Forget Sandman and Gemtech. Just trust me here, nobody on this site will honestly tell you to choose those over the ones I'm about to mention. Though I haven't heard bad about Sandman, just not much good either. In short, I feel there are better options.
Trusts offer more options with ownership. You can assign family members as trustees, add friends as beneficiaries, and remove them at will. Downside is that after 41F, all responsible persons will need photos and prints and it takes longer I understand the more you have. Having one grantor/trustee is best, you can PM for details on why if you like.
Individual USED to be a pain the ass, trusts allowed you to circumvent the prints, photos and LEO sign off. After 41F, LEO is now just a notification (I heard most sheriffs throw it the trash if they don't recognize your name) so post 41F individual purchases became easier and on par with a trust. But they are YOURS and you can't loan 'em out and there are gotcha laws on transfers, so be careful. Letting someone use your rifle at the range can end up with you in jail, especially if you handed it to a felon who lied to you. With a trust, you are exempt, if he lies he fucked up, not you.
So a trust is more of a CYA item, it does make transfers among friends and relatives easier and it certainly makes it easier to leave what you want to who you want when you die, and it will be followed. I can't tell you to get a trust, you need to decide if it's best for you, but in general it's a good thing. If you never plan on letting anyone use your stuff, ever, and don't care too much what happens with it when you die, don't bother.
If you get a trust GET ONE FROM AN ATTORNEY!!!! FUCK THAT DIY STUFF, I DON'T CARE WHAT ANYONE SAYS. I know too much about using these and how they are done, my attorney actually talks to me and has bent over backwards to take care of me. There are things you can fuck up in a trust that will fly by ATF but won't if you end up in court, and imagine having a trust with 20 NFA items, just to find out each one was an illegal transfer. Yeah. Dennis Brislawn in WA is a GREAT attorney and who I recommend. If you are in a place he can't do it, he can recommend the best one who can in your area. Standup guy, combat veteran, NFA collector, NFA trust attorney (specializes in that) but he does full estate plans too.
Finally, I probably wouldn't bother with a trust if I were only going to get a few NFA items. But most of us become "stamp collectors" and wind up with 20 cans and somewhere aruound 6 SBR's.
Suppressor choice. I always tell people to get a good .22 takedown can. I like Liberty, they make great .22 stuff but not fond of their rifle cans. The Regulator will cost you about $500 WITH the tax stamp and it's about the most simple and effective .22 can around. Trust me, you'll use a .22 can more than anything else. Quieter than an air rifle, you can plink in your backyard provided you have a little backstop. Make sure .22 cans can come apart for cleaning, centerfire doesn't require it but .22 does. Lots of good models, just make sure it's from a reputable mfg. and it comes apart.
Rifle cans. What are you using it for? I always come right out of the gate with two cans. Precision and lightweight that won't be abused: TBAC, all the way. I like their 9" can but I also have their 5" can so no need for the 7" but if I were to only have one, it'd probably be the 7" unless I wanted maximum suppression. BTW, they make a great takedown .22 can too I've heard nothing but good about. TBAC cans due to being all Ti construction can't handle mag dump after mag dump or full auto fire. But they can take some heat, they aren't pantywaists. All my precision cans will be TBACS, particularly in the future when, uh, "it gets even better" and I'll leave it at that.
Rifle cans that I consider "abuse" or "military cans" are ones that can handle full auto and are generally made of exotic materials. Sico Saker is HANDS DOWN the best one for this IMO, the damn thing is made of Stellite, the same shit M2HB barrels are lined with! The KAC QDC is the jack of all trades, fairly light, suppresses well, not too long, solid mount, etc., just well designed, but it's expensive and hard to find. AAC makes good CANS, solid Inconel, they suppress very well, but their mounts and CS are so bad I can't recommend doing business with them despite me owning four of their cans. New ones will be Sakers or KAC QDC's.
So for a military/abuse can that still locks up QD and doesn't move, Saker or QDC. For a precision can that threads over a brake (what I call quasi-QD) TBAC all the way. Forget about the direct thread, the newer quality QD mounts work as well if not better in some cases. The best cans that I've mentioned here perform phenomenally using the appropriate mount for that suppressor.
Use on 7.62, 6.5 and 5.56... With a TBAC can you'll have to go .30. That'll work great but the 5.56 may be a bit louder but with a deeper tone that generally to the human ear goes unnoticed. You can also purchase other cans later. I'd probably get the .30 9" TBAC where I you, then score a Saker later --note they make different end caps for their .30 cans including 5.56. I understand a 7.62 Saker with the 5.56 endcap outperforms the 5.56 model. Turns out a lot of us like deeper tones on our 5.56's.
There are other good ones, but the above mfg.'s have never let me down, save AAC of course (never tried one but I bet they make a great direct thread because like said, their cans are great but their mounts are shit as is their CS.
Gemtech has kinda been out the door for a long time now. I remember using a basic 5" soda size Gemtech on our rifles in the army. Looked like a soda can, barely worked but better than nothing. I have heard of problems with Gemtech, various ones. You can do better IMO. Steer clear of gimmicks and the new kids on the block, instead look for reputable companies that tell the truth, not just try to get a sale.
OH SHIT, almost forgot to mention Elite Iron!!! For the prices there, you REALLY can't go wrong. He's a metallurgist by trade and claims many cans are using exotic alloys to sell their product for extra. Dale realized that 316SS is more than strong enough for most suppressors he uses that for his cans, save maybe the blast baffle. VERY well made, prices are reasonable and you can't go wrong. Same thread over brakes like TBAC and they also index their brakes and suppressors TDC so the POI change from unsuppressed to suppressed will be predictable as the POI will always be lower at the 6 0'clock.
Sorry for droning on, I have a few cans as you can see and learned a bit along the way. I'm not an attorney, but I can relate to you my experiences as well as a good attorney to speak to.
