I dunno, unless you're doing a true A/B with the same can and the same muzzle devices on different hosts back to back, then I'm not sure how much weight I'm willing to give this. I can do that comparison with my 11.5" URGI and 11" Bren 2 next time I go to the range. Both have the same Griffin chambered linear comp, I'll use the same exact Polonium on both, I'll use some Surefire attenuating plugs instead of my electronic earpro and I'll do five rounds, swap, then another five both as the shooter and a bystander. I'll swap with a friend and each of us stand in the same spot, and we'll run the test unsuppressed first, and then suppressed. Shit, I'll do it with both rifles and both cans that that fit both rifles just to get really scientific.

I'm willing to do all that because it's been my opinion since getting my Bren tuned that it both recoils softer than a DI gun, and is maybe a bit quieter suppressed. Both those impressions run counter to statements in this thread by several other shooters. I think in the end, our conclusion will be that this is very host-specific and is too varied to apply an altruism to. If anything, my experience is in line with rbdub474's statement - I haven't noticed what I would call a big difference as an observer between any particular type of can and host in 5.56. They all more or less sound pretty similar to me.

As I said earlier, I don't have any true 'equals'.
But in terms of someone without sound testing equipment and no 'participants' to advise their opinion, a scar 16 (10" very,very tuned for a suppressor), a Mk18 (tuning = H3 buffer), a colt 6933 (as delivered as a factory SBR) all sound the same to me as a shooter while running a surefire RC2. And while I can tell it when shooting my Bren 2 14" as the gas/recoil is way better it doesn't seem a bunch quieter. Edited to add, when I run it with no gas it is way quieter, but that's not really relevant here... Maybe this week I can run my Bren 11" and my Geissle 11.5 and add to the list.

quote:

I dunno, unless you're doing a true A/B with the same can and the same muzzle devices on different hosts back to back, then I'm not sure how much weight I'm willing to give this.

Of course you are right. I hope you are able to perform the evaluation you describe; I'd be interested in the result.

I need to take a better look at my rifles, and see if there's any piston and DI match-ups that can provide a more scientific comparative pairing.