Silencers, dirty brass, and malfunctions. I need some help

[DonMagicJuan]

I need some help from the good people of silencer talk. I have a ranch in East Texas, and therefore am constantly trying to get rid of our mortal enemies, the feral hog. I've been hog hunting for roughly the last 15 years with all sorts of rifles. I've found the best system for me is an DMPS GII with a sig SRD7.62 silencer.

My issue is that when shooting suppressed, my ammo gets REALLY dirty in the magazine. Like causes malfunctions dirty. Failure to feed, failure to eject, and just general stoppages. I've found that I can alleviate the problem by only loading 5 rounds in a magazine at a time. However, I just got a thermal scope, and it's pretty common to run into groups of 30-40 hogs at a time. I would really like to use fully loaded 30 round mags if possible. I also would really like to continue using a silencer, as it seems to confuse the hogs making them run in circles rather then away from my location.

I've had this problem across several different platforms. I've had issues using hornandy 6.8 ammo, a carbine length gas system, and a wilson combat whisper silencer. I've had issues using 300 bo barnes tsx, a pistol length gas system, with the same silencer. And now I'm having issues running 308 remington corelokt with the above mentioned rifle and sig silencer. I have a neighbor who hunts hogs 300 days a year, and is a major manufacturer of high end firearms, and he will only load 5 rounds in a magazine at a time. Because of these issues I try to clean my rifles very regularly. Usually won't put more than 100 rounds downrange without cleaning, and if I fire more than a couple of 5 round magazines while hunting I'll clean them after every trip. I used to use hoppes and then lube everything with remoil, and now I just wipe everything down with CLP wipes.

How do I fix this problem ? Will an adjustable gas block help ? Will going with a piston driven rifle vs a DI rifle make a difference ? Is there a lube I can coat my cases in ? Do I need to change my cleaning routine ? Am I the only one who's having these issues?

Thanks for the help

[fishman]

1. Adjustable gas block
2. Try different ammo
3. Consider 450 bushmaster (mine works fine suppressed and kills pigs extra dead)
4. Adjustable gas block
5. Consider a custom integral silencer for less backpressure
6. Dont over lube your gun, it will gum up with carbon.
7. Adjustable gas block

[SuthDet]

An adjustable gas block is the way to go.

For reference, I clean my ar every 1000-2000 rounds, and add a little oil to the bcg every 2-300 rounds. I only get stoppages if I let it get really dry. I shoot 100% suppressed, 30rd mags, no problems.

5.56 is the most tolerant to changes in the gas system. Get into larger rounds (6., or shorter gas systems (carbine and pistol), and things get more senseative. If tuned properly, it might not run without the can.

[fishman]

I also run 45acp, 300blk, and 450 bushmaster ARs exclusively suppressed. Ive never had this issue, even after several 26/30/10 round mags.

[DonMagicJuan]

Thanks for the quick responses guys. Looks like an adjustable gas block is the way to go. A relatively cheap fix and I can keep my $900 rifle that shoots sub moa with remington walmart ammo. Any recommendations for the gas block?

Strangely enough, I've only had this problem with supersonic 300 blackout. I usually load up 20 round mags with subsonic without any issues.

Not trying to start world war 3, but does anyone think going piston over di would make a difference? I'm trying not to spend a bunch of money, but the POF revolution is mighty sexy. Also not trying to buy any new silencers, as I've got 2 in jail for nearly a year now.

[fishman]

It should be negligible, assuming both were tuned properly

[cdl]

Your rifle just shouldn't be getting "that" dirty in 5 rounds or even probably a hundred. In addition to the AGB I'll add that an A2 stock setup is inherently more forgiving than the shortened carbine buffer tube setup. I can notice the difference. Also the bigger 308 case head swings into the bolt ejector at a shallower angle and can hang up. Beveling and polishing the ejector can work wonders if it hasn't already been done. If your brass is getting gouged, a little polishing along the bottom of the bolt carrier and bottom 2 lugs of the bolt can smooth out the feeding processes too. I also usually run my rifles wet with lube, but I'll just lube the wear points if I'm going to "work" my rifle, i.e., a couple hundred rounds over the course of a few days without unloading. Cold, greasy, dirty guns that have sat for a while are the worst. I also find the slickness of a NiB bolt carrier marginally helps break all the crud loose for those first couple rounds.

My Sig MCX stays amazingly clean compared to my DI guns, but my DI guns work just fine too. The piston guns are heavier and you'd probably need to be pretty abusive to reap any real advantage from a piston.

