Been thinking about making my own suppressor cover. I wanted to see if anyone here has made one? Been reading up on types of materials to use and what to look out for.
Your planned use will steer your options. Rapid fire and "safe" to touch? Or mitigating mirage effects on scope picture?
Have not made my own cover. Purchased one from Elite Iron many years ago. It is for a bolt gun and mirage more than anything. Works ok. Still a good idea to be able to slide off and let the can breathe between shot strings, though.
I've seen heat shields for mirage only, and poofy wraps that seem like oven mitts for only heat. Also seen various silicone grip options for minor handling. Just be careful with the product melting point. Some cans can easily get hot enough to melt silicone.
Wrap it in uncooked bacon and foil, do a couple mag dumps, then have a tasty snack!
Actually I started it yesterday during the rain. I ordered a $5.00 heat mat from Amazon and I had an old soft suitcase and the fabric was 500d. I cut to size based on my suppressor. It's not going to be pretty, but it should do the job. I still got to buy some Velcro from Walmart and sew on some molle webbing on to it. Then just a little paracord and call it a day.
If it's Cordura 500d, those nylon fibers will supposedly melt at 254°C (489°F). If not Cordura, maybe 219°C (426°F).
Silicone pads will take intermittent heat up to about 250° to 300° (482°F to 572°F). Real damage at 450°C (842°F).
A 30-round mag dump will probably melt that nylon to the suppressor.
If you left it cooked on there, and keep firing, the silicone will start to degrade/melt, too.
Slow fire on a bolt gun, probably fine? I recommend to check it religiously until comfortable that it will handle your shooting habits.
Cleaning burnt plastic goop off a metal surface you care about isn't my idea of fun.
Cool idea, though. Good on ya for actually making one.
Snake-Eyes, that is good info, thanks. the Silicone pad was cheap and it was rated for up to 450 F. And, the suitcase is made from 500d Cordura, at least that is what their website says. The ranges that I go to don't allow rapid-fire all too often, so I usually do 2 seconds intervals between shots. My plan is to bring it to the range with a laser thermometer and figure out how hot it actually gets. This is my first stab at making one, but I will probably adjust after I figure out the do's and don'ts in making one.
I finally got everything put together. It turned out ok, my sewing skills sucked, but it stayed on and I was able to take it off after my range trip, didn't even feel the heat on it. The hottest that the tip of the suppressor got was about 150F, which was 2-second bursts and 30 rounds out of my 300 blackout. I still have to make one for my Octane 45. I will probably try a different way of securing the cordura to the mat, trying to make it a little bit more presentable, but to tell you the truth, I really don't care.