Tag Archives: mount

Direct thread VS. QD Suppressors

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I know I talk a lot about suppressors here, partially because I am a sucker for suppressors, and also because everybody else is also joining the trend. Some trends are just trends, but the suppressor craze is one I can get behind fully. One of the big questions many new suppressor users ask, and one that often still perplexes those of us after decades is; should I get a direct thread can, or a brake mounted one? Hopefully by the time your done reading this, you’ll have a suitable answer.

Definitions

First lets make sure we understand the differences. Direct thread suppressors are fairly self explanatory, they have threads on the mounting end of the suppressor that are designed to directly engage with the muzzle-threads of the host firearm. Thread pitches vary depending on many factors, but mainly on the caliber of the anticipated host.

The most common sizes are 1/2-28 for rimfire and .224 caliber centerfire rifles, 5/8-24 for rifles between 30 caliber down to 6mm, and for .338 sized rifles the common thread pattern is 3/4-24.

My Yankee Hill Machine Turbo 5.56 mounts to several different brakes and flash hiders. This allows me to use it on many different rifles.

Muzzle Brake or QD (as many are called) mounted suppressors attach to the muzzle device, instead of directly attached to the barrel. The muzzle device threads onto the barrel, and the suppressor attaches to the exterior.

The various muzzle devices typically seen will usually serve as a recoil reducer when not used in conjunction with the suppressor, they also frequently function as a flash hider. It varies from one manufacturer to another, but often the muzzle device can use course threads, ratcheting locks, and other features to reduce the effort and time required to install the suppressor.

Pros vs. Cons

So lets get to the meat and potatoes of the discussion; which one is better for me? The internet is filled with hatred for the person who presents the old “which one is the best” question, only you can decide that. But with the right understanding you will be more than capable of making a good choice.

The X2 Dev Group Orion threaded directly onto a 5.56 carbine

Direct thread suppressors are often considered to be better for accuracy, many people suggest them for precision rifles citing this as a better choice. That may have been true in the past, but in my experience direct threading suppressors are no more accurate than brake mounted cans.

This is likely due to improvements in technology and manufacturing process’. But a direct thread suppressor is simpler by design, that is for sure. Its simpler mounting system can translate into various benefits like lighter weight, less expensive to manufacture, and single point connection to the host. Perhaps a downside if there is one; some direct thread cans have multiple threaded end caps, meaning you can change from one thread pitch to another, but if you don’t have that feature you are stuck with whatever it comes with.

For many of us, this not a deal breaker, but it is nice to have options. Another issue that occasionally arises with direct cans is coming loose during strings of fire. With no mechanical lock to keep the suppressor in place, they can work their way loose which could be catastrophic.

QD and brake mounted cans have their own set of advantages. The Q in QD stands for quick, so as you might imagine if your application will require lots of removal and installation of your can this could be an advantage. Another benefit is you can use as many hosts as you want, installing the appropriate brake on each one. This makes things easy and fast to move the suppressor around on various host weapons, though there is obviously additional cost. You also have the benefits of the muzzle device on the host weapon when the suppressor is not being used.

If brake mounted suppressors are your choice, you’ll want to ensure you clean them with regularity. Especially with rimfire guns that tend to foul faster than centerfire weapons. It doesn’t take much looking to find a case of a suppressor stuck to its mount from carbon or lead buildup, and that is a problem you don’t want to have. Another concern that has mostly been solved by design is the alignment issues from having multiple tolerance stacking issues. Brake mounted suppressors have at least two points of alignment that must be near perfect, whereas direct thread cans only have one. If your host doesn’t have perfectly concentric threads this could be an issue. And again, keeping the mounting surfaces clean will go a long way towards maintaining proper engagement.

Alignment

Alignment is as important as anything with suppressors, there is nothing worse than the dreaded baffle strike. Minimizing possibilities for misalignment should always be on your mind, particularly with brake mounted suppressors. Often these brakes need to be timed, to ensure the ports are horizontal if they have them. Make sure you follow the manufacturers directions when mounting the brake, they are typically timed using precision cut shims of assorted thickness. When the appropriate thickness of shims are collected between the brake and barrel, the brake timing will be perfect. Shims are not to be confused with crush washers, which should not be used when mounting a suppressor ever. A crush washer is just what it sounds like, a washer that is designed to “give” when tightened against. They are very useful for aligning muzzle devices as they are plentiful and cheap, but they don’t always give evenly, and can easily cause a misalignment when used with a suppressor mount.

