AAC Element 2 Baffle Coloring

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kRuger
New Member
Posts: 2
Joined: Sun Jul 23, 2017 11:21 am

AAC Element 2 Baffle Coloring

Post by kRuger »

So I recently got my Element 2 out of jail and shot about 600rds through it. I decided to give it a good cleaning as it was caked with lead and carbon. After searching the internet I came to the conclusion to go with soaking the baffles in vinegar. Not the dip solution but just plain white vinegar. It did an amazing job of loosening all of the gunk and the everything just came of very easily afterwards.

The baffles came out nice and shiny and that's where my question stems from. When the suppressor was new the baffles had a nice bronze color to them. After soaking them in vinegar they are now a shiny silver color. Did I ruin the baffles cleaning them in vinegar?

I appreciate any comments on this.
a_canadian
Silent But Deadly
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Joined: Fri Oct 11, 2013 3:09 pm

Re: AAC Element 2 Baffle Coloring

Post by a_canadian »

The colour of the stainless steel baffles resulted from oxidation during some sort of heat treating procedure, and is an expected effect of applying a certain amount of heat to stainless. Hotter would deliver various shades of blue or purple. It's pretty, but just an oxide layer and quite fragile really, coming off without too much scrubbing using fine steel wool. The meaningful effect of the heat treatment is in the steel itself, its hardness, and wouldn't be harmed by a bit of a vinegar bath.
kRuger
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Posts: 2
Joined: Sun Jul 23, 2017 11:21 am

Re: AAC Element 2 Baffle Coloring

Post by kRuger »

I figured it was just the color which was affected and not the integrity of the baffles themselves. I have seen a couple of videos on youtube where people are coloring stainless steel parts using a stove top burner or torch and heating to approx. 1000f to get that bronze coloring. I don't see the need at this time. I have used and cleaned the suppressor multiple times and there doesn't seems to be any negative affect from the coloring being removed.
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