Thinking about taking the plunge…..
I have been contemplating getting into the suppressor game for a few years, and always thought I’d go with AAC. They had been around a long time, and feedback seemed good. I have a couple of rifles with their 51t mounts installed already. Then, they got sold, and went AWOL. So, then my choice was Surefire, mainly because they have been around, and seem pretty tough. I feel like I’m paying a premium for the Surefire, there’s definitely cheaper options out there. But buy once, cry once, right?
It looks like AAC might be back in the game, or about to be. The web sight is back up, and lots of the old models are still there. What would you do if you were me? Surefire, or wait and see what’s up with AAC? Or, go another direction completely?
I’ll be buying a 7.62 can, and using it for 5.56 and 300 Blackout as well.

They were bought out by JJE (the parent company of PSA). I'm waiting to see what they offer to help those of us with broken suppressor latches.

Between those two, I would go Surefire. I have two AAC cans, and they haven't done me wrong, but I have been keen on a SF can for a while now. I never hated on SF cans, like some folks, but I never really considered them either, because of the price. Based on research I have done and experiences I have had with wear on other cans, I would very much like to add a SF silencer to my arsenal. So, my opinion is based on real experience with only one of the brands you mentioned, but informed by a good bit of silencer use and research. FWIW, which, in my opinion, isn't a whole lot, my M4-2000 has the most blast baffle erosion of all my cans. I typically shoot 5.56 guns with barrels between nine and thirteen inches, so I am not offended by some erosion, and it has yet to affect performance, as far as I can tell.

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Originally posted by Chowser:
They were bought out by JJE (the parent company of PSA). I'm waiting to see what they offer to help those of us with broken suppressor latches.

I had a latch issue years ago, but it was my fault. I just had to have that next tooth. I think that's perhaps the primary cause. The 51T is obtuse enough that folks are dissatisfied with the apparent security of installation, and crank the hell out of it, trying to get another tooth to grab, for a firmer lockup. Luckily they were still in business, and fixed it for me. There are a couple silencer repair outfits mentioned in a recent thread, who may be able to make that repair for you, or even upgrade your can to a "better" mount interface. I am not crazy about the 51T mount, personally. Hell, I'd rather have a gate latch or HALO collar than 51T.

I'd go a different direction completely. Take a look at the offerings from Rugged Suppressors. I have a few of their cans and, despite being the lowest cost, they are the best performing cans I own. (I have two Radiant762's and they're every bit as good as the .30 caliber cans I have from Dead Air.)

Like 'pcshooter', I'd recommend going in a different direction as well. Take a look at the offerings from both DeadAir and Rugged Suppressors. I own a DeadAir Sandman-S, which I purchased for multi-caliber use, and I REALLY like it! I prefer DeadAir's Muzzle Devices and Mount System over those from Rugged, but that's my personal preference. Both offer excellent cans for Multi-Caliber use w/ interchangeable End Caps, which are caliber specific.

First between buying an AAC can (coming back from the dead, unknown future) and a surefire (top of the quality heap but with some corresponding tradeoffs) buy a surefire. every time. Best of that product set for what you noted as needs is a 7.62RC2. Avoid the mini with shorter barrels. That said the best answer depends on what you want to do with it, with what kinds of guns and with what goals. Cans are series of tradeoffs...cost and materials, length and weight, attachment method(s), noise reduction, barrel lengths that are OK, rate of fire and a whole bunch of others. I'm a huge fan of surefire personally on rifles (I use DeadAir on pistols) but now I'm hugely invested in their muzzle attachment method so changing is a PIA, but surefire is truly not optimal for every project. DeadAir and Rugged as noted above are certainly excellent choices. But you need to express some more details to get advise based on what might work best for you.

Look at Griffin and YHM. Imho they are very good quality. perform well and are more reasonably priced than many.

I sell and shoot a lot of suppressors. The Surefires are nosier than almost anything else in it's size and weight range but you can beat an enemy to death if you run out of ammo. They are currently very Tacti-cool right now but like the other guy up above, I would rather sell a customer a Rugged Suppressor as they are quieter, less expensive and I feel they are just as tough. I personally like the full sized Surge which can be taken down into a shorty very easily - so two cans in one!

If considering other cans, I'd prioritize low pressure or flow-through designs. Now that folks have moved on from comparing decibel numbers, there are more options out there. Obviously the primary intent of a silencer is to be quiet; that intent comes with baggage though. There are a lot of ways to set up the gun, to mitigate ill effects of the silencer, and a can designed to do some of that for you is definitely worth a look. I don't think the SF silencers have made a resurgence because they are "tacticool right now", but because people started caring more about what they potentially have to offer. Same with brands like OSS and the newer CGS. Brands like SF and KAC have (supposedly) been implementing designs that address back pressure for a long time, which has always made their cans a bit louder, and therefore deterred folks seeking low decibel numbers. So, maybe the "tacticool" people who jumped on the SF train years ago have had an edge the whole time, in terms of functionality. Worth a thought.

