Tag Archives: yankee hill machine

YHM Fat Cat VS. Banish Speed K

December 23, 2024Product review, suppressors.223, 5.56, banish, fat cat, silencer, silencer central, speed k, suppressor, yankee hill machine, YHMcoldboremiracle

Short Cans

As a long-time suppressor enthusiast I rarely see one I don’t want. In the decades since my first suppressor interaction however, I have noticed a few things about short suppressors. For a long time, there were suppressors designed primarily for law enforcement and military use that were very short. This effected their ability to subdue the report of a rifle to my taste. Times are changing however, and today we are looking at two very short and compact suppressors that do exactly what you’d want them to do. We are comparing the YHM Fat Cat VS. Banish Speed K.

Both of these suppressors are very compact, and they both do a good job of subduing rifle noise. So today I wanted to put them up against each other to see which one I would pick if I couldn’t have both. These compact suppressors are designed for use on 5.56 or .223 caliber semi-auto rifles which most of us commonly use. My analysis will be based on various features but most importantly how these can’s stand up to a heavily used carbine or what many have colloquially called a “fighting rifle” or “battle rifle”.

Fat Cat and Banish Speed K Specifications

	YHM Fat Cat	Banish Speed K
Caliber	5.56mm	.223/5.56mm
Weight	13.2oz (with adaptor)	14.1 oz
Length	4.5” (with adaptor)	4”
Diameter	1.94”	2”
Construction Material	17-4 Stainless/ Cobalt 6	Inconel
Decibel Reduction	20dB	20.9dB
Minimum Barrel Length	10” min.	None
Full-Auto Rated	Yes	Yes
Mount Style	Ind. Standard Hub Mount	Ind. Standard Hub Mount
Finish	Black Cerakote	Black Cerakote
Warranty	Limited Lifetime	Limited Lifetime
Baffle Design	Traditional Stacked baffles	Controlled Flow
User Serviceable	No	No
Included Mount	½-28 sRx Mini QD brake	½-28 Direct Thread

These two suppressors are very similar in size and specifications though there are some differences. The biggest differences that I feel are important I’ll point out here; The Banish Speed K is either 3D printed or DMLS fabricated from Inconel. Inconel is a very robust material (nickel chromium alloy) that is very resistant to both heat and abrasion. This makes the Speed K one solid piece of material, which can be very robust. But for those of us who have broken suppressors before, it makes them nearly impossible to repair if needed. The Speed K uses a finned blast chamber and clipped wall baffles to help reduce sound.

The YHM Fat Cat is built in the more traditional fashion, welding together 17-4 Stainless steel. It uses a cobalt 6 blast baffle to help tame the extreme pressure, heat and abrasion coming from the muzzle. Cobalt 6 (cobalt-chromium-tungsten alloy) is also very resistant to heat and erosion. The fat cat uses an interesting funnel shape to increase the volume of the blast chamber, and it appears the design also helps create a turbulent flow to help reduce sound.

YHM Ft Cat suppressor, desert tech Quattro-15

Both suppressors use the industry standard hub mounting system. I can’t tell you how much I like and appreciate the industry moving this direction. It has made mounting your suppressors infinitely easier. You can use whichever mounting system you prefer, whether it be the YHM sRx QD system as provided with the Fat Cat, or something else like the Dead Air KeyMo system, or Plan B from Q. Both suppressors also use a tri-clipped muzzle port, this has become a common feature among many cans.

desert tech WLVRN, eotech Vudu, banish speed k — this combination is an excellent medium range carbine

Host Firearms

To properly test these two suppressors, I put together a small collection of rifles that would give them both a good workout. For pure sound testing, I would run them on my Savage Model 12 chambered in .223. The bolt-action rifle would give the best opportunity to hear the report of both suppressors. I would also use My Desert Tech WLVRN with the 20-inch .223 barrel, the adjustable gas system of the WLVRN would allow me to tune for performance and see how the two cans affected its function.

Quattro 15, trijicon MRO, banish speed k suppressor — this little rifle’s upper half is from **CMMG**, while the lower is from **Desert Tech**

Additionally I would run them both on a couple other AR15 based rifles like most folks would likely use. One of them a 16-inch Aero Precision build and the other a short barreled 5.56 that we’d also run some full auto through the cans.

yhm fat cat suppressor — the Fat Cat was an excellent companion to my **AR-15**

Shooting the YHM Fat Cat and the Banish Speed K

Sound Suppression

Shooting these two suppressors across the host firearms gave a pretty good idea of how they compare. I kept switching them out back and forth to compare.

YHM Fat Cat, desert tech WLVRN, eotech vudu — the **Desert Tech WLVRN** worked great with the Fat Cat and the **Eotech VUDU 1-6**

Both suppressors sounded very hearing safe on the longer rifles. The 16″ Quattro 15 and the 20″ WLVRN were very pleasant to shoot without hearing protection. Of course I have to add the caveat that you should always wear ear protection, even when suppressed.

