Dirty Pictures

Do suppressors need to be cleaned?

All suppressors will collect debris; some suppressors are cleanable, some are not.

The amount of debris depends on usage. The pictures below are of a Defender 556 core used for about six months by a SWAT officer on a 7.5” AR.

Carbon, lead, and copper collects on surfaces and in crevices. A significant danger in not cleaning a suppressor is the risk of a dislodged chunk of this stuff disturbing a bullet and causing a baffle strike.

While the Defender 556 core is demonstrated to prevent baffle-strike damage, it’s also easy to disassemble and clean.

Here’s my answer to how often you should clean your suppressor:

Clean it when you clean your weapon…if you can.