Be gentle boys. I have read a bunch on this stuff and I still feel overwhelmed by the choices. I prefer the 22 cans, buy a Dead Air mask and screw it on. Done. lol.

Centerfire can. Probably won’t be my last since I got the sbr bug. HKMR556 A4 sbr. I know I need a LBP can. I seem to have moved away from the Gate Lock/A2 flash hider stuff to a Silencerco Velos which comes with an ASR closed tines flash hider/mount.

There seem to be so many choices and everyone seems to have gone down the wrong rabbit hole at least once. I’m trying to avoid that and go down one rabbit hole.

I’m tempted if I understand this correctly to buy a can that is HUB compatible because that seems to be the best way to avoid dropping a grand on a can you decide a year later has the wrong mount.

On the other hand I may have it all wrong.

For now I have 2 rifles I truly am concerned with suppressing since they are/will be my main shooters. The HK obviously and my HD rifle a LWRC DI Individual Carbine 16”. So, Velos?

Hub, Plan B. The Velos is loud compared to the other rifle cans in its class, Silencerco is no longer the no-brainer option. There are a ton of great options right now. The additive manufacturing thing is changing the industry very quickly. Cat, Stealth Additive Works, or Hux would be my suggestions, in order of quietest with most back pressure to the inverse.

I’d agree with getting a HUB can, although I prefer Plan A over plan B because it’s a lot easier to find Griffin mounts than Rearden mounts, plus I started years ago with the Griffin taper mounts and don’t feel like investing in a new mounting system.

I have two Velos (Veloi? Velos’s?), a 762 and a 556K, and am not impressed. The Charlie/ASR mounting system is heavy and adds length, and if you use an adapter to convert it to another mount, you have to deal with the relatively short distance to the blast baffle because it’s designed for the long Charlie mount. Also, the cans are heavy, and the sound performance of the 556K isn’t that good. Good on backpressure, and built tough, but that’s about it in my experience.

I have a Hux Flow 556Ti for my 16” MR556A1, but since the A4 has an adjustable gas block, I wouldn’t worry about getting the absolute lowest backpressure suppressor for it. There are a lot of good low backpressure suppressors out there now, so you can look at other factors like weight, cost, and suppression, in addition to just backpressure. Silencer Analytics has a bunch of YouTube videos out there, which includes comparisons of very recent suppressors.

Ok. I was going ASR because the locking feature seemed better than screwing it on. It sounds like the tapered Plan B doesn’t unscrew itself though.

It does seem like Rearden has absolutely nothing in stock. lol.

I have one threaded 308. A Ruger Gunsite Scout. I know I can, but should I just get a 30 cal can even if it will shoot off a 556 98% of the time? I don’t mind a dedicated 308 can if I need to.

I know you gave me brands of the new stuff but can you talk to me like I’m a child and tell me the actual can name of choice? lol.

quote:

Originally posted by pedropcola:

It does seem like Rearden has absolutely nothing in stock. lol.

Hence my comment about preferring Plan A over Plan B. Personally, I’ve used both a Lazarus 6 and an Explorr 224 on my MR556A4 and am satisfied with both. Also have an Optimus 6 that I’ve tried on another gun, but not on the MR yet.

Well, for a bolt action, low backpressure is irrelevant, so getting one can optimal for one will reduce performance and potentially reliability in the other.

A low backpressure can like the Huxwrx Flow 762, B&T 762 SRBS, Silencerco Velos LPB 762, or Dead Air Sandman-X will very well reduce (not eliminate the excess gas from the MR556A4), but you'll leave performance on the table you could get from a regular gas pressure can for the Ruger. If I was equipping both of those rifles, I'd prolly go with two dedicated cans. Prolly a Otter Creek Polonium 30 for the Ruger, and a 556 version of the aforementioned for the H&K.

The Huxwrx Flow is not Hub (I'd skip the Ventum), but if you're not switching around it doesn't matter, while the B&T and Dead Air are. The Silencerco Velos is "Charlie" pattern, not Hub, but there are Charlie-to-Hub adapters, so that's not a big deal.

Also, while Rearden really made Plan-B popular, there are many smaller manufacturers making Plan B adapters and mounts. KAK, Wolf Creek, and more.

