Couple of questions about Ti-RANT 9

[Scoundrel]

I did some searches and found some information that came close to what I am looking for, but did not quite satisfy my questions.

Background Info: I have a Ti-RANT 9 waiting at the LGS for ATF approval. I went there and played with it a bit today. I can't take it home yet.
The serial number is TR-25##, so it's WAY past the user-serviceable cutoff. It came with the endcap removal tool and instructions for dis-assembly.
I could not remove the front cap. I'm no 98-pound weakling. I left quite a lot of DNA on the tool. Probably lost a couple layers of skin trying. Through forum searches, I'm guessing there's some loctite in there. I want to remove the cap and play with the baffles while it's still in the LGS. I intend to go back with an adjustable wrench and a strip of leather to hold the endcap tool while I twist the can with my other hand.

1. Can I use a heat gun to break up the loctite holding the endcap in place?
Has anyone done that? I'm not talking about a propane torch with open flame, I'm talking about an electric heat gun, like an amped-up hair dryer.
Boiling the thing in water is not an option, for probably another 6 months.

2. Do I need a special adapter to shoot .22lr through this can, or can I just leave the existing ASAP adapter in place?
The .22lr barrels are threaded the same - 1/2 x 28.
I've seen mention of shooting .22lr in larger cans, but nobody said whether they needed a different adapter.

Thanks in advance...

[HandyMan]

The Ti-Rant is assembled by using both hands on the tube while it is upside down on an assembly fixture. You can replicate this by putting some soft jaws or lead sheeting in the vise to protect the tool.

Then put the silencer on the tool in the vise and you can get both hands on it and apply much more torque than just holding the tool in your hand.

I can assure you that no loctite is used on the front endcaps anymore.

As far as .22 goes, you need the fixed barrel spacer. This replaces the spring in the ASAP system and allows you to use the can on a fixed barrel. Nothing else is required to shoot .22.

I would recommend cleaning after every range sesion that you fire .22's through your Ti-Rant. They are filthy compared to 9mm, and will gum up the works in 500 rounds or less. The booster can become very difficult to take apart after extensive use on a .22.

[rimshaker]

Had the same issue with a new Tirant 45. Couldn't budge the front endcap so I kindly asked one of the bigger guys working at the range to give it a shot. Lo and behold it came loose. There was no loctite/rocksett or anything applied to the threads... clean n shiny. Endcap also had an o-ring.

22LR pistols/rifles are usually fixed-barrel blowback systems. So you'll need to replace the spring with a fixed barrel spacer shown here:

http://www.advanced-armament.com/-EVO-9 ... p_595.html

[Scoundrel]

OK, I'll just bring an adjustable wrench and something to protect the tool from the jaws when I go back, and give it another go.

Thank you for the information and the link on the spacer. I'll get one of those ordered up.
I have an Outback II-D so I am well familiar with how dirty .22lr is in a suppressor.

[Scoundrel]

Just got back from the LGS.

I wrapped a bit of suede around the removal tool, grabbed it with an adjustable wrench, and it came right off with no problems. I just needed more leverage than I could get with my bare hands.
I took it apart. The baffles had a very tight tolerance against the sides of the can, and a couple of them got stuck on the threads, but I wiggled them out carefully.

I have read that the baffles in the Ti-RANT 9mm are supposed to snap together and be tight, but these ones were nothing like that. They went together very loosely. I could wiggle them around, even twist the stack slightly. I have mixed feelings about that. I was kind of keen on the idea of snap-together baffles, and the tight tolerances between the baffles that implied.
But, on the other hand, now I don't have to worry about feeling like I've damaged them when they start to get loose after a few cleanings, because they are loose right out of the box.

Has anyone else seen a new one, and noticed that the baffles do not snap tightly together?

[MrFixIt7]

The baffles on the 45 tirant do not snap together either. I just stack them on a table after cleaning and put the tube back over it when assembling.

[Scoundrel]

The baffles on the 45 tirant do not snap together either. I just stack them on a table after cleaning and put the tube back over it when assembling.

Well, at least I know I'm not alone. Thanks!

I made myself a tool for stacking and inserting the baffles in my Outback. I'll do the same when I get the Ti-RANT home.

[kapkanimd]

The baffles on the 45 tirant do not snap together either. I just stack them on a table after cleaning and put the tube back over it when assembling.

..mine snap together and always have... after shooting for a while they will stick together real tight where it is pretty darn hard to seperate them.

