I've been reading, researching for months, watching videos, pretty much all the things everyone else has done in trying to pick their first suppressor.
I am trying to suppress two rifles, AR-style in .308 and .223, both with 16" barrels, possibly a 300BO with a 10.5" barrel. The AR15 has a Superlative Arms gas block, the AR"10", a POF Revolution DI, has a restrictive gas block and at this time, I do not have plans to change it over to a Superlative as the gun just works. I do plan on adding a Radian Raptor SD to both, assuming it'll work with the POF and I can actually find them in the next six to nine months.
I am planning on using ONE can unless I settle on less expensive cans and then I'll consider two.
I really like the flow through concept and it would be great if the rifle ran with and without the can, zero adjustments. Going to do a bit of thinking out loud and looking for some feedback, maybe something I'm not considering.
If I had to list what's important in order according to today's world where I use this at the range and for hunting:
-POI shift (lack thereof) taking the can on and off after being sighted in since I'm swapping it between rifles for now.
-Back pressure
-Flexibility between the two calibers
-Mount ease of use/fallibility and resistance to carbon lock
-Weight
-Actual noise suppression at the shooter's ear
-Reliability/build quality
-Cost of can
-Cost of accessories
-Self service ability (cleaning)
-Maintenance intervals
-In stock somewhere
-Ability to make my neighbors in the next bay over like me more. I've found muzzle brakes are very ineffective in that roll.
-Full auto rated (I'm not an operator)
I figure most cans, at the shooter's ear are very similar, enough so that it is almost impossible to tell the difference. I assume the can's weight has an effect on POI when shooting with and without, lighter being better. I put reliability lower as I assume most cans are pretty stout (at least the ones I'm looking at) and all come with a lifetime warranty with some caveats. Full auto rating is really just icing but an indicator of how stout the suppressor is.
Cans I'm considering in no particular order:
-TBAC Dominus SR
-OSS HX-QD 762 Ti (flow through)
-X2 Dev Group (or is it Dev Group X2?) Orion X2 (flow through, zero back pressure)
-Rugged Radiant 762
-Energetic Armament Vox S
-YHM Nitro N20
And while I said ONE can, I have considered two of the less expensive YHM cans, one for each rifle.
With that said, I'd be willing to sacrifice a bit of weight for the flow through technology. The OSS Ti is 14oz and change vs. 17.3oz for the Dev Group Orion and it's within an ounce or two of the others mentioned. It would, most likely, run on either rifle with no modifications and no adjustments.
The X2 Dev Group's offerings look really exceptional and from the videos I've seen on Facebook, they seem to be really quiet (totally technical there), a bit shorter but a bit larger in diameter. They're also heavier but completely self serviceable with no alignment issues and according to their literature, they have zero back pressure vs. low back pressure of the OSS. The price is right as well. They are a new company, I don't see any warranty information and they don't have a QD mount yet but are working on it. Will it be finished by the time my form is approved? I can add a thread adapter to the AR15 but I really don't want issues with my gun welding itself to the adapter with carbon buildup or any other issues that may arise from direct thread. I know it'll be lighter than QD though. I don't have any personal experience with long-term use of direct thread.
They do sell directly and ship to your FFL. None of their "production" silencers are in the hands of independent testers and there are no videos outside of their facebook page. But they're super intriguing, enough so I'll most likely call them tomorrow for more details.
Normal suppressors. If I'm going this route, I'm going light. TBAC is an obvious choice based on the multiple threads here on the Hide but by the time all is said and done, I'll have almost $2K in cost for one can to run on two rifles. Back pressure is an unknown but it ticks all the other boxes (but that cost!).
The Rugged Radian 7.62 is probably at the top of my "normal" suppressor list as it seems the modularity plays well with .308 and .223/5.56 from the tests I've seen. It's light, can get shorter if needed, works well with .223 in the shorter configuration, stellite baffles and has what seems to be a solid mount. It's also substantially less expensive than the TBAC.
The YHM Nitro seems to be in the same vein as the Radian and has multiple mount options. Seems flexible although I've not seen any tests as of yet and ticks all the other boxes except maybe availability. I seem to encounter that the overall shooting experience with YHM cans is not as "pleasant" as more expensive options. Assuming that is referring to back pressure/gas in face issues.
The Vox S is short, light, seemingly rugged based on baffle materials and no barrel length restrictions. It's a touch more expensive than the YHM's while being less expensive than the others. The modular mounting system looks good for switching between rifles but probably isn't the quietest can on the market based on the PEW test. But again, 20" bolt rifle vs. a 16" AR10 for that test so how applicable? It has a hair more back pressure than the Radiant and does not suppress as well going by their data.
And although I didn't have it on my list, the new TBAC Ultra 9 looks interesting. I hesitate on it as it's designed for precision rifle and likely has more back pressure than some of the other cans. Plus it's 9" long.
