Hey all. I just got my Dead Air Mask 22 HD, let me just say first off. .22 suppressed is awesome. No super expensive ammo, just shoot and its super quiet.
I've noticed some people saying that only carbon builds up on the baffles but also lead too. Why exactly is this, and why does it only seem to be an issue with .22lr? Is it because the copper plate on the bullet is very thin? Or is it simply a result of using bullets with no copper on them? If I wish to make my suppressor get less deposits, should I use any specific ammo?
Thanks guys.

1) there is lead in the priming compound
2) plating on the 22 lr bullet, if any, is very thin and rifling does cut through it
3) friction and pressure flash vaporize and/or liquify tiny bits of lead
4) abrasion scrapes bits of lead which are blown into the suppressor

 
If I'm not mistaken, I believe at least some plated bullets are not plated on the back side, allowing some lead to be blown away.  I've heard this, but never looked for myself.

You'll definitely get lead buildup, some guys clean baffles back to being spotless every time. There's really no need for that, dirty suppressors sound better (at least until you start losing too much volume)!

Probably around every 1000rnds I get the big chunks off and get back to a thin layer of crud on the baffle faces, then clean the skirts off and the tube out, then go back together with it.

My first .22 suppressor was a Form 1 and it was very disappointing (noise wise) at first until it got some buildup on it, now I just scrape off the worst of it when it's really building up and go back to shooting!

i put probably 10,000 rounds through my can before I cleaned it. But, I'm stupid. I know better now, and it's been a multi-week process to get it apart and clean. Mine was full to the point that it wasn't really making it quiet. so probably don 't wait as long as I did , which was about about 6 years? man it's probably more than 10k rounds... I shoot like 300 a month. damn OK like 22,000 rounds. at lets say 5 cents a round. crap, that's $1100 in lead I didn't want to hear. don't do this math.

Hmmm, you make me feel better about my 22 suppressor cleaning regimen!

JPK

No kidding.  I get antsy to clean after 500 rounds.