08-15-2011, 02:25 AM
For noise suppression, I've been most impressed with Ase Utra, BR Tuote, Brugger & Thomet, TBAC, and AWC in high power rifle calibers such as .30 and .338. The .30 cal cans work great on 6.5 rifles like .260 Rem, 6.5x47 Lapua, 6.5x284, and so forth. I think Brugger & Thomet has impressed me the most across different calibers on high-power rifles and subguns as well. I always come away thinking "Hollywood" quiet, which is rare with cans. The AWC in .338 is also impressive, but insanely expensive. A lot of the cans I mentioned aren't imported into the States, since the ATF doesn't allow it.
For Stateside use, I would first look to ThunderBeast Arms Corps for lightweight, quiet, minimal shift thread-on cans. I would recommend staying away from QD mechanisms for bolt guns and precision rifles, since you usually thread on most of the QD systems anyway, and they are often too hot to handle, even with Nomex gloves. They are also significantly heavier. Titanium cans are heavy enough for my taste already, even the tiny cans. The guys that own and run TBAC are long-range and 3-gun competitors who shoot often, place within the top 3 usually in competition, and have no illusions about what is needed at the end-user level for suppression. Once you get into cans, you realize that they really don't reduce the noise level that much, and are hard to justify all the paperwork hassle the ATF gives you to get one, especially when you get into repairs, resale, transport across State lines, and so forth.
For Stateside use, I would first look to ThunderBeast Arms Corps for lightweight, quiet, minimal shift thread-on cans. I would recommend staying away from QD mechanisms for bolt guns and precision rifles, since you usually thread on most of the QD systems anyway, and they are often too hot to handle, even with Nomex gloves. They are also significantly heavier. Titanium cans are heavy enough for my taste already, even the tiny cans. The guys that own and run TBAC are long-range and 3-gun competitors who shoot often, place within the top 3 usually in competition, and have no illusions about what is needed at the end-user level for suppression. Once you get into cans, you realize that they really don't reduce the noise level that much, and are hard to justify all the paperwork hassle the ATF gives you to get one, especially when you get into repairs, resale, transport across State lines, and so forth.