BUMMED... second day with new suppressor... end cap strike... UPDATED

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DaveJTR
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BUMMED... second day with new suppressor... end cap strike... UPDATED

Post by DaveJTR »

*** UPDATE -7/19/2018 - SEE MY LAST REPLY.

The front page of the forum has my other post about me receiving my Rugged Obsidian 45 yesterday.

Yesterday - shot my Rugged Obsidian 45 with 1/2 x 28 piston and 9mm end cap through a Sig P226 Legion DA/SA with Silencerco threaded barrel and had no issues.

Today - shot my Rugged Obsidian 45 with 1/2 x 28 piston and 9mm end cap through a Glock 19 today and had an end cap strike that my buddies noticed.

Today - went back out afterwards and put the 45 end cap on and shot the Glock with no strikes.

Same ammo used for all shots (Fiocchi 158 grain subsonic)

I literally tightened the suppressor after 3 shots every time I shot it because I could feel it coming loose.

Also, some people have stated that they can't hear a difference with end caps. I can confidently say that the 9mm end cap made an appreciable difference in sound reduction.

E-mailed Rugged today. Hope to hear from them Monday.

What do y'all do to avoid end cap strikes?
Last edited by DaveJTR on Thu Jul 19, 2018 12:16 pm, edited 1 time in total.
a_canadian
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Re: BUMMED... second day with new suppressor... end cap strike...

Post by a_canadian »

Seems likely you've explained the source of the problem - you shot the same can on two pistols, one without issue, the other giving a baffle strike. The Glock's threading is crooked, not concentric to the bore. Probably. Could perhaps be a piston timing issue, but this seems doubtful.
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Re: BUMMED... second day with new suppressor... end cap strike...

Post by DaveJTR »

Seems so obvious that I didn’t even think about it. I guess I just assumed that since both barrels were Silencerco, then both should be fine. Silencerco seems reputable enough to machine it right? Hmmm.
a_canadian
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Re: BUMMED... second day with new suppressor... end cap strike...

Post by a_canadian »

If you can find someone with an alignment rod, which neatly fits the barrels and is perfectly straight, it is easy to insert with a suppressor mounted and check for any variation in the gap spacing at the end cap. A brass rod rolled on new thick glass to check (or preferably a granite reference slab) for trueness will not harm the rifling nor crown. Machining a couple of inches to just barely fit into the bore is best, if you have a machinist friend. Clearance between bullet and cap hole edge should be exactly the same all around.

Failing this, you can of course just mount the suppressor to the barrel when out of the pistol and look down it in good light from either end. Any unevenness in shadow or reflection can often be seen this way.
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doubloon
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Re: BUMMED... second day with new suppressor... end cap strike...

Post by doubloon »

If it's constantly coming loose as often as you say then you've likely found your problem already IMO.

Threads can vary between barrels and adapters yet still be perfectly concentric and within spec' but if the barrel threads are slightly on the small side and the adapter threads are slightly on the large side then you might see the kind of looseness issue you're describing.
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John A.
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Re: BUMMED... second day with new suppressor... end cap strike...

Post by John A. »

doubloon wrote:If it's constantly coming loose as often as you say then you've likely found your problem already IMO.

Threads can vary between barrels and adapters yet still be perfectly concentric and within spec' but if the barrel threads are slightly on the small side and the adapter threads are slightly on the large side then you might see the kind of looseness issue you're describing.
^ My thoughts as well.

It should not be shooting loose that quickly or easily provided that you snugged it down by hand pretty well. No need to use a strap or wrench, but hand tight.

If you can feel it "shooting loose" there's your problem, and why you got an endcap kiss.
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rimshaker
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Re: BUMMED... second day with new suppressor... end cap strike...

Post by rimshaker »

Do test fires without the can first to check for any keyholes on paper.
gsyoung54
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Re: BUMMED... second day with new suppressor... end cap strike...

Post by gsyoung54 »

Start using Vibra-Tite VC-3 or a couple drops of blue Locktite on your barrel threads. Can stays put and you can get it off... usually by hand, sometimes with a little help from a strap wrench.
Send Rugged a pic of your end cap and they will probably send you a new one, they did with me a couple of years ago.
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Re: BUMMED... second day with new suppressor... end cap strike...

Post by doubloon »

gsyoung54 wrote:...
Send Rugged a pic of your end cap and they will probably send you a new one, they did with me a couple of years ago.
Was there a root cause determined for the end cap damage you experienced? Looseness? Cocentricity?
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gsyoung54
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Re: BUMMED... second day with new suppressor... end cap strike...