[Bendersquint]

Has anyone else seen a new one, and noticed that the baffles do not snap tightly together?

I have seen brand new TiRant baffles that snapped tight together and others that had a bit of play to them. 9 and 45 baffles.

Most are stuck together though.

[Scoundrel]

Well, if they can get sticky, then I'm double glad that mine have a bit of play, since I'll occasionally be shooting a bit of 22 through it.

[Bendersquint]

Well, if they can get sticky, then I'm double glad that mine have a bit of play, since I'll occasionally be shooting a bit of 22 through it.

Make sure you scrub the tube very well if you do shoot 22lr, it will create spot of buildup that can prevent the baffles from extracting as well as possibly damage the baffles.

[Scoundrel]

Well, if they can get sticky, then I'm double glad that mine have a bit of play, since I'll occasionally be shooting a bit of 22 through it.

Make sure you scrub the tube very well if you do shoot 22lr, it will create spot of buildup that can prevent the baffles from extracting as well as possibly damage the baffles.

Thanks for the tip. When I clean my Outback, I scrub the tube. After scrubbing it with a brass brush and wiping it with paper towels, I shine a flashlight in there and reach in with a dental pick to get any non-shiny spots until the pick runs smooth against the side of the tube. This one will be easier as the tube is larger.

I also noticed that these baffles, while larger and anodized, have some thinner walls and edges. So they look more fragile to me than the Outback baffles.
If I'd had a chance to look at them in person before ordering, and compare them to the baffles in other makes/models, I might have made a different choice because of how "dainty" these baffles look.
But, I will make the best of it, and if it seems to be going downhill, I'll stop shooting 22 through it.

[Bendersquint]

Thanks for the tip. When I clean my Outback, I scrub the tube. After scrubbing it with a brass brush and wiping it with paper towels, I shine a flashlight in there and reach in with a dental pick to get any non-shiny spots until the pick runs smooth against the side of the tube. This one will be easier as the tube is larger.

I also noticed that these baffles, while larger and anodized, have some thinner walls and edges. So they look more fragile to me than the Outback baffles.
If I'd had a chance to look at them in person before ordering, and compare them to the baffles in other makes/models, I might have made a different choice because of how "dainty" these baffles look.
But, I will make the best of it, and if it seems to be going downhill, I'll stop shooting 22 through it.

They ARE thinner than your Outback baffles but they are plenty strong for their intended purpose. You have no worries about damaging them.

[Scoundrel]

I also noticed that these baffles, while larger and anodized, have some thinner walls and edges. So they look more fragile to me than the Outback baffles.

They ARE thinner than your Outback baffles but they are plenty strong for their intended purpose. You have no worries about damaging them.

Actually, that's something I've been wondering about. I was wondering whether the anodizing would protect them enough to tumble them with SS pins. I suspect that it would damage them, eventually - maybe just slower than non-anodized ones.

I will probably go ahead and do it, but not often, and only to get the worst of the buildup off of them after they've had some 22 through them.
I've never worked with anodized suppressor baffles before, but I have some cheap Chinese anodized key rings, and the anodizing scratches/wears off eventually, so I have to assume it will be the same with these unless I soda blast them, which I'm not likely to do.

[Bendersquint]

I also noticed that these baffles, while larger and anodized, have some thinner walls and edges. So they look more fragile to me than the Outback baffles.

They ARE thinner than your Outback baffles but they are plenty strong for their intended purpose. You have no worries about damaging them.

Actually, that's something I've been wondering about. I was wondering whether the anodizing would protect them enough to tumble them with SS pins. I suspect that it would damage them, eventually - maybe just slower than non-anodized ones.

I will probably go ahead and do it, but not often, and only to get the worst of the buildup off of them after they've had some 22 through them.
I've never worked with anodized suppressor baffles before, but I have some cheap Chinese anodized key rings, and the anodizing scratches/wears off eventually, so I have to assume it will be the same with these unless I soda blast them, which I'm not likely to do.

You can tumble the blast baffle not the anodized baffles, the steel pins will damage the aluminum baffles. SS pins are harder than the anodizing, therefore they would damage them. I have done the testing on it.

[Scoundrel]

You can tumble the blast baffle not the anodized baffles, the steel pins will damage the aluminum baffles. SS pins are harder than the anodizing, therefore they would damage them. I have done the testing on it.

Thanks for clearing that up. Even brand new I noticed that one of the baffles has some shiny spots where the anodizing has come off (probably happened when I was wiggling the baffles out of the tube past the end cap threads).

