suppressor

Suppressing the AR-15: The Good and Bad

I pulled the trigger on my MK18 with a surefire suppressor mounted and looked back at Jason, an active duty military police officer, “That’s actually still kind of loud” he exclaimed while replacing his Peltor headset onto his ears. And it was. An AR-15 chambered in 5.56 is never particularly quiet due to a variety of factors. However, if you are considering a suppressor for your AR-15 we should be candid about what it entails and what to look for.

There are three main sound sources made by an AR-15 when a round is discharged; the muzzle blast, the sound of the supersonic slug breaking the sound barrier and the mechanical noise of the weapon cycling after each shot. A suppressor aims to quiet the sound of the muzzle blast by trapping the expanding gasses from the end of the muzzle and allowing them to cool and decelerate in a series of chambers. In this way, the decibel level is reduced. However, regardless of this the 5.56×45 is a loud round even when suppressed because the round is breaking the sound barrier which creates a sonic boom.

So how quiet can you expect your AR-15 to be with a suppressor? It’s a hard question to answer and depends on barrel length, ammunition and the suppressor being used. In general, a 16 inch AR-15 firing standard M193 produces a decibel level of around 167 dB give or take depending on environmental conditions. Averaging out a couple of the leading suppressors in the industry you see an average noise level of around 136 db with a suppressor attached. Which is a significant reduction. For comparison’s sake an unsuppressed 22lr rifle typically falls in the 130 dB range.

An AR-15 can be made quieter by firing sub-sonic ammunition however, the AR-15 will not cycle properly. There are several great calibers out there available for the AR-15 platform that allows the use of sub-sonic ammunition along with reliable functioning. Many choose to stick with 5.56×45 for ammo availability, familiarity and commonality among several other weapons that they may own. For the purpose of this article, we will primarily concern ourselves with suppressing the AR-15 in 5.56.

Chasing Those Decibels

Some try to buy suppressors based soley on the decibel level produced. However, there are several other things to consider when it comes to sound. Tone is the relative pitch and strength of the sound that the suppressor produces. I’ve found that tone can make a suppressor with a higher decibel level sound quieter. The Surefire SOCOM556 RC gives on average a decibel level of 139 dB. This is louder than many competitors on the market however I’ve found the tone to be deep and pleasing. If you have the chance listen to different suppressors at local matches or shoots. If this is not possible, try searching on many of the dedicated suppressor forums that dot the internet. Many people will be able to comment on the tone of a certain suppressor and whether they like it or not. Understand that it is the internet however.

Daniel Defense MK18 with Surefire SOCOM556-RC suppressor mounted.

Length and Weight

Size matters. Add a 6-inch suppressor to the end of your 16-inch barrel and you now have a 20 inch plus barrel. Although these suppressors typically weigh in at 1 pound, it is a pound at the very end of your rifle and that weight will quickly add up. The shorter your suppressor becomes the less effective it becomes at sound suppression. The lighter it becomes the less it can handle heat. There are trade-offs to made everywhere. You need to determine what type of shooting you’re going to be doing and precisely what you need from your suppressor.

Gas blowback

A suppressor traps a lot of gas. It also increases the dwell time at your gas port. All of this leads to an excess amount of gas coming your way and exiting around the charging handle to sting your eyes. There are several fixes available. An adjustable gas block will allow you to adjust the amount of gas being tapped off from the barrel thus eliminating much of the excess gas. Gemtech makes a suppressed bolt carrier group which can vent the excess gas out the side of the carrier. Finally, there is charging handles that are made to deal with excess gas from suppressors or conversely you can use Permatex RTV (a silicon sealant) to close the gap between the charging handle and the upper receiver to disallow the excess gas from reaching your face. Some suppressor manufacturers add an expansion chamber or an internal venting system to help reduce back pressure and when used in combination with the above products can make for a pleasurable shooting experience.

