None of those, specifically, are probably great out of the box. Frankly the Sig SPEAR is probably the easy button for a suppressed 308, but I've never handled/shot one. It's in my "if I ever win the lotto or decide to sell a bunch of things, I'll get this" list...right now though, since I have a SCAR, I'm not going out of my way to get one.Originally Posted by ccmdfd
The FN SCAR, once it's re-jetted and/or once you put an aftermarket suppressor friendly gas plug in it, is probably the 2nd easiest...the only issue with the SCAR is FN's support policy if they think you broke it when it had a can on it. If FN had a better support policy, the SCAR would easily be at the top of my list. I've already re-jetted mine (shooting it without a can but with the plug in the "suppressed" position, it barely doesn't fully cycle...just about perfect function there IMO). The SCAR's other issue is the lack of a barrel shoulder; you need to run an adapter if you really want to make it work right. Fortunately there's a bunch of shoulder adapters out there so it's not a big deal, and some companies like Dead Air make SCAR-specific muzzle devices so you've got options either way. The funny thing is FN says they'll warranty it if you use the FN suppressor with their guns...but they don't sell their suppressors to civilians in the US.
The AR has the most things that might require tinkering to get it to work (buffer, spring, receiver extension and bolt carrier compatibility, probably needing an adjustable gas block, rifle vs carbine vs midlength gas, etc) but once you make it work, it's probably the most forgiving of finding a medium setting that works with both suppressed and unsuppressed and being able to live there. It'll be dirty, but really there's no such thing as a clean suppressed auto-loading rifle...there's just how long will it work before the fouling becomes a problem. Piston guns seem to do better there.
Technically you can suppress a PTR/HK91 knockoff, but the barrel threading might be weird, and finding the right locking piece can be a chore if it doesn't have the right bolt gap...and that's no guarantee it won't make roller divots in the rear of the receiver anyway, which can kill the gun. I have an SBR G3K clone that I tried to suppress...bolt gap mysteriously changed on it, so I need to take it out again and see if it's any better but it's mainly a curiosity more than something useful.
I've never tried to suppress an M1A; I know Smith Enterprise is/was the M1A/M14 suppressor guys but for every good thing I've heard about them, there's at least one bad thing too...I've got no vested interest either way, I'm just not going to bother with it. I don't even have an M1A of any kind anymore anyway.
I know that suppressing a FAL requires one of two things; either someone to weld up an existing gas plug and re-drill it so it restricts gas some more, or buying a DSArms suppressor gas plug. I've got a gas plug, but I don't have a FAL that can actually use it, really...the one FAL I wanted to suppress, the bore is wildly out of concentricity with the barrel threads so that's a non-starter. Even with the gas system turned all the way down on a FAL, it's still too much with a can. Maybe that's different now with OSS-type flow through cans...no real idea. But, since the SCAR is a largly vastly product improved FAL in most areas anyway...I'll just stick with the SCAR.
YMMV and I'm sure there's probably some differing opinions out there...
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