I’m in the market for a couple of suppressors for my Scar 17 and M4gries. I like the Surefire products, but they do not seem to get resounding recommendations. Why?
Ford vs Chevy
Because they are expensive and they are not the quietest. They have the best attachment method though. I love them and recommend the 762 Mini or you can wait and try they new SOCOM 300 SPS.
I have a SF SOCOM 556 RC, and I give it a resounding recommendation.
IF your goal is to wow your friends with how quiet your rifle is, your already down the wrong path. Yea others suppressors may be quieter, but who cares? SF allows you shoot without ears if needed. So do others (SiCo, KAC, etc), but the outstanding mounting system and durability of SF are tried and true and beyond reproach. Buy once, cry once.
Your goals may be different. If you just want to shoot some paper targets at the local range, perhaps other cans may be a better bang for your buck. I have more strict requirements. The military chose the SOCOM for a reason.
I’ll say too, they are more expensive.
I bought a HALO as my first can. Yeah it’s hearing safe but it’s a pig… A big pig. 300 blk was just really getting popular…ish when I picked mine up so multi cal wasn’t as big a consideration. I would have got the 7.62 mini(or the 5.56 mini I go back and forth if I care about 300 blk) if I had it to do over again as my “all purpose” can. That or the Saker K + trifecta brake.
Believe me when I say this, once you buy a suppressor, you quickly realize a few hundred bucks doesn’t mean much considering the effort and trust involved in trying to sell it.
Surefire RC & Mini are on the smaller side with both length and weight, something I find important because adding a giant can to the front end of the rifle isn’t something I generally consider appealing. Surefire attachment method, POI shift, blowback, durability and flash signature are as good as you will find. Keep in mind the Surefire will make the rifle sound approximately as loud as other cans that make measure quieter AT THE SHOOTER’S EAR. Other cans tend to be quieter at the muzzle. No 5.56 can in existence is truly hearing safe either and the ones that come the closest will be in set ups on longer barrels with already large cans (a set up that is good for nothing practical except bench shooting).
For your stated purpose, I’d go SiCo Saker 762. Possibly the toughest 762 suppressor on the market (full Stellite stack) that is also particularly suitable for sub calibers (5.56 in this case) through swappable end caps. I’ve read too many “so so” reviews on SF cans to pay any extra for them. They do seem to have the best mounts though I spent the better part of an hour try to get one of their previous generation cans off a friends M4. That said, the Saker offers more mounting options including direct thread for under hand guard applications
Folks that claim that a “silencers” suppression performance makes for a poor metric can speak for themselves. For me, durability and suppression are what matters most. Zero interest in paying $1K+ and $200 stamp for mediocre (read loud) suppression can. I don’t care how long it lasts and what abuse it takes if it doesn’t perform to it’s name sake.
The military’s requirements are not mine. I don’t carry a Beretta either.
I have the Surefire SOCOM556-RC and love it for all the reasons already mentioned and I agree that it’s not the quietest on the market especially when I compare it to my Silencerco Specwar 7.62.
But I have to admit that I’m really excited about the release of Surefire’s latest can the SOCOM300 SPS.
That can does look pretty bad ass.
In the same boat. Want something for my scar 17 and ARs. Just tagging for notifications.
Take a look at the new SiCo omega. It’s full auto rated, light, short, more adaptable than the surefire can, cheaper, has multiple mounting options, and comes with SilencerCo’s outstanding warranty. They have stated that if you wear the can out, they replace it. What is better than that?
Dead Air Sandman series looks very interesting as well.
Something to consider.
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Yeah the Sandman does look pretty good too. I’m just wondering what it offers over the SiCo Saker and Omega. They seem to be pretty equivalent cans. I think the founder of Dead Air is also affiliated with SiCo.
Yes, he was with Silencerco.
This. I have been shopping for a while, and the figures and price on the Omega had me intrigued. I went and handled one last week, and I am definitely sold. It is super light and short for a sub $1000 .30 cal can. Definitely an option worth looking into if you want one you can use across the board for 7.62, 5.56, precision, close quarters, etc.
While the attachment on the Surefire seems nice and quick, I do like being able to shroud some of the can on a short barreled setup, and that looks to prevent that. I’m aware of heat issues with lots of shooting, but I haven’t had any with the moderate amount of shooting I put through my YHM Ti Phantom QD.
I really like this can and I am surprised I don’t see many people using it, or talking about it. Unless I’ve missed some major snafu associated with it.
It’s light for a full sized rifle can, I can toss it on my Rem700, .300blk and my .556 and it performs well across the board. Very minimal poi shift, though I haven’t done any long range testing with my .308 yet.
Nice reduction in sound, and a pleasing tone at the shooters ear.
Any Reason AAC as a brand are not considered. SDN6 or SR7 options?
