I've been wanting to get into a suppressor for a number of years now, but the biggest thing holding me back was a lack of suitable hosts. I figured the most logical place to start was rimfire, as they are going to be quieter than anything else, and it would be the most practical to me as I shoot a ton of .22.

I got the ball rolling this week by picking up a MkIV Tactical. I've already ordered plug screws so I can delete the fugly rails, and even snagged a couple of clearance uppers off of Volquartsen's website (couldn't pass them up at $40/pop). I figure by the time the ATF gets around to approving my paperwork I'll have the MKIV customized to my liking (lots of fun looking stuff in the Volquartsen store), and have plenty of time to pick up a bolt action rifle as well (I've got my eye on the Ruger American Rimfire, just haven't managed to find one locally with a threaded barrel and iron sights yet).

Next paycheck or the one after I'm hoping to go buy the suppressor. One of my local shops has a silencer shop kiosk, which seems like the easy way to go. I had my mind set on the Dead Air Mask as it seems to have an excellent reputation. However, in browsing the website, I'm intrigued by the YHM Phantom as well. It seems to have some advantages over the Dead Air product in that it's lighter, the serialized portion of the tube is a seperate piece that is closer to the barrel (which seems like it would be less likely to sustain damage in the event of a baffle strike, and thus be less of a legal hastle to replace the damaged bits), and it's $80 cheaper. It still uses steel baffles for durability and easier cleaning, but the tube is aluminum, which I'd imagine is an acceptable compromise for the weight savings.

Does anybody have any experience with this can? Is my reasoning correct or do I need to re-think this? I don't want to screw it up as $600 and a 1-year wait isn't something I want to have to do over again.

YHM evolution of their rimfire suppressors went from the Mite (monocore aluminum) to the Stinger (aluminum tube, SS baffles) to the Phantom (aluminum tube , SS baffles).
Yes I am a YHM fanboy. Price, weight and warranty make the Phantom an excellent choice.
Carbon and lead will build up in any suppressor with time. User serviceability is important-the "built in" wrench is a gimmick. You won't be able to create enough torque with it.
Make a Trust--use Heavy D (member) and read his webpage on 41F rule....

Thanks for the input. Seems like I may be on the right track. Do you happen to know the URL for Heavy D's website?

Here is his web page...https://nfalawyers.com/

quote:

YHM Phantom

As I look at the specs I see it has aluminum tube and blast chamber. I would never own a suppressor with aluminum anything for a .22 suppressor, or any suppressor actually. But .22's need cleaning, often. The cleaning choices go from just about anything you want on the SS and Ti to very limited on al. I have the Mask, the Rugged and the Surefire in .22. all are easy to deal with respect to cleaning. Not a chance I'd pick the YHM when there are so many others that don't have the maintenance issue. Based on my personal experience and those that shoot with me with other products I don't own, get the Mask. It really is the best and most versatile of this class.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: hrcjon,

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Originally posted by SIGfourme:
Here is his web page...https://nfalawyers.com/

Thank you.

Hrcjon, so I can expect buildup and fouling on the tube as well as the baffles? From what I read it's a nightmare to deal with aluminum baffles, but I was kind of hoping that was limited to the baffles themselves and not the tube. I was hoping that I could save some weight by going with an AL tube so long as it had steel baffles. But if that's not the case I definitely don't want to get into a situation where the thing is such a nightmare to clean that I don't want to use it.

I agree on Rimfire suppressors needing to be cleaned. The older suppressors were aluminum and impossible to clean.
As hrcjn stated- stainless steel or titanium are the materials that should be used where the lead and carbon are contained. The Aluminum tube of the YHM Phantom never is exposed to carbon or lead. Gas escapes from the barrel into the blast chamber—> next baffle—> next baffle. The baffle stack is a contained tube within a tube. Identical to the DA Mask design of a tube within a tube.
YHM drops 2 ounces and $75 when compared to DA Mask.

I'm just a spec jockey here. I don't own one of these and have never personally disassembled one. So I'm going to defer to SIGfourme on how its actually constructed and if that has any real world relevance. But the specs online are "7075-T6 aluminum blast chamber". In my view those words describe an area that is subject to gas, lead and carbon that needs to be regularly cleaned and its made of al. If all that's al is the tube its truly a non issue, my surefire is built that way without any issues.

This writeup ( https://coldboremiracle.com/20...-machine-phantom-22/) indicates that the Phantom has a steel sleeve inside the blast chamber, and even includes photos that seem to indicate such. I believe what the YHM website means when referring to the aluminum blast chamber is that the blast chamber on this can is a separate, removable segment that threads into the rest of the tube, with the outer shell made of aluminum, but the mounting threads and insert are steel.