Them suppressors get hot

Each successive shot is going to raise the temperature of the suppressor fairly quickly. There are a variety of factors that come into play but some information puts that number at around 7-10 degrees Fahrenheit each round fired. A 30 round magazine would then increase the temperature by over 240 degrees Fahrenheit. Suppressors can get hot enough during a course of fire that if you transition to your sidearm and let your rifle hang down and it touches your pants, it could burn a hole straight through them. Many companies tell you to limit your strings of fire. If my memory serves me correct several different suppressor manuals state that strings of fire of over 90 rounds should not be attempted. If you use a suppressor, I’d recommend a good pair of heat resistant gloves. If your aim is long-range shooting be aware that as the suppressor gets hot those waves of heat will rise and could distort the view of your target through the optic. This can be mitigated to some extent by the use of a suppressor cover.

A good mount is vital. Also, automotive anti-seize on the threads helps quite a bit as well.

Mount it

One of the often overlooked aspects of a suppressor is the mount. Why is a mount important? It could be the difference between a good day of shooting or a terrible day in which a poorly aligned suppressor leads to a 5.56 slug striking a suppressor baffle or the endcap of the silencer. It could also be the difference between your suppressor freezing hard to your muzzle device or coming off easily. There are many mounting options out there. Make sure you do your research and pick one which has a reputation for strength and ease of use. A quick word of advice, no matter how good the mount is I would advise putting a small amount of automotive anti-seize lubricant on the threads or lock up location.

Increased bolt carrier velocity

If you don’t manage your excess gas you’re going to have an increase in the velocity of the bolt carrier group. Many individuals control this by added a heavier buffer to their rifle in order to slow it down. A popular option is to utilize the Vltor A5 recoil system which in a nutshell uses a rifle length spring along with a special buffer. On most rifles, the standard weight buffer (A5H0) will work fine, although you can toy with a slightly heavier buffer in order to fine tune your rifle. On over-gassed rifles, such as the Daniel Defense Mk18, I’ve opted for a specialty heavyweight 6.8 oz buffer to calm the vicious speed that occurs when a suppressor is mounted to an already over-gassed system.

What good is my suppressor then?

Almost complete reduction of flash for night shooting. If you’ve ever had the opportunity to fire a rifle at night you can appreciate the amount of flash that is made. A suppressor (depending on make and model) will eliminate most of that. This makes shooting with night vision goggles an absolute pleasure as they are not getting washed out constantly by the muzzle blast. It obviously has it’s uses in a tactical environment as well. An enemy unable to pinpoint your location due to the reduced flash could, in some cases, be the difference between life and death.

Further, a suppressor helps reduce felt recoil due to the added weight at the muzzle as well as the reduction in speed of the propellant gasses. I’ve also found that the quiet report and lack of muzzle flash aids in rapid strings of fire or target transition. On average my timed drills are somewhat faster than without a suppressor even though my rifle weighs more and feels unwieldy.

Finally and perhaps most importantly, when a suppressor is paired with ear pro you protect your hearing even better. Hearing damage is cumulative gentlemen, and investing in a suppressor when you’re younger could perhaps help mitigate hearing damage later in life. For those who already engage in shouting matches due to loss of hearing, a suppressor could help preserve what you have left.

What motivates many to buy a suppressor is the combination of noise reduction, muzzle flash reduction, recoil reduction and protection of their hearing long-term. There are drawbacks when suppressing the AR-15 however I strongly feel that the pros outweigh the cons. A suppressor is an investment. Buy once, cry once has never been truer.

Ultra-short .300 Blackout barrels round-up Part 2

In the second part of this ongoing series detailing as many commercially available ultra-short (sub-7″).300 Blackout barrels as possible, I’m not only adding two more to the lineup, I was able to obtain more ammo to test last articles barrels with as well. The two new barrels are both from KAK: the first is their venerable “Baby Blonde” 6.25″, the other is their brand-new 4.75″ (nickname in progress). Some additional chrono data will be included here for the V Seven 6.5” and the Right To Bear 6” barrels tested in Part 1. If you like time travel, jump to Part 3.