You mean besides Freedom Group owning AAC? 51t is an inferior attachment method, many people with documents baffle strikes due to that mount, not sure about their SR7 but so many outstanding options from better companies, why bother?
I would say the Surefire RCs and Minis are my favorite cans out of the Surefires, AAC, SiCo and KACs I own. By far my favorite mounting system. I would recommend them over others for many reasons. POI, Blowback, Mounting systems, muzzle devices, etc etc etc. If your looking for a 5.56 can that’s super quiet… you picked the wrong caliber.
Surefire 556-RC and 762-RC are the issued suppressors for the MK18 and MK13. So being awarded the FMBS solicitation from the special operations community isn’t a resounding enough recommendation?
Yes, Surefire suppressors do come at a higher premium, but have a proven track record - tried, true and tested. Their renowned reputation for customer satisfaction, dependability, reliability isn’t isolated to their flash light division, but cross applies in the suppressor division as well. Surefire takes no short cuts, their dedication to warfighter begins with the use of U.S. certified materials, these certifications ensure the proper heat treat and alloy content is maintain from lot to lot - batch to batch. Surefire’s rigorous quality control process and assurance practices doesn’t stop at the end of the fabrication, but also includes testing to ensure that each suppressor coming off the line possess minimal or consistent POA/POI shift of less than one MOA. They’ve also invested in an acoustic target system whereby they can instantaneously document and electronically record the test firing of a nominal of 3 round groups for each suppressor that comes off the line. Additionally NWSC-Crane, has also adopted their sound metering test fixture and procedures developed by Surefire. Surefire’s no compromise approach, whether for their lights or suppressors, explains the high end premium.
I was in the same boat three years ago, in the market for a single multi-caliber center fire rifle can, that could shoot everything from .300 Win Mag down to 5.56. Because of this I knew off the bat, I wanted a QD mechanism, and Inconel baffle stack for durability. At the time the only two noteworthy quick detach all Inconel baffle stack designs were AAC’s SDN-6, and Surefire’s FA762K. I dismissed the SDN-6, due to the reports of issues with the 51T ratcheting mechanism, and originally dismissed the Surefire due to the high cost. So when AAC debuted the new 90T ratcheting mechanism at Shot Show 2012, I got immediately on a pre-order list for the AAC SR7. However, after a year of repeated production delays, I took another look at the Surefire. It worked out for the better in the end, with more research; I found that POA/POI shifts did matter for my anticipated use, primarily on a precision rifle. And the Surefire seem to fit the role better. The Surefire 762-RC, the successor to the FA762K, which was in production, with the added plus having been vetted by the special operations community after winning the FMBS solicitation, featuring perhaps the best designed or most evolved and innovative quick detach mechanism in the market today - allowing for consistent indexing which ensures minimal POA/POI shifts. And with the uncertainty of the impending new regulations like the ATF 41P at that time, I was happy I got it in hand before any new regulations took effect. The NFA game sure takes a lot of patience, it took nearly two years after my original preorder from 2012 to early 2014 before I sent lead down range with the 762-RC. The extraordinarily long wait time was compounded not just from the production delays, but also factoring in transfer times, a Form 3, from manufacturer to dealer, then Form 4, from dealer to trust, which coincided with the 2nd O-panic post Newtown.
However, since then, wait times have dropped considerably, with additional 7.62 options in the market.
If I were to redo it all over again, I’d definitely take a serious look at the SilencerCo 7.62 Saker. At the time I was in the market, it was vapor ware, turns out it took about 3 years, but now is in production and in dealer hands. Although the Surefire quick detach mechanism is the most evolved design in the market today, and in my opinion, the best QD suppressor design, it however lacks the versatility to adapt the suppressor for a variety of suppressor hosts, direct thread on, Specwar, Trifecta, or on AAC’s 51T mounts which the Saker is inherently capable of performing. To be fair though, Surefire designed their SOCOM suppressors per the FMBS solicitation for the government, but they are now innovating and designing products to meet the demands of the consumer market, with exciting products like the 300SPS, Ryder, and the Warden. Knowing what I know now, I’d probably still side with the Surefire, especially since they’ve introduced the Warden - their muzzle brake diffuser, perhaps SilencerCo will release their own soon. But since I run SF brakes on all my rifles, potential suppressor hosts/competition reasons, shooting without a can is obnoxious, especially to shooters next to me and I hate being that guy.
Though I haven’t stayed current on the latest and greatest offerings there are on the market, I don’t for one second regret my decision. The Surefire 7.62-RC has served me well on many hosts, primarily on an OBR, with occasional use on my Mk18 clone both in 5.56 and 300 BLK, and even on 22 LR conversions. I also plan on eventually getting a 300 Win Mag later down the round, so spread that cost across 5 different platforms, and it comes out to $360. Although getting a one-size-fits all suppressor doesn’t offer optimal sound suppression or size dimensions/weight, it does offers significant cost savings compare to getting a dedicated can for each rifle caliber.