If my understanding of this is correct, it should be good to go, right?

Again--its a stainless steel tube within an aluminum outer tube.
The write up by coldbore demonstrates a black aluminum outer tube and a stainless steel blast chamber separate from sealed baffles.
The You Tube video--unboxing a YHM 22 suppressor clearly shows how the blast chamber and baffles come together.
https://youtu.be/CiI_FU9z8jg

OP specifically asked about YHM Phantom 22.

Thread drift--there are ways to make a rimfire suppressor easier to clean.
1) Pretreat with Silicon Oil
2) Liberal use of antiseize **YHM video uses nickel antiseize.
3) SS baffles can be tumbled with SS pins
4) Soda blaster for either SS or aluminum

My 22 can is aluminum and the baffles. I had to send it back once to have it rebaffelled once after following their directions about cleaning it every 2000 rounds. I then began doing every 1000 rounds and that only took it once for me to clean it after each session.

I used to beadblast the crud off the parts, but since I moved I don’t have access to a blasting cabinet. So I tore it all apart and scraped all the crud off. Then I used silicone oil (brake fluid #5 dot- is full of silicone oil and much cheaper than the pure stuff) and soaked the parts in that.

There’s some kind of magical unicorn juice that keeps the stuff from sticking to the metal now. So when I come home from shooting it, I tear it parts and wipe all the crap off, soak it in the special brake fluid for foreign cars and go on my way.

But yeah, I wish I’d have bought a stainless or titanium one from the get go.

So the brake fluid technique really works that well? As in, no more scraping? Or is it just less? Having found that solution, do you still wish you'd bought a can with steel baffles? There are some REALLY lightweight AL cans out there, which has its appeal, but the cleaning and long-term durability of AL scare me.

Yes on silicon oil.

From the archives: https://web.archive.org/web/20...lencer-cleaning.html

maybe this linkhttp://www.rrdvegas.com/silencer-cleaning.html

This message has been edited. Last edited by: SIGfourme,

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Originally posted by 92fstech:
So the brake fluid technique really works that well? As in, no more scraping? Or is it just less? Having found that solution, do you still wish you'd bought a can with steel baffles? There are some REALLY lightweight AL cans out there, which has its appeal, but the cleaning and long-term durability of AL scare me.

1. I’m not waiting until a certain number of rounds has passed.

2. Yes the silicone oil works. My barrels have been bead blasted at least three times and are not smooth like they were new. And after 100-200 rounds of shooting, they literally are wiped off with a rag, sprayed with break cleaner, wiped with DOT#5 fluid and put away.

3. Now I’ve found the magic elixir, I’m not wishing I bought a stainless can, but I wish I knew then what I know now. If I had to do it over, I’d go with a SS it TI can

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3. Now I’ve found the magic elixir, I’m not wishing I bought a stainless can, but I wish I knew then what I know now. If I had to do it over, I’d go with a SS it TI can

Thanks, that's what I needed to know. Thanks to all of you for your input...I think I've got the info I need to make the decision now. Now I've just gotta wait for pay day and then hunker down for a year or so to actually get the thing in hand .

Consider the Thunder Beast 22 take down can. I like mine. Many precision shooters have them.

Black Friday is coming--a lot of suppressor deals can be found. Rimfire suppression is the getway to the NFA realm.

Particularly with NFA items…but once, cry once. For my first rimfire can I was dead set on a model with a one piece pull-out baffle to make cleaning easier (kind of like a Gemtech Mist). I was working at a range at the time and cleaning the rental rimfire cans’ aluminum baffles was a huge pain, even with a Sonic cleaner.

When I went to the shop to buy a can I was talked into the Mack Brothers Tango. It was more than I was expecting to spend, but the titanium baffles being coated to make cleaning carbon off easier sold me. I clean it about every 500 rounds by soaking in solvent and can get it looking near new with a bronze brush.

If you go with aluminum baffles, perhaps see if you could get them coated in something that cuts down on carbon buildup. Shooting suppressed rimfire gets real dirty real quick - to me it was worth spending a bit more up front to make maintenance easier.

Based off everything I've read, and the input from this thread, aluminum baffles aren't in consideration at this point. I'm open to saving a few ounces by having the tube be made of aluminum, and it seems that's an acceptable compromise, but the negatives are outweighing the positives when it comes to aluminum internals.

You are doing your research-good for you-I agree with no aluminum baffles.
Please read the archived web page on silicon oil--better informed on preventive maintenance.
Antiseize is your friend. Coat the threads with antiseize, baffle #1 and the outside of the baffle stack (thin coat).