[DonMagicJuan]

Thanks for the input fellas. Just to be clear though, it seems to be dirty ammo, and not a dirty rifle that is causing issues. I can pretty much run indefinitely on 5 round mags.

I'll definitely try polishing as recommended. I like cheap fixes, and I imagine this will help with all forms of shooting. I did in fact have some gouging during the first couple hundred rounds, but that has stopped as the rifles gotten more broken in.

I'm going to try the AGB first and then go from there. I do shoot unsuppressed on occasions, so something that is mildly easily adjustable in the field is preferable.

Does anybody have any brands that they recommend?

[fishman]

Does anybody have any brands that they recommend?

seekins precision is what I have. I have no complaints but no experience with anything else.

[gsyoung54]

Thanks for the input fellas. Just to be clear though, it seems to be dirty ammo, and not a dirty rifle that is causing issues. I can pretty much run indefinitely on 5 round mags.

I'll definitely try polishing as recommended. I like cheap fixes, and I imagine this will help with all forms of shooting. I did in fact have some gouging during the first couple hundred rounds, but that has stopped as the rifles gotten more broken in.

I'm going to try the AGB first and then go from there. I do shoot unsuppressed on occasions, so something that is mildly easily adjustable in the field is preferable.

Does anybody have any brands that they recommend?

With only a recommendation to go by I bought several Odinworks AGBs, they solved my problems on 5.56 and 300 black subsonic, both semi and full auto suppressed. They have positive click adjustments and I believe about 20 settings. I always start with the most restrictive setting and work my way up in a clean gun until it functions perfectly then give it two clicks more to compensate for a gun getting dirty in the field.

[cdl]

I'm going add, because i worry you might be off track a little, A suppressed 308 has all kinds of energy. You can tear cases apart with it. You almost can't get it dirty enough to stop it. All the AGB suggestions, imply a belief that your way over gassed suppressed. Generally you need to slow things down so the reload process isn't beating it all to death. That means less gas (AGB) and and a longer lock up time (heavier buffer before stronger recoil spring). There is a sweat spot. An AGB, mid length gas and A2 stock makes life simple, but one can tune to anything. You just need to find the rhythm. Once you've tamed it, maybe then you can get it too dirty.

Pretty much all the AGBs work the same, except maybe the Superlative. I think venting as an option as opposed to restricting is an advantage.

[1911rocks]

I had the same issue with a SBR 300BO (Pistol length gas system. I used an Adam's Piston Kit. Problem solved. I played with the AGB. I used the Noveske. The problem was adjusting it with the extended handguard in place.

[cdhknives]

My reloads with CFE223 did something similar. They turned rounds in the mag green and they had a noticeable rough texture, I assume from the CFE additives attacking the brass cases. I never had stoppages but I could see it happening quite easily. Did you try different ammo to see if it was specific to that brand/style?

[1911rocks]

Kind of late to the game. I had a similar issue with my 7.5" 300BO SBR using 220gr Berry's and CFEBLK. I went back to 1680 or IMR4227 and the problem seemed to resolve itself. In my 5.56mm 7.5" SBR I I had a similar issue (not the greenish brass). In this gun I installed an Adams Piston Conversion. Problem is gone.

[gsyoung54]

Kind of late to the game. I had a similar issue with my 7.5" 300BO SBR using 220gr Berry's and CFEBLK. I went back to 1680 or IMR4227 and the problem seemed to resolve itself. In my 5.56mm 7.5" SBR I I had a similar issue (not the greenish brass). In this gun I installed an Adams Piston Conversion. Problem is gone.

I hear lots of good things about piston conversions in short barrel 5.56. Have you had any experience with piston conversions in Blackout? I watched a fellow shooter try to get his 10" bbl blackout piston gun to work with or without a suppressor. He finally put an AGB on but then had to click it differently for suppressed vs unsuppressed. I used direct impingement on all my Blackouts and have a couple of short barells and other uppers up to 18" just to see.
One thing with my friends gun that was kind of surprising was it was not 100% with the factory premium subsonic ammo that he was shooting so I lent him a couple of 20 round boxes of Remington UMC 220 grain, which may be the filthiest modern ammo on the planet and his gun ran semi-auto through all 40 rounds without a hitch. I've switched to buying S&B 200 grain subsonic because it is cheaper by the case and seems to have a little more oomph and is very quiet.