Due to the limited quantity of a couple ammo types, some of the chronograph data is somewhat limited. I’d like to have multiple 5- or 10- shot strings for each ammo type through each barrel, but it wasn’t possible. Likewise, accuracy testing should also be considered preliminary, as none of these barrels are totally broken in before grouping starts, I simply don’t have an extra hundred rounds per barrel. I do get a good sense of how these function (while suppressed or unsuppressed), general velocity data and which ammo each barrel prefers. This will allow me to pare down the ammo selection for a final accuracy review later.

So let’s talk tech specs on this article’s newcomers:

KAK 4.75″ with Micro Gas Tube and AR15 configurable buffer system, data from KAK.

Stainless Steel 416R
1:7 Twist
5R Rifling
Micro-gas length (1.5″ shorter than pistol length system)
.125″ gas port size
.750″ gas block journal
M4 feed ramps
5/8×24 threaded muzzle
10.48 ounces (barrel alone)
Special tuning might be required, this barrel requires a short barrel nut or modified grooved barrel nut to clear the micro gas tube (covered in installation below)
Price: Currently $200

KAK 6.25″ “Baby Blonde”

Stainless Steel 416R
1:7 Twist
5R Rifling
Pistol length gas system
.125″ gas port size
.750″ gas block journal
M4 feed ramps
5/8×24 threaded muzzle
13 ounces (barrel alone)
Price:Currently $199

Both of these barrels I assembled onto uppers. Both used ALG Defense handguards, which had to be trimmed down by about 9″. The 4.75″ barrel’s micro length gas system required I make some modifications to the barrel nut: I cut it in half (the forward half provided support for the long handguard, which wasn’t there anymore) and notched out the barrel nut on top-dead-center. I made sure there was enough material left on the nut to support the barrel. The Baby Blonde was assigned the tan handguard and the 4.75″ the black handguard.

KAK 6.25″ barrel with cut down ALG handguard

KAK 4.75″ with modified ALG barrel nut

Both barrels received an AAC 51t suppressor mount for subsonic work, the Baby Blonde getting a three-pronged flash hider and the 4.75″ barrel getting a Breakout (mistimed 180°, I’m swapping mounts often so not too worried about it. The barrels in Part 1 had mistimed muzzle devices as well, just hidden beneath a flash can or suppressor).

All firing was done from a Caldwell Stinger shooting rest at 50 yards for groups and through a Caldwell Ballistic Precision chronograph at the recommended 10-foot distance. Both KAK uppers shared a 4x Trijicon ACOG with ACSS reticle.

9 different ammo types were tested, but that bears some discussion. My on-hand supply of Barnes RangeAR was very limited, and I only had three rounds of Reaper Controlled Chaos. I ran the Reaper round through the 4.75″ barrel, as data can be found for it from 6-7″ barrels. Abbreviations for the two barrels will be, Baby Blonde (BB) and 4.75″ (475) and additional data for the barrels from Part 1, V7 6.5″ (V7) and Right To Bear 6″ (R2B). Chrono data from Part 1 for V7 and R2B will be inserted here as well.

SUPERSONIC ROUNDS

All rounds listed below cycled through both barrels with mil-spec BCG and standard weight buffer. Last round locked the bolt back with each ammo, unsuppressed.

Barnes RangeAR 90gr:

475 Average 1961 fps. Standard deviation (SD) 21
BB Average 2080 fps, SD 51
V7: Average 2166 fps, SD 37
R2B: Average 2104 fps, SD 19

Reaper Controlled Chaos 110gr:

475 Average 1792 fps, SD 31

Barnes Tac-TX 110gr:

475 Average 1846 fps, SD 6
BB Average 1946 fps, SD 8
V7: Average 1977 fps, SD 14
R2B: Average 1923 fps, SD 8

Federal All-Copper 120gr:

475 Average 1662 fps, SD 45
BB Average 1714 fps, SD 15
V7: Average 1794 fps, SD 8
R2B: Average 1735 fps, SD 8

ADI MSR 125gr Sierra Matchkings

475 Average 1651 fps, SD 60
BB Average 1751 fps, SD 32
V7 Average 1775 fps, SD 20
R2B Average 1740 fps, SD 10

Ammo Inc Jesse James 150gr soft point

475 Average 1613 fps, SD 18
BB Average 1661 fps, SD 10
V7 Average 1698 fps, SD 13
R2B Average 1642 fps, SD 14

SUBSONIC ROUNDS

Will indicate if the round cycled (CYC), or locked the bolt carrier on last round (LB) suppressed (SUP) or unsuppressed (UNSUP).