Backpressure

Almost every suppressor out there adds at least some back-pressure in my experience. And these two were not exempt.

desert tech Quattro 15, eotech vudu, banish speed k suppressor

Finish Reading Here

yankee hill machine suppressor fat cat 5.56 — Both cans worked great with **YHM’s Phantom QD muzzle devices**

YHM Fat Cat, Desert Tech Quattro 15, Trijicon MRO — my little gun used a **Trijicon MRO**

Finish reading about these two suppressors here

YHM Fat Cat Suppressor

November 15, 2024Product review, suppressors.223, 5.56, fat cat, suppressor, yankee hill machine, YHMcoldboremiracle

Preface

I’ve been shooting Yankee Hill Machine (YHM) suppressors for several decades now, and I can say with confidence that it has been a good experience. Suppressors have become an everyday thing for me, I use them on most of my guns. I’ve got a variety of suppressors from various manufacturers, but I keep coming back to YHM for good reasons. Today I am happy to bring you yet another new to me suppressor from the good folks at YHM. That can is the YHM Fat Cat 5.56 suppressor, a compact can designed for hard use on your auto-loading 5.56 rifles.

YHM Fat Cat Specifications

Caliber	5.56mm
Weight	11.2 oz/ 13.2 oz with adaptor
Length	4.25 in/4.50 in with adaptor
Diameter	1.94 in
Material	17-4 Stainless steel/ Cobalt 6
Included Mount	sRx ½-28 QD adaptor
Decibel rating	139 dB
Min Barrel length	10 in
Full Auto-rated	Yes

Compact and Compatible

The YHM Fat Cat is a compact suppressor, a trend that has gained some popularity as the suppressor market has grown. K cans have been around for a long time, and offer shorter overall weapon lengths. But the Fat Cat falls into a different category, a short and fat category. There are a few different options out there that offer short cans with larger diameters, the idea behind them is that the greater diameter of the suppressor aids in its effectiveness.

The Fat Cat from Yankee Hill Machine incorporates many of the companies other features as well. Using the industry standard hub allows you to use whatever mounting system you prefer. The Fat Cat comes with the newer sRx system, which is compact in its own right. But other options can also be used, like the Phantom QD system, or various direct thread options. And thats just some of the YHM mount options, you could also use mounting systems from other manufacturers if you choose.

Construction and Materials

The curious shape of the Fat Cat is due to its interesting blast chamber. The suppressor tapers at the breech end, making the blast baffle detached at its rear. This blast chamber design surely causes a great deal of turbulence as gas tries to escape from the Fat Cat.

yhm fat cat 5.56 suppressor — a view of the blast chamber and cobalt 6 blast baffle

Manufacturing the blast baffle from cobalt 6 was done to increase durability and reduce erosion of the suppressor. Cobalt 6 is an alloy including tungsten and chrome, its resistance to heat and erosion makes it ideal for the Fat Cats blast chamber.

The rest of the suppressors construction consists of 17-4 stainless. This high tensile strength alloy is also resistant to erosion, the entire suppressor is welded together for robust one-piece durability. The finish on the Fat Cat is black Cerakote, which is made to stand up to the heat and action of shooting.

These construction aspects of the Fat Cat are why YHM gives it a full-auto rating. Though it does come with a minimum barrel length requirement, which I suppose is fair. I don’t do a lot of full-auto shooting, so I didn’t expect it would be a huge concern.

Shooting the Yankee Hill Machine Fat Cat 5.56 suppressor

Putting the Fat Cat through testing with the rest of my 5.56 suppressors would give me a good idea of its performance qualities. You can read more about a direct comparison to other suppressors here.

yankee hill machine fat cat 5.56 suppressor, sRx QD hub adaptor 1/2-28 — a better view of the sRx QD adaptor

Using the sRx muzzle device, I could attach the Fat Cat to most of my 5.56 carbines. But I also used the Phantom QD muzzle devices just because I could. It would also allow me to mount the Cat to rifles that used 5/8-24 threaded muzzles (still chambered in 5.56).

savage model 12, yankee hill machine Fat Cat 5.56 suppressor — shooting from a bolt-action rifle allowed for sound evaluation compared to others

I chose to test the Fat Cat on a variety of host firearms, for various reasons. For example, a bolt action Savage model 12 .223 rifle would allow us hear the pure unfettered muzzle report from the suppressor. Various semi-auto rifles and carbines would allow us to see how back-pressure and other function were affected by the suppressor. For that I used a couple different AR15 type rifles I’d put together, and I also used my Desert Tech WLVRN 5.56 rifle. Five different host rifles would give us a good idea of how the Fat Cat does suppressing the noise.

