I've never done this. I've been wanting to try it. All my friends have been buying cans the last couple years but none of them have tried it, either. Zero experience or first hand input available to me. I've watched the YouTube videos and I've figured out so far that the guys who just dunk the end of their cans in water don't get any worthwhile results because the ablative needs to be in the blast chamber to actually do anything.

As to what to use, well, water is kind of a no-brainer, but it's 2025, we can do better. Griffin Armament says using Vaseline works well, and stays put until you want to shoot. Ok, makes sense. Ecco Machine sells a few shorter cans with a syringe and I forget what kind of oil. I've seen wire pulling gel suggested as the perfect solution because it's cheap, stays put, and works very well. Ok. I went to order some and found what may potentially work even better than that. Klein Tools makes a wire pulling foaming gel.

I figured for $20, if it doesn't work, I've lost more money on less useful stuff. I will get to hopefully try it out this weekend and report back. The handy dandy hose it comes with reaches easily into the can, and I plan to wrap it with electrical tape for a depth marker so the end is just into the blast chamber. Should make it easy to fill from the front without removing the suppressor, not like that's complicated or slow with a tri lug, but because I can. A test application a few nights ago yielded some promising results, provided it actually functions as an ablative (and I can't see why it wouldn't): With the hose inserted into the blast chamber, a very short press on the button filled the chamber with foam. The foam persisted all night, and the next day when I looked, it was gone. Did I just fill my can with a water-based foam and let it sit to rust in the name of science? Potentially! The label just says that the compound is electrically conductive until it dries, so that's a clue, and it lists propane and isobutane as ingredients, but that's just the propellant. If it works well, I should have enough to last me well past what I can afford to shoot through it.

I know KSGM has mentioned shooting rifle cans wet a few times, but other than that, I can't recall seeing any discussion on it here. You guys ever shoot your cans wet? It's more of a curiosity to me than anything I think will have much practical use, but hey, it's not all serious and some of this can just be for fun.

I'd argue it definitely has a practical use. In my experience, it effectively reduces (potentially eliminates) first round muzzle flash. The downside is the vapor signature after the shot, which is more of a bummer during the day, if you have leftover ablative from having never fired the night prior.

Shooting wet does work. I have done it with the RC2, OCM5, and M4SDK. I have used Remoil, water, and spit as ablatives. Spit is arguably the most practical.

If your silencer and ammo has good flash performance, you're really only trying to cut the flash on that first shot. A mouthful of saliva will do it.

It does seem to have an effect on noise too, but that's not so much the point, IMO.

Having little to no visible muzzle signature is a boon in any conditions; especially in the dark. KAC published "wetting" procedures in their military manual for the original NT4 silencers. In a "real deal" circumstance, I see no reason not to apply ablative when the night vision gear comes out.

FWIW, I'd say the specialty ablatives and other wet-related stuff marketed by silencer companies are more for pistol applications. I don't think any additive will last long enough in a 5.56mm application to make specialty stuff worthwhile.

And here I thought 'pee' was the most practical.

Nah. Too smelly. Save it for cooling down the mortar tubes.

I did find myself wondering what it would do to muzzle and port flash. I'm almost thinking it'll be less of the former and more of the latter. It'll be a neat thing to try and get footage of through NODs. I plan to test it with both 155gr and 147gr to see what it's like. Probably won't be much difference, my can is very quiet at the muzzle, it's just always the supersonic crack and the backpressure and cycling that I hear.

Port flash is something I haven't been as critical of in the past; I'll pay better attention in the future. I would say it's arguably less important than muzzle flash. Of course the enemy can be anywhere, but the likelihood is higher that the enemy is more concentrated in the direction you're shooting, which would mean they don't have as good a view of the ejection port of your weapon.

Well, I did some limited testing with the wire pulling foam Saturday. Limited, because we only tried it in my can. We only tried it in my can because it was pretty unimpressive. It made a definite difference, but it only lasted about three rounds. Now, to me as the shooter, it didn't sound a hell of a lot quieter. The guys arrayed around me at varying distances all said it was a fair bit quieter, but only for about three rounds or so before it had no more effect. One of my friends said it was quiet enough you could probably plink in your backyard with it and nobody would think it was anything more than a nailgun.

For uses where having an absolute minimal signature for both noise and flash is critical, I guess I can see using it. For anything else? Nah, probably not worth messing with. Now, if you need that, the foam may not last as long as something like Vaseline, and perhaps may not be as quiet, but it was easy and quick to apply, and you wouldn't have to worry about it all running out of the can. For the first string of fire, I just put a little in the blast chamber. For the next few, I filled that sucker with foam. Didn't notice a hell of a lot of difference between the two methods.

Was it a 9mm you tried it with? Presumably daytime, so no opportunity for flash assessment?

quote:

it was pretty unimpressive. It made a definite difference, but it only lasted about three rounds.///For uses where having an absolute minimal signature for both noise and flash is critical, I guess I can see using it.

That's about what to expect. In the context of a practical application in centerfire night time circumstances, those three shots are worth the minor inconvenience of a loogie in your blast chamber.

quote:

you wouldn't have to worry about it all running out of the can.

I don't think that's a huge concern. Depends on the design of the silencer: if it's a traditional baffle design, I think enough will be caught in the baffles to remain effective. My pistol silencer has a bit of a maraca sound to it these days, due to what's presumably carbon flakes trapped in there. They aren't readily shaken out. I assume ablative will be similarly trapped for a while.

quote:

Originally posted by KSGM:
Was it a 9mm you tried it with? Presumably daytime, so no opportunity for flash assessment?

Correct on both counts. We might get an opportunity to go out again on the 17th, depending on fire restrictions. If so, I'll see about getting some footage through NODs trying it out at night. I'll probably also try it out with my Polonium next go. The application tube I believe will fit in a .22 bore and if I blow my can up, I'm sure it will probably just make Andrew at Otter Creek laugh and call me a dumbass.

quote:

That's about what to expect. In the context of a practical application in centerfire night time circumstances, those three shots are worth the minor inconvenience of a loogie in your blast chamber.

Good to know.

quote:

I don't think that's a huge concern.

Well, whether it is or isn't depending on the baffle types, it surely isn't a concern with this stuff. The foam stays put and holds shape for hours.

Coincidentally, I emailed Otter Creek a couple years ago, inquiring about the use of ablative in the OCM5. They never sent back, and I tried it anyway.

I hadn't really thought about it, but now I'm wondering how this would work with my P90.

I have it set up to take both the Polonium and the Griffin Explorr. Anymore, I just leave the Eplorr on it because I'm not super impressed with that can currently and it just makes sense to leave it on a gun I hardly shoot. It's louder than the Polonium, and a lot flashier. It's better than shooting unsuppressed, but it's nowhere near the performer the Polonium is. The tradeoff is that it's less than half the weight, so sticking it on a tiny little host that doesn't bark as hard as a 5.56 makes perfect sense.

Anyway, a little foam in that sucker may be just the ticket. I need to try that out and report back.