There's also Dead Airs Xeno. It's a competitor to Plan B that's reverse threaded (LH vs RH for Plan B) with slightly longer mounts. Xeno seems to be picking up steam in gaps left by Plan B when Rearden is OOS.

ASR is heavy and antiquated, I'd skip and go with any taper system over ASR. Forget Rearden as a brand. They make great stuff, but they're massively overhyped and you're never going to find their stuff in stock. Plan B as an interface has far more people making stuff for it than Plan A, and one of the major reasons I switched from Plan A to Plan B, with no regrets.

This is what I have on all my rifles and I couldn't be happier with the switch. Basically, I paid about half the going rate for muzzle devices and mounts vs. going with Griffin stuff:

https://breekarms.com/plan-b-devices/

https://kakindustry.com/search...?search_query=plan+b

My guy at Stealth Additive Works loves these:
https://fpmgunworks.com/whisker-biscuit/

Also, yes, I find it's easier to unthread dirty cans with Plan B than it was with Plan A. I thought the whole "taper before threads prevents carbon lock better than threads before taper" thing was horse shit, but in my experience, it is actually better with Plan B. Snug the can on, shoot a few rounds, snug it some more, and it's gonna stay put just fine. To break it loose, wait until it's cool to the touch and it comes off by hand, easily. I used anti-seize pretty generously with my Plan A stuff and it seems like it was more of a bitch to get loose than Plan B has been.

So, that's my pitch for Plan B. There's a long list of companies making stuff in that format that I'm not going to link all of here, but there's a Reddit thread with some of them here:

https://www.reddit.com/r/NFA/c...lan_b_manufacturers/

I have a couple of Stealth Additive Ekrons, one in .30 and one in 5.56. I use the .30 on my .308 Bergara and it sounds great, and I also use it on my 11.5" 5.56 and it sounds great. I got to compare them to a friend's inconel SAW Tisha the other night, and they were incredibly close, and that, with a 4" long can. SAW owes me a titanium Tisha for working their booth at an event last fall and I'll hopefully be getting one of their Orevs for working their booth again in a few weeks. If you're shooting mostly bolt action, that's a phenomenal can - very light weight, super quiet, and you can run it with their brake as an endcap and it basically kills all muzzle rise. It's ridiculous.

My group did an NV PCSL rifle match a few months ago, and one of the stages was indoors shooting out. We got to directly compare a number of cans on 5.56 rifles, and what I remember is the .30 Ekron being somewhere in the middle in terms of suppression on a 5.56. There was a Polonium and Cat Whitebread that I seem to remember were the quietest, but those are fairly gassy cans (my Polonium is my loaner/beater can). The absolute loudest was a Sandman S and an Optimus 6 that was pretty damned close to it. Really concussive in the "saloon." The one guy who shot a 16" AR unsuppressed was the worst, and it really put an exclamation point on the whole "any suppressor is better than no suppressor" thing.

I really, really like Stealth Additive Works. Their cans are light, quiet, super low backpressure, and seem to really smooth out recoil impulse. No, it's not a matter of 5.56 or 9mm being punishing recoil, but more a matter of how fast you can stack two or three rounds into an A zone on the move that I'm getting at. There's a lot of cans that do one or a few things really well and fall down in other areas. SAW's stuff seems to do everything really well.

I think all these type of discussions need some idea from the OP on what's important as Dwill104 says. Every can is a set of tradeoff's and mine probably aren't yours.
You want a hub can. Skip all others.
On mounts if I wasn't committed to several other eco systems by history I personally would pick PlanB. But you are talking a very small number of rifles so deciding later to switch isn't really fatal with Hub cans.
Most of the data I have seen shows that shooting 5.56 out of .30 cal cans is suboptimal for noise reduction. Go look at the TB tests for example to get some idea. But if noise reducton isn't too high on your priority list its certainly workable and there are certainly a new series of printed cans that head that way like the B&T Ver36 for example.

I want it all. Good sound suppression, shorter rather than long, weight not such a big deal, but the mounting is what I worry about. I don’t want to chase muzzle devices so I would like to pick one and go. Sounds like I’m narrowing it down to Plan B or Xeno. Plan B seems the best overall but I’m new to this so who knows.

