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Suppressor for Precision 16” .223

Josh S

Private
Minuteman
Apr 27, 2014
8
10
Good ole Central Ohio
Talk to me about suppressors for 16” .223 AR/gasser precision gun.

I’m no wizard. I’m just a guy trying to make it in this big crazy world but I’d like to toss a suppressor on my rig. I don’t plan on removing it, more of a dedicated can.

What kind of considerations do I need to look at when suppressing this kind of rig that is different from suppressing like an SBR or something?

Are low back pressure/flow through cans dumb on precision setup?

Direct thread vs QD to a muzzle device or something? Speaking of muzzle device - brake or FH?

And finally, any make/model recommendations?
 
Talk to me about suppressors for 16” .223 AR/gasser precision gun.

I’m no wizard. I’m just a guy trying to make it in this big crazy world but I’d like to toss a suppressor on my rig. I don’t plan on removing it, more of a dedicated can.

What kind of considerations do I need to look at when suppressing this kind of rig that is different from suppressing like an SBR or something?

Are low back pressure/flow through cans dumb on precision setup?

Direct thread vs QD to a muzzle device or something? Speaking of muzzle device - brake or FH?

And finally, any make/model recommendations?
The first principle is that how it gets mounted to the barrel matters. That's probably the most critical thing assuming we are talking about welded cans.

You basically want the exact same orientation each and every time.

Because of that alone I am a huge fan of taper mounts. Not only do you get the exact same orientation each time but in general they are more secure than many other options. Basically there is a lot more surface area creating a friction fit so it's not as easy to walk loose.

The other big factor is trying to make sure everything is squared up which is more execution than anything. By that I knew a guy once that in his haste didn't clean the threads of the barrel very good before mounting the muzzle device. Because of that his POI shift was like a foot instead of an inch. Later on he removed it and started over to get less than 1 inch of shift using all of the same stuff.

In short for precision stay away from cans that have removable baffles or that don't have a confirmed repeatable lock up on the barrel.
 
I am building a 16” precision gun around a Bartlein heavy. Most my ARs are ASR mounts, but thinking of doing thus using an Area 419 hellfire. If I do this then it will likely wear a CAT JL. If I go with the ASR it will wear an ABEL Buscuit 556.
 
Get a flow through can and you won’t have to worry about a messing with a gas block. HuxWrx and B&T both make good models. What you looking to spend?

If you are just going to leave it on and leave it on then you can just screw it on direct thread. But if it will be going on and off then a mount with a brake/FH will work. I use the Xeno brakes on my ARs so I can move my cans between rifles.
 
Get a flow through can and you won’t have to worry about a messing with a gas block. HuxWrx and B&T both make good models. What you looking to spend?

If you are just going to leave it on and leave it on then you can just screw it on direct thread. But if it will be going on and off then a mount with a brake/FH will work. I use the Xeno brakes on my ARs so I can move my cans between rifles.
I don’t want to say money is no object but I’ve dumped a decent amount of coin into my 223 precision gun and I’m not afraid to keep that trend going.

1500 bones, I guess. Would obviously be cool if it was less. Means more money for ammo.

I don’t know that I need or want a $2,000 can but if someone says hey go do this $1500 can, then I’m down. However if someone says hey the OCL Polonium is what’s up, I’m cool with that too.
 
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I got my Magnus S for 1550 plus stamp. My Cat JLs were 1350 plus stamp. These are my favorites for precision work both are really quiet and have really nice recoil control. For a 223 gas gun I have run my JL and it is good but the CAT ODB really shines,
 
I don’t want to say money is no object but I’ve dumped a decent amount of coin into my 223 precision gun and I’m not afraid to keep that trend going.

1500 bones, I guess. Would obviously be cool if it was less. Means more money for ammo.

I don’t know that I need or want a $2,000 can but if someone says hey go do this $1500 can, then I’m down. However if someone says hey the OCL Polonium is what’s up, I’m cool with that too.

You can go with a lighter titanium can like a HuxWrx Flow 556 or 762 which are both around $1250 or something like a Flow Range 36 if you wouldn’t mind having the option to use it on something larger up to 9mm PCC and it’s only about $969.