Post by gsyoung54 »

doubloon wrote:
gsyoung54 wrote:...
Send Rugged a pic of your end cap and they will probably send you a new one, they did with me a couple of years ago.
Was there a root cause determined for the end cap damage you experienced? Looseness? Cocentricity?
I had used too much wire pulling gel as an ablative and I believe some of it got into the center channel, deflecting the bullet just enough for the end cap strike. I did that also a couple of years ago with the Rugged Occulus, full config, and they sent me a new one, now I only use RemOil as an ablative in .22 cans and use much less wire pulling gel in the baffles. It's not such an issue with the excellent Liberty Cosmic and Mystic X monocores as they have lots of air space for ablatives. Now i spin them on appropriate sized wooden dowels to make sure the ablative is nowhere near the center channel. But I did F up and shoot my relatively new Cosmic on a Sig P227 I had just got back from the factory for the short reset trigger job and the threaded barrel i had for it was brand new and I did not follow my own advice and use my favorite Vibra-Tite (eBay and Amazon) and the can loosened up a lot because I shot a lot that day. I told Liberty it was entirely my stupid fault and did not want it to be warrantied. Was about $200 to recore it...

George From Alaska
DaveJTR
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Re: BUMMED... second day with new suppressor... end cap strike...

Post by DaveJTR »

Rugged has had my suppressor and both threaded barrels for a few days now. They are running tests and hope to conclude by next week.

I'll keep you guys posted on the results when they come in.

SIDE NOTE: Rugged's customer service has been outstanding thus far.

Dave
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Re: BUMMED... second day with new suppressor... end cap strike...

Post by DaveJTR »

Received my suppressor and threaded barrels today.

The conclusion of the investigation was that I should refrain from using the Glock 19 Silencerco barrel, despite the fact that the barrel & suppressor were concentric and lined up (Rugged had 2 end cap strikes during their test).

I was also advised to be cautious of the P226 Silencerco barrel because the shoulder is so small. Upon inspection, it is, indeed, pretty small.

Rugged replaced my end cap, piston, spring, and spring retainer with brand new ones. They also gave me assorted swag merch and a spring/retainer 3-lug combo tool.


I was told there would be a 24-hour turnaround time. Although the process took longer, I was appreciative of the fact that they took the time to make it right. Did it suck not having my barrels and suppressor for a week? Yeah, but now I know they did everything they could to prevent this from happening again in the future.


Side Note: I have switched to a Shadow Systems Glock barrel, and I have not had any strikes with it. This post is not meant to bash SilencerCo - I love their products. What happened to me may not happen to you.

Ask for Travis at Rugged if you have a problem. He'll take good care of you.
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John A.
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Re: BUMMED... second day with new suppressor... end cap strike... UPDATED

Post by John A. »

Stating facts of something that happened is far from a bash fest.
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gsyoung54
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Re: BUMMED... second day with new suppressor... end cap strike... UPDATED

Post by gsyoung54 »

Now its fairly easy to find Sigs with factory threaded barrels... and I believe I have bought two factory threaded barrels from them for my pistols that did not have them. They are threaded backwards but it's just another few pistons to buy. 13.5x1 LH I think, without having to get up and go all the way to the shop...
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doubloon
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Re: BUMMED... second day with new suppressor... end cap strike... UPDATED

Post by doubloon »

The RSR group shipped a bunch of Sigs with 1/2x28 threads at least once a long time ago that were supposed to be factory threaded and Sig themselves sold 1/2x28 barrels for some of their pistols at one time.

Nope, it's not a bash just facts.

It's possible to get a bad barrel from anybody.
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gsyoung54
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Re: BUMMED... second day with new suppressor... end cap strike... UPDATED

Post by gsyoung54 »

Wish I had got a few of those... it would have saved me several hundred dollars on pistons... I have quite a few suppressors and being a bit OCD about my firearms like to have two of everything for every suppressor. I know that at least two companie's and now maybe three are totally interchangeable, that may help for some people.
And you are right about threaded barrels, mistakes do happen. I recently bought an extended and threaded barrel for my Walther PPQ M2 in .45ACP from Jarvis barrels. It is an excellent barrel and even exceeded the already small groups from the excellent factory barrel.
George from Alaska
gsyoung54
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Re: BUMMED... second day with new suppressor... end cap strike... UPDATED

Post by gsyoung54 »

Shot my Rugged Surge .45 the other day for the first time with the 9mm endcap on my Sig MK-25 Navy with a factory threaded barrel in backwards x 13.5.
Got a baffle strike immediately on the 9mm endcap. Sig, factory tb, Rugged 13.5 LH piston, S&B 158 grain. Never had a problem with this ammunition in at least four other different 9mm hosts with different suppressors, some dedicated 9 suppressors, others were .45 Tirant-M's with AAC 13.5 and 1/2 x 28 pistons depending on the gun and barrel.
I had plenty of Vibra-tite on the threaded barrel and it was a very tight fit that never loosened. Maybe air turbulence with the 9mm bullet in the .45 channel? I don't really know. I don't notice a difference with the 9 cap on anyway although I do not have a second Surge to do a real side by side test.
Has anyone noticed that the end cap on the Tirant 9M appears to have the same hole size as the Tirant 45M?
George from Alaska
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