While our warranty policy covers pretty much anything, having to go without your can while we repair it can still be frustrating. A little due diligence before shooting the first time can go a long way in making sure your experience is fun and problem free.
The more suppressors we send into the wild, naturally we will see more baffle strikes. This is relatively uncommon among Allen Engineering suppressors because the 2-point mounting system is so rigid when you install it properly. While most baffle strikes are caused by bad ammo, occasional installation issues happen from time to time.
One thing we have noticed in particular with suppressors that have issues upon first use has been markings indicating that the muzzle brake had bottomed out on the blast baffle.
Collars
We are surprised we even need to mention this, but you cannot use any Allen Engineering suppressor without a collar. And yes, this also applies for the direct thread models also. If collars are a new concept for you click here for more information. Simply, the collar hosts a taper which aligns the suppressor with the barrel. So, if you try to use an OPS/AE suppressor without a collar you will get a baffle strike.
7-10 Turns
Second, your suppressor should get 7-10 rotations before its secured to the collar. If you get more than 10 then your muzzle devices threads will be exposed within the blast chamber which could cause carbon locking. Click here for more information about getting 7-10 turns. With that being said, you should definitely not be getting 10-20 turns and bottoming out your muzzle device on the blast baffle. This will cause misalignment and therefore a baffle strike.
A-Mount vs B-Mount
Third, a few of the issues with bottoming out the muzzle device is due to people not understanding the difference between A-Mount and B-Mount suppressors. If you don’t know about the different mounting styles click here for more information. Simply, the AEM5 series of suppressors (AEM5, AEM5k, AEM5-30, and AEM5-30k) are all A-Mount suppressors and have a mounting length of 2.5″. The AEM2, AEM3, and AEM4 are all B-Mount suppressors and have a mounting length of 2.05″. This means if you try to mount a B-Mount suppressor on an A-Mount, the muzzle device will bottom out on the blast baffle because there is .45″ of extra mounting length in the suppressor. Hopefully we understand by now doing that will cause a baffle strike.
Alignment Rod
At the end of the day, when you first install any mount and suppressor you should also use an alignment rod to make sure you wont get a baffle strike. If you don’t own one then a local gunshop should be able to help you check. A little extra time to check alignment is going to save you weeks it’ll take for us to repair the suppressor.
Check out our “Mounts” page for all of the available collars and muzzle devices we offer. Feel free to reach out to us if you have a unique situation, but in most cases its best to reach out to one of our gunsmiths directly if you have something unique that requires custom fitting.