Review my suppressor alternatives

[Jaywalker]

I've just started my NFA trust, i.e., paid a lawyer to structure it, and might well be shopping for a suppressor this weekend. I'll use it on a 16" AR for casual shooting - no extended 5.56 mag dumps - and possibly in the future an SBR in 300 BLK. It's also possible I'll want to suppress my HK P30, but that's lower priority and possibly an idea I'll abandon. From multiple threads here I've found the SilencerCo Omega variants well considered, and it appears either the 300 or the 36M fit my requirements. I'm leaning towards the 36M for its versatility. I plan to use some version of a three-prong flash hider mount - no muzzle brakes for me. (I don't understand yet all I know about suppressor mounting...)

Is there a reason to consider something else for my first NFA item, assuming performance, maintenance, customer service, and cost are a big part of my requirements?

[HeavyDuty]

Watching with interest - I came up with a different choice for my use case (9mm, 5.56 and .300 BLK SBRs,) I’m just waiting for a silencer event that’s happening in a few weeks to validate my choice before I order.

[Default.mp3]

What do you mean by performance? Acoustic suppression, visual signature suppression, POI shift repeatability, gas blowback, etc.?

IMO, multiuse cans are very much compromises; if you have a trust, I personally would prefer to just get dedicated cans, unless the suppressor will be used primarily for funsies, which is fine, but your emphasis on performance is what struck me.

Also, cans on handguns are strictly a toy, IMO, the changes in POA/POI and how much more awkward the gun becomes afterwards means that I've thrown my pistol can on an actual handgun like twice, once just to see how it was, and once for my friends to play with, otherwise it lives on my PCC.

If you're really just looking to suppress the two ARs, and still really want to use just one can for both, I would do a hard pass on the Omega 36M, and look at the plethora of short .30 caliber cans (SilencerCo, Dead Air, Rugged, SureFire, YHM, B&T, etc.), assuming that maximum acoustic suppression on the .300 BLK isn't your end goal.

[HeavyDuty]

I purposely didn’t mention the one I was leaning to get, but what the heck - I’m almost certain I’ll get a DA Wolfman.

[okie john]

Also, cans on handguns are strictly a toy, IMO, the changes in POA/POI and how much more awkward the gun becomes afterwards means that I've thrown my pistol can on an actual handgun like twice, once just to see how it was, and once for my friends to play with, otherwise it lives on my PCC.

Holster choice is pretty limited, too.


Okie John

[TGS]

Griffin Plan-A taper mount adapter and taper-mount flash hider with a YHM Resonator K suppressor will be substantially shorter than both of your options, even the short-configuration of the 36M...slightly lighter, and even with the added adapter/FH will be cheaper than both (several hundred cheaper than the 36M).

Just an option to consider. I use that configuration with the Turbo-K (5.56 variant), and AFAIK there's nothing as short and light for anywhere close to the price, while still being full auto SBR rated with great customer service.

[Jaywalker]

What do you mean by performance? Acoustic suppression, visual signature suppression, POI shift repeatability, gas blowback, etc.?

IMO, multiuse cans are very much compromises; if you have a trust, I personally would prefer to just get dedicated cans, unless the suppressor will be used primarily for funsies, which is fine, but your emphasis on performance is what struck me.

Also, cans on handguns are strictly a toy, IMO, the changes in POA/POI and how much more awkward the gun becomes afterwards means that I've thrown my pistol can on an actual handgun like twice, once just to see how it was, and once for my friends to play with, otherwise it lives on my PCC.

If you're really just looking to suppress the two ARs, and still really want to use just one can for both, I would do a hard pass on the Omega 36M, and look at the plethora of short .30 caliber cans (SilencerCo, Dead Air, Rugged, SureFire, YHM, B&T, etc.), assuming that maximum acoustic suppression on the .300 BLK isn't your end goal.

Those are good questions. I want excellent acoustic suppression on what I currently have, i.e., a 16" mid-length 5.56, in order to reduce the effect on my ears, but POI shift repeatability would fall right behind that. I'd like very little gas in the face but I don't want a flow through (?) design if that compromises acoustic suppression. As you suggest, I don't think I need to plan for 9mm suppression on this purchase. I do want to use a three-prong flash suppressor and not a brake.

[Jaywalker]

...YHM Resonator K suppressor will be substantially shorter than both of your options...

Just an option to consider. I use that configuration with the Turbo-K (5.56 variant), and AFAIK there's nothing as short and light for anywhere close to the price, while still being full auto SBR rated with great customer service.

I like Yankee Hill. What kind of acoustic suppression is there from a suppressor that short?

Edit: I've checked some reviews and the short ones try to live just south of 140dB. That seems reasonable. I'll put these on my list.

[gringop]

Those are good questions. I want excellent acoustic suppression on what I currently have, i.e., a 16" mid-length 5.56, in order to reduce the effect on my ears, but POI shift repeatability would fall right behind that. I'd like very little gas in the face but I don't want a flow through (?) design if that compromises acoustic suppression. As you suggest, I don't think I need to plan for 9mm suppression on this purchase. I do want to use a three-prong flash suppressor and not a brake.

Profit from my experience/mistakes. I bought a YHM 223 Turbo (non-K) due to the great price, thinking that I would be able to shoot wonderfully quiet 223 loads. Not expecting James Bond quiet but expecting "no earpro quiet".

What I found is that you there is no 223 bullet that weighs enough to go subsonic and still have any velocity/energy to, A: cycle the action, and B: impart enough energy to the target to take it down. After a few months working up loads with various powders I was able to get a 75 grain bullet to have 991fps at the muzzle that shoots James Bond quiet, sounds like a BB gun.

The trouble is that it drops about 15" at 100 yds, won't cycle the action and has 164 foot pounds of energy, less than a 22 Mag.

I guess my point is that I would have been better off picking up a 30 cal suppressor that could be swapped to a 308, 300BO or other caliber larger than 223. The slight increase in sound over a 223 can would not have been noticeable since the 223 cans only suppress to a certain level.

The previously mentioned RESONATOR or RESONATOR K would work great for 223 and 30 cal and is what I should have bought to begin with.

I love shooting with my Turbo but being 223 only limits the hell out of its versatitlity, vs 30 cal.

Gringop

[Flamingo]

I have a 36M. I like it, but I use it primarily on a 300 BO contender that I shoot very low velocity 110 gr V-max bullets out of. It is my whack coyotes in the yard without disturbing the neighbors gun. It works very well for that.