Help Me Figure Out What Suppressor(s) To Get

[3MTA3]

I'm interested in purchasing one and possibly two suppressors for my rifles, but am a total newbie to the subject. Your feedback, insights and advice are greatly appreciated.

The cartridges I want to shoot suppressed are the following :

• 22LR
• 5.56 NATO (priority)
• 6.5 CM
• 280 AI (only during some hunting applications)
• 308 Winchester (priority)

My questions are:
Can I effectively cover this range with a single 30 caliber suppressor or will I need two?
If I need two would it make the most sense to get one in 22 caliber (or other) and one in 30 caliber?
What suppressors/mounts/companies would you recommend? My priorities are:

• Durable and rugged
• Reasonable weight and bulk
• Maintainable for cleaning and repair
• Effective noise reduction
• Mounting system that allows quick attach/detach to a flash hider
• Not uber expensive (say under $1K not including tax stamp) unless a solid reason
• What am I not considering that I should?

Again your input is appreciated - I'm dumber than a box of Brandons on this subject.

Read More

 

[solv3nt]

22lr is incredibly dirty, while you could pull double duty with a 556 can, you really shouldn't. I just took my Deadair mask out Saturday after picking her up Friday.

 

[BlindedByScience]

Agree with solv3nt....22lr is dirty stuff, having a suppressor you can take apart and clean is important.

I've got some Silencerco cans here, and given your wish list, I can recommend (and own) these two;

- Silencerco Sparrow (.22lr)
- Silencreco Omega 300

(300BO subsonic through the Omega 300 is darn near Hollywood quiet. The bolt seems noisier than the round. Amazing.)

There are lots of others, that I'm sure are very, very good. These are the two I chose, run, and have been quite happy with.

As they say, one man's opinion.

 

[ORhutner]

I'm interested in purchasing one and possibly two suppressors for my rifles, but am a total newbie to the subject. Your feedback, insights and advice are greatly appreciated.

The cartridges I want to shoot suppressed are the following :

• 22LR
• 5.56 NATO (priority)
• 6.5 CM
• 280 AI (only during some hunting applications)
• 308 Winchester (priority)

My questions are:
Can I effectively cover this range with a single 30 caliber suppressor or will I need two?
If I need two would it make the most sense to get one in 22 caliber (or other) and one in 30 caliber?
What suppressors/mounts/companies would you recommend? My priorities are:

• Durable and rugged
• Reasonable weight and bulk
• Maintainable for cleaning and repair
• Effective noise reduction
• Mounting system that allows quick attach/detach to a flash hider
• Not uber expensive (say under $1K not including tax stamp) unless a solid reason
• What am I not considering that I should?

Again your input is appreciated - I'm dumber than a box of Brandons on this subject.

What are your expectations on sound suppression? Have you experienced shooting suppressed before?

The BEST thing you can possibly due before buying a suppressor is to try some out just so you can go in with reasonable expectations.

If centerfire cans are used for centerfire use only, you shouldn't need to clean them or if you do it will be very rarely. Only deviation from this comment is if your shooting something like hard cast lead or similar a lot, in which case you could get some build up. Otherwise the pressure and heat do a good job of keeping centerfire cans clean.

