Fantastic read! I wish we had more posts like this.
As in none at all? That is pretty amazing. My silencer has blast baffle erosion and it’s all 718 inconel.
That’s good to hear, but I have seen Grade 5 Titanium thread on silencers exhibit much more rapid erosion on the blast baffle when compared to inconel. This was on destructive analysis tests.
I said earlier that the Cyclone K weighs 18.5 oz. and your silencer weighs 16 oz., when run on a short barrel I believe that a sacrificial brake is necessary on titanium silencers. When I add the weight of the mount (which I assume is over 2.5oz.) I would lose any weight savings of going with the titanium can.
The weight of the QD mount is always overlooked by silencer consumers because it is not advertised. When people talk about the NT4 being so heavy and the M4-2000 being so light I laugh a little inside as they are practically the same weight when both use their respective FH mounts, the Blackout is a HEAVY (4.3oz.) flashhider.
That said, if I was in the market for a titanium silencer, the Thunderbeast would be at the top of the list (but it would be the BA version). I still say that you and Ops Inc. have the hands down best ‘muzzle device attachment’ in the industry, however the Ops cans are just too heavy IMO.
Please don’t take this as a slight to Thunderbeast, I just think that for this particular rifle a thread on inconel silencer fit the bill based on weight and material selection.
hunt_ak I assume RW Snyder did the barrel fluting as well? What were the estimated weight savings on the fluting?
I believe that he farmed out the fluting to Kampfield, but I am not sure. I would estimate that it was close to 8oz. or so.