A Dead Air Sandman K and it’s mount

Whether you check with a glance down the bore (of an open bolt firearm of course), or use an alignment rod in the bore, its not a bad idea to check your suppressors concentricity when in place.

Modern Magic

If your just getting into the suppressor game, or even if you’ve been in the club for years, there’s hardly been a better time. New technology has been flooding the market like gas into a bolt carrier, this has resulted in many improved options for suppressor consumers. Materials like titanium, stainless steel, and inconel have improved durability and reduced the weight added to your host.

Innovation driven by market pressures have also resulted in manufacturers creating some wild new designs, which for the most part have been very beneficial. Some examples of this are manufacturers using standardized thread patterns and sizes, allowing end users to customize cross-brand mounting options and host applications to whatever fits their needs or preference.

Another fantastic development has been multi-purpose suppressors. Modular cans now allow users to install the same suppressor on their 9mm pistol, 5.56 carbine, and a 308 bolt rifle and so on. Threaded end-caps on both ends, multi-staged, and a multitude of boosters and mounting options make these modular suppressors ideal for those shopping for their first can or those who own a dozen.

Modular suppressors like this YHM Nitro N20 allow users to adapt mounting options and other aspects

Conclusion

Your shooting practices are best known by you, so with the information outlined here, you should be able to decide what kind of suppressor best fits your style of shooting. If you do long strings of fire through multiple auto-loading rifles, then maybe a full-auto rated QD can is the best fit. Or conversely, if you are using a suppressor on a bolt action hunting rifle, a lightweight direct thread suppressor might be just the ticket. Either way, you can add some class to your shooting practice.

-CBM

This Silencerco Harvester 300 is very lightweight, a perfect companion for a hunting rifle.

Strike Industries Adjustable Scope Mount (ASM)

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I go through a lot of scopes, not like you think though. I find myself constantly switching optics back and forth, from one rifle to another. One of the reasons I can getaway with it is because of quality scope mounts. And today I’d like to share a little bit about the latest one I have been fortunate to use.

I mounted a Sig Sauer Tango 6 riflescope in the mount

That scope mount is from Strike Industries, a company I am well familiar with. They make all kinds of firearms accessories, the ASM is the first scope mount from Strike that I have used. The ASM is a 30mm set of rings, joined together as one billet piece of aluminum. It does come with ring reducers should you choose to mount a 1” tube scope. The base and rings are held together by a few screws, that also allows one of the paramount features of this mount. The rings can be slid fore and aft to use the mount either as a standard scope mount, or as a cantilever mount. The base of the mount features a recoil lug and two claw clamps to attach to the pic-rail of the rifle.

These features make this mount extremely useful, particularly if your like me and switching back and forth between rifles.
The design and style that comes with most Strike Industries products wasn’t lost on this unit, its clean lines and slender features make it both attractive and unlikely to snag on clothing or other gear.

I like that they used appropriate sized fasteners, some scope rings use insufficient screws that are easily stripped or broken. And I like that there are nearly zero exposed clamps, or screws and such to hangup on. This minimalist design style likely reduces the weight of the mount.

This scope mount is a handsome and useful piece of equipment, no matter which of its four positions you need, I think you will be very pleased with it.

-CBM

Shop additional scope mounts at Palmetto State Armory

A Tripod for the People: Precision Rifle Solutions tripod

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Why shoot from a tripod?

When I began precision rifle shooting many years ago, it was a different landscape. An astounding amount of growth has occurred over the years, and it has kept my perspective shifting, as well as my goals. Technology and product innovation have kept our shooting world fluid, making it quite the challenge to stay on the cutting edge.