• Durable and rugged: almost all modern cans from reputable manufacturers are going to meet this requirement unless you require something that will see frequent mag dumps back to back to back or a full auto schedule of fire.
• Reasonable weight and bulk: I find this to be one of the biggest considerations for myself. Heavy and long just don't make for an enjoyable experience unless you are shooting from a rested position or bench. I recommend giving this serious consideration when making your choice.
• Maintainable for cleaning and repair: Very little can be repaired by you as suppressor parts are regulated NFA items but lets not dive into that rats nest. Really a non-issue on quality centerfire cans and any reputable rimfire can will disassemble for cleaning. With rimfire cans the materials are more important as it will dictate what options you have for cleaning like harsh chemicals or ultrasonic.
• Effective noise reduction: 5.56 is loud and does not suppress well if you are thinking hollywood quite. Likely we are talking a gas gun like an AR here also so you will have additional noise out of the action from the added back pressure from the suppressor. 22lr is going to be QUITE with subsonic ammo and live up to your expectations. Centerfire rifle in the cartridges you mention may or may not depending on the action type, barrel length, etc... What is your definition of effective noise reduction?
• Mounting system: You will get a lot of opinions here but I am a strong supporter of the Plan B mounting method though I do not like the Q products and prefer to go with Rearden. The Plan B mounting system is a threaded taper lock style mount and there are other version of this style like Dead Air Xeno, Griffin Plan A, etc... I find the Plan B system to offer the options that appeal to me and my uses best. This will only be for your centerfire cans as the rimfire cans are direct thread.
• Expense: LOTS of good cans well under your price point. I will make some suggestions with a $1,200 budget (inclusive of stamp/s) later in my post.
• What am I not considering that I should: Will these be my only cans? If not I should tailer my current purchase to be more specific to a few guns, i.e. I will buy a 5.56 dedicated can later so a 308 can should be my priority and targeted for optimal use on the 6.5, 280ai, 308. Do I hunt with this rifles? if so I should make sure the can's don't make the rifle unwieldly long as to get hung up on everything while hiking through the woods. Do I want to put these into a trust or apply as an individual? What dealers would you recommend in my area? Dealers make a HUGE difference on your first cans while you wading through this process and learning. It will make or break your experience.

So I would recommend you go with at least two suppressors and here is the reason why. Rimfire use is dirty and rimfire cans are specifically designed for this purpose. They are also smaller and lighter where a centerfire rated suppressor is going to be heavy, long and unwieldly on a rimfire pistol or rifle. The last piece is that suppressed rimfire shooting is one of the funnest ways to enjoy suppressors and all your friends and family will get a kick out of shooting suppressed rimfire firearms. I am not saying there aren't can's that can do both rimfire and centerfire but you really have to make concessions with a can that does both.

So here are some ideas to consider for combo's:

• Get a quality rimfire can. Budget including stamp is $500 - $600. Models to look at would be: Rugged Oculus (top recommendation in this budget range), Dead Air Mask if you bump this budget up to $640 as the can will be $440 and tax stamp $200, this is my top recommendation for a rimfire can out of all the options, CGS Hydra Stainless Steel, Q El Camino and YHM Phantom 22
• Get a 308 bore can to cover all your centerfire rifle needs that is reasonable on weight and lenth, using the 1.375x24 (HUB) adapter standard, budget of $600 - $700:
  • Rex MG7 308 - should be able to pick the can up via sale around $400 - $450 and then $200 tax stamp
  • YHM R2 - a little heavy and a little long but a great value for the price at $589 and then $200 tax stam

Didn't do a great job of staying in the $1,200 budget I theorized but kept it pretty close. Hopefully you find this info helpful and if you let us know where you are located we can give you some recommendations for a shop and maybe someone who is local to you can take you out to enjoy some first hand experience shooting suppressed if you haven't experienced it previously.

 

[brucekr]

I'd suggest a SilencerCo Hybrid 46 for a can that can do everything up to 338 Lapua in terms of energy and up to 46 caliber for diameter. It was my first can and it has performed well for everything I've thrown at it. I also have a SandMan-S which is a .308 can. All of my firearms that I shoot suppressed have KeyMo muzzle devices so it's easy to move suppressors around and I like it's ratcheting locking mechanism more than the ASR type, but it does add some weight. The Hybrid 46 is on the heavy side as well, so I'm not sure if that would be a deal breaker or not.
SilencerCo has a deal once or twice a year it seems where you buy one get one type of deal, so you could grab the Hybrid 46 and get a 22 for free (plus the $200 tax stamps for each one).
The reason I would go bigger than 30 cal is in case you ever wanted to use it for pistol cartridges like 9mm or .45. But if you are sure this wouldn't be in your future, you could stick with the 30 cal suppressor. But if you aren't in a hurry, I'd look for one of those BOGO's and you could be well under your 1200 price even with muzzle devices.

Steve at Adaptive Firing Solutions would be a great asset to lean on for finding a combo that meets your needs.

Good luck on your search! I'm sure no matter what you end up with, you'll be happy!

