Re: Gemtech Sandstorm vs. Surefire 308win suppressor
Okay here is the video, it doesn't show a lot but what it does show is pretty common with how people will operate.
This video was actually a segment of a project I did, which will be a separate video, one where I had a new Manner Mini DBM Chassis and swapped a rifle out of its stock, mounted a scope and then zeroed and shot it with the Gemtech and Shark Suppressors. The barreled action was simply dropped into the Manners T-5 stock with mini chassis and torqued, then I mounted the Nightforce Scope and went to the range. No bedding, no elaborate prep, just wrench and go.
Once the rifle was zeroed I moved to shooting with the suppressors. Being single point Titanium cans, both around 13oz. I wanted to see where the POI shift was going to fall as well if there was a first round deviation due to containment pressures from within the suppressor itself.
Secondary was hoping, on the off chance we'd be able to tell some differences in sound, which I know for some is a big deal, but for me personally I can careless what the cans sound like. I am running factory ammo and it's going to be really close to each other that frankly I don't think anyone downrange or other wise would be able to tell the difference. The crack of the round, is going to be the crack and I think the camera downrange clearly shows that. I was hoping to place a camera around 75 yards facing back at the rifle, but the grass was a lot taller than I anticipated so I ended up with the camera at the target showing the shots downrange. The main camera was about 10 yards to the side of the rifle in front of the firing line so sound wise it pretty much maxes out the microphones. In the future I think I can turn down the volume and see what happens, but this was pretty much my first shot in this direction. I think I learned something. The original edit would have been a bit more informative but was way too long for YouTube or anywhere else. So I had to edit it too fit which cuts out a lot of commentary and some of the shots. Still the point is made.
Now on to the Surefire;
Here is the deal, the Surefire is mounted on the Gladius, and the Gladius was taken out cold and shot. There is no way for me to demonstrate the POI shift or lack there of because my muzzle brake has some rackets on it that shouldn't be there. Surefire has offered to fix it and replace the brake, however I have declined because I like the rifle the way it is. It's really a non-issue for me.
Next I went out blind with the rifle. Best guess was, I zeroed the rifle with either Black Hills or Lapua 155gr ammo, near as I remember. So I wanted a cold can and because of the known shift I wasn't going to shoot the rifle to zero it with Cor Bon 175gr stuff I was shooting. So I took a chance. The Gladius never disappoints and pretty much put the rounds in the black cold so it at least demonstrates the first round crack and impact, then moving on to follow up shots. Personally I think the Gladius is due for a cleaning its well into 800 rounds and probably needed a bore snake at least. But still, not an excuse just a fact.
At the end of the video I wrap it up, show the target again, and go over the results, so while its a bit long, there is a happy ending.
My conclusion: I have no issue running any of them. The Surefire gets used the most, simply because of the rifle it is on, the Gemtech need to get used more and will be used more, I want to continue that road and feel it definitely deserves more rounds down range and the Shark is a man eater.
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) I would say Shark, Gemtech and then SF, in that order. But sound is not the end all be all of options when choosing a suppressor. Going from specs, the Gemtech has it in OAL added and price, the Shark win in suppression. And the SF wins in being the most expensive as they are in almost everything they sell when compared to others.
