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Suppressor on 16in AR

Jig Stick

Gunny Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Aug 27, 2010
1,439
4
44
Pittsburgh PA
Does anybody run a suppressor on a 16in upper? Im debating on weather or not to go through the hassle of getting an SBR. Would mounting my Specwar 7.62 on a 16in upper be awkward to maneuver?
 
Adding 7+ inches to the end of a weapon system is always going to effect the way you maneuver it but it is purely subjective if its going to be awkward. I built a 10.5" AR Pistol so I don't have to go through the hassle of an SBR Stamp. Just my two cents.
 
It will work on the 16" very well but as said it will be long and awkward to move with. I use one on a 16" blkout and on a 8" pistol. I love the lack of sound on the 16" but its hard to carry. Hope this helps.
 
I was wondering about this also. I have a Specwar 762 on the way to use on several different rifles. I was wondering how it would handle on a 16" or 18" AR. Obviously it will be longer and front heavy, but hopefully not cumbersome.
 
Yup. Can on a 16" feels front heavy. Can on a 14.5" feels front heavy as well.

Another thing to consider though is muzzle pressure and its effects on the first chamber and baffle of the suppressor, and what the suppressor is rate for. 10.5" guns are extremely hard on cans.
 
I use a Gemtech Trek on a 16" 'semi-precision' gun. The gas system is a midlength, and I've increased the buffer weight so that I don't beat up the gun too much. I really like mine, and I've walked all around Colorado and Texas shooting at critters with it.
 
Its pretty subjective from person to person and largely dependent on whether you have any experience running a shorty 5.56 or all you have ever used are rigs set up with longer barrels. Similar to LRRPF, I personally thought a 14.5" 5.56 with a 5.56 can (a suppressor that only added 5" in length and 16oz to the rifle) was ridiculous long for my intended uses where maneuverability and speed would be paramount. That said though, i was used to a 10.5" using the same can, so clearly the manuverability and speed aspects didnt seem anywhere near the same ballpark. To put it in perspective, i also use a .30 cal can that is 9.5" long - similar in length to your Specwar at 9" - on a 16" Grendel that I would never suggest it being the epitome of manuverability......and that can is 3/4 of a pound lighter than the Specwar.

IMHO, I would highly recommend a 10.3"-11.5" 5.56. They are awesome guns. Not the best for every application by any stretch, but awesome for the types of things youre planning on getting into. This particular scenario also highlights the benefits of a dedicated 5.56 can - specifically in the OAL and weight areas. A lot of the best 5.56 cans rated down to 10" are nearly half the length of your SS .30 cal cans and at least a half pound lighter.......Both are very conducive to the advantages you'll certainly want in the context of your application.

Looks like you get to buy another suppressor! ;-)
 
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If your willing to go through to get a suppressor there isn't too much more to getting an SBR, minus some details about the rifle and engraving the lower. The turn around is much quicker than a suppressor surprisingly. Right now it's around a month to build an SBR lower or at least that's what my dealer was telling me. Though i'm wanting to register my fully assembled existing lower as an SBR, wonder how long that will take.

This is my entire reason for wanting to sell my 14.5 and get an 11.5 adding a 7" suppressor is going to change things.
 
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If you run a shorty titanium can, length and weight is not bad at all. I have a tbac 30bas, 12oz. Their new 30cb5 or cb7 would be the same.
 
At the moment, I run a TBAC 30p-1 on my 16" ss LMT upper as a precision reece style rifle-I also run it on a 10.2" 300 BLK upper.
I will not run it on my 10.5"-556 SBR as I am worried about the pressures. I have a Silencerco 556 Saker on Form4 currently that will go directly on the SBR.
 
I am now in my 60s. AR15/M16/M16A1 select fire Colts were only $280 plus tax stamp when I got out of college in the '70s. Been using a 10" 1x7 LWT M4 Colt barrel for years but also have used 10.3 Colt & 10.5" Noveske uppers. I like the way 10.0"/10.3"/10.5" barrels handle with a can on the end. It makes for a fairly quiet but very handy truck gun/tool for varmints. Won't fire a 10" series barrel without a suppressor (can) unless necessary; it hurts. The M4 Inconel blast baffle takes a beating though and it shows it. The 14.5"/16" M4 barrels handle great naked. Adding a can to a 14.5"/16" barrel has night and day different handling characteristics to me. But I fire them suppressed whenever possible. Picked up a Colt 6940 16" M4 last year and it handles OK with can & a front grip installed. And it shoots BHA MK 262 MOD 1 very well. A 7.62SD can will work fairly well on a 5.56MM but the added length/weigh makes all barrel lengths more unwieldy. IMO, 10" series barrels retain acceptable terminal performance with current ammunition types such as 5.56MM MK 318 SOST & 5.56MM 70gr. Optimized brown tip/commercial 5.56MM 70gr. TSX equivalent. The BHA 5.56MM Sierra TMK loading may also work but warrants testing first. Mostly fire all rifles suppressed now: my old ears don't get further abused, I don't scare game animals off the property by practicing, & my neighbors stay happy. IMO, suppressors are very useful yet underrated tools that are generally misunderstood even by many shooters. All the non-shooting general public knows about sound suppressors is what Hollywood has taught them: squat. Good luck. FWIW

 
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