5.56 showdown- Saker vs SOCOM RC (sorry guys I have to ask..)

[kaltesherz]

Yeah I know, sounds like a damn thread from TOS but I gotta ask.

I was dead set on getting a Saker but now that I'm about to drop the cash I'm having second thoughts...

The host is a BCM 11.5 KMR SBR btw and sound reduction is less important than flash reduction.

Saker-

PROS:

- Cheaper

- More flexible w/ mounts

- Ability to add flash hider

- Comes with FH mount at no charge

- Claims to be made of unobtanium

SOCOM RC-

PROS:

- Better flash hiding (especially first round pop) without added flash hider front cap

- Less blowback

- Simpler mounting system with less zero shift

- Much more attractive (sorry, Saker's just look too "busy")

I'm looking for all feedback but preferably from those that have first person experience with both. Most threads I've found previously don't have much recent info and I'm curious as how they've been holding out now that they've been out in the wild for awhile.

[Kissel]

You don't own either so how are you drawing conclusions about things like flash reduction, blowback and zero shift. FWIW, I have a Saker on an 11.5" barrel and find no negatives whatsoever.

[yhmspecter]

I don't own either can, but I do have a Surefire Fa556-212 on a 10.5 barrel, I like the mounting system Surefire uses its easy to pop the can on and off, it had repeatable POO shift, and it is durable as shit.. From what I read the Saker is a good can on all accounts but from my limited experience I would still go after the SOCOM can,based on my Surefire legacy ownership

[Bluto]

I have both the saker and a full-size socom as well as the socom mini, all dedicated 5.56. I tried the saker on my 11.5" but moved it to the 7.5" just because it's warrantied for that short. If sound reduction is not as important, take a look at the socom mini. It's what I ended up with on my 11.5".

I don't think the RC (and especially the mini) are "hearing safe". I don't look at them as suppressors... more like "concussion diffusers", if that makes sense. I also can't see any difference in flash reduction using the RC vs the mini, but my testing on that aspect were very limited.

FWIW - I have another 11.5" with an older ops inc m4-s can. shorter and lighter than even the surefire mini and, imho, a better can. allen engineering will make you one if you want...

[kaltesherz]

You don't own either so how are you drawing conclusions about things like flash reduction, blowback and zero shift. FWIW, I have a Saker on an 11.5" barrel and find no negatives whatsoever.

I'm going off of what I've read, can you prove otherwise?

[kaltesherz]

I have both the saker and a full-size socom as well as the socom mini, all dedicated 5.56. I tried the saker on my 11.5" but moved it to the 7.5" just because it's warrantied for that short. If sound reduction is not as important, take a look at the socom mini. It's what I ended up with on my 11.5".

I don't think the RC (and especially the mini) are "hearing safe". I don't look at them as suppressors... more like "concussion diffusers", if that makes sense. I also can't see any difference in flash reduction using the RC vs the mini, but my testing on that aspect were very limited.

FWIW - I have another 11.5" with an older ops inc m4-s can. shorter and lighter than even the surefire mini and, imho, a better can. allen engineering will make you one if you want...

I already have an AAC Mini4 that will live on my 14.5, while sound reduction isn't the most important thing it's still a consideration as it'll be on HD duty.

Interesting to hear about the Allen Engineering / Ops can, but I'd like to stick with someone who will most likely still be in business in 30 years to cover their warranty... I'm not saying they won't still be around, but odds are Surefire and Silencerco will.

[TehLlama]

I already have an AAC Mini4 that will live on my 14.5, while sound reduction isn't the most important thing it's still a consideration as it'll be on HD duty.

Interesting to hear about the Allen Engineering / Ops can, but I'd like to stick with someone who will most likely still be in business in 30 years to cover their warranty... I'm not saying they won't still be around, but odds are Surefire and Silencerco will.

The OPS/Allen ones are more of a case that SS-305 (iirc) and that simple design is basically as much of a tank that can be built out of a reflex can, so it's less of a worry (but they're comparably heavy, require the most caveats for mounting, and don't capture the most sound pressure).

For a 7" can, the Saker sounds like it's on the heavier side, so between those the one I have limited experience with (SF SOCOM) is the one I'd go with, if not the Mini from SF - I've really found that I enjoy double stamp carbines that are still shorter than a 16" OAL upper, and why I wound up running a 10.5" + OPS 14th upper, and it's outright cute with my M4-S on it, but that's a trunk monkey/range toy configuration for the amount of flash I still get out of that setup [but it beats no can]. Same concept that Bluto mentioned, small cans on SBR's are functionally concussion diffusers, and if need be, hearing damage mitigation devices (not prevention), and for that the Surefire Mini is arguably 'it'. I still want to find an excuse to head up to OH and harass Grant and see what status his Mk18-CIV setup is in.

[JG007]

I went with the saker after doing the research. More heavy duty, quieter, cheaper. Sf is supposed to be better on backpressure (I'm going to do an adj gas block), and poi. Mounts seem equal.

It appears le and military are familiar with and trust Sf, people in the suppressor industry seem to pick silencerco.

Talk to silencer shop and whoever else has a lot of hands on experience.

I still may pick up a Sf

[BigLarge]

I went with the saker after doing the research. More heavy duty....

What are you basing this off of?

[TehLlama]

What are you basing this off of?

The only part of that which would suggest so to me is the stellite baffle setup, but it's not as though anybody is under the impression that the SF SOCOM cans are dainty flowers. The extra weight of the Saker might be exactly that, but the weakest part of most fast-attach cans is the mounting anyway, so if SilencerCo doesn't hit the sales figures for a long stretch, those will become hard to find mounts, whereas SF is on enough .gov contracts that they're not going anywhere anytime soon.