Sound Suppression

I was very pleased with the sound suppression of the Fat Cat. On every 5.56 rifle I used it, the sound reduction was fantastic. I never felt the need to use hearing protection, though I probably should. Those around also mentioned that it was very pleasant shooting even without hearing protection.

Back-pressure

On the semi-auto rifles this suppressor was destined for, there is bound to be some backpressure. On my direct impingement rifles, there was a slight increase in bolt speed. As well as additional gas venting out of the ejection port. This is something I’m used to when shooting suppressed. Comparable cans like the YHM Turbo, SiCo Saker and Sandman K gave very similar results while being longer and I believe heavier as well.

YHM Fat Cat suppressor, desert tech quattro 15

When shooting the Fat Cat on my Desert Tech WLVRN this was less a problem as it uses an adjustable gas valve. This allows you to reduce the gas volume hitting the piston.

Compatibility

I really appreciated the compatibility of the Fat Cat. To be fair it is equalled by the other YHM suppressor family. The sRx QD system that comes with the Fat Cat is outstanding and compact. Additionally I used the Phantom QD mounting system, which seamlessly threaded on to the Fat Cat just as it did my Turbo T3 and Turbo K.

Using the industry standard 1.375 x 24 thread pattern also allow you to use whatever brand mounting system you wish. If you prefer one of the other manufacturer’s mounting system, you can simply spin it on to the back of the Fat Cat and roll.

YHM Fat Cat Pros and Cons

If you look at the YHM Fat Cat as simply a compact suppressor for your 5.56 carbine, then it is really hard for me to come up with anything I’d change. Its pretty light by comparison, its shorter than most 5.56 cans, its compatible with a plethora of mounting systems. There is just nothing to dislike about it. It brings all these features at a pretty moderate price of only $699.

desert tech WLVRN, eotech vudu, yhm fat cat

The only way I think you might have issues with the Fat Cat is if you shoot high volumes of full auto. It is rated for such rates of fire, but your bound to get burnt and left penniless after burning up all your ammo.

Final Opinion

As with other 5.56 suppressors from YHM, I found myself tickled with with the Fat Cat. It was a perfect fit for my smaller rifles that I like to EDC. It added minimal length to the firearm, and yet it suppressed the report handily.

yhm Fat Cat suppressor, desert tech quattro 15, eotech vudu

If I needed only one suppressor for all my .223/5.56 needs, I’m quite confident the Fat Cat would be more than enough. Whether it be on one of my .223 bolt guns, or the semi-autos you see here, the YHM Fat Cat is an easy choice for me. Give it a look if you too are broadening your suppressor inventory.

-CBM

Yankee Hill Machine Turbo T3

September 12, 2024Product review, suppressorst2, t3, Turbo, yankee hill machine, YHMcoldboremiracle

Introduction

My first 5.56 can was a Yankee Hill Machine Turbo, and having used it heavily over the last few years I have become quite fond of it. Working across various rifle platforms and even various calibers it has earned a safe place in my suppressor lineup. So today I bring you a new version of the Turbo, the Yankee Hill Machine Turbo T3. To see if this new unit stands up the great performance of its predecessor.

desert tech Quattro 15, eotech vudu, yhm turbo t2

The YHM Turbo T3

The Turbo T3 is a the latest in the development of the Turbo line of suppressors. Preceded by the T2, with which it shares a great deal of features. With an upgrade in baffle design, the T3 added some additional porting to the internal baffles that reduced backpressure to the host firearm. Other than that the T2 and T3 are about the same thing.

Both use the same hub mounting system, which allows the user to change the mounting configuration. You can use either a direct thread cap of various different thread pitches, or other options. I really like using the Phantom QD system, as I have a variety of muzzle devices that my various YHM suppressors can mount to. Both models also use inconel for a blast baffle which is significantly more resistant to erosion.

desert tech wlvrn, us optics txh, yhm turbo t3 suppressor — the YHM Turbo in the wild, seen here shooting prairie dogs on my **Desert Tech WLVRN**

The muzzle of the T3 has a couple port facets that I assume are made to add additional turbulence as gas escapes. Together with several other tiny scallop cuts it gives a handsome finished look to the Turbos. At the breach end of the suppressor you will also find some tool engagement cuts to allow you to tighten or loosen the mounting hub of your choice. Turbos come with a couple tools as well that allow you to do this service.

The whole thing is finished with a black Cerakote finish for durability and a non-reflective finish. My older Turbo has been repainted at least once, not because the finish isn’t durable but because I am a little hard on them. So in an act of some vanity I repaint them every so often to keep up my drip.

Specifications

Caliber: 5.56mm
Weight: 12.8 oz. w/adapter
Length: 5.59”/6.5” w/adapter
Diameter: 1.5625”
Construction: 17-4 