 

[3MTA3]

@ORhutner Thank you greatly for your detailed and thoughtful response! I will definitely be reading that a couple of times through as I check things out.

What are your expectations on sound suppression? Have you experienced shooting suppressed before?

Mu expectations are realistic. I'm looking to hopefully prevent the need for hearing protection which also make shooting less objectionable to those who may be enjoying nature close to where I am (safely) target shooting. I'm also interested in the side benefits of flash and recoil reduction, but those are way down the list.

Do I want to put these into a trust or apply as an individual?

Likely as I will be SBRing a couple of rifles as well and want to make it easy on others when I croak. Still investigating the ins and outs.

Hopefully you find this info helpful and if you let us know where you are located we can give you some recommendations for a shop and maybe someone who is local to you can take you out to enjoy some first hand experience shooting suppressed if you haven't experienced it previously.

I'm located in Oregon City. I'm familiar with AFS and Curt's and know they do suppressor sales, but haven't checked their inventories yet. Guidance here would be greatly appreciated.

I'm leaning initially towards a dedicated 5.56 and multi use 300 caliber solution. Which makes sense since I would be splitting use between a similar number of rifles for each one.

When I shoot 22LR I typically use 22CB which is about as loud as a hand clap unless I'm out in the woods or at a range. I still may get a 22LR suppressor because the price is pretty low.

 

[ORhutner]

@ORhutner Thank you greatly for your detailed and thoughtful response! I will definitely be reading that a couple of times through as I check things out.


Mu expectations are realistic. I'm looking to hopefully prevent the need for hearing protection which also make shooting less objectionable to those who may be enjoying nature close to where I am (safely) target shooting. I'm also interested in the side benefits of flash and recoil reduction, but those are way down the list.

5.56 out of an AR is going to be hard to get hearing safe depending on what your measuring stick is. Comfortable for a few shots hearing level is achieved by a good number of cans in my opinion but hearing safe will be a factor of firing schedule, rifle and suppressor in conjunction with each individuals own thresholds. You can really go down the rabbit hole on this specific subject. My stance is that if you will end up with ear pro on even with the can attached then a 308 bore can works just as well (if you aren't going to have a dedicated can for each gun) for this purpose other than being slightly bigger and longer on average depending on the specific can. That being said, a can on a 5.56 helps greatly with concussion, makes it pleasant for those around you while you shoot, can reduce flash and I am sure there are other benefits I am spacing out on right now. For a dedicated 5.56 can you will be hard pressed to find better value than the YHM Turbo T2 or Rex MG7 .224. Having shot both these cans side by side, I like the tone (sound) better on the Rex which is likely due to the larger diameter but both are similar in length. I own both and am happy with both and wouldn't change them out for something different if given the chance. I do run both with Plan B attachment systems to reduce weight and length.

For bolt guns in 6.5 creedmoor and 308 I have trigger time behind 24" barrels and multiple different cans. To me and my ears I am very comfortable with a good suppressor on these without ear pro but everyone is different. I have shot these same setups or been around them when being shot with a YHM Resonator K (not that pleasant and not hearing safe for shooter, borderline for bystanders depending on distance away), Sandman S (I would say not hearing safe for shooter, not pleasant for me anyways, pretty good for bystanders, not a fan of the keymo system due to weight and added length but it is a great retention system), Rex MG7 (not hearing safe for shooter but pleasant for bystanders), Rex MG X (comfortable for shooter and pleasant for bystanders), Thunderbeast Ultra 7 308 (comfortable for shooter and pleasant for bystanders), Nomad L Titanium (pleasant for shooter and bystanders). These cans pretty much cover the gamut of short to long and you should expect similar results from can's in the same general size and width class.

If you really want to up your research, check out https://pewscience.com/ and their free section on suppressor tests. They have taken a scientific approach to rating suppressors. They have a pay section I have never been into as the free data suits my needs well enough.

Likely as I will be SBRing a couple of rifles as well and want to make it easy on others when I croak. Still investigating the ins and outs.


I'm located in Oregon City. I'm familiar with AFS and Curt's and know they do suppressor sales, but haven't checked their inventories yet. Guidance here would be greatly appreciated.

