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Posted: 8/5/2025 2:50:27 PM EDT
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I’m toying with designing a very light suppressor for .22LR. I know there are plenty of aluminum cups out there for making .22LR cans, but if I was going to make baffles from scratch, say from aluminum sheet, what aluminum alloy would be best, and what thickness? I know I’m assuming a lot of things, like how I might punch/stamp baffles from sheets of aluminum, but I need a starting point. If I don’t know all of the details, I can’t decide where I’ve gone in over my head. 
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That's a great question. I would use 5052-H32 or -H39, or a mix if stock was tough to find in one or the other condition. 5052 is available in tubing and sheet form, it's reasonably corrosion resistant, weldable and machinable. Stamped baffles are a good candidate for 5052-0. Stamping a shape will add a small amount of work hardening to improve baffle strength. I have seen 3D printed silencers for .22LR, and once upon a time I estimated the pressure at the muzzle; it ain't much. |
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^^^5052 would be the choice for forming. You can give them a coating of Cerakote, Moly Resin, Aluma-Hyde, etc, for additional protection. 6061 tubing can start as .058, for enough material in any threaded portions, and dog-boned down pretty good between (probably half the wall, depending on your capabilities). |
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Originally Posted By AeroE: That's a great question. I would use 5052-H32 or -H39, or a mix if stock was tough to find in one or the other condition. 5052 is available in tubing and sheet form, it's reasonably corrosion resistant, weldable and machinable. Stamped baffles are a good candidate for 5052-0. Stamping a shape will add a small amount of work hardening to improve baffle strength. I have seen 3D printed silencers for .22LR, and once upon a time I estimated the pressure at the muzzle; it ain't much. I've read up a little on work hardening aluminum, and it's interesting. Not quite like work hardening other metals, but pretty straight forward. What thickness would be adequate for .22LR? I can get circular blanks in a variety of gauges, so I can play with forming tools. |
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