Going NFA....A question For you.....

[5POINT56]

I'm getting ready to go NFA and I have a few questions.

I'm doing the trust, $400 in lawyer fees. (Reasonable? It seems to be, to me anyway.)

I'm likely going 10.5" or 11.5"....and LMT is at the top of the list.

Here's todays question.

I want to not only SBR an AR, but I also want to add a can as well. I have lowers (probably using an LMT). When I buy the upper, I'd really like to have the silencers mount to be installed in advance.

How proprietary are these mounts? For instance....can the mount below be used for more than just the M4-2000? All AAC 5.56 cans? Or a few?



Do all silencer companies make mounts specific to their silencers, or is there such a thing as a universal mount of some sort? Gem Tech for Gem Tech, AAC for AAC and so on? Or is there a mount that can handle various cans? Likely a stupid question, but I really don't know the answer.

The reason why I ask is that if I order my SBR upper, and specify a mount, I'm going to be "stuck" with a can from the same company once my paperwork comes through. I'd like to have that upper ship with the mount for the best silencer for me right from the get go.

[Fireguy275]

I just got my first NFA item.

Trust: $40 with Quicken Willmaker and a trip to the Notary.
Suppressor: I chose a Gemtech Halo. One of the reasons being it is not tied to any one weapon and fits a number of flashiders (A1, A2, Vortex, FSC556).

[rob_s]

Mounts tend to be proprietary to not only the brand but the model as well, with some mild variations.

Mounts are generally nothing more than replacements for your standard A2 flash hider. This means that they install and remove just as easily. If you're going to SBR the gun anyway, you won't be "stuck" with anything other than the fact that you may have a can that you paid $1k for that is only worth $600 on the used market.

The Gemtech Halo mentioned above or the similar AAC Omni are possible solutions as they are designed to attach to the standard A2 flash suppressor and can attach to many others. These were actually designed for agencies and departments that couldn't, or didn't want to, change out the flash suppressor. They have since found a niche in the commercial market with people that want to use the silencer on various firearms but don't want to have to shell out $100+ for each mount.

5.56 silencer selection is a tough thing, largely because the market is so saturated. The irony is that the differences between the various makes and models is so small as to almost negate all the hand-wringing that many first time buyers go through. I know that before I bought my 5.56 can (an Ops 15th model, FWIW) I was agonizing over it and reading and posting like a madman all over the internet trying to make sure this was the can for me.

My suggestion would be to sit down and list out the features you'd like a can to have. Sound suppression level, light weight, shortest overall length added to weapon, finish, reputation of manufacturer for warranty service, etc. Then put those features in order according to what you think is the most important thing to you. Then start researching. User the "search" feature on web forums more often than the "submit new thread" feature. See if your list of priorities changes.

For example, I think you'll find that most knowledgeable people will agree that virtually all of the top selling 5.56 cans wind up having pretty much the same level of noise reduction for a given size. The arguments that you will see about this one being quieter than that one ultimately come down to one or two decibels at most and if the cans are shot side-by-side most people really can't hear much of a difference. Given this, length, weight, and attachment method may move up on your list.

Or, you can just find a dealer with an AAC M4-1000 in stock and go with that. By all accounts it's a decent can at a decent price and will serve 99.9% of the commercial shooters more than adequately. Whatever you do don't order any AAC products from the factory! Find one in stock somewhere and buy it. They measure lead times in terms of months over there, and some people have waited up to more than half a year to get their silencer. If you can't find an M4-1000 in stock somewhere, look for a YHM Phantom in stock and buy that. It's right at the same price and by all accounts it's 99% of the can that the AAC product is.

[rob_s]

Oh, and $400 for a trust is more than reasonable. I would just make sure that the attorney has experience in writing trusts for NFA items. Since I see you're in Florida, I'm going to assume you're using Bob.

[5POINT56]

Thank you Rob, your post was extremely helpful.

I will follow up on this subject using your points as a guide.

I have no hang up with ANY brand of silencer....AAC, Gem Tech, Ops...whatever. I don't know enough about any to be picky...yet.

I have a visual in mind for how I want this rifle to look. In a perfect world, I'd like the first inch or two of the can to be attached under the front end of the rail system I'll be using. Or at least as close to the end of the rail system as possible. (Think an MP5SD-styled look)

I guess the diameter of the can and the available space to fit it inside the end of the rail system would be a group of numbers worth looking in to. I've seen other guys set ups that are what I'm going for...if I find a photo, I'll post it and see if anyone here can comment on the set up, the can, the functionality of it.

Thanks again for the reply.

ETA: Here are a couple photos I borrowed from the SBR thread showing what I'm generally speaking of. Can this sort of set up only be done on 9mm AR's?

[rob_s]

Notice that both of those are 9mm ARs with 9mm cans. 9mm cans are significantly smaller OD than 5.56 and are easier to fit inside of more varied rail systems.

I think your best bet is something like this. It's an 11.5" barrel with a 9.0 Daniel Defense rail and an Ops 15th Model silencer.

[5POINT56]

Well that set up looks great..I like it. So really, if none of that can is actually under the rail system, the brand of the can as well as the diameter isn't an issue at all.

I would have thought the diameter of a 9mm round being significantly larger than a 5.56 round, would have made the 9mm can's diameter larger, but I guess that's not the case.

So really, the short version is; 11.5", DD 9.0, and any can I like. That would be about as flush with the rail system as I'm going to get, correct?

[rob_s]

Not really.

First of all, I don't think LMT makes an 11.5" barrel. Second of all, the Ops can comes back over the barrel to hit the FSB which most other cans don't do. If you use a different barrel length, or a different can, or a different rail I can't vouch for the result you will get.

[markm]

I'm doing the trust, $400 in lawyer fees. (Reasonable? It seems to be, to me anyway.)

That seems steep to me. I figger that to be about $800 per hour since the process took me a half hour. My dealer did it for me for $45, but forgot to charge me anyway.

[rob_s]

I would have thought the diameter of a 9mm round being significantly larger than a 5.56 round, would have made the 9mm can's diameter larger, but I guess that's not the case.

YHM QD 9mm Wraith 1.25" dia

YHM Phantom 5.56 1.5" dia