The Best Suppressor For The AR-15

Best Suppressor For The AR-15 - Surefire SOCOM556-RC2

Suppressors are arguably among the coolest accessories one can buy for an AR-15. They’ll take some crack out of your rifle’s sound signature and, in most cases, reduce felt recoil, both of which are qualities that make shooting more enjoyable. Not to mention, trying to LARP hard without a suppressor is just plain wrong and shouldn’t be tolerated. But which suppressor is the best choice for your AR-15? I’ve accepted the challenge of choosing one can to rule them all, but mostly because I’m a masochist and dream about a comment section rife with abuse for my pick and lectures about how I should have chosen differently due to budget, overall sound reduction, and whatever other reasons make me wrong today. But hey, opinions inspire debate, and that’s how we learn from each other. Isn’t that how the saying about opinions goes?

Is the SOCOM RC2 The Best Suppressor For The AR-15?

Guests who take a look at my gun wall, thanks to   Hold Up Displays, tend to surmise that I have a thing for Surefire suppressors, an entirely accurate if not conspicuous observation, as so many of my rifles are equipped with the SOCOM RC2 in both 5.56 and 7.62. For the purposes of this article, I’m focusing on the full-size Surefire SOCOM556-RC2, my top pick for the AR-15 and quite possibly the most field-tested of any modern combat suppressor.

While the decibel mafia is busy putting a contract out on me, I’ll explain. Suppressors amount to more than just that one tangible metric, and if we’re being honest, suppressing the 5.56 is less about making it quiet and more about varying yet reduced levels of what will always be a loud round. Frankly, the fixation on sound reduction alone is a bit of a newb thing. Don’t be that guy. With that said, I’ll step down off my soapbox and talk about some of the other qualities I look for in a suppressor, which I’ve found in abundance with the Surefire SOCOM556-RC2.

Flash performance is a big part of the overall signature reduction a suppressor provides. Under any condition, but especially at night, muzzle flash will give away your position long before a few decibels will, and eliminating that flash is an area where the Surefire SOCOM556-RC2 excels. This aspect of the RC2’s performance becomes even more apparent when applied to AR-15s with shorter barrels, like the MK18 or popular 11.5” setups that will yeet a Hadouken-inspiring fireball like it’s the 1990s again. The science behind this involves the containment of expanding gases, allowing them to cool significantly before exiting the suppressor and thus minimizing muzzle blast. This is done through internal baffles, which induce turbulence and slow the flow of gas, a life-saving element of the RC2 designed with the warfighter in mind.

Another performance metric I pay attention to is first-round pop, which occurs when the suppressor has not been used for a while and oxygen fills the baffle stack, waiting to combust. This results in a louder pop on that initial round that goes away quickly as the oxygen is replaced by expanding gasses. The SOCOM556-RC2 mitigates some of this by using a baffle design that minimizes the amount of oxygen that can be trapped inside. Additionally, The RC2 can be fired wet by adding a small amount of liquid into the suppressor, which displaces the oxygen and further reduces secondary ignition.

The SOCOM556-RC2 also utilizes Surefire’s patented Fast-Attach system with its industry-leading flash suppressors, muzzle brakes, and Warcomp suppressor adaptors. Surefire muzzle devices work so well unsuppressed that they are a bonus for the company’s entire suppressor ecosystem. Additionally, the Fast-Attach mechanism ensures your RC2 will never back off the mount, adding to reliability and peace of mind while shooting suppressed. Another feature I appreciate with the RC2 Fast-Attach system is the minimal point of impact shift introduced when mounting the suppressor, which Surefire claims is an inch or less at 100 yards. In my experience, this has been true, and I’ve had multiple rifles exhibit zero point of impact shift. Along these lines, repeatability is also excellent, as whatever shift occurs is consistent every time you attach and remove the RC2. This is in contrast to threaded designs, where POI shift can vary depending on how much torque is used to secure the suppressor.

