M32 Suppressor Fan - Eliminating Mirage

[Hardened]

I hope this is the right place to post this...

I just finished developing a new product with the cooperation of some of the shooters at Fort Bragg. They are pretty excited and so am I!

It is a miniaturized cooling fan that mounts just behind a suppressor. We have finally finished all the prototyping and testing and are beginning the first production run this week. Here is a pic:



As the design has evolved, we have steadily decreased the onset of mirage. The most recent tests, using identical weapons (.308), in an indoor range, extended mirage from 5 shots to over 65!

Today is the first day this device is being announced. We had some legal / patent issues to resolve.

Anyway, I would love to get some input from the folks here!

[Bendersquint]

Is this a joke or a real product?

[Hardened]

Is this a joke or a real product?

Absolutely real! It works beautifully.

Product page is here:

http://www.SuppressorFan.com/

This took a lot of R&D... overcoming shock, designing airflow, etc. Could not have done it without help from Ft. Bragg...

[tReznr]

Interesting. I watched the video posted on the website. Is there a video that shows it running / functioning on the firing line? How noisy is it?

How does it do in rain? Are the bearings in the fan sealed from the elements? What kind of testing did you do for dusty/muddy environments?

If the motor fails after the two year warranty has expired, how much is a replacement motor? Is the electric motor Chinese made?

Is the body a specialty built piece, or is it from a modified flashlight shell? Are the pieces machined/manufactured here in the US?

How does it work? Looking at the holes milled on the end of the M32 body, it appears as if the fan is blowing in all directions. Does it direct/force the air onto the suppressor itself? Or just generally blow air around?

[Hardened]

Interesting. I watched the video posted on the website. Is there a video that shows it running / functioning on the firing line? How noisy is it?

We do have some video, but it was video recorded of an IR camera screen... I am waiting for some that is clearer. Hope to get it tomorrow, and will post it when I do. The IR video does show identical guns with and without the fan... the difference is dramatic. You can actually see the individual baffles heating within the suppressors.

As far as noise, it is louder than I would like. But the shooters who have been using it say it is not any louder than the action on the weapon and they don't mind the noise. Quieter versions simply did not have the dramatic effect on cooling.

How does it do in rain? Are the bearings in the fan sealed from the elements? What kind of testing did you do for dusty/muddy environments?

Rain is fine. Submersion is not. Yes, the motor is sealed. Dusty / muddy have not been tested yet, but mud directly into the front of the unit would be a problem until it was cleared. There has been discussion of a rubber boot to slip over the front to protect the unit until it is needed.

If the motor fails after the two year warranty has expired, how much is a replacement motor? Is the electric motor Chinese made?

The motor would be provided as an assembly (parts of the manufacturing process dictate assembly in our shop). We have not priced a replacement, but I'm sure it would be under $40. The user can install it easily. And yes, the motors are Chinese. I would love to find some U.S. made, but no luck so far...

Is the body a specialty built piece, or is it from a modified flashlight shell? Are the pieces machined/manufactured here in the US?

Yes, it is a modified flashlight shell, and yes, manufactured here in the U.S.

How does it work? Looking at the holes milled on the end of the M32 body, it appears as if the fan is blowing in all directions. Does it direct/force the air onto the suppressor itself? Or just generally blow air around?

the holes you see are intakes. The airflow is definitely forward, onto the suppressor. The rail mount is also modified, giving a slight cant downward, onto the suppressor. This made enough of a difference to be worth the trouble. With Infrared you can see the difference easily.

[Prince Yamato]

Can I face this the opposite direction and use it to blow cool air on my face during the Texas summer? The hell with my cans, I'M giving off a mirage in 105 degree heat!

[Hardened]

Can I face this the opposite direction and use it to blow cool air on my face during the Texas summer? The hell with my cans, I'M giving off a mirage in 105 degree heat!

For that, you want this:



Fits in your pocket.

http://www.portableuniversalpower.com/nanofan/

[ChimeraPrecision]

Interesting. I don't see how this device has any advantages over a cover?

Care to pose the advantages?

[Hardened]

Interesting. I don't see how this device has any advantages over a cover?

Care to pose the advantages?

In controlled testing, most sleeves suppress a mirage for 20 rounds or so (.308, 1 second fire rate), and then the barrel heats up quickly. The barrel heat can throw a 1000 meter shot off by several meters vertically. The sleeves (I believe) also accelerate heat fatigue in a suppressor and shorten the life.

Important facts about suppressor sleeves and why the M32 is different:
Suppressor sleeves are insulators, of course. They effectively reduce the outward radiation of heat, and therefore reduce or delay the mirage in your optics. They are relatively inexpensive, easy to employ, and many are of high quality.
The primary downfall of sleeves is unavoidable… again, they are insulators. If they do their job well, the heat from the suppressor is not allowed to radiate outward – but it has to go somewhere, and it goes right up your barrel. Sleeves do not reduce heat, they direct it away from your optics (until they can't).
The M32 is completely different. It does not insulate at all. When mounted directly behind the suppressor, it produces a steady flow of air across the top of the suppressor. This convects heat away from your suppressor and eases the thermal load on the entire weapon.
For the best performance with the M32, never use a sleeve. Allow the airflow from the M32 to contact the suppressor while shooting.

[rimshaker]

Novel idea. But with a 1.25" diameter plus the mount height, that's like having another can... sitting right above your can. I'm thinking it would easily block low mounted optics.

[Hardened]

Novel idea. But with a 1.25" diameter plus the mount height, that's like having another can... sitting right above your can. I'm thinking it would easily block low mounted optics.

This was one of the early design parameters... I can tell you that the .308 AR-10s used for the testing carry rails all the way to the muzzle, and use low-mount optics. The M-32 comes in beneath the line of sight.