Ammo Inc /Stelth/ 220gr

475 Average 863 fps, SD 22. CYC and LB UNSUP and SUP.
BB Average 880 fps, SD 19. CYC and LB UNSUP and SUP.
V7 Average 931 fps, SD 11. CYC and LB UNSUP and SUP.
R2B Average 906 fps, SD 25. CYC and LB SUP, CYC with no LB UNSUP.

Fiocchi 220gr subsonic

475 Average 819 fps, SD 33. CYC and LB UNSUP and SUP.
BB Average 821 fps, SD 8. No CYC or LB UNSUP, positive CYC and LB when SUP.
V7: Average 810 fps, SD 14. CYC and LB SUP, CYC but no LB UNSUP.
R2B: Average 835 fps, SD 9. Did not CYC UNSUP, CYC AND LB while SUP.

Discreet Ballistics 190gr subsonic

475 Average 831 fps, SD 23. CYC but 50% LB UNSUP, CYC and LB when SUP. BCG was getting real dirty at this point. Added lube.
BB Average 864 fps, SD 38. NO CYC or LB when UNSUP, positive CYC and LB when SUP.
V7 Average 904 fps, SD 19. CYC and LB SUP, CYC but no LB UNSUP.
R2B Average 870 fps, SD 27. CYC and LB SUP, 50% CYC and 50% LB when UNSUP.

Remington 220gr subsonic round

475 Average 889 fps, SD 8. CYC and LB both SUP and UNSUP
BB- test data recorded on video, memory card ran out of memory. Data lost.
V7 Average 930 fps, SD 38. CYC and LB SUP, CYC but no LB UNSUP.
R2B Average 900 fps, SD 31. CYC and LB when SUP, did not CYC or LB UNSUP.

ACCURACY

I’ll mention it yet again that these accuracy results are preliminary, as all of the barrels I’ve received have been factory new. Once broken in, groups usually shrink somewhere between “noticeably” and “significantly”. Some of this can be seen in the (in)consistency of groups, where two groups from the same barrel with the same ammo will perform very differently not two minutes later. I wanted to get some groups to see what ammo types each barrel preferred, to pare down the options later. More exhaustive accuracy testing to come. Accuracy results for V7 and R2B found in Part 1. Unlike Part 1, called flyers were simply discarded. Here’s results sorted by barrel.

KAK 4.75″

Barnes 110: 1.33″–2.54 MOA

Federal 120: 2.91″ & 7.5″–5.55 & 14.3 MOA

Ammo Inc JJ 150: 1.57″ & 1.8″–2.99 & 3.43 MOA

Discreet Ballistics 190: 1.88″–3.59 MOA (stabilized)

Ammo Inc /Stelth/ 220: 1.9″–3.62 MOA (slight yaw in bullets, no baffle strike)

Remington 220: 1.82″ & 1.64″–3.47 & 3.13 MOA (some rounds yawed slightly, most stabilized)

Fiocchi 220: 1.6″ & 2.05″–3.05 & 3.91 MOA (stabilized)

KAK 6.25″

Barnes 110: 2.29″ & .99″–4.3 & 1.89 MOA

Federal 120: 1.6| & 1.98″– 3 & 3.78 MOA

Ammo Inc JJ 150: .91″ & 2.1″–1.73 & 4 MOA

Discreet Ballistics 190: 1.92″ & 2.39″– 3.66 & 4.56 MOA (stabilized)

Ammo Inc /Stelth/ 220: 1.79″ & 3.4″–3.41 & 6.5 MOA (stabilized)

Remington 220: 1.11″–2.11 MOA (stabilized)