I have heard good things about Curt's here on NWfirearms but have no first hand experience. I am sure others in your area will be along soon to provide recommendations. I am familiar with mid-Willamette Valley dealers which other than a drive are easily accessible now with e-forms if you know what cans you want.

I'm leaning initially towards a dedicated 5.56 and multi use 300 caliber solution. Which makes sense since I would be splitting use between a similar number of rifles for each one.

When I shoot 22LR I typically use 22CB which is about as loud as a hand clap unless I'm out in the woods or at a range. I still may get a 22LR suppressor because the price is pretty low.

You could get a second 5.56 dedicated can for almost the same price as a higher in 22lr suppressor. These would be a Yhm Turbo T2 or Rex MG7 for what I am familiar with.

I am hooked on suppressed 22lr and am admittedly biased but feel it is some of the funnest shooting I do. I love the look on a new shooters face when they put some rounds down range out of a suppressed 22lr. It really sets them up for trigger time on other firearms like an AR or PCC, centerfire bolt gun, etc... by taking out all the various mental baggage they have brought with them to the range. Provides a great foundation to build upon.

 

[2gunnztoo]

I'm interested in purchasing one and possibly two suppressors for my rifles, but am a total newbie to the subject. Your feedback, insights and advice are greatly appreciated.

The cartridges I want to shoot suppressed are the following :

• 22LR
• 5.56 NATO (priority)
• 6.5 CM
• 280 AI (only during some hunting applications)
• 308 Winchester (priority)

My questions are:
Can I effectively cover this range with a single 30 caliber suppressor or will I need two?
If I need two would it make the most sense to get one in 22 caliber (or other) and one in 30 caliber?
What suppressors/mounts/companies would you recommend? My priorities are:

• Durable and rugged
• Reasonable weight and bulk
• Maintainable for cleaning and repair
• Effective noise reduction
• Mounting system that allows quick attach/detach to a flash hider
• Not uber expensive (say under $1K not including tax stamp) unless a solid reason
• What am I not considering that I should?

Again your input is appreciated - I'm dumber than a box of Brandons on this subject.

I have an idea, call Steve Riehl @ Adaptive Firing Solutions. (971) 217-6811.
He works by appointment. Generally that good so you are not disturbed so much by others.
He is known here & is in the upper Oregon City area.

I talked with him on the regular over a period of months regards "suppressors", he has good knowledge & patience.
He is most willing to educate & inform, working with you to help thru the decision making process needed to make yourself an informed an decision.

I saw him Saturday to resubmit all forms for a suppressor, which in the efficiency of the governing bodies involved,
after 15 MONTHS, was returned stamped big big bold block red ink "RETURN WITHOUT ACTION''
Typical gubernutt bubblegum!!! Brandon is singing the same utopia horse pucks as always.
''I know how to deal with every thing'', he blathers about from his pulpit. Opps, slide off my own threat.
15 months, serious for real, real! dose of inefficiency. Looking at the sunny side up, I wasn't "DENIDED"

Anywho, we redid every thing, x2, I bought another, different one. heeeheehe!

 

[3MTA3]

I have an idea, call Steve Riehl @ Adaptive Firing Solutions. (971) 217-6811.
He works by appointment. Generally that good so you are not disturbed so much by others.
He is known here & is in the upper Oregon City area.

I talked with him on the regular over a period of months regards "suppressors", he has good knowledge & patience.
He is most willing to educate & inform, working with you to help thru the decision making process needed to make yourself an informed an decision.

I saw him Saturday to resubmit all forms for a suppressor, which in the efficiency of the governing bodies involved,
after 15 MONTHS, was returned stamped big big bold block red ink "RETURN WITHOUT ACTION''
Typical gubernutt bubblegum!!! Brandon is singing the same utopia horse pucks as always.
''I know how to deal with every thing'', he blathers about from his pulpit. Opps, slide off my own threat.
15 months, serious for real, real! dose of inefficiency. Looking at the sunny side up, I wasn't "DENIDED"

Anywho, we redid every thing, x2, I bought another, different one. heeeheehe!

