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Old 05-31-2016, 07:57 AM
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Nomercy448
Nontypical Buck
 
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Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Kansas
Posts: 3,898
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The process isn't complicated, and honestly, it doesn't even take much ACTIVE time to complete. The times I've gone through it, it wasn't really any more difficult to go through getting a CCW license, or a U.S. Passport for that matter. The ~6-10 month wait doesn't actually require any effort or action on your part.

Setting up a TRUST, while a good idea for some folks, IS a little more complicated. If you're only buying one suppressor, don't bother with a Trust. If you might buy a second or third someday, it's worth the time, effort, and the $300ish for the lawyer. Once the Trust is established, it does seem to speed things up, as you can't really do a background check on a legal Trust. If you buy your first one without a Trust, then want to start a Trust later, you SHOULD be able to transfer the can to the Trust, the only difference being expense.

Personally, if I started over from scratch, I would buy 4 titanium cans, two 22cal specific, and two 338 or 30cal's; one of each for my wife and I, and lots of QD mounts for them for our respective rifles. We shoot enough 223/5.56 for me to justify having a specific can for our AR's, leaving the other cans for the rest of our rigs. I'm hoping my NEXT suppressor will be by OSS, and if it lasts well, I'll eventually have 4 OSS's in those flavors.

A few words of advice for buying cans - I'm sure someone more knowledgeable and experienced with Suppressors will come along and call all of this bullschitt and teach me something new, but the following opinions are based on my experience:
  • YOU WILL NEED AN ADJUSTABLE GAS BLOCK. Most folks who know me would recognize I'm a proponent of AGB's in general, but you really will need one to run a can on your S&W. Your M&P is most likely currently just a little over-gassed already, and when you add the backpressure of a can, it'll only get worse - making things a lot dirtier and battering your action all the more. Whether you buy a two or three position AGB, or a screw adjust is up to you, but recognize you'll need an AGB. (Note - most of the time, if you tune the AGB to your can, it'll run as a single shot without the can in place, so having access for adjustment is important).
  • First Round Pop matters more to hunters than it does for blasters, buy accordingly and load accordingly. FRP is something which happens when the unburned powder from your charge mixes with the oxygen in the air present in the can. This gas would NORMALLY appear as muzzle flash, but since it can't freely escape the can, it builds pressure and creates a small secondary deflagration, adding volume to the first (or first few) shots. Accordingly, as the oxygen burns away, the suppressor gets quieter. The more efficient your load, the less FRP you'll experience, as there won't be as much powder available to burn. SAS, OSS, and Thunder Beast have reputations for not having FRP's, my YHM's were pretty noticeable.
  • Be realistic about how many you will buy- you'll most likely find yourself buying another one after your first. It's kinda like having one bipod for 20 rifles. Yeah, it works in theory, but eventually, you find yourself buying another bipod - it's just a fact of convenience. It's also a pain in the butt to have ONE rifle at the range which doesn't require hearing protection, but 2 or more active shooters on the line. If you use a public range, or are perpetually single, maybe ONE works for you, but my wife and I tend to require 2 of everything since we're usually at the range together. As mentioned above, if you're buying 3 or more in your lifetime, purchasing them through a Trust is the best option.
  • If you only buy one, DO NOT buy a 22cal suppressor. You're looking at a suppressor for a 22cal AR-15, but you'll most likely find you want to suppress some of your larger rifles very soon thereafter. Suppressors can always go down in caliber, but they can't go up. A can designed for a 300win mag will work quite well for a 223/5.56- albeit over sized and over weight. If you're looking for maximum efficiency for size and weight, AND you're willing to be stuck only shooting 22cal, small case centerfires through it, then owning ONLY a 22cal can makes sense. Most likely you'll find yourself owning two then, one in 22cal, one in 30cal or 33cal, depending how big of bore you shoot - which buying 2 isn't a bad idea anyway, and a 22cal + 30cal is a good plan (or 2 30cals).
  • QD flash hider mounted versions are worth it. Flash hider mounted cans last longer, it's proven. The primary baffle is what takes the most wear and tear, and throwing a flash hider QD mount as a distributor and a little extra disengaging space really seems to improve life. Of course, threading on and off of direct thread models as you change between guns works, but it also takes more time, and causes some (mental at least) wear to the threads. QD flash hider mount style models jump quickly and easily between different rifles. Flash hider QD mounts are typically made from steel, so they do add weight, I just consider that as the cost of doing business - I'd rather carry a few extra ounces to get the extra suppressor life and save wear and tear on my barrel threads.
  • Not everyone needs Titanium, but they do last longer and they ARE lighter. My first can was carbon steel. I'm not old, and I don't do mag dumps, but I have worn out a few cans. Stainless lasts longer, but Titanium and Iconel supposedly last the longest (I burned out a CS and two SS's, haven't shot my Titanium enough). Titanium is lighter, plain and simple, so it won't throw as much muzzle weight on the end of your stick as an SS or CS can. The weight might not matter to you on paper, but you'll notice it. They're big, long, and heavy - it'll make your standard weight carbine feel like a heavy barrel long rifle.
  • Buy a suppressor cover. Suppressor mirage is a real thing, the heat just boils off of the top of the can, but it doesn't make much difference for a one shot = one kill hunter, so that's one thing to mention. The reality for me, is the can gets hotter than he11, and you WILL either touch it, touch someone else, or melt your truck seat or floor mat with it. TAB makes good heat resistant covers.
  • Suppressors are not cheap, don't be cheap. Between mounting flash hiders, titanium, covers, trust legal fees, tax stamp, etc, they aren't cheap. Cry once, buy a proper can and set up for it.
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