Let’s talk durability. The Surefire SOCOM556-RC2 is built like a tank, consisting of a solid Inconel construction throughout the majority of the suppressor with a laser-welded baffle stack. The design has been proven in some of the harshest environments imaginable and over an exceedingly unknowable number of rounds. The construction also contributes to the RC2 having less of a heat signature under night vision, requiring you to generate considerably more heat over other designs and materials as the RC2 keeps its glow stick effect at bay longer.

While we’re talking about durability and reliability, we should note that the RC2 has been around since before flow-through technology became a thing in the suppressor world. Even so, it introduces considerably less back pressure to weapons systems for the performance it offers and has been a solid choice over the years for pressure-sensitive rifles like the SCAR. Less back pressure means that the internal parts of your rifle take less of a beating, prolonging the life of crucial components and adding to the overall longevity and reliability of your rifle, especially shorter barrel variants that are already prone to quicker wear.

The Surefire SOCOM556-RC2 strikes a balance that decibel jockeys might not ever understand, and that balance is specific to the goal of the RC2 program, which is to create the best overall fighting suppressors. There are so many factors at hand that the balancing act itself can present quite the equation. Quieter means bigger with more internal volume, but bigger means more weight, especially if you want durable construction and materials. There’s also sound suppression versus back pressure, affecting reliability and component wear. Then, there is cost versus all of these factors. Sacrifice some of these, and you may perform exceptionally well in certain categories, but there’s no free lunch when trying to address every variable on the table.

As far as sound goes, I’m going to recommend wearing hearing protection even when shooting 5.56 suppressed. This is advisable with any supersonic round as there is only so much the sound of that crack can be muffled. Does this mean I always take my own advice? Of course not. I’m not likely the best test subject on the matter, as I do suffer from some hearing damage and tinnitus, but I can tell you that I am personally comfortable shooting my 14.5”   Bravo Company Manufacturing (BCM) AR-15s using the Surefire SOCOM556-RC2 without any hearing protection. Again, don’t do that, but I mention this for all those guys who say the RC2 hardly cuts down on sound, which is absurd because I’ve shot those same rifles unsuppressed without hearing protection, and it is very noticeably uncomfortable. I’m going to tell you again, don’t do that. I just chalk it up to an occupational hazard of being a gun writer.

Now, we can’t talk about the RC2 so much without addressing the new RC3, Surefire’s entry into the flow-through suppressor market. Let’s start by pointing out that the one or two stainless steel components within the RC2 design have been replaced, making the RC3 100% Inconel. The Surefire RC3 also takes advantage of modern additive manufacturing or 3D printing technology, providing the ability to design the more complex internal structures necessary for a flow-through suppressor of this type. Focusing additional priority on extremely low back pressure adds up to a more enjoyable shooting experience with less felt recoil and less wear on your AR-15, thus increasing longevity and reliability while reducing your lunchtime toxic gas intake. How much of a reduction? Surefire claims the RC3 reduces the amount of gas back to the shooter by as much as 60%, a major bonus for anyone with a steady diet of 5.56.

I spoke to Surefire and confirmed that the RC3 was never meant to be the next evolution of their 5.56 suppressor lineup and is not a replacement for the RC2, which is still the best-selling suppressor in the company’s inventory. Instead, the RC3 is meant to provide an alternative depending on your priorities as a shooter. Although the sound difference is almost negligible, you will give up a small amount in pursuit of that higher flow, which is to be expected from lower back-pressure cans. The bonus here is that for those who appreciate the benefits of these designs, they are now available as part of a series of the toughest, most proven overall combat suppressors in modern history. You’re welcome!

While Surefire is a major player in the suppressor world, you don’t see a whole lot of new releases from them, relatively speaking. I just want to theorize for a moment why that is. While I think that other major suppressor manufacturers do an excellent job developing commercial suppressors, and several have cans on military contracts, Surefire seems to concentrate most, if not all, their development on suppressors that they intend to compete for those contracts with. The benefit to the consumer is that the technology and ruggedness are passed on to you. And while you think you’re paying a premium price, and you are for a premium product, the truth is that a good amount of that extensive development cost is recuperated through law enforcement and military procurement, without which these suppressors may fall even more out of reach for some buyers. That’s just some food for obsessive-compulsive thought and a bit more of my proclivity to opine before concluding this article.