You can get a heavier non Ti can also and get below the $1000 mark. The B&T SRBS inconels run around $975 and if you go through Silencer Shop they will pay the $200 tax stamp.

ETA a pic of my B&T 762 Inconel on my 22” 6ARC for size reference. That’s with the DT mount it came with but it wears a Xeno mount now about a 1/2” shorter.

IMG_4653.jpeg
 
I don’t want to say money is no object but I’ve dumped a decent amount of coin into my 223 precision gun and I’m not afraid to keep that trend going.

1500 bones, I guess. Would obviously be cool if it was less. Means more money for ammo.

I don’t know that I need or want a $2,000 can but if someone says hey go do this $1500 can, then I’m down. However if someone says hey the OCL Polonium is what’s up, I’m cool with that too.
I have a PTR VENT 3 .556 suppressor I use on a mid range 16" AR. The gas blowback is minimal and it is QUIET AF for an AR 15 can. It is a bit long at 7"+, not heavy though. I'm going to get another dedicated .556 and am looking at the Dillon Rifle Company DRC .556 and a CAT WB, and PTR Spiritus(shorter version of the Vent 3). All are in the Grand to 1500 range. The Dillon Rifle Company DRC is1500 with a $200 tax stamp deduction with a coupon code at Bauer precision. All seem to be very good .556 cans, only one I have hands on with is the Vent 3 though and I love it. Much better than my high back pressure cans on the AR
 

Maybe if he assaulting an enemy stronghold at night it may be an issue lol but no issues for day or even night shooting. I had heard that the Flow cans do get less with use as I did look into it prior to buying and read a lot on it. Would not stop me from buying one of the Flow 556 or 762 if it’s got the specs I wanted.
 
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When looking for my first suppressor, my priorities were size and signature reduction. That sort of led me away from flow through cans. After some research and trying different cans, I landed on a YHM Fat Cat. It's very good at signature reduction and is not overly heavy. It also didn't turn my 16" rig into a spear. As a plus, it also came with YHMs taper mount and a muzzle device. The downside is the back pressure. You will most likely need to do some gas tuning.

When compared to other cans, up to 6" in length, it compared very well in terms of sound reduction. If you are considering something along the lines of an polonium, you should try to check out thr Fat cat before buying. The Fat Cat had a much better and deeper tone to me.
 
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If you have a very low rate of fire, you can get away with a traditional can and just bump up the buffer weight and be alright. Otherwise, a flow through can is the best option. The aforementioned B&T, CAT, and Hux are good to go. The SiCo Velos is another good option and is actually very quiet while being low backpressure.

 
A polonium and an adjustable gas block is half the cost of a “flow through” can. It’s what I have and am fine with it.

Not really. That can is $532 at Silencer shop plus $200 so $732 and then price of a gas block puts you at about $800. You could buy a B&T 556 or 762 flow can for about $975 and they pay the tax stamp and you don’t need a different gas block. Just two ways to get there.

 
Talk to me about suppressors for 16” .223 AR/gasser precision gun.

I’m no wizard. I’m just a guy trying to make it in this big crazy world but I’d like to toss a suppressor on my rig. I don’t plan on removing it, more of a dedicated can.

What kind of considerations do I need to look at when suppressing this kind of rig that is different from suppressing like an SBR or something?

Are low back pressure/flow through cans dumb on precision setup?

Direct thread vs QD to a muzzle device or something? Speaking of muzzle device - brake or FH?

And finally, any make/model recommendations?
Me and buddies have been shooting TBAC cans on precision ARs for years. If you listen to the Internet these days you'd almost think your gun will blow up if you use a high back pressure can. We shoot them dedicated suppressed and gas the rifle accordingly. If you're trying to save some money or just already own the cans, they will work fine.

