shooter521
12-14-09, 10:29
Today I went to the range with my friends bigcraig and Doug T. to do a side-by-side-by-side comparison of three different 5.56 suppressors. The weather was crap, so our evaluation was somewhat abbreviated and I don't have many photos to share. But here's a brief summary:
THE GUNS (left to right)
shooter521 - LMT 10.5" upper w/ Gemtech HALO, shooting Brown Bear 62gr JHP
bigcraig - BCM 11.5" upper w/ AAC M4-2000 Mod06, shooting Radway Green 62gr FMJ
Doug T. - BCM 11.5" upper w/ Gemtech G5, shooting Federal XM193 55gr FMJ
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i188/shooter521/range%20trips/12_13_09/quiet_guns.jpg http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i188/shooter521/range%20trips/12_13_09/quiet_guns2.jpg
THE RESULTS
• the G5 was noticeably louder than the other two, but we figured that to be mostly due to the difference in ammo (mil-spec vs. not) rather than any difference in the cans. I could not distinguish a difference between the M4-2000 and the HALO, either from behind the gun or from the ejection port side. I know we should have shot all three guns/cans with the same type of ammo, but by the time we had finished the other tasks we needed to do, the cold and wet had gotten the better of us and we decided to pack it up. Next time...
Anyway, this was the HALO's first time out, and I ran it on both my LMT shorty (5.56) and my AK-105 (5.45x39). Here are some of my observations:
• the suppressed AK-105 is quieter than the suppressed AR. It also gasses the shooter a LOT more (you get it from under the bottom of the dustcover, around the dustcover latch, and out of the charging handle track in the right side of the dustcover).
• adding the HALO to the AK-105 caused a HUGE shift (almost 8" at 25 yards) in point of impact. Ammo was Wolf 60gr FMJ. While subsequent installations of the can improved this a little, the shift was still significant. I suspect that the "slop" in the mount, the muzzle extension, and the positioning of the can itself are conspiring to create issues. I was rather frustrated. At a later date, I will need to sit down with the gun, can, and a couple different types of ammo to do more extensive experimentation.
• on the AR, the HALO caused virtually no POI shift at 25 yards over multiple installations. I was a happy man.
• The AR with .22 conversion kit and HALO installed cycles Winchester Super-X subsonic ammo without issue, and is ridiculously quiet. You hear the "ping" of the trigger resetting and the "click" of the bolt cycling, and that's it. I was a giddy little schoolgirl. :D
This is the only time you'll see these three guys being quiet in any sense of the word: ;)
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i188/shooter521/range%20trips/12_13_09/quiet_guys.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i188/shooter521/range%20trips/12_13_09/quiet_guys2.jpg
A good time was had by all.
THE GUNS (left to right)
shooter521 - LMT 10.5" upper w/ Gemtech HALO, shooting Brown Bear 62gr JHP
bigcraig - BCM 11.5" upper w/ AAC M4-2000 Mod06, shooting Radway Green 62gr FMJ
Doug T. - BCM 11.5" upper w/ Gemtech G5, shooting Federal XM193 55gr FMJ
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i188/shooter521/range%20trips/12_13_09/quiet_guns.jpg http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i188/shooter521/range%20trips/12_13_09/quiet_guns2.jpg
THE RESULTS
• the G5 was noticeably louder than the other two, but we figured that to be mostly due to the difference in ammo (mil-spec vs. not) rather than any difference in the cans. I could not distinguish a difference between the M4-2000 and the HALO, either from behind the gun or from the ejection port side. I know we should have shot all three guns/cans with the same type of ammo, but by the time we had finished the other tasks we needed to do, the cold and wet had gotten the better of us and we decided to pack it up. Next time...
Anyway, this was the HALO's first time out, and I ran it on both my LMT shorty (5.56) and my AK-105 (5.45x39). Here are some of my observations:
• the suppressed AK-105 is quieter than the suppressed AR. It also gasses the shooter a LOT more (you get it from under the bottom of the dustcover, around the dustcover latch, and out of the charging handle track in the right side of the dustcover).
• adding the HALO to the AK-105 caused a HUGE shift (almost 8" at 25 yards) in point of impact. Ammo was Wolf 60gr FMJ. While subsequent installations of the can improved this a little, the shift was still significant. I suspect that the "slop" in the mount, the muzzle extension, and the positioning of the can itself are conspiring to create issues. I was rather frustrated. At a later date, I will need to sit down with the gun, can, and a couple different types of ammo to do more extensive experimentation.
• on the AR, the HALO caused virtually no POI shift at 25 yards over multiple installations. I was a happy man.
• The AR with .22 conversion kit and HALO installed cycles Winchester Super-X subsonic ammo without issue, and is ridiculously quiet. You hear the "ping" of the trigger resetting and the "click" of the bolt cycling, and that's it. I was a giddy little schoolgirl. :D
This is the only time you'll see these three guys being quiet in any sense of the word: ;)
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i188/shooter521/range%20trips/12_13_09/quiet_guys.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i188/shooter521/range%20trips/12_13_09/quiet_guys2.jpg
A good time was had by all.