I have worked with Steve in the past (I'm a huge fan) and have definitely been scouring his web site. The best thing about him is that he is a non-salesman and works hard to get you what you want even if it's outside his normal suppliers. AFS is definitely on my list of places to check.

I hope your situation works out! That brings up another point - what happens if you get denied? Is there a restocking fee or are you out the whole enchilada until you find someone to buy it? I doubt I'll be denied, but who knows what monkey wrenches are being built by Brandon and Co.?

 

[Lazyfaire]

@3MTA3 - I have nothing against purchasing from a local gun shop. but I use Capitol Armory (Austin TX). The process is that no matter where you buy your cans from they must go to a local (your choice) accredited FFL where they will sit for perpetuity (oops sorry!), or until your stamp arrives. Truly comes down to simplicity of paperwork, cost and how much you like dealing with them.

I use CA because long ago I filed my prints, trust and mug shots with them. When I buy something they will do all of the paperwork for me to DocuSign and charge me the stamp fee which they also send in. Boom! Done! Pricing is good and they detail what calibers the cans will cover. Often 10-30% off MSRP. Using these guys works best for me, but I am not saying you should use them. I like em tho.

Once the can has been purchased and it is Form 3'd (shipped) to the FFL you chose it sits in a safe for the next
few-many months. Always ask the FFL how much they will charge as a transfer/storage fee! Could be $25 or as much as $100+ea ! These fees are a part of the expense of buying a can. Good luck

 

[Member 34319]

I'm interested in purchasing one and possibly two suppressors for my rifles, but am a total newbie to the subject. Your feedback, insights and advice are greatly appreciated.

The cartridges I want to shoot suppressed are the following :

• 22LR
• 5.56 NATO (priority)
• 6.5 CM
• 280 AI (only during some hunting applications)
• 308 Winchester (priority)

My questions are:
Can I effectively cover this range with a single 30 caliber suppressor or will I need two?
If I need two would it make the most sense to get one in 22 caliber (or other) and one in 30 caliber?
What suppressors/mounts/companies would you recommend? My priorities are:

• Durable and rugged
• Reasonable weight and bulk
• Maintainable for cleaning and repair
• Effective noise reduction
• Mounting system that allows quick attach/detach to a flash hider
• Not uber expensive (say under $1K not including tax stamp) unless a solid reason
• What am I not considering that I should?

Again your input is appreciated - I'm dumber than a box of Brandons on this subject.

I'd say get a good 22 can and a rifle capable 9mm can.

A Dead Air Mask or Rugged Oculus are my usual recommendations. They are a bit heavier but that weight is due to more user friendly materials. They are extremely easy to clean and will last a life time. Aluminum cans are much lighter, but aren't as easy to clean as aluminum can degrade with certain chemicals. Aluminum being softer can also be less durable depending on how you treat them. I have found that steel 22 cans produce a better tone over aluminum. That said I do own 2 aluminum 22 cans. They are dedicated to certain guns and they are mostly for weight savings on those two. I'm willing to sacrifice some performance and ease of maintaining for the shear weight reduction.

A rifle rated 9mm bore suppressor covers everything else you listed, and opens the door to use on 9mm! There are a couple of these on the market now. Most are essentially a rifle suppressor, aka a bit heavier and more robust than say an aluminum tubed 9mm can. Most take common adapters via industry standardized threads. So using on a 338 to a 22lr to a 9mm pistol are a mount swap away from each other. I've noticed very minimal audible differences between a proper 30 cal suppressor and a similar 9mm bored suppressor on rifles like 223 or 308.

Best of luck picking out one or two! It gets harder the less you own. The more you own, it starts to get easier to pick them out as your likely just picking one for 1 gun, not 1 suppressor for 9 guns.

 

[Lazyfaire]

Agree. But get different sized front caps. The correct size will improve the suppression keeping the gases inside a bit longer. I use an etching pen to write the size on the front of the cap so I can know what I have on there.

 

[3MTA3]

Agree. But get different sized front caps. The correct size will improve the suppression keeping the gases inside a bit longer. I use an etching pen to write the size on the front of the cap so I can know what I have on there.