Concerning brands mentioned above, I am a Griffin fan, and they have a new "eco-flow" baffle design that is supposed to address some pressure issues. I know Dead Air makes pressure claims as well.

The pressure stuff has potentially opened new doors for measurement inconsistencies and dishonest marketing (Sig SLX), but it is an important feature, and deserves attention. My time with OSS is minimal so far, but I can say that a gas setting that is required for good silencer use with a conventional can, won't run the gun with the OSS installed. That's proof enough for me that their can does something to cut down on the pressure.

When I was doing my suppressor research, I was looking at SiCo and Surefire. What I found about Surefire is echoed here, not the quietest by any means. If I were crawling around in the mountains of whatever enemy territory we'd want to use for this exercise, I'd go with Surefire, because suppressors have more than one job, it's not just sound suppression. But I don't crawl around any enemy territory, so I went with the SiCo.

One day I'll be in the market for a .30 cal can and i'll check back in with Surefire, but that's a ways out.

51T mounts have been very hard to find. Now might be a good time to divest yourself of them while people will pay more and get into something different.

I'd give the YHM Turbo and Turbo K a hard look. They're outstanding performing cans at a very low price.

I really appreciate all the input. I will definitely check out some of the other brands and options. Are there any suppressor specific forums that you would recommend?

you "can" get everything you need to know right here. Just ask, there are some very knowledgeable folks here with out any additional drama. ​


Speaking of rugged made units. I do not know about beating the enemy. But my YHM Resonator is very well built.

Ruggedness is kind of hard to gauge, not knowing the true metallurgy and quality of manufacture. I have an early Gemtech HALO that needed repaired, due to a weld failing. In handling that silencer, it appears quite bombproof. I have also seen images of a KAC NT4 that came apart at a weld seam. The NT4 is another seemingly overbuilt can. Anything is possible.

I use Thunderbeast cans for my precision rifles. This includes bolt actions, AR10s, and my long-barrel AR15s. I use 30-caliber Surefire mini SOCOMs for my ARs with barrels of 16" and under, for 223 and 300blk.

IMO the TBAC suppressors are for higher precision shooting. The are quiet, but they also produce a fair amount of back pressure.

The Surefire SOCOMs aren't as quiet as the TBACs, but they still suppress quite well. I shoot supersonic ammo at all times, so I wear ear pro at all times. A 2-3 dB difference between one can or the other -- if it actually exists -- means nothing in such use.

I was initially exposed to suppressors in training courses from Rifles Only ("RO") in Texas. Some of their courses are suppressed only, and they loaned students cans if they didn't own one. RO trains a lot of military, agency, contractor, and LEO. They are exposed to a lot of different equipment, and they get to test equipment from a few manufacturers. When RO supplies cans, they are usually TBAC for bolt action courses and Surefire SOCOMs for carbine courses.

Some of RO's SOCOMs have a lot of mileage on them. The Surefire brake attachments can be caked in powder residue. Often the cans just don't want to come off at the end of 4-6 day courses, especially if a student didn't take them off daily to clean and lube the carbine. In such cases, RO instructors pound on the can with a rubber mallet. If that doesn't work, they first unlock the attachment ring, then fire rounds down range until the can comes lose -- and goes down range, too. I've seen a handful of SOCOM minis fly down range, sometimes close to 100 yards, bouncing end-over-end. The cans were all fine. Just wipe them down, and they're ready to go for the next course.

I have 3 SOCOM cans, and a bunch of Surefire brake/FH mounts. I doubt I'll ever buy anything different for my shorter ARs.

As for accuracy, I don't think the SOCOMs are quite up to the repeatability of the Thunderbeast cans. But it's splitting hairs. Over the years I've shown a boatload of targets in the Long Range Rifle Discussion thread. I don't think anyone could complain about the accuracy of my 14" and 16" rifles at distances out to 600-ish yards.

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I really appreciate all the input. I will definitely check out some of the other brands and options.

OP, did you make any forward progress?

Actually no…. But I am still looking tho. I have not ruled out Surefire, but am seriously considering the Rugged line, specifically the lightweight titanium 7.62 offering. My other consideration is the Silencerco Omega 36m. Looks like I could also use this for 9mm as well.

Not sure if I should wait till all the e-file issues are resolved, and go that route, or just do it the old fashioned way lol!

The filing method doesn't matter. Maybe efile will be faster, noone actually knows. I'm at least trying it for recent purchases. But what is an absolute certainty is that every day that goes by is losing ground on the wait time.

I have told folks for years, if you wait for the wait to get shorter, you're still waiting. I have encountered plenty of people that have been waiting years for the wait to be better; they would have had the damn thing by now, had they bought it when they first wanted it.

I was going to e-file my recent purchase, but now e-file isn't looking too hot. I may go for paper.