I guess I will just expect them to get scratched up and set my expectations on that now, so I'm not disappointed when it happens.

[rimshaker]

Just use nylon brushes when cleaning the anodized baffles and they should last a very long time. The blast baffle is stainless steel so it can be cleaned however rough u wish. Simple bronze utility brush is good enough.

[Scoundrel]

Does anyone know if AAC will swap out the aluminum baffles for stainless ones on the cheap if the suppressor has not been used, like GemTech will?
I learned about that option too late for my Outback, but maybe I can get a stainless set for the Ti-RANT without spending almost the full original price again.

[Bendersquint]

Does anyone know if AAC will swap out the aluminum baffles for stainless ones on the cheap if the suppressor has not been used, like GemTech will?
I learned about that option too late for my Outback, but maybe I can get a stainless set for the Ti-RANT without spending almost the full original price again.

No, AAC does not offer any baffle material upgrades.

[57fairlane]

I have read that the baffles in the Ti-RANT 9mm are supposed to snap together and be tight, but these ones were nothing like that . . . Has anyone else seen a new one, and noticed that the baffles do not snap tightly together?

Pretty sure AAC went away from the snap feature and went to a looser fit as carbon buildup on those tight tolerances made it hard to re-snap them together after taking them apart.

The newest ones I've seen are similar to the element baffles . . . a notch indicates them.

[Scoundrel]

Yes, the ones in mine are notched, and fit loosely.
I'll send some pics when I get to take it home, but don't hold your breath on that.

Maybe I'll go visit it again in a couple of months and take some pics then.

[Fireman1291]

Yup there are two versions of the TiRant baffles guys. The snap together type and the newer tab oriented type.

[Tater_ga]

Just FYI.

We switched from the "snap" baffles to the "tabbed" baffles a little after switching to user serviceable, or take-a-part cans. This is because people were getting confused about the orientation of the baffles, so the tab makes it easier for the end user. In other words, we tried to make things simpler for you. Instead of having some weird orientation that is all the way wrong, we gave you a 50/50 shot at getting it right.

The tighter tolerance thing is just a coincidence. They are the same diameter, therefore they should essentially be the same to get out. The only difference is that they don't snap together. This probably means that the slight movement allows the baffles to shake and keep carbon from building up in a consistent manner.

I hope this info helps. I can post a pic of the new baffles if anyone is curious.

[Scoundrel]

I can post a pic of the new baffles if anyone is curious.

Glad to see a manufacturer visiting the forums and actually responding. I visited my Ti-RANT last week and snapped a couple of photos with my phone. I'm uploading them here, but if you had some better quality ones I'm sure people would be interested to see them.

The bottom photo shows that there is a bit of play in the tabs, which makes them a bit loose for inserting into the tube. Doesn't affect how they perform, of course, but I'll need to make myself a tool with a wooden dowel to stack the baffles for insertion like I use for my Outback.

While I have your attention, I just wanted to mention that when I was trying to take it apart, I read the manual carefully, and it sounded nice and easy. But then I lost a few layers of skin trying to take it apart. Finally went back with a channel-lock wrench and a strip of leather to get it open. I'm sure there's a reason for how tight they are from the shop, but you might want to make some reference in the manual about how to get them apart when they're that tight. There is a lot of speculation on the forums and someone who didn't read as thoroughly as I did might have tried a heat gun to get it apart (suspecting loc-tite), or might be less careful with the leather strip and might damage the finish getting it apart. But I know that no matter how carefully you write the manual, you can't fix stupid. Just my feedback, do with it as you will.

[Tater_ga]

I can post a pic of the new baffles if anyone is curious.

...While I have your attention, I just wanted to mention that when I was trying to take it apart, I read the manual carefully, and it sounded nice and easy. But then I lost a few layers of skin trying to take it apart. Finally went back with a channel-lock wrench and a strip of leather to get it open. I'm sure there's a reason for how tight they are from the shop, but you might want to make some reference in the manual about how to get them apart when they're that tight. There is a lot of speculation on the forums and someone who didn't read as thoroughly as I did might have tried a heat gun to get it apart (suspecting loc-tite), or might be less careful with the leather strip and might damage the finish getting it apart. But I know that no matter how carefully you write the manual, you can't fix stupid. Just my feedback, do with it as you will...

This is definitely good insight. Thanks. We've discussed this a few times already due to the amount of phone calls we get. It really just comes down to who is installing here at the shop. Some of the guys need to lay off of the protein shakes, haha.