Another "My First Suppressor" Thread...

[kwb377]

Finally talked myself into getting a suppressor...and I realize that I know enough to know that I know nothing about how to choose one. My only experience with suppressors was having been issued an MP5SD for a few years two decades ago.


I'm looking to get a dedicated 5.56 suppressor that will be exchanged among several rifles...10.5", 11.5". 14.5" and 16"...all semi-auto and none with adjustable gas blocks. Use will be recreational shooting and maybe coyote hunting in the future.



Perusing Silencer Shop, I've narrowed it down to a few choices based on price and what little info I've read so far on the internet about each.



- Griffin Arm. Recce 5 Mod 4

https://www.silencershop.com/griffin...t-recce-5.html


- Rugged Razor 556

https://www.silencershop.com/rugged-...razor-556.html


- YHM Turbo T3

https://www.silencershop.com/yhm-turbo-t3.html


I also had the Dead Air Sierra 5 saved in my cart, but it went OOS overnight...

https://www.silencershop.com/dead-ai...eno-mount.html



I know nothing about the quality or warranty CS of each manufacturer.

Any insight or guidance is appreciated.

[Wake27]

Why no Surefire?

And have you identified the factors that are important to you? Below are some...

Length
Weight
Diameter
Caliber
POA/POI shift size
POA/POI shift repeatability
Types/number of mounts
Durability
Sound suppression
Flash suppression
Customer service
Gas blowback
Multiple options for the same mount (ex. full size and mini)

[kwb377]

Why no Surefire?

And have you identified the factors that are important to you? Below are some...

Length
Weight
Diameter
Caliber
POA/POI shift size
POA/POI shift repeatability
Types/number of mounts
Durability
Sound suppression
Flash suppression
Customer service
Gas blowback
Multiple options for the same mount (ex. full size and mini)

Why Surefire? What features and benefits do they have that would serve me better than an alternative? Is the extra $$$ over the other options serve me better as a non-professional user?

Not knowing enough about the subject, I have to compare the process to something I can relate to...motorcycles...and what advice I'd give to someone looking for a first-time dual sport and what bike would best suit them.

CRF250L? KLX300? KTM 500? DR650? SWM650? Husky 701? Africa Twin? KTM 1290?

Sometimes buying the "best" doesn't suit the intended task. Kinda what I'm trying to figure out here.

Length
Weight
Diameter
caliber

The ones I've narrowed it down to so far all seem to be pretty close dimensionally...@ 6" =/- in length, 1.5" diameter and similar weight, dedicated 5.56 caliber (I may eventually get a 7.62 can later for my .308's).

POA/POI shift size
POA/POI shift repeatability

An issue that I know little about among the different cans...and do far have only seen addressed in one video for the Rugged Razor 556 (@ .75MOA elevation drop with the can installed). I have no idea what type of POI shift the others have...but repeatability would be important to me.

Types/number of mounts
Durability
Sound suppression
Flash suppression
Multiple options for the same mount (ex. full size and mini)

The ones listed above all come with a threaded/tapered muzzle brake, and I'd prefer a flashider (which they all offer). Since I'll be buying about 5 , cost of the muzzle devices is a consideration (another reason I've shied away from Surefire). Durability and customer service is high on the list of desired features (I'm a "no hassle" kinda guy...I hate dealing with shit that breaks and then dealing with the manufacturer). Sound suppression is moderately high on the "want" list, with flash suppression less so (no NVG use at this time...but I also don't want a fire-breather). I don't foresee myself needing multiple options for mount use...I plan on buying one type of muzzle device for all the rifles and rotating one can among them.

Gas blowback

Again, this is an issue I don't know enough about...I don't want something that'll gas me in the face excessively, and the "no hassle" part of me wants something that I'm not going to have to monkey around with swapping gas blocks, buffers, etc. in order to get the gun to run.


Thanks!

[WobblyPossum]

I don’t have any experience with the suppressors you’re looking at. The closest I have is a YHM Turbo K, which I really like. I recently switched the Phantom mount and muzzle device that came with the suppressor for YHM’s new sRx attachments to save a few ounces and a noticeable amount of overall length. The whole setup is about an inch shorter now. The K is short, light, has decent sound suppression for a K can, and doesn’t provide as much gas to the face as the only other suppressor I have any real experience with, the AAC M4-2000. The T3 isn’t much longer or heavier and YHM is saying they’ve reengineered the baffles to give even less gas to the face. I haven’t seen any reviews yet. The T3 would be great on a 10.5” or 11.5” gun. It might start to feel a little unwieldy on a 14.5” or 16” gun. I get about 2 MOA POI/POA shift at 50y on my 11.5” gun with the K but it’s repeatable and that gun is primarily shot suppressed anyway. I haven’t tested it any further out. I’ll never shoot enough 5.56 to wear the can out so I can’t speak to durability and service life, although the Surefire suppressors that Wake is recommending do have a reputation for lasting damn near forever with ungoldy round counts. I don’t know how much 5.56 you shoot. I haven’t had to use YHM’s customer service for anything serious but they’ve been responsive to questions I had when I was switching over to the sRx mounts. I’ve had faster responses by phone than over e-mail. Apparently YHM recently changed the terms of their warranty. Previously, they would replace your can completely one time, no questions asked regardless of what happened. Now their written warranty is more consistent with the rest of the manufacturers I’ve seen where they say they’ll warranty things for manufacturer issues. That’s kind of a bummer because the prior warranty was one of the factors that pushed me towards YHM when I bought my first can.