As a blue collar shooter, I have had trouble over the years fulfilling my desire for top tier hardware. Always having to find a compromise, and doing the best I could with what I had.
A quick browse through gun rags, internet forums, and some of the regional trade shows will surely drive the average shooting enthusiast out of his mind. The ever growing surplus of whiz-bang accessories being peddled to the American shooter is astonishing. And the effort by so many to reach tier zero civilian-operator status fuels it.
In the storm of QD-this, and tactical-that, it’s easy for a guy who just wants to shoot, and shoot well, to get overwhelmed with wants. My father taught me as a child that my “getter” had to be bigger than my “wanter”. Compromise was a learned discipline that over the years, helped me achieve my goals.

All those years ago, a point was reached wherein I thought I had achieved some sort of status. It came from a sense of confidence or accomplishment when I proved to myself that I could hit almost whatever I wanted with my rifle given a few conditions. One of those conditions was to have a good shooting position, which was almost always prone. In order to up my game, I had to “get off my belly”, as put by my friend The Blanman

A crucial step forward was realizing that any fool with enough ammo and a decent rifle and scope can hit distant targets from a prone position. It is entirely a different thing to hit targets from tough positions, at difficult angles, in a short time, and all the while making those first round hits. This was indeed a challenge, and one that required practice, and some additional hardware.

Precision Rifle Solutions

This is where Precision Rifle Solutions came into my kit. I had long wanted for the gear that so many of the pros use, but I simply couldn’t afford to spend four or five hundred dollars on a tripod. So after some research and few reviews, I bought a PRS medium QD tripod. The tripod came with a small padded saddle that was perfect for resting my rifle on.

I quickly became quite fond of this lightweight little tripod, and just as quickly I worked it into my range routine. In the steep and rough mountains that I normally shoot from, it was perfect for when the bipod just wouldn’t do. The easily adjustable legs were quickly deployed and help me get a good solid rest, allowing me to shoot over tall grass, bushes and other obstacles that often block a shot from a regular bipod. It also worked exceptionally well for those high angled shots where again, a standard bipod left me wanting more. I have been using the PRS tripod and saddle for quite some time now, its become one of the most handy tools in my pack.

Well, the good people at Precision Rifle Solutions have been hard at work, looking for more products to offer the serious recreational shooter. And I was excited to get this next one in my hands.
The Freedom Quick Release Mount is a small aluminum block that you can attach to your rifle, and with the QD release plates also available from PRS, you can in a matter of seconds, attach your rifle to any of their tripods. It attaches to your rifles pic rail, giving you a very solid lockup with the tripod. I have found it to be an invaluable addition to my tripod, I can run it either with the saddle, or without. Instead opting to snap the rifle directly to the ball head. The best part of it all, is that I can do all of this without even removing my standard bipod. Allowing me to go from a prone position on my traditional bipod, transitioning to a kneeling, or sitting position in literally a couple seconds. I can just as quickly drop the tripod loose, and go right back to my bipod. The FQRM is very compact and doesn’t interfere with the function of the bipod if your rifle has a full length bottom rail and allows you to mount both.

When coupled with the QD Tripod, and its compact ball clutch, it is amazing how quickly I can transition from one position to another. And if you have a good backpack to use as a rear support, you can get so stable, you’d think you were prone on the ground. Making long range shots quite a doable challenge.

The compact and lightweight tripod easily fits in a daypack for an afternoon hunt, or for a competition. The FQRM is also easily attached and left on most tactical style rifles to be used with or with out a bipod mounted next to it. It can also double as a barricade stop when it’s not attached to the tripod.
The FQRM is attached to a pic rail, sliding on from one end, and using two cross bolts, it clamps down. I got the FQRM with the PRS quick release plate, but with common threads in it, Im sure you could attach any kind of tripod QD mounting plate to it. With additional QR plates, there are countless mounting options, to put, optics, or other accessories on the top of this handy little tripod.

 

Conclusion

With so many expensive options for shooting accessories, its very refreshing to find good quality gear, made in America, for a reasonable price that the average shooter can afford. I will continue to use the great products from Precision Rifle Solutions, and cant wait to see what innovative and useful product they come up with next.
If you’d like more information, go to their website:
Precision Rifle Solutions

And tell them I sent you, you might get a platypus sticker out of it…
-CBM