Fiocchi 220: 1.03″ & 2.22″–1.96 & 4.23 MOA (stabilized)

KAK 6.25″ subsonics

KAK 4.75″ supersonics

KAK 4.75″ subsonics

KAK 6.25″ supersonics

Conclusion:

There’s the raw data so far, take it as you may. A couple observations: The KAK 4.75″ barrel is right on the edge of usable length. The lighter supersonic rounds had an immense concussive effect and blew the charging handle back with each round. A linear compensator/blast can is a necessity. The lighter subsonic round by Discreet Ballistics stabilized just fine and looks to be a good fit with this tiny barrel. For those saying such a barrel is essentially a pistol caliber carbine, the 90gr bullet was moving at ~1961 FPS, for 769 foot-pounds of energy.

The KAK 6.25″ barrel is a healthy step away from the edge, showing marked performance increases in velocity (naturally), accuracy (three groups in the 1-2 MOA range) and stabilization of subsonic rounds. Supersonic rounds didn’t blow the charging handle back with each shot, nor was the concussive effect nearly as profound.

A few groups were wildly inaccurate, so I’ll be going over each upper to check assembly again. Even a cheap barrel shouldn’t ever drop a 14 MOA group, so I’ll see if there’s anything mechanically incorrect.

I’ll keep working on this project as new barrels arrive (still waiting on Vertias/SLR upper and Modern Outfitters MC6-SD) and as opportunity permits more testing. Next time I’ll be strapping on a much higher magnification optic, and as I’ll be shooting each barrels preffered ammo, groups should decrease on the whole. Thanks for reading!

A special thanks to Discreet Ballistics, Ammo Inc, Fiocchi, and Federal for sending out ammo! A similar thanks to V7, Right to Bear and KAK for sending barrels, gas blocks and rails. Without their assistance, I couldn’t get an article like this off the ground.

-Rex Nanorum

@Rexnanorum

YouTube Channel

Zenith MKE Z-5P SB | Subgun second to none

Manufactured by MKE of Turkey and imported by Zenith Firearms, the Z-5P SB is the closest thing you can get to an authentic Mp5 without buying an HK directly. The Z-5P (and its roller-delayed brethren) are manufactured on the same machines and in the same factory as licensed Turkish-made HK guns. I’ve written about my early impressions with this clone of a legend, but now that I’ve been shooting it for a couple of months, it’s time to revisit this gun.

In case you missed the quick look article, it covers the tech specs in detail. For a brief primer (to those unfamiliar to the Mp5 family of guns) the Z-5P is the descendant of the original short-barreled submachine gun chambered in 9mm which uses rollers on the bolt to delay blowback. The benefits of the roller-delayed recoil system are decreased recoil and comparatively greater accuracy when measured against open-bolt submachine guns.

This Z-5P SB is a 4.6lb clone of the Mp5K, with the K denoting the shorter version of the Mp5. We’re looking at a ~14″ overall length and a 5.8″ barrel that features both threading and HK’s three-lug suppressor mount. This version with its short barrel, lack of buttstock and under 26″ overall length is legally defined as a pistol. An arm brace and receiver endcap are both included, depending on your preference. The receiver is topped with a length of Picatinny rail for optional optics attachment.

I used the 1/2×28 threading to affix one of my AAC TiRant 45 suppressors. While this adds a bit of length, the weight of the suppressor is pretty negligible and it lends a fantastic balance to this little shooter. While the stock iron sights are more than adequate, who can resist the temptation of tossing a little red-dot on a gun such as this? When not shooting with the irons, I’ve been using a Vortex Venom micro sight (review here), which takes the Z-5P’s natural point-and-shoot ergonomics and combines them with the speed of a reflex sight to devastating effect.

While this gun handles silky smooth and shoots like a dream, there is one rub. The Z-5P (just like my old Mp5SD) runs flawlessly with brass cased ammo. Steel cased ammo provides the same level of dependability. So where’s the problem? Aluminum cased ammo. The violent nature of HK designed extraction/ejection leaves poor aluminum cases not knowing what to do or where to fly. Some did circles inside the receiver. Some stovepiped. Changing back to brass or steel cased ammo totally and immediately eliminated the issue. Again, this has been true for me when shooting legit/original HK Mp5’s as well as American-manufactured clones and this Turkish made Z-5p.