That said, if you can afford it why not buy a LBP suppressor. I am eyeballing the CAT Noah Ti HUB, HUX 6K Ti, and LPM Torch. The only reason I haven't bought one yet is cost and I already own a bunch of cans that I can just grab and use right now. It's just enough to keep me from pulling the trigger on a purchase. My issue with Flow through cans in the past is they've been loud but that has begun to change in the newer models on the market. They're getting pretty good. But I do reference PewScience to ensure the particular model I'm looking at is one of those that is higher performance sound wise because there's still quite a few LBP cans out there that do not perform well sound wise. And that's why I haven't seriously considered B&T cans. First they have a dizzying array of models and it's hard to keep them straight. They also have a bunch of legacy transitional cans from when they were moving into printed suppressors and LBP that were discontinued but some retail stores still carry them. So they cloud up your understanding of their standard model skus. And there's no objective comparison on the same host to other cans bc Pew Science hasn't reviewed them. So you don't really know how they perform other than andeoctal testimony from people that wear ear pro when they shoot suppressed.

A final thought. I see no reason it makes sense to buy a dedicated 224 bore can. At least buy a 6mm can. Of course you can buy a 30 cal and do just fine. And traditionally the difference of bore size in the same can has barely mattered sound wise. Just a few dbs that most people can barely tell the difference. Usually the tone is sharper on bore-sized--for-caliber cans. But with some of the flow thru cans, they seem to be sized and designed to the application. Good example is CATs WB, Noah, and ODB. I would rather shoot the Noah on 223 and 22ARC than the WB on 22ARC. And does the ODB perform as well on a cartridge with less pressure or gas volume? IDK.

I go back and forth on the new hotness. I think a LBP can is less important for a precision AR bc the gun is more likely to be dedicated suppressed. I think ironically, a low back pressure can makes way more sense on a high volume of fire blaster AR where you might decide to take your can off because you're going to shoot 5 to 10 magazines in a 4 hour rain session. So you are going to want the gun to run more similarly, gas wise, suppressed and unsuppressed. Besides a Riflespeed gas block there's not a good way to do it on the gun side when you were talking about on the fly, at the range type of adjustments. Just using a can that provides the least back pressure as possible seems like the best way to do it. Along with the other advantages it brings like less heat and carbon back through the barrel which again matters more on a high volume blaster.
 
The thing is about loudness of a can on an AR is TBAC’s suppressor summit data show that regardless of the can, the shooter’s ear dB is ~140+.

This is unsurprisingly due to noise coming out of the ejection port.
This is the type of information that while probably true doesn't matter. Or at least doesn't manifest in reality the way we think it does when discussing on a forum. It's like the age old Akshually confronting the Fudd whose talking about his 308 over the 6.5CM. He has to explain what a ballistic coefficient is and how velocity plus BC equals more energy on target at distance. And so technically true, the 6.5CM puts more energy on target, the guy that breaks targets at a match is always shooting a 308. Whether it's because we're confusing a ballistic solvers calculated energy with mass or it just doesn't work the way we think it does.

I was shooting with a buddy yesterday who had a high back pressure, braked can on a 16" AR. That brake was LOUD. What about the 140DB ejection port? IDK. I just know that was a loud combo at the muzzle. So much so, I wouldn't choose to use that suppressor on a precision AR. I don't think this information about ejection port changes the selection of a suppressor based on sound performance.
 
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This is the type of information that while probably true doesn't matter. Or at least doesn't manifest in reality the way we think it does when discussing on a forum. It's like the age old Akshually confronting the Fudd whose talking about his 308 over the 6.5CM. He has to explain what a ballistic coefficient is and how velocity plus BC equals more energy on target at distance. And so technically true, the 6.5CM puts more energy on target, the guy that breaks targets at a match is always shooting a 308. Whether it's because we're confusing a ballistic solvers calculated energy with mass or it just doesn't work the way we think it does.

I was shooting with a buddy yesterday who had a high back pressure, braked can on a 16" AR. That brake was LOUD. What about the 140DB ejection port? IDK. I just know that was a loud combo at the muzzle. So much so, I wouldn't choose to use that suppressor on a precision AR. I don't think this information about ejection port changes the selection of a suppressor based on sound performance.
Yeah, I get it. I’m focused on shooter’s ear because I have a shitty fragile left ear. I never shoot around other unsuppressed people, nor ever shoot unsuppressed. And if I am around those who shoot suppressed, I’m either behind them or a fair distance away.

I can see that for teams of people that the muzzle dB is important.
 
