Suppressor questions: wet vs dry?

[Dirc]

NFA rookie but interested in starting with a suppressor.

What's the difference in wet vs dry? Quieter wet? How much? How frequently do you have to re-wet for, say, a .22 can over the course of a brick? Once per range trip? Every 50 rounds?

Can all suppressors run wet or do you need a certain brand/type? Is it messy to run wet? (Will it spray filthy water/gel mist all over my shooting table and gear?)

What causes the variation in price for different cans of the same caliber? For example, I've seen .22 cans from $200 to $450.

Sorry if this is all covered somewhere but I checked the FAQ and searched before searching. Learned a lot but didn't find the answers to these questions.

I'll probably come up with some more questions as time goes on.

 

[mjrducky]

I don't know if anyone has a wet 22 can. With subsonic ammo it's so quiet without the "wet" that I have never even considered trying it wet.

Now 9mm and up it can make some difference and frequency of adding the gel / liquid is after ever mag if you wanted to keep it at "wet" levels but that can vary alot.

There is always some splatter, and depending on the wind direction can make a difference on that as well. It's usually not too bad though.

Wet cans are messy to clean, but much easier if it's a take apart.

Price difference is materials, quality, and name. (meaning that good suppressors can be found with the same materials and quality without a big name on it for less) so don't feel like the most expensive is the best.

Try to find one you like and shoot it. See how it sounds in person.

 

[curraheeguns]

There are also .22 wet cans like the Thompson Machine WASP. The ablative material makes up for the lack of volume in micro cans.

Ablative material also eliminates first round pop.

 

[dboz]

I have fired my TAC65 .22 can both wet and dry. There is no difference in how they sound. I have fired my SWR HEMSII .45 can both wet and dry. There is a HUGE difference. I remove the can and add more wire pulling gel (which can be found at most home improvement stores for cheap) to the rear of the suppressor every 12 rounds or so. The gel does not really create a messy blowback until I have fired around 50 rounds or so, and after that the longer I shoot without wiping down, the measier it gets. Hope this helps

 

[SemperFiUSMC]

Our Guardian 22 is a dry can. Shooting wet won't help with most ammo. Our B 22 is a wet can. Water helps with almost all ammo.

The Guardian 22 is 6 inches long. The B 22 is 3.75 inches long. I really just depends on if you want a really short can or not.

 

[dudley0]

Our Guardian 22 is a dry can. Shooting wet won't help with most ammo. Our B 22 is a wet can. Water helps with almost all ammo.

So will shooting the Guardian wet cause any problems? Would like to test, just curious.

Also, would the Guardian be quieter with like ammo and bbl length dry as the B 22 if it was wet?

 

[SemperFiUSMC]

So will shooting the Guardian wet cause any problems? Would like to test, just curious.

Also, would the Guardian be quieter with like ammo and bbl length dry as the B 22 if it was wet?

No problems shoting wet. Just won't have much effect unless you're shooting hot ammo (like stingers) that probably aren't the best ammo for suppressed shooting anyway.

The B is about 4 dB louder wet than the Guardian dry. Most people can't make that difference out. I can't.

 

[DownByTheTracks]

So will shooting the Guardian wet cause any problems? Would like to test, just curious.

Also, would the Guardian be quieter with like ammo and bbl length dry as the B 22 if it was wet?

Running the Guardian wet on my GSG1911 caused cyclic problems for me.

 

[ryknoll3]

Running a suppressor with ablative material (water, wire pulling gel, grease, etc...) helps cool the gases and reduce volume of the muzzle blast. Ablative material works well in most rimfire and pistol suppressors. It is not recommended for most rifle suppressors due to the high pressures those suppressors encounter.

When you see a can described as a "wet suppressor", that means that it is designed to run with ablative material in it. Often times, these cans trade size (they are smaller) for suppression levels (they are louder) and use an ablative to make up the difference.

Water works the best for ablative, as it vaporizes quickest, but it also has the shortest duration of effectiveness, because it evaporates out of the can. Grease stays put the longest, but has the least effectiveness because it doesn't really vaporize. Wiring pulling gel is a happy medium between the two.

Depending on the host/can combo, you can get some wet crud that blows out of the can. In some cases this can come back to the shooter. I've seen pictures of guys with tiny black dots on their shirt and face from wet blowback.

As far as endurance, water lasts usually only one to two magazines with wire pulling gel lasting twice as long.

Where I have noticed the effectiveness of ablative most is on first round pop. Overall, ablative can make a dry can sound somewhat quieter, but if you can a can with a first round pop that's noticeably louder than the subsequent shots, ablative can REALLY tone this down.

 

[Dirc]

Thanks for all the responses, very informative. It looks like I'll be looking for a dry can, since I don't want to mess with the additional overhead and potential mess of adding water, gel, or grease and I don't care if it's a little larger. I just have to sock a few bucks away now.

 

[ret]

Rifle cans...wet is not recommended due to pressure, right? Water made for a messy clean up in my 10/22.