The universal aluminum case issue aside, this is a flawless recreation of HK’s legend. MKE licensed the HK designs and has followed the plans to perfection. Unlike some other “cloners” (*cough* SW/Cohaire *cough*), MKE has stayed true to the blueprints and has made the closest thing you can get to an HK produced gun. This Z-5P shoots as well as any Mp5 derivative I’ve shot. German or otherwise. The price tag is $1844 for the base pistol (which includes 3x 30 round mags, a plastic carry case and a cleaning kit) and $2104 for the big package, which includes everything from the base model as well as a discreet carry case and the arm brace. While this is a steep price, it’s the cheapest I’ve seen for a quality replica of the legendary Mp5. Check it out!

-Rex Nanorum

Zayin Tactical: Rifle Suppressors That Run for $299

Zayin Tactical makes quality suppressors. You can buy one today for $299. How can they do this? There must be a catch. That is the hook in the story. Owner Zack Cross is an Army veteran, a Machinist, a Patriot, and a Constitutionalist. He and his family make cans in America for Americans and they run a very efficient operation.

ALL zTac – Gen1 SUPPRESSORS are $299*

Unconditional Lifetime Warranty 4130 Chromoly Steel – Any Caliber Cerakote Finish
Choice of Graphite Black, OD Green or Coyote Tan
Oscar Mike Hoodie – Free Shipping

Zayin Tactical’s UNCONDITIONAL Lifetime Warranty:

Squished from being run over by a Stryker MGS? No problem.
Teeth marks from a grizzly? Don’t sweat it.
Threads damaged by an overzealous brother-in-law trying to prove himself? No worries.
Accidentally microwaved it instead of your burrito? They’re gonna laugh at you, but you’re covered.

Looking back at great ideas of the past, some have a clear genesis. Denzel Dockery invented the ‘Diver Down’ flag (red diagonal stripe on white) to avoid being chopped to bits by propeller blades as he tried out his homemade SCUBA gear, the plans for which he’d taken from an issue of Popular Mechanics.

Levi Strauss was a busy merchant who sold pair after pair of pants to the rugged miners during the San Francisco gold rush, to replace those literally torn apart at the seams by the sharp rocks in the tunnels and the heavy gold in their pockets. It occurred to him that they needed much sturdier gear, and he was in possession of hundreds of yards of heavy cloth – and Levi’s Jeans (after a couple iterations) was born.

The Start of Zayin Tactical

Regarding the start of Zayin Tactical, Zack Cross’s small arms and suppressor business, it would be harder to trace to a particular event. As a child in the early seventies in Southeast Alaska, his familiarity with guns was just a normal part of daily life. Some afternoons his parents would station him at an upstairs window with instructions to stabilize the rodent population in the surrounding junkyard.

Many mornings he would leave with his .22 and a box of shells and spend the day plinking in the woods, enjoying what was essentially a deep affection for shooting, and admiration for the gun itself. The deer he shot one day at only seven years old (having come upon it by complete surprise) was just a collateral blessing and a bit of a problem – he had to go get his mother to come and help him haul it home.

At seventeen he enlisted in the Army and gained a new understanding of and appreciation for arms and munitions of all types- their construction, strengths and weaknesses, their care and maintenance and different capabilities, memorizing many, many ballistics tables along the way. Despite his ETS from the Army, he never lost his love for firearms.

Fast-forward through the years and careers and we find him working overseas as a government contractor, responsible for in-theater maintenance and repair of Remote Weapon Systems installed on variants of the Stryker platform. During that assignment, he learned more about large caliber weapons – specifically M2’s and Mark19’s; their tolerances – temperature and stress fatigue, and the incredible decibel levels they can generate.