I use an Abel Biscuit with my AR-15's. They definitely have less back pressure than a SiCo Omega, another can I've used on the same rifles.

Quality is top notch. Sound suppression is pretty good for being a shorter can. The guys are Abel are awesome.

I'm using a .30 cal version of the Biscuit, but they've since come out with a .556 specific biscuit.
 
Yeah, I get it. I’m focused on shooter’s ear because I have a shitty fragile left ear. I never shoot around other unsuppressed people, nor ever shoot unsuppressed. And if I am around those who shoot suppressed, I’m either behind them or a fair distance away.

I can see that for teams of people that the muzzle dB is important.
All that is great. In it's own context. But a loud suppressor is still a loud suppressor. 140 at the port doesn't block 150 at the muzzle. It's just cumulative, right? In the instance where a HBP can makes the port louder than the muzzle, sure. But I still want a suppressor to be quiet, as it's primary and core reason for existence. Especially if I'm paying for it on a competitive market. Whether at the muzzle or combined.

The problem I have with people interjecting these ideas like you're doing is it's a pre-curser for dragging a thread down an annihilistic path where we're all wearing double ear pro and tucking our t-shirts into our underwear and pretty much negating the point of a suppressor in the first place. As if we should wear elbow pads and reload with clear eye protection on or something.
 
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All that is great. In it's own context. But a loud suppressor is still a loud suppressor. 140 at the port doesn't block 150 at the muzzle. It's just cumulative, right? In the instance where a HBP can makes the port louder than the muzzle, sure. But I still want a suppressor to be quiet, as it's primary and core reason for existence. Especially if I'm paying for it on a competitive market. Whether at the muzzle or combined.

The problem I have with people interjecting these ideas like you're doing is it's a pre-curser for dragging a thread down an annihilistic path where we're all wearing double ear pro and tucking our t-shirts into our underwear and pretty much negating the point of a suppressor in the first place. As if we should wear elbow pads and reload with clear eye protection on or something.
Yeah, not my intent, not trying to nanny-state the thread. Apologies if I came across that way. My point was you’ll never get an AR 556/223 below ~140dB at the shooter’s ear.

It’s not immediately obvious that this is the case when glancing at the TBAC numbers and it confused me for a few minutes until I read the details, so I was trying to help others get to the same realization.

For me, I discovered that in a three-sided 12 bay range shed with a soft wall every two benches, shooting an 18” AR15 223 and a SF RC3, I still was losing hearing in that left ear even when doubled up. Damn thing is ringing louder than ever.

Remember in another thread when I was saying that, like all body parts, some people have weak or strong ears? Well, I have one weak one and one normal one.
 
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So what is a person supposed to do with that information? What's the "so what"?
Well, if they know they’re unusually susceptible to loud noises damaging their hearing, then don’t shoot an AR or many other semi-autos. Including pistols. That’s all. Not trying to start an argument.

I didn’t understand this when I started my suppressor journey and was just trying to help.

Or if their ear is ringing after shooting a suppressed AR with hearing protection, then maybe they can put 2 & 2 together faster.

Pretend this thread was about a certain cool but rocky hiking trail. Someone with a bum ankle pops in and says to beware of that trail if you have a bad ankle. That’s all I was doing…I should’ve framed that better in my initial post.

Someone like you doesn’t have to worry about that. If I did what you have done with various explosives, I’d be deaf in that stupid left ear.
 
Well, if they know they’re unusually susceptible to loud noises damaging their hearing, then don’t shoot an AR or many other semi-autos. Including pistols.
See how self defeating that is? Dude is asking for a recommendation for a suppressor for an AR. 🤷

Do you know what an "internet maven" is? Someone who appears to be an expert on a subject. Extremely well versed. Can cite numerous factoids from obscure sources on forums. But none of the expertise comes from their own practice. The person just spends so much time in the topic sphere that they're repeating information they saw in a post somewhere. Like a regressive, manual, analog AI that still requires a social security check and health care.
 
How I would interpret that is that when it comes to AR-15's and suppressing them, there's other objectives that should take higher priority than just pure suppression/dB reduction.
I disagree. "Should". According to you. I know you're of this same crowd that's going to drag this thread away from the OP. You've done it before. It's the same crowd, reenacting the same old arguments, dancing the dance, turning every thread into the same food fight.
 
