I think that I would either like an 11.5" gun with an OSS Helix QD 556, or a 14.5" gun with an OSS Helix QD 556K. At first I thought that the “flow-through” tech was just marketing hype, but I’m pretty much sold on it and would like to try it out.
I’m your average civilian, who hopefully will never need to use his rifle further than 100 yards in a defensive situation, so the 11.5" gun would probably cover all my needs. However, if it was gonna be a truly do-it-all gun, it might make more sense to get the velocity of a 14.5" barrel so that I could hunt and plink at slightly further ranges. Additionally, I’ve read that the 70 TSX does not stabilize well in SBR barrels, so if I want the penetration and extended expansion range of the 70 over its lighter counterparts I’d probably want the longer barrel.
But SBRs are sexy.
Also it’s important to remember that just because a can is 6" long doesn’t mean it will add 6" to your gun. I don’t have the numbers for these specific cans but it’s something to keep in mind.
Voted 11.5 with short silencer. A K supressor is quiet enough for me on an 11.5” barrel, some people want it quieter, but it wasnt noticably louder than on my 14.5” when I tried it.
If you want more reach and sbr is an option, 12.5” with short can looks good on paper.
I hate to be a bandwagon jumper but I would also suggest a 12.5" if you’re looking for a do it all setup. I have a 10.5", 11.5", 12.5", 14.5" and 16" and most of the time I grab the 12.5". Its just a good universal length for everything. I do prefer my 10.5" or 11.5" with a suppressor as my bed side gun because the shorter the better indoors imo, but if Im going out to do anything else I always grab the 12.5" supressed with an SiCo Omega first. I put a 12.5" Noveske SS barrel and a Kahles K16i on mine and use it as my mini DMR type rifle.
The OSS cans have been on sale for $300-500 in the past, but I still wouldn’t get one. They are boat anchors! The flow throw design is nice but if you run 100% suppressed then there is no reason you cannot control the gas. Maybe a KAC 11.5 with an adjustable carrier?
I miss shooting an SBR without a suppressor. Hanging an 18oz Trek really changes how an 11.5" handles. So the smallest/lightest muffler to do the job is what I want. A good & cheap option is the Griffin GP5 direct thread.