I don’t want to spend a bunch of money and end up with a loud can. I don’t need the ultimate in any aspect but a good solid all around for my first can (centerfire). Like I said I’m more interested in nailing down the mounting system and then picking the can. Maybe that’s backwards but it makes sense to me. Unless you guys talk me into something smarter.

the thing about Hub is that it seperates the two decisions of mount and can. Once upon a time that wasn't true (and still isn't for some cans) but you should treat it that way since you should be getting a hub can at this point.
I run both PlanB and Xeno in some specific situations (of course many more of the legacy stuff I have like surefire) and you will be happy with either. I like Xeno because its left handed and that solves certain issues I've had. But its also DA propietary and there is not really an aftermarket of people making it. So what's available is pretty much what DA makes. Plan B on the other hand has everybody making it in all kinds of options and design choices. Given you don't have any installed base or any experience on what matters most just do PlanB IMO.

Sadly you can't get it all at the suppressor design level. You want better sound suppression its going to help if its longer or fatter. Weight you can generally reduce with money and/or accepting the noise increase of a smaller size (Ti short cans are very light). Flash can matter to some people. How much back pressure reduction can also matter. The mfg. can matter as well etc.
There a zillion test of suppressors online so you shouldn't select one that's loud if that's high on your importance list, but go look at something like the TB testing and you will see the range of variation (or pew science).
I don't know how you balance the plethera of new mfg. versus getting a decent but maybe not bleeding edge can from an established mfg. In the videos that Dwill104 posted I had personally heard of exactly one of the mfg. in the first video. All of my cans have come from someone I have heard of, but I'm not sure that matters anymore.

EDITED to add. As noted above while you can certainly use a low backpressure can on a bolt gun it will not have any purpose and the tradeoff is that it will not be optimal on noise. You may not care but it will be noticeable.

Thanks for all the help guys. Plan B it is. Or maybe Xeno. lol. I have officially been talked out of ASR though, sounds like you guys saved me somewhat there.

Hub for sure, and also taper mount for sure. Xeno is good, I hear great things about it, but Plan B is going to be more universal and more variety. If you can't tell, that's my suggestion.

If you want a can that does it all and does it all well, the Stealth Additive Ekron is definitely worth a serious look. Again, mine performs really well on my .308 bolt gun and my 5.56 AR's. I'll weigh it later if you want, it's got a titanium Plan B mount, it's silly light. Yes, you're at a 6" can, but that's damn near "traditional" K can dimensions. I also did a pretty extensive A/B with it vs the 5.56 version, apples to apples 11.5" AR's, and it's at least no louder than the 5.56, and possibly even quieter. Their sales guy swears the .30 cal is quieter than the 5.56 on AR's due to bigger volume and even less backpressure (read that as less port pop).

With all of the new cans coming out, it’s worth remembering that whatever can you buy today, chances are something you like better will come out in a year or so. I wouldn’t sweat about it. That’s just the way the technology is advancing in the 3D print area. You’ll get your first rifle can, see what you like and don’t like, and something new and shiny will come out and you’ll want that.

As hrcjon said, using HUB separates the decision of mount and suppressor. Get the suppressor you want, and if it’s HUB, almost certain there’s an adapter for it.

I use a Xeno and really like it. Just make sure:

1. Plenty of Rockset on the threads mating the adapter to the can. Tapers can get sticky, and you don't want your can unscrewing from the adapter when trying to switch rifles. This is also a good reason to keep the wrenches in your range bag.

2. Make DAMN sure you thread it onto each rifle carefully and all the way. It's very easy to get into a rush when it's hot and cross thread it. Then you'll launch your can downrange and end up having to get a new end cap.

I’m off to the store today. They have a PTR Vent Spiritus can that seems to be a reasonable starting point. Talk fast if I should go another way. lol

Dwill and I went down the same rabbit hole, I wound up with a Velos 762 and 556k. The extra 2 baffles on a full size can make a big difference and If I were only getting one I would go full size 556. I think they sound fine. Pew Science results were mediocre as tested with direct thread and I think this is one of those cans that needs a brake to pressurize the outer flow holes. Now that I'm starting the FRT rabbit hole, I'm even more satisfied with the low back pressure aspect. They were criticized for being heavy when they came out but now most companies have since come out with similar weight heavy duty Inconel or Haynes 282 cans.

I shot 23 cans two weeks ago at the Capitol Armory event in Austin and I'll share a few notes on the 556 cans. You only get 3 to 5 shots on each can, the hosts are all different, and there's other noise all around you, but it gives you some real world experience.