So make sure you can change front caps to match the caliber - had no idea they were made this way and why I'm glad for this forum!

 

[ORhutner]

So make sure you can change front caps to match the caliber - had no idea they were made this way and why I'm glad for this forum!

I am the complete opposite of the universal suppressor camp/swapping parts for a couple reasons:

• Suppressors are dirty and utilize fine threads for a lot of their parts. If you don't keep those threads clean it is easy to mess them up, cross thread them and end up with a messed up suppressor.
• Suppressor accessories like different end caps are expensive and add up quick. $50/$75/$100/$150 or more and once you are into a couple additional items, you have the cost of another suppressor sitting idle vs. being on the end of your firearm. Would rather have more suppressors like YHM or Rex that can be had on sale for $400 or less then a bunch of bits and pieces that I have to swap out every time I change caliber. For me, it takes the fun out of going to shoot if I have to fiddle with my suppressor before I hit the range or fiddle with it at the range.
• If I swapped end caps for caliber specific end caps, it would be a matter of time before I blew that end cap off because I forgot to change it back to whatever caliber I was shooting. If I got lucky it would only damage the end cap, if not it is a trip back to the manufacturer to hopefully get repaired. The risk is not worth the reward for me.

 

[Lazyfaire]

So make sure you can change front caps to match the caliber - had no idea they were made this way and why I'm glad for this forum!

It makes a tighter fit to keep the pressure contained.

 

[brucekr]

I don't believe all of them have replaceable end caps, but I could be wrong. My omega does but it comes with the largest size. I haven't even really considered buying caliber specific end caps because they aren't cheap and from what I've read don't make all that much difference.

I am the complete opposite of the universal suppressor camp/swapping parts for a couple reasons:

• Suppressors are dirty and utilize fine threads for a lot of their parts. If you don't keep those threads clean it is easy to mess them up, cross thread them and end up with a messed up suppressor.
• Suppressor accessories like different end caps are expensive and add up quick. $50/$75/$100/$150 or more and once you are into a couple additional items, you have the cost of another suppressor sitting idle vs. being on the end of your firearm. Would rather have more suppressors like YHM or Rex that can be had on sale for $400 or less then a bunch of bits and pieces that I have to swap out every time I change caliber. For me, it takes the fun out of going to shoot if I have to fiddle with my suppressor before I hit the range or fiddle with it at the range.
• If I swapped end caps for caliber specific end caps, it would be a matter of time before I blew that end cap off because I forgot to change it back to whatever caliber I was shooting. If I got lucky it would only damage the end cap, if not it is a trip back to the manufacturer to hopefully get repaired. The risk is not worth the reward for me.

I see your points about the universal suppressor, but in reality going the method I prefer, you aren't doing anything to the threads at all. Once you attach a muzzle device, it's a matter of the quick attach each time you attach or detach the suppressor. The muzzle devices are spendy and add bulk. That I completely agree with you.
But I use the 46 caliber end cap for everything. I don't screw/unscrew anything. And I can swap a suppressor in 10 seconds and be shooting any of my other platforms suppressed.
That's my use case and it's likely different than yours. I have 2 cans setup this way so if I'm shooting with a buddy, I always have 2 configurable suppressed solutions for my firearms.
I will be direct attaching my wolfman when it arrives for my mpx to cut down on weight and length. But even then, if down the road I decide on an mp5, I'd go TRI lug on the mpx and be able to quickly change which 9mm gets the hush.

 

[40Garand]

My focus for suppressed shooting has been on .22LR and 300 BO. My Warlock II on my Mark IV with CCI Standard Velocity I consider stupid quiet even though I run CCI Quiet and CCI Suppressor as well. My SilencerCo Omega 9K on my Noveske SBR running top shelf subs is Hollywood quiet. I also have a 16" 700 bolt gun chambered in 300 BO that I've threaded the Omega on. Not as impressive as my SBR decibel wise but it still kicks butt. I have a Q Trash Panda in jail that will be dedicated to my 700 whenever my stamp shows up. My next can purchase is gong to be the SilencerCo Omega 45K. I have yet to run the 9K with any 9MM subs.