I don’t want to wade into the fanatical dogma of suppressor forums and was wondering what you guys think of these cans. I plan on running it primarily on a 12.5" Noveske barrel, but would also use on an SPR to make shooting more kid-friendly.
Surefire FA556-212 would be nice due to the minimal POI shift and compact size, but the $1200 price tag is stiff.
AAC’s $895 M4-2008 is supposed to be great, but I’m not sure how well it would get along with all of my LaRue stuff.
Yankee Hill’s $535 stainless steel Phantom is supposed to be a great value.
Any others I should look at? OPS Inc? Gemtech?
ETA: Here is the AAC on my 12.5" Noveske SBR and 16" CMMG midlength. I shot PMC 55 grain through it, and while it’s an inherently dirty load, I wasn’t overwhelmed by gas blowback. It really makes a .223 sound like a 22LR.
I am tossing this one around as well for my shorty 416. I’ve narrowed it down to the shorty Surefire 556k and the AAC m4-2000 mod 08. I am looking at the following as a basic comparison:
Surefire:
Priced higher - but check with Grant for better pricing on Surefire cans
Lightweight and compact
Reported minimal to no change on POI
Lifetime warranty from a well-established company
My understanding is the mount can be difficult to work when removing the can if it has fouled significantly.
AAC:
Can be obtained for a better price, especially when you consider the included mount (Surefire puts you back another $70 to $100 for a mount)
Lightweight and fairly compact (supposedly under 1lb in its latest incarnation)
Possibly better construction with all Inconel internals for 08
Reportedly less blowback in the new model (matters to me as a lefty)
Lifetime warranty from a company that I have heard provides great support (I understand they seem to have some degree of association with Internet-based suppressor controversies for what that’s worth)
Ultimately, I plan to run suppressed nearly all the time (especially on duty). The POI impact change is less important to me than size/weight, construction and blowback. I have a YHM Phantom (older model) that has been ok, but is heavy (especially on an already heavy 416) and the mount is a little unrefined in my opinion. Good can for the money, but you can now get the M4-1000 in that price range and it is lighter.
Communicate with as many people you can who have used both models and can provide vital feedback. Bookhound (Mark @ PoliteSociety) has been very helpful with providing detailed comparisons between the two. Grant has helped greatly as well by allowing me to shoot the Surefire on my 416.
It’s a chunk of change, so research is important to ensure you are happy with what you get.
Thanks all. No “Get all three” responses yet, so that’s a good gauge of the seriousness of this forum.
I guess one could give a nod to Gemtech since they’ll mount on standard bird cages, so you don’t have to spend $60-100 for a new FH for each rifle. Too bad I can’t run one on my Romanian 5.45 SAR-2 :mad:
AAC really seems to have gotten some respect for the M4-2000 '08 variant. I really don’t understand their drama with LaRue, but that’s another thread or URL.
How much is an AAC standard mount? How much is an AAC BO mount?
I don’t know what street price is on an AAC M42k but an SF 5.56K can be found for @ $75 of the M42k sticker price. I would think that the 212 would be slightly cheaper in the end as it is an end mount can and thus doesn’t require any kind of a flash hider to mount it.
YHM - there is a pretty big weight difference between this and the other two that you are looking at.
RobS had a post RE: Choosing a suppressor that was pretty good - effectively they all sound about the same therefore you need to prioritize based on cost, weight, mount, warranty, and the company.
It is worth reading about the companies, the CS, and the warranties - as these three can vary widely.
I have and like the full sized Surefire, and it would be my preference on any weapon with a barrel long enough to fit it. If a muzzle mount can was necessary I would get an M4-2000.
I’m inclined to vote for the M4-2000 if the SPR/M4 is out of the price range. Surefire makes a good can, but I’m not a big fan of their mounting system. As far as the less expensive suppressors go, demigod is right - for about the same price as the YHM, the M4-1000 is a hell of a steal and could/should be sold for substantially more money. Performance-wise, the M4-1000 is not an entry-level suppressor.
In general, AAC products are going to be tough to beat. I’ve seen with my own eyes the amount of time and money they’ve invested in product development, material research, machines, etc., and there are very few games in town who can give them a run for their money. If you can find an M4-2000 Mod08 in stock anywhere, I strongly suggest you start the paperwork before someone else beats you to it.
Thanks to all for chiming in. I’ve decided to go with the M4-2008 variant. I’m not happy about buying multiple $85 flash hiders, but people really seem to like this can.
My dealer is filing my corporate Form 4 today and he insists that 4-6 weeks is a realistic NFA processing time. We’ll see!
You made a great choice; the suppressor comes with one flash hider anyway so if you want to put it on multiple guns you would have to buy multiple hiders anyway from any company, they cost time and money to make for the company. On top of that the AAC black out flash hiders are awesome as a stand alone flash hider as it is. I think once you get it and get to experience it you will not have any reservations at all.
To me, I would look at only 3 cans (AAC M4-2K MOD 7, KAC and SF 556K). All are quality I think.
I personally run the SF K can and love it. POI shift on a 10.5 is about 1/4 (at most). This simply fantastic in my book. Also, we offer member discounts on SF cans so drop us a line if interested.