Though it was hard working long hours in an inhospitable place away from his wife and children, the pay was more than adequate, and he was determined to put in his time now in order to get out of debt and finance their dream of buying a piece of property somewhere where they could become independent and self-sustaining- chickens, goats, a garden- the whole nine yards. It was right about this time, on a trip stateside for the birth of his first grandchild, that the trajectory he had been on ran right up against a blast barrier and stopped cold. In his first week back in the states, he was admitted to the ER two times in such excruciating pain that he could barely walk and couldn’t drive at all.

The doctors’ eventual findings: congenitally deformed hips exacerbated by decades of running for physical fitness and finished off by years of deployment. In an instant, everything changed, and he found himself not only at a financial disadvantage, but struggling to figure out what he could possibly do to be productive with a functional diagnosis of “permanently disabled”.

What now? After considering many possibilities and adjusting direction a few times, he enrolled in a machining course at Olympic College in Bremerton, Washington where his daughter was getting her Technical Arts Degree. He obtained his Precision Machinist certification in 2014 (repairing an old Navy lathe for his instructor along the way), and moved back to Alaska in 2015, still looking for a viable way to get back on the path to being independent and able to provide for his family.

An active reader and contributor to several websites and boards that other weapons specialists frequent, he began to see a need for high-quality suppressors in an affordable price range. After some research, he concluded that launching a start-up business on the strength of his ideals as a patriot and defender of the second amendment, his skills as a machinist, and his love for guns was a worthy gambit.

Once he had the target in his sights, it remained for him to figure out all the details that make up a business – name, logo, mission statement, advertising methods, business cards, and the million details that make up a “simple” website. He spent a lot of time wondering how much to share with the world, how transparent to be, how vulnerable? Following the same leading as before, he put all of it out there- why he chose the name Zayin, why he believes small manufacturing is crucial, why he chose suppressors as a business.

He spent hundreds and hundreds of hours staring at laptop trying to make pictures and text stay where they were supposed to, and on the phone arguing with credit card companies, most of whom flat-out wouldn’t do business with him at all because suppressors are still classified as a ‘destructive device’ and regulated by the NFA much in the same way as machine guns and explosives.

Finally, he got everything daisy-chained together and plugged it in. Beyond excited, he began to get feedback that there had been a spike of views to the site, interested searchers clicking around, and then… it slowed to a crawl. After a little investigation, it was discovered that the main company he was depending on for advertising canceled his ad, though they had previously approved it. Again, the reason according to Facebook: his site was associated with weapons.

Undeterred, knowing he had a great idea, product and pricing; he pressed on. These days you can either find him still staring at his CNC or a computer screen, watching for any problems, answering every single email right away, with great care and focus. Despite Facebook refusing to allow advertisement, with hopes of word-of-mouth. He’s looking to attract enough of a share of the vast market to simply get up every morning and do what he has long pictured doing- feeding the goats and then on to the shop and to make beautiful, lasting, worthwhile things.

Zayin Tactical is Southeast Alaska’s first and only premier Small Arm and Suppressor Manufacturer. Aside from producing new designs and improving old ones, they are a fully-functioning machine shop. Offering services from prototyping to gunsmithing, cerakoting, barrel-threading and custom orders to meet your needs! They support local, Veteran-owned businesses and use American-made/sourced materials whenever possible.

Get your very own Zayin Tactical Suppressor HERE. Priced to be the First Suppressor You Buy; Engineered to be the Last

SureFire SOCOM260-Ti Suppressor: 12 Ounces of Silent Devistation

SureFire 11/13/2018 – The SOCOM260-Ti suppressor is optimized for use with 6mm, 6.5mm and .260 caliber weapon systems. The SOCOM260-Ti is manufactured in the USA from Titanium alloy which produces a durable, yet lightweight suppressor. Years of development and testing have produced a suppressor that is extremely quiet and virtually eliminates visible flash and dust signature. The SOCOM260-Ti incorporates internal venting technology that evenly distributes thermodynamic gasses to reduce pressure impulse effects on the projectile after leaving the muzzle. Precision manufacturing tolerances, attention to bore concentricity, suppressor alignment, and a rock-solid attachment system provide the best suppressor available. Each SOCOM260-Ti suppressor is test fired and must shoot under 1 MOA accuracy and point of impact shift. The SOCOM260-Ti’s revolutionary design is the ultimate in suppressor performance.

