Suppressor temps at high rates of fire

[Tim K]

I bought a Fluke infrared thermometers for another purpose a while back. I took it to our local tactical rifle match and used it to measure can temps at the end of a stage. I checked 4 or 5 cans. Guys were firing 50-55 rounds in 2-3 minutes. Can temps were in the 600°F - 700°F range. The winner for the day came it at 715°. IIRC, TB recommends a max of 800°F. Every one I checked had a can cover on it. The covers were starting to smoke on the really hot ones.

I'd been wondering for years if I was overcooking my cans at this match. I'm pleased to know I'm under the threshold.

I was interested to see a huge temperature gradient from front to back on one of the cans I checked. The rifle end was 300° cooler than the exit end. Kinda counterintuitive, but the Fluke doesn't lie.

[CS1983]

Were these bolt actions or semi-auto?

Steel cans?

Any titanium?

Any variation between different calibers (if so, any data collected?)

[ray1970]

Did you notice a difference between the ones running the covers versus the ones without?

I’ve always thought the covers would hold more heat and a naked can would dissipate the heat faster and run cooler.

I know the covers probably help with mirage or whatever but I always thought trapping the heat was a negative.

I’m not up to speed on technical stuff on anything suppressor related but science type stuff intrigues me.

[Tim K]

All semiautos. I think everyone was shooting 5.56. At least two of the cans were titanium for sure. Not sure about the others. Everyone (I think) was running covers. Mirage at those temps can be a real bastard.

[Wulf202]

For the sake of data collection, the infared thermometer will be fed false information on reflective surfaces and may, depending on the model, be effected by the temperature of the thermometer housing.

[Tim K]

For the sake of data collection, the infared thermometer will be fed false information on reflective surfaces and may, depending on the model, be effected by the temperature of the thermometer housing.

True. It came with correction factors for different surfaces. Cans are flat black, about as good as it gets.

[Irving]

If guys were hammering out 50-55 rounds in 2 minutes on bolt actions, I'd like to see the temp data on their wrists and elbows.

[izzy]

I have no idea how hot things got but I've gotten one of my cans hot enough to cook the paint off of it.

[SA Friday]

I cooked off a cover on a Surefire Socom 556RC at Hoser's tactical rifle match this last summer. When I say cooked off, I mean that shit was on fire. There have been request for an encore since then, but after lighting three different covers off, I'm a little more cautious (not really...). I do need to put an adapter on the junk gun for next summer though. I might see if I can get a Magpul cover to go en fuego at a match.

[Hoser]

I will be shooting my SF mini this month. On average I will put 35-40 rounds through it in 90-120 seconds. Should be interesting to see how hot it gets.