See how self defeating that is? Dude is asking for a recommendation for a suppressor for an AR. 🤷

Do you know what an "internet maven" is? Someone who appears to be an expert on a subject. Extremely well versed. Can cite numerous factoids from obscure sources on forums. But none of the expertise comes from their own practice. The person just spends so much time in the topic sphere that they're repeating information they saw in a post somewhere. Like a regressive, manual, analog AI that still requires a social security check and health care.
Hey, I actually like you man! Seriously, I really appreciate what you bring to threads. I was not even replying to you, it just happened that way.

Believe me, I have absolute first-hand knowledge of how retarded my left ear is. I’ve talked to ear docs and they say that’s just the way it is sometimes with hearing. It’s called “asymmetrical hearing loss” and it’s common with guys that shoot guns. It’s usually the ear opposite the gun, but my ear is unusually sensitive. As you state, the damage is cumulative and hearing protection tends to only slow the damage down.

But I suspect you already know all this. Now, if the OP wanted to know about cans in relation to shooting without ear pro, then I wouldn’t have anything to say. But unless I missed something, that isn’t the case.

I am getting the vibe that maybe you don’t believe my symptoms? Sorry if this isn’t true.

Finally, I am not regurgitating anything other than citing TBAC’s dB numbers. I think it’s helpful to have a baseline understanding of the dB floor of an AR, regardless of what can you have 🤷‍♂️.
 
I disagree. "Should". According to you. I know you're of this same crowd that's going to drag this thread away from the OP. You've done it before. It's the same crowd, reenacting the same old arguments, dancing the dance, turning every thread into the same food fight.

Nah, I don't really care.

Each suppressor purchase is an individualistic choice that is made up of trade-offs.

If for one person that means achieving the lowest possible dB's over everything else, by all means.

I don't really care how one chooses to skin this cat. What suppressor one buys and what their objectives are, are of no concern to me.
 
P.S. I don’t care if anyone shoots any gun with or without ear pro or suppressor. It’s just good to know what could happen before you do.

Let’s get back to the OP’s question.

Are low back pressure/flow through cans dumb on precision setup?

Direct thread vs QD to a muzzle device or something? Speaking of muzzle device - brake or FH?

And finally, any make/model recommendations?
I own an Armalite M-15 18” Competition. It comes with an AGB. With a 7” or 9” Banish can, which is what I had at the time, it was gassy AF. It kicked hard (as ARs go) even when the gas was turned down.

My SF RC3 fixed all of that. Under double ear pro I can tell it’s louder than the Banish 9”, but no surprise there as it’s much shorter and is a flow-through. Gun ran much smoother.

I say go with secondary retention as I’ve had direct thread cans loosen up on an AR. I’m not a fan of SF’s implementation as it leaks gas even with their best labyrinth seal flash-hider attached.

No strong opinion on brake vs FH other than brakes serve as a sacrificial baffle, or so I’ve heard (sorry). If you’ll ever rip off the can and shoot unsuppressed without ear pro, I’d think twice about the brake.

Also, I think the Riflespeed AGB looks like it kicks ass and seems to allow much easier gas adjustment than my fiddly model with a tiny allen key.

If you are never removing the can and want a less complicated and potentially more reliable gas system, there’s a company that sells various diameter gas tubes for tuning. I can dig it up if you want.
 
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The thing is about loudness of a can on an AR is TBAC’s suppressor summit data show that regardless of the can, the shooter’s ear dB is ~140+.

This is unsurprisingly due to noise coming out of the ejection port.
Not to change the subject but have you tried Griffins new pocket BCG? I shot around 100 shots of 6 ARC without ear pro with zero discomfort.

It's way more quiet if you are shooting with a rifle length gas system.
 
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carbonbased, you might be the only person I've talked to that actually likes the RC3. I personally find it as the only suppressor I regret buying. I'm honestly not a fan of the flow through design everyone seems to be going towards lately. I'd rather have more sound suppression than less gas. In no world do I want to wear plugs and muffs when shooting a suppressed rifle.

