Home Forums Hunting & Shooting AR and Tactical Rifles Suppressor Question - Multi-Cal

All,

Starting the suppressor process and looking at options. Anyone give feedback on suppressors that are, essentially, multi-caliber and thus larger than intended?

By that I mean - a 30 cal suppressor on an AR, 5.56 - is there a drop in performance compared to a specific 556 suppressor? If so - how much? I was really hoping for a SureFire SOCOM556-RC2 but, out of stock and who knows when they'll get more. So as I looked at alternatives, I noticed more stock on larger, multi caliber or 30 caliber suppressors. All give the cartridge range of 556-300wm (for example)

My original thought was - 556 on the AR, find something else for deer/coyote bolt rifles that more closely match their caliber but now I'm not sure.

What say you?

I've never compared. I have asked. Supposedly not much gained by caliber dedicated. So we keep buying 30 cal cans. and use em on 16 inch 5.56. Works well enough. Works on 6mm WOA. Works on 6.5 ppc. Works on 300 blackout. 308etc...

I suppose it all depends on how quiet you want. There is loss and has to be loss on over size.

Run our 30 mainly on a 6.5 creed moor. When the conditions are favorable its almost never heard by anyone as close as 600 yards from us. On bad conditions its still heard a mile away as a minor thump.

Just get about three at the same time.

I use a 30 cal end cap on the SilencerCo Hybrid-46 on a 223, and not sure that I would be able to notice the difference if I had a 223 cap.

I have been really impressed with the YHM R9. It is designed for a 9mm pistol, but is rated up to 30 cal rifles. I have been using it on a 223, 6.8 SPC and Ruger SFAR 308, and to me, it reduces just as much noise as the Hybrid at almost half the size and cost. The SilencerCo direct thread, ASR mount, and Neilsen device are all compatible with the R9 so I can swap parts and move them around as needed. I also have a 22 suppressor, so between the three, I think I am covered at the moment. Don't really feel the need for a dedicated 223/5.56 suppressor. If I get another one, it will be another R9, so I am not swapping parts around so much.

I only own one and it’s a 30 cal. It lives the vast majority of the time on a 223 AR. This evening right at too dark I shot two pigs out of a group of about 30. The survivors ran about 100 yards and went back to feeding. I could see them in my binos but not well enough through the scope to shoot. I can’t see a dedicated 22 cal can being enough better to be worth giving up the versatility. 🤷🏼‍♂️

I have the SilencerCo Harvester 300.

I use it on 300BLK, 223, 22LR, It works well on ALL, IMHO.

Rated up to 300 Win Mag.

Ideally you match the suppressor for the use. With cost and wait times, that's not always possible. The best multi cal suppressors come with changeable end caps that allow you to better tailor the suppression. Size and weight become an issue. You don't really want to hang a full auto rated 30cal can off a 22lr, even though you can.
If going for a multi cal, try to get the lightest and smallest that meets your suppression needs. Yes, it will work fine on the smaller calibers, but will probably be bigger in weight and size than you need.

I'm currently waiting on a Nomad Ti that will serve as a multi cal can from .221 to 308. It's light enough that I'm not worried about too much weight. Not full auto rated, but I don't do mag dumps so not a problem.

On a bolt gun you gain some quietness by running a front cap/exit hole close to your bullet size, but on an AR there is so much noise from the ejection port it doesn't really matter.

I'd get something 30 cal, 7" or less that is entirely or mostly titanium. Ounces matter when they are out on the end of your barrel. This isn't something you can re-sell easily so get the best thing you can afford because practically speaking you are stuck with it forever.

Hybrid 46.

I don’t notice a perceptible difference in a 5.56 can on a 5.56 or a 7.62 can on 5.56. I wouldn’t buy a can under .30Cal for that reason alone, portability! I’m waiting on my SilencerCo Hybrid 46 which is what I’ll use on my bigger hunting rifles like .338 win mag and 35 Whelen and maybe a 358 Norma mag with the ASR end cap. I expect the .338 and Whelen to kick like a 22mag….watching vapor trails and seeing impacts is a nice change on the bigger boomers.

Yep! My R9 is easily my favorite, of the cans I own, and it sees the most use. I've run it on 223, 6.5CM, 300BLK, 350L, and 9mm (pistol and SBR). I put the Kurz QD adapter on the R9, and I have YHM mini brakes on several of my rifles. Swapping it around is fast and easy.

I bought a second one back in September, for the same reason.

Thanks - on the 556 - I was looking more to change tone/hid signature etc. One's to be a 16 inch all around truck gun so to speak and the other a 10.3 inch bedside, shooting class type MK18 ish. Wanted something stupid strong/reliable with a lot life. Which led me to the SureFires and their reputation for robustness.

As someone said - you buy, you own for life so I want to get it right.

For an all-rounder 1st can it is hard to beat one of the various 6-7” steel, auto-rated cans in the 12-15oz range. $600-800 price tags. Sounds great on typical AR platforms too, with inherently less backpressure than a 5.56 version of the same can. There are starting to be some flow-through cans in this class as well, which might be worth a thought for a lot of autoloader use.

For what always seems like just a bit more I"d avoid the steel due to weight. Just works for me to pay a bit more and get lighter. Almost bought a couple of steel ones this past spring and when it got down to it, 200 bucks more just wasn't an issue on a 1000 buck purchase basically. My take anyway. OTOH when I don't have to carry it all on my back all day just drive to the stand like we do in TX and walk half a mile, steel would work. Its generally, according to my smith, heavier enough that the impact with and without the can changes. Something that doesn't happen IE under .5 moa, on Ti cans.

I don’t think you’ll see any drop in performance at all with a .30 cal can. If anything it will most likely be quieter and will have less back pressure than a typical 5.56 tactical can. Dedicated tactical cans are usually built for minimal size over sound reduction.

A typical .30 cal can should more than offset a larger diameter hole with more internal volume. The only tradeoff is it being bigger and maybe looking “less cool” than one designed to match up more closely to AR’s rail diameter.

Those are generalities but that’s been my experience.

To my ear my Rugged Obsidian 45 sounds quieter on a 9mm than what my Dear Air Odessa 9 can does due to added internal volume offsetting the larger exit hole.

I really like the Dead Air Nomad as an all around can. I use it on gas and bolt guns in .308/7.62, 6.5 CM, and .223/5.56. I’d absolutely recommend that can or one of its variants.

I started with a .30 cal suppressor a .22 LR suppressor and a .45 cal pistol can. With those three you’ll be covered for just about anything that you want to do. If you want to add a dedicated 5.56, 9mm, PCC cans ect. later they’re icing on the cake.

I've been looking at a Dead Air Sandman - S and then get the different caliber end caps since this post. It might be my huckleberry. Finger fornicated a Dead Air MASK 22 HD a little - seems very well built, can't imagine the Sandman wouldn't be.

A Sandman- S would be a great pick IMO.

I have a MASK 22 HD for my rimfire suppressor and really like it. I went back and fourth between the MASK and SilencerCo Sparrow.

The TRUTH about "multi-caliber" suppressors:

You're gonna love a can. You won't be able to get a rimfire version quick enough. Check out Rugged . Some of theirs are modular in length so it's like two cans in one from a length and weight view.

I have one of these that works great for 9mm pistol, short AR and 30 cal or 6.5 rifles.

Optimus