Sound suppression with a 5.56 gun will never be super quiet and I don’t even shoot my 16” gun suppressed without ear pro. I wouldn’t mind trying out the newer HUXWRX stuff like the Flow 556k which seems to have better sound suppression numbers than most things I’ve seen based on the Pew Science reviews. It’s pricier than the ones you’re currently looking at and I’m not sure how the manufacturer would service it in the event of a baffle strike because the serial number is near the end cap and not the muzzle.

As a non-professional user buying my first suppressor, I’d probably get the T3. I like the sRX mounts so far but haven’t put a ton of rounds through the guns in the newer configuration yet. Again, my only 5.56 suppressor experience is owning a Turbo K, having briefly been issued an M4-2000, and putting a few rounds through my buddy’s Surefire SOCOM RC2 so I am absolutely not an SME or really experienced at all.

[Wake27]

I only have one KAC can, both my SureFire RC2 and Mini are still in jail so I don’t have much experience in this realm. I did a lot of research for the aspects that were important to me though (mostly durability, minimal and repeatable POA/POI shift, flash suppression, and low blow back) and found that the SF RC2 is that often-used G19 equivalent/gold standard. Everything is measured against that one and it’s still the most common for a reason. And B&T just signed some agreement to be able to use SureFire’s mounting system so we’ll probably see at least one of their cans that can sit on the same SF muzzle device as an RC2 someday.

I’ll try to expand more later but I’m sure there are more experienced NFA guys here than me.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[kwb377]

Advice be damned...I went ahead and made an impulse buy this afternoon.

Stopped by a local LGS to see what they carried and they threw out a suggestion on this KGM Tech. R556. I wasn't familiar with their products (never heard of them), but the shop guy said he had several and had high praise (I mean, of course...he's trying to sell them). Being naturally skeptical anytime someone tries to sell me on something, but also prone to heat-of-the-moment purchases (and the fact he let me have it for $500), I went ahead and plunked my debit card on the counter.

On the way home I was having a bit of buyer's remorse, feeling that I should have at least came home and did a little research. I reluctantly hit the internet to see what kind of bad reviews I was sure to find about my new chunk of metal. I was pleasantly surprised that it seems to be a well-reviewed suppressor.

[HeavyDuty]

Looks like a solid choice. Do they have a range so you can have conjugal visits, or are you on hold for nine months like me?

[kwb377]

Looks like a solid choice. Do they have a range so you can have conjugal visits, or are you on hold for nine months like me?

Unfortunately they don't have a range...so I'm just going to try and forget that I even bought it a let it be a surprise when the email shows up.

[omega9]

Advice be damned...I went ahead and made an impulse buy this afternoon.

Stopped by a local LGS to see what they carried and they threw out a suggestion on this KGM Tech. R556. I wasn't familiar with their products (never heard of them), but the shop guy said he had several and had high praise (I mean, of course...he's trying to sell them). Being naturally skeptical anytime someone tries to sell me on something, but also prone to heat-of-the-moment purchases (and the fact he let me have it for $500), I went ahead and plunked my debit card on the counter.

On the way home I was having a bit of buyer's remorse, feeling that I should have at least came home and did a little research. I reluctantly hit the internet to see what kind of bad reviews I was sure to find about my new chunk of metal. I was pleasantly surprised that it seems to be a well-reviewed suppressor.

Nice! KGM is also making suppressors for Daniel Defense. Everything I’ve seen from DD is great quality, I doubt they would put their stamp on something that was sub par.

https://www.silencershop.com/silence...rd-sg-556.html

[Nephrology]

Honestly I am quite satisfied with my YHM Turbo (regular and K) series suppressors. They are affordable and quiet. I have a Silencerco hybrid that I've used in .223 and I just can't really tell the difference.

I would go with the Kurz muzzle devices if you want to save a little weight. There is no getting around that suppressors add length + weight. Some better than others but I would pick a muzzle device you can live with when shooting unsuppressed too. I prefer flash hiders for most of my 5.56 rifles so I don't think I'd like the new YHM series muzzle devices which do seem oriented towards hunting and/or precision rifles.

One thing to consider, assuming this is for a 5.56 AR, is backpressure. Most all suppressors will increase back pressure, and in an AR this can result in unpleasant "gas to face" and/or cycling issues. Especially on short barreled ARs.

To mitigate this, i've had luck using PRI gasbuster charging handles (they come in a variety of styles, including 2 styles of ambi latches) and going up a bit on buffer weight. If that doesn't work for you, an adjustable gas block or bolt carrier is the way to go.

I have guns with both adjustable gas blocks and bolt carriers. The adjustable gas block is the more elegant but sometimes more finicky solution- I like Superlative Arms for these. I am also happy with my bootleg adjustable BCGs - much easier to adjust on the fly, and even though they do vent gas out the gas port, it doesn't go straight back into your face. Probably does increase the noise at your ear but whatever. You will never get Hollywood quiet suppressing a 5.56 gas gun.

The new "flow through" suppressors might be a way to get around all o this, but the ones I am familiar with are not cheap. I'm happy with the YHM stuff. YMMV