I fully understand that an AR is still supersonic and will still require ear protection. I do not accept that shooting a suppressed AR is just as freaking loud as shooting an SBR with a muzzle brake. Which is my experience with the RC3 on an SBR. The SF Mini is quieter. But it has more gas to the face. I'll take gas and not wearing double ear pro.
 
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carbonbased, you might be the only person I've talked to that actually likes the RC3. I personally find it as the only suppressor I regret buying. I'm honestly not a fan of the flow through design everyone seems to be going towards lately. I'd rather have more sound suppression than less gas. In no world do I want to wear plugs and muffs when shooting a suppressed rifle.

I fully understand that an AR is still supersonic and will still require ear protection. I do not accept that shooting a suppressed AR is just as freaking loud as shooting an SBR with a muzzle brake. Which is my experience with the RC3 on an SBR. The SF Mini is quieter. But it has more gas to the face. I'll take gas and not wearing double ear pro.
I don’t want to come across like I think the RC3 is a great can. I regret blowing $1700 on it, think it sorta sucks, and wish I had bought a different brand and longer, more suppressive can. I just didn’t have anything besides two Banish cans at the time to compare it to.

Edit: if I feel stupid I might try my new-to-me Magnus with the Armalite in an open field. But I’ve done enough testing on myself to know how that will probably test out. Btw, as Mr. Wuss Ear I also regret a Dominus SR purchase, although I haven’t tried it on an AR, just a 20” 308. Too loud for me. R-I-I-I-N-N-G

For me, I’ll always were double ear pro if I want to hear my eventual grandchildren. But the vast majority of folks aren’t like me, so I understand and respect your and @JR1200W3 ’s position.

Btw rooftop Korean guy has a good series of tests on harder use flow through and standard cans.
 
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Not to change the subject but have you tried Griffins new pocket BCG? I shot around 100 shots of 6 ARC without ear pro with zero discomfort.

It's way more quiet if you are shooting with a rifle length gas system.
Huh. If that works that might be worth a try! Am shooting rifle-length. 10dB reduction of port noise is no joke on that logarithmic scale. Thx for alerting me to this. Maybe my lame dream of a Mk12 Mod 0 clone isn’t dead!
 
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I use an Abel Biscuit with my AR-15's. They definitely have less back pressure than a SiCo Omega, another can I've used on the same rifles.

Quality is top notch. Sound suppression is pretty good for being a shorter can. The guys are Abel are awesome.

I'm using a .30 cal version of the Biscuit, but they've since come out with a .556 specific biscuit.
What he said, I have a both the Biscuit and Biscuit S on AR's and I am very happy with both of them. I have the Biscuit S on a KAC SR-15 and compared to my previous suppressor I had on the SR-15 the Biscuit is much better in my opinion. Abel makes great suppressor with awesome customer service.
 
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Huh. If that works that might be worth a try! Am shooting rifle-length. 10dB reduction of port noise is no joke on that logarithmic scale. Thx for alerting me to this. Maybe my lame dream of a Mk12 Mod 0 clone isn’t dead!
It definitely works, especially on a rifle length gas system.

It works for a 16" AR as well but not as good. I don't know why it's less effective in sound reduction the shorter you go but my hypothesis is that it has to do with pressure.

That said, assuming you are not shooting inside of a metal building, with a 16" you can probably get through a mag before you should stop.

That BCG definitely reduces the overall sound signature for the shooter and the neighbors.
 
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I’ve been using a Flow 762 on my semi autos since I purchased it and relegated all my traditional cans to bolt guns. The Flow did spark quite a bit for the first 250-300 rounds, but I see no sparking now. It sounds fantastic on everything from a 14.5” 556 to a 13” SCAR 17. I am able to tune the rifles for the impulse and function I want without a can and just throw the can on without having to change anything. I’ve got an B&T SRBS 762 inconel coming for my girls gun and I’m planning to get a CAT OBD 718 just to have another can and see how they compare. I could be 100% content with the Flow 762 on both 556 and 762. I’ve also noticed absolutely zero poi shift with/without the HUXWRX. I think they are doing the Flow 762 with mount for $1299 with free stamp right now.