I am trying to suppress two rifles, AR-style in .308 and .223, both with 16" barrels, possibly a 300BO with a 10.5" barrel. The AR15 has a Superlative Arms gas block, the AR"10", a POF Revolution DI, has a restrictive gas block and at this time, I do not have plans to change it over to a Superlative as the gun just works. I do plan on adding a Radian Raptor SD to both, assuming it'll work with the POF and I can actually find them in the next six to nine months.
I am planning on using ONE can unless I settle on less expensive cans and then I'll consider two.
I really like the flow through concept and it would be great if the rifle ran with and without the can, zero adjustments. Going to do a bit of thinking out loud and looking for some feedback, maybe something I'm not considering.
If I had to list what's important in order according to today's world where I use this at the range and for hunting:
-POI shift (lack thereof) taking the can on and off after being sighted in since I'm swapping it between rifles for now.
-Back pressure
-Flexibility between the two calibers
-Mount ease of use/fallibility and resistance to carbon lock
-Weight
-Actual noise suppression at the shooter's ear
-Reliability/build quality
-Cost of can
-Cost of accessories
-Self service ability (cleaning)
-Maintenance intervals
-In stock somewhere
-Ability to make my neighbors in the next bay over like me more. I've found muzzle brakes are very ineffective in that roll.
-Full auto rated (I'm not an operator)
I figure most cans, at the shooter's ear are very similar, enough so that it is almost impossible to tell the difference. I assume the can's weight has an effect on POI when shooting with and without, lighter being better. I put reliability lower as I assume most cans are pretty stout (at least the ones I'm looking at) and all come with a lifetime warranty with some caveats. Full auto rating is really just icing but an indicator of how stout the suppressor is.
Cans I'm considering in no particular order:
-TBAC Dominus SR
-OSS HX-QD 762 Ti (flow through)
-X2 Dev Group (or is it Dev Group X2?) Orion X2 (flow through, zero back pressure)
-Rugged Radiant 762
-Energetic Armament Vox S
-YHM Nitro N20
And while I said ONE can, I have considered two of the less expensive YHM cans, one for each rifle.
With that said, I'd be willing to sacrifice a bit of weight for the flow through technology. The OSS Ti is 14oz and change vs. 17.3oz for the Dev Group Orion and it's within an ounce or two of the others mentioned. It would, most likely, run on either rifle with no modifications and no adjustments.
The X2 Dev Group's offerings look really exceptional and from the videos I've seen on Facebook, they seem to be really quiet (totally technical there), a bit shorter but a bit larger in diameter. They're also heavier but completely self serviceable with no alignment issues and according to their literature, they have zero back pressure vs. low back pressure of the OSS. The price is right as well. They are a new company, I don't see any warranty information and they don't have a QD mount yet but are working on it. Will it be finished by the time my form is approved? I can add a thread adapter to the AR15 but I really don't want issues with my gun welding itself to the adapter with carbon buildup or any other issues that may arise from direct thread. I know it'll be lighter than QD though. I don't have any personal experience with long-term use of direct thread.
They do sell directly and ship to your FFL. None of their "production" silencers are in the hands of independent testers and there are no videos outside of their facebook page. But they're super intriguing, enough so I'll most likely call them tomorrow for more details.
Normal suppressors. If I'm going this route, I'm going light. TBAC is an obvious choice based on the multiple threads here on the Hide but by the time all is said and done, I'll have almost $2K in cost for one can to run on two rifles. Back pressure is an unknown but it ticks all the other boxes (but that cost!).
The Rugged Radian 7.62 is probably at the top of my "normal" suppressor list as it seems the modularity plays well with .308 and .223/5.56 from the tests I've seen. It's light, can get shorter if needed, works well with .223 in the shorter configuration, stellite baffles and has what seems to be a solid mount. It's also substantially less expensive than the TBAC.
The YHM Nitro seems to be in the same vein as the Radian and has multiple mount options. Seems flexible although I've not seen any tests as of yet and ticks all the other boxes except maybe availability. I seem to encounter that the overall shooting experience with YHM cans is not as "pleasant" as more expensive options. Assuming that is referring to back pressure/gas in face issues.
The Vox S is short, light, seemingly rugged based on baffle materials and no barrel length restrictions. It's a touch more expensive than the YHM's while being less expensive than the others. The modular mounting system looks good for switching between rifles but probably isn't the quietest can on the market based on the PEW test. But again, 20" bolt rifle vs. a 16" AR10 for that test so how applicable? It has a hair more back pressure than the Radiant and does not suppress as well going by their data.
And although I didn't have it on my list, the new TBAC Ultra 9 looks interesting. I hesitate on it as it's designed for precision rifle and likely has more back pressure than some of the other cans. Plus it's 9" long.