Gemtech-22 issues

[Boondockdad]

Probably one of the louder .22LR cans out there, but it does have good tone and is extremely light.

The real problem is dis-assembly. Was aware of the problems people had getting it apart, so out of the box I put aluminum anti-seize on the threads, then exactly only 100 rounds thru it.

Can not get it open. Kid you not. Read one review that said the “special” coating on the monocore should let you put up to 1000 rounds thru it before cleaning. I’m gonna lay the BS card on that right now.

I’ve tried everything. CLP down it, let it sit. Heated with torch. Pipe wrench. 1/4″ driver on the top cap. Will. Not. Budge.
Sent an email to Gemtech support asking for help. Nothing back from them.

Planning on soaking it in Kroil or maybe PB Blaster, but I'm reading random recommendations about not using anything too harsh on the aluminum (like Hoppe's 9). Sounds like the problem is anything that cuts lead will damage AL.

Anybody got any ideas, I’d love to hear em. Thanks.

[Coctailer]

Soak it in Slip 2000 Carbon Killer.

Always take the can apart as soon as you're done shooting. Its always harder to get apart when it cools.

You could even take it out and put 20 rounds through it and then try to take it apart warm

[10x25mm]

Hardenable aluminum alloys are aged at relatively low temperatures as the final stage of their hardening process, in the range 250 F to 375 F. The aging process is accompanied by a size change (usually contraction, but not always) which can be magnified by residual stresses imparted during post age machining. If you heated your aluminum suppressor components during firing to temperatures beyond their aging temperatures, further size changes occurred and loose fits can go line-to-line. Mechanical stresses approaching the yield strength of age hardened aluminum alloys can also induce these size changes, and residual stresses from machining aggravate this stress induced size change as well.

This metallurgical effect is not reversible without greatly weakening the aluminum alloys. Not much aluminum is made in America any more and foreign producers often use time-temperature cycles for hardening which vary markedly from American practice (and other foreign practice). The hardening process is only specified to achieve mechanical properties and there are many different time-temperature cycles which can meet minimum requirements. This increases the likelihood of differential contraction in service.

Your best hope of disassembling a male threaded end cap seized in a female threaded tube at the threaded interface due to differential contraction is to use differential heating. Due to the very high thermal conductivity of aluminum alloys, you have to cold sink the (male threaded) end cap and heat the (female threaded) tube at a point some distance from the seized joint. A tight fitting copper heat sink machined from rod stock and frozen in a block of ice (or sunk in liquid nitrogen) extracts heat from the end cap. You want the heat sink to have maximum surface contact area, so it should have a teat which enters the bullet passageway.

The colder you get the copper heat sink, the less heat you have to apply to the tube. Bear in mind that you may weaken the tube if you exceed its original age hardening temperature. Low temperatures, even extremely low temperatures, do not induce permanent size or strength changes in aluminum alloys once they are warmed back up to room temperature.

[michpatriot]

You could try putting it in the freezer for a couple hours and upon removal while wearing rubber gloves take a hot water soaked rag and grab the tube, while holding the tube with the hot water rag tight to the tube, then use your quarter inch drive ratchet in the square hole. May take a few cycles of freezing and hot water rag process. On a side note automotive transmission fluid (ATF) mixed 50/50 with acetone is far better than Kroil. Id try soaking it in this mix and then freeze it and try the hot wet rag with gloves and a ratchet, just make sure you don't tighten it! Turn the mono core clockwise when looking at the square drive hole end..so the ratchet would be selected to tighten a bolt see? Might never get it off if you tighten it more while cool and the tube hot! Liquid nitrogen would be best but I'd try the freezer first. Another way might be to just take it out of the freezer, insert the ratchet set to tighten, and quickly run hot water on the tube, but not inside the core..for just a few seconds and go right to torquing on it, gloves on first.

[Therealkoop]

Mine is unnervingly tight to remove sometimes. I really feel like Im going to mess it up when I put the 1/4" ratchet in the end.

Im not trying to talk trash but remember when you put the 1/4 in and hold the tube, you have to turn the ratchet to the right. righty loosie

[DTruck]

Ultrasonic Cleaner?

[Coctailer]

Probably one of the louder .22LR cans out there, but it does have good tone and is extremely light.

The real problem is dis-assembly. Was aware of the problems people had getting it apart, so out of the box I put aluminum anti-seize on the threads, then exactly only 100 rounds thru it.

Can not get it open. Kid you not. Read one review that said the “special” coating on the monocore should let you put up to 1000 rounds thru it before cleaning. I’m gonna lay the BS card on that right now.

I’ve tried everything. CLP down it, let it sit. Heated with torch. Pipe wrench. 1/4″ driver on the top cap. Will. Not. Budge.
Sent an email to Gemtech support asking for help. Nothing back from them.

Planning on soaking it in Kroil or maybe PB Blaster, but I'm reading random recommendations about not using anything too harsh on the aluminum (like Hoppe's 9). Sounds like the problem is anything that cuts lead will damage AL.

Anybody got any ideas, I’d love to hear em. Thanks.

Which Gemtech 22 can do you have?
Outback?
Mist?
GM?

[thedonn007]

Ultrasonic Cleaner?

No, DO NOT put an aluminum suppressor in an ultrasonic cleaner.

[10x25mm]

No, DO NOT put an aluminum suppressor in an ultrasonic cleaner.

Ultrasonic cleaning of aluminum is safe and effective, but only when a suitable detergent is used and the object is suspended (rather than rested on the bottom of the tank). Luminox from Alconox Corporation works particularly well.

[Boondockdad]

It's the GM-22