About SureFire

Located in Fountain Valley, California, SureFire, LLC is the leading manufacturer of suppressors, high-performance flashlights, weapon-mounted lights, and other tactical equipment for those who go in harm’s way or anyone who demands the ultimate in quality, innovation, and performance. SureFire illumination tools are used by more SWAT teams and elite special operations forces than any other brand. SureFire is an ISO 9001:2000-certified company.

For more information

Safariland QLS Holster System

We, as shooters, are always looking for the next leg up in holsters: we want more secure retention, faster draws and lower profiles. We want better mounting platforms and a softer finish that won’t scratch the finish right off our guns. We want and we want but few manufacturers come close to meeting all those demands and desires. After getting a chance to run Safariland’s 7377-7 TS holster for the Glock 17, I’d say we have a clear front-runner.

While Safariland’s use of numerical product listings and similar acronyms might make searching their products a little confusing, actually using their products is amazingly straightforward. Let me break it down: the vast majority of Safariland’s synthetic holsters revolve around the 3-screw mounting method. Forming a “T”, the screw pattern is the same on a number of base plates as well as a variety of holsters. There are base plates for belts, paddles, molle webbing, drop-legs or static mounts such as in a vehicle then you get to partner it up with the holster of your choice. You can get one with the Grip-lock system (GLS), Auto-lock system (ALS), or the Self-locking system (SLS). Some of these holsters also have additional locking options you can add-on, giving higher levels of retention. The holster and base plate are connected using a small adapter that has three prongs. It is a quick release adapter so if you would like to swap holsters, guns or mounting platforms you simply pinch the tips of the outside prongs together and slide the holster out.

This is a truly modular system that allows switching between mounting systems and holsters in seconds. If I’m out hunting I’ll have my sidearm on my riggers belt I can pop off the holster and snap it into the base plate in my vehicle for the drive home, then snap it onto a paddle for concealed carry once I’m back in the city. Furthermore, it allows for custom Kydex holster manufacturers to produce a holster that is immediately able to tap into the available mounting solutions. I have a Gladius holster for my Glock 17 that allows me to carry the pistol with a suppressor mounted and attached to any of the available Safariland QLS mounting options.

Now that I’m done geeking out over the QLS mounting platform, it’s time we took a look at the specific holster I was able to get for hands-on testing. I received the 7377 7TS ALS belt slide holster with an additional paddle base for use without a belt. The 7TS is in reference to the proprietary Dupont (TM) nylon blend named SafariSeven (TM). This is a very durable material that isn’t abrasive to a firearm’s finish at all. I’ve worn the tennifer off of a couple of Glocks doing dry-fire practice with various holsters. This material does feel structurally strong and yet somewhat slick. The ALS is a fantastic lock. I’ve always been a fan of the Serpa holster which allows you to use your trigger finger to unlock the handgun prior to drawing. The ALS feels a bit more intuitive to me, as well as feeling more secure; I mean secure in two ways: 1. The lock is near where your thumb would lay at the start of your draw so it’s out of sight for would-be gun grabbers. 2. The lock isn’t on the outside of the holster where it could be inadvertently disengaged during a fall.

This holster unlocks and draws like a dream. The handgun is snug and secure when holstered without feeling pinched. My Glock pops out of the 7377 in a hurry, feeling like the holster is handing it to me rather than me dragging it out kicking and screaming. The ALS is a very secure system. If however, you desire further security, (or a department mandates it) I count two more modular locks on the Safariland website that can be added on with ease. The belt loop and paddle are both very comfortable options and hold tight when you need them to. They are more comfortable and reliable than other companies offerings I’ve owned in the past.

The 7377 7TS ALS by Safariland is a straight-up winner in my book. the modularity, comfort, wealth of options and perfect execution of a holster done right have shown me the path in sidearm homes. I’m going to be picking up additional holsters for other handguns in my collection.