms of packaging also existed), the caller follows up with,
"Well, you'd better let him out!" or
"Then why don't you let him out before he suffocates!?"
Another, more crass form of this call went "Do you have Prince Albert in the can?" When the respondent said "yes", the caller rejoined, "Well let him out before he drowns!" (with "can" being slang for "toilet").] - Wiki
vaeevictiss
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Re: My 4 year battle with AAC to fix a defective suppressor...

Post by vaeevictiss »

I've never had a desire to own an aac can because they just didn't seem good. Arent they the same company someone made a thread about a few years back that had horrible baffle erosion after not much use? Then aac posted and said that's normal?

I've heard far more bad things about them than good... And for what you spend on their cans that's bulls**t.

Is rather buy a silencerco can if I wanted to spend a crap load of money. At least they make a good product and from what ive heard and read here, any problems people have had have been properly fixed.
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T-Rex
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Re: My 4 year battle with AAC to fix a defective suppressor...

Post by T-Rex »

vaeevictiss wrote:Is rather buy a Thunder Beast Arms can if I wanted to spend a crap load of money.
FIFY :wink: :wink: :D
Completed Builds www.silencertalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=79895
Burst Calculator www.engineersedge.com/calculators/pipe_bust_calc.htm
Silencer Porn www.instagram.com/explore/tags/silencerporn/
vaeevictiss
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Re: My 4 year battle with AAC to fix a defective suppressor...

Post by vaeevictiss »

Yea those are nice too lol. That would be my go to rifle can.
quiettime
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Re: My 4 year battle with AAC to fix a defective suppressor...

Post by quiettime »

That's what happens when you deal with a company that is run by people who don't understand the nature of the thing they are producing. All they know is they are trying to make a profit and they group all customer complaints together.

Granted you are always going to have unhappy customers. The old saying is you could hand out $20 bills at the door and someone would bitch cause it ain't two tens. Today even that might be because it wasn't $200.

Giant companies spoil customers expectations with grandiose fine-print promotions and then meet the same customer with a cold shoulder when they have a problem or want the same deal again.

Look for smaller yet capable shops run by people that are intimately involved in the business and have a good reputation (I.E. Rugged, Dead Air, Thunderbeast, Curtis Tactical et-al).
colorado1
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Re: My 4 year battle with AAC to fix a defective suppressor...

Post by colorado1 »

I am sorry for your pain in this matter. It must be really frustrating to encounter this lack of accountability in a USA made product that is not easily replaced due to its regulation.

I know you are not here to find solutions but I thought I would throw this out. Is there a point in the cans eccentricity where the barrel and can bores align as you spin it on? If there is a point where the bores align you could pin and weld it there. This would solve the misaligned threads and could potentially meet the requirements for a permanently attached muzzle device that allows you to meet barrel length requirements without another stamp.

If not that a threaded insert keeping the thread the same as on the stamp of course and welded in place?
speed6
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Re: My 4 year battle with AAC to fix a defective suppressor...

Post by speed6 »

You might see if the SOT could just bore out the original threads to a larger size ID and re-thread (straight and concentric this time!) to, say, 5/8-24. Then you could simply get an adapter. No welding, and minimal machining.
emrisg
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Re: My 4 year battle with AAC to fix a defective suppressor...

Post by emrisg »

Back in the old days of aac I had the exact same problem. I bought a cyclone and the threads on the can were not concentric to the bore/endcap.

My gun shot the 6-12 inch groups you speak about.

I mailed it back and Mke Mers (I think that was his name) called me a month later and said the can could not be fixed.

Aac gave me a new model cyclone and a check for $200. I agreed to pay for the barrel to be rethreaded as the new cyclone had 5/8-24 vs 9/16 threads.

Times have changed. I will never buy anything from them again strictly because of the new regime's customer service.
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