SILENCER SATURDAY #138: Picking The Best 5.56mm AR15 Suppressor For You
Good evening everyone and thanks for joining us for another Silencer Saturday brought to you by Yankee Hill Machine, manufacturers of the Turbo K 5.56mm rifle suppressor. Last week we did a rundown of what I consider to be the best 300BLK suppressors on today’s market. This week we make a move in the other direction and look at a AR15 suppressor showdown for the 5.56/.223 cartridge. Some of you will say “what’s the point, supersonic rounds are always going to be loud”. Besides helping with felt recoil, flash suppression, a task-selected AR15 silencer will reduce noise from permanent hearing damage and disorientation to loud and uncomfortable.
Note: As is the case with all supersonic rounds, my advice is to always wear adequate hearing protection. In an emergency situation, your rifle suppressor may save you from permanent hearing loss.
SILENCER SATURDAY #138: Picking The Best 5.56mm AR15 Suppressor For You
Even more so than last week’s suppressed 300BLK discussion, suppressing a 5.56mm AR15 is going to depend on your use case. Our focus with subsonic rifle rounds was to shoot as quietly as possible. With a .223 AR15, your specific use case will be more important than pure noise reduction. For example, one of my all-time favorite 5.56mm AR15 suppressors is the Allen Engineering AEM5. Unfortunately it is also one of my longest and heaviest suppressors, making it a poor choice for a short/light SBR carbine.
My suggestion is always to analyze your needs and pick a suppressor that meets as many of those needs as possible.
For this exercise I only picked from the .223 bore models currently available. For example, whereas I would have picked a Dead Air Sandman-S or a SilencerCo Saker 762 for a 5.56mm AR15, I stuck with models specifically designed with a smaller bore. If this is your first rifle suppressor, I’d consider buying a 7.62mm suppressor for added versatility.
5.56mm/.223 AR15 Suppressor Criteria:
The following characteristics can move up or down the list depending on your rifle/carbine and you personal needs.
- Length
- Weight
- Mount options
- Price
- Back pressure/Blowback
- Point of Impact Shift
- Noise Reduction
- Flash Suppression
5.56mm/.223 AR15 Host Considerations:
The characteristics of your AR15 host will play an important role in your silencer selection. A direct impingement, unregulated rifle-length gas gun will perform much differently from a carbine-length gas gun with an adjustable gas block.
Take a look at our segment on Gas Regulation and adjustable gas blocks for the AR15 for additional information.
- Barrel length
- Gas system length
- Gas regulation style
- Buffer/Spring combination
My AR15 suppressor isn’t on the list, why do you hate me and/or my favorite brand?
Relax. I don’t hate you or your fanboy company crushes. The fact is I haven’t shot every silencer and AR15 rifle/carbine combination out there. There are so many great manufacturers and models available today that it makes it pretty tough to narrow down a “Best Of” list. If you have a suggestion, drop me a note in the comments section or send me an email.
TFB references used in this article:- SILENCER SATURDAY #64: 5.56mm Allen Engineering Suppressors
- SHTF Gun – The Old School End Of The World Gun
- SILENCER SATURDAY #81: Yankee Hill Machine Turbo K
- Silencer Saturday #63: YHM Resonator And YHM Turbo REVIEWS
- SHTF Guns: KAC/Colt AR-15 – Short Barrel – 5.56mm – Suppressed
- SILENCER SATURDAY #135: SIG Sauer Suppressors – New 3D Printed Hotness
- SILENCER SATURDAY #35: Metering The Latest OSS Suppressors
5.56mm Suppressor Choices for the AR15:
YHM Turbo K
Yes, YHM sponsors Silencer Saturday, but irregardless, the Turbo K is one of the best 5.56mm suppressors available.
- Quiet for its size
- Compact
- Cost
- Mount options
- Barrel length restrictions
- Weight: 8.83 oz. (11.7 oz. with Phantom® Q.D. Adapter)
- Diameter: 1.562”
- Length: 4.75” (5.5″ with Phantom® Q.D. Adapter)
- Construction: 17-4 Ph SS / Inconel
- Mount: 1 3/8″-24 Adaptable Interface
- Decibel Rating: 138 dB
- Website: https://yhm.net/turbor-k-5-56-stainless-with-1-2-28-q-d-flash-hider.html
- MSRP: $485
Allen Engineering AEM5
The quietest 5.56mm suppressor on the market is also one of the heaviest and longest.
- Very Quiet
- Heavy/long
- Caliber: 5.56
- Length: 8.8″
- Weight: 21oz
- Finish: Black Oxide
- Lifetime Warranty
- Website: http://aesuppressors.com/suppressors/AEM5.html
- MSRP: $699
SureFire SOCOM556 RC2
Critics will say there are quieter, lighter and cheaper options available – and I agree. However the SureFire RC2 is still relevant.
- No POI shift
- Flash suppression
- Mount can get stuck
- Expensive
- DIAMETER: 1.5 in (3.8 cm)
- LENGTH: 6.4 in (16.2 cm)
- WEIGHT: 17.0 oz (482 g)
- WEBSITE: https://www.surefire.com/products/suppressors-division/suppressors/socom556-rc2-suppressor/
- MSRP: $1,099
Rex Silentium MG7
A budget-friendly option, I found the MG7 to be pretty quiet and the mounting options are great.
- Cost
- Mount options
- Slightly heavy for its size
- Industry Standard 1.375-24 Main Thread Mount
- 100% 17-4PH Stainless Steel Hardened to 45-47Rc at 190,000psi Tensile
- 5.6″ Overall length
- Weight: 12.1oz
- Diameter: 1.70″
- Full Auto Rated
- No Barrel Length Restrictions
- Website: https://rexsilentium.com/MG7-K-Rifle-Suppressor-224-p148947022
- MSRP: $450
Other Important Notables:
Thanks for reading. Be safe, have fun and we’ll see you here next weekend for another Silencer Saturday.
Silencer Saturday is Sponsored by Yankee Hill Machine:
Buy YHM silencers and accessories at:
DEALERS: If you want your link to buy YHM suppressors included in future Silencer Saturday posts, email: silencers@thefirearmblog.com
Silencers - Science Pete@thefirearmblog.com
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Want to get a dedicated 5.56 can and torn between the turbo k and the Rex. Both seem pretty good for the money.
I will never understand why you would pick the Turbo K over the Turbo. I’m buying a suppressor so why would you pick less suppression?