CAT ST - top of my list for 556 in 2026. I haven't demoed SAW Tisha, I'm watching this one, I know the test results but I want experience with it.
Infinity 556k - sounds very good, I'm impressed.
Velos 556 - still towards the top of the list
Spiritus - sounds very good. Are all those PIP holes going to get clogged up?
DA Lazarus 6 - solid can
Stacy's Mom - my leader in budget cans. I think it will get passed by Canik 556 later this year in the budget category. Produced for Canik by Otter Creek as an improved Polo.
B&T Print XH - I want to like this one but it's loud. I love the design with Inconel blast chamber and Ti lightweight baffles, maybe next generation will be quieter.
HUX- I know they measure well, but in real life they are loud and if you want low back pressure I would pick Velos over them.
YHM Fatcat - fun budget can, mediocre on sound.
North Reach Mfg. Whisper Pickle 556 - to P220 Smudge's point, this is the can that is worse than no can. If it takes a year of saving pennies in your piggy bank to get another $80 for Stacy's Mom, then wait a year.


Top to bottom:
Velos 762 with Rearden Charlie Atlas mount
Velos 556k with SiCO ASR mount
SiCo ASR closed tine FH
Rearden FHD
Rearden SPB

I like ASR but I wanted to check out Plan B and see how much of a difference 4 oz at the end of the muzzle makes, and I can tell a difference. You can see that Plan B shortens things up on the mound the threads of the muzzle devices are farther back.

I also like the left hand threaded systems Xeno and CAT TSFX/Spooky. Spooky is an open source published design and Rearden has a Calico FH and has a mount coming out for it. Plan B is the leader right now, but I see benefits for LH threads and I think Spooky is going to gain market share.

In a separate category, as you have to setup the rifle for a reflex can, but I'm building a Gordy type rifle and thought the Otter Creek OCM6 sounded very good. This will be my next can when it comes out.

Ok. First can in the cart. Awaiting the stamp.

PTR Vent Spiritus. Dead Air HUB adapter. Dead Air symmetrical brake. Xeno.

I have zero idea if the PIP holes get clogged. I assume their cleaning regimen takes that into account but that is a WAG on my part.

I went in wanting Plan B or Xeno. They had a Xeno HUB adapter and a brake sitting right there so I took that as the Lord telling me Xeno was the way.

Question. The brake is Dead Airs symmetrical brake so no timing no shims I believe. It is 1/2x28 so proper thread but it’s a 7.62 bore size. My lgs guy and research tells me that isn’t an issue but what say you guys?

So, rockset or red loctite on muzzle device torqued down to 20-30 ft/lbs right? The HUB adapter does it need loctite or does the heat make it a meaningless gesture? Just torque down the adapter and check occasionally?

I am sure I will have more questions but that’s it for now.

Ok well done.
DA only makes so many bore sizes in Xeno, I don't think it makes any difference, on the flash hider I use its only available in .30cal. I don't know about the brakes but I can't believe it would be any different.
I use rockset or red loctite depending on what the mfg suggests on the muzzle side. That's mostly so in my head I know what's used on the device by knowing what the mfg is i.e Surefire wants rockset and TB wants Red High Temp locktite so if it has to come off I try the right approach. Either is fine in my mind. And that LH Xeno is a huge benefit anyway.
I don't put in any thread locker on the Hub adapter because I think that kind of defeats the purpose of Hub, and I do change them on a regular basis. But if you don't plan to then I would probably do something. Me I would do loctite as I think its more reliable on how you get around it. I've soaked rockset till I was boiling and not much happened. I don't have any real issues with torque and occassionally check and no thread locker.

You did well. The Vent is a fantastic can. There are others on the market that come close, and at a much smaller size, but so far, basically nothing else is as quiet. You'll be happy with it. Yes, the PIP clogs, and as it does, it doesn't suppress as well. The cleaning schedule should be about 3k rounds or so, I believe. You'll wanna soak it in whatever cleaner you choose. An ultrasonic cleaner, at this point, is strongly suggested.

I kinda went nuts last night. Bought extra muzzle devices and a spare HUB adapter for can #2. I figure 2 cables should meet my needs for awhile. I think the second can will be a DA Lazarus 6. Good second choice?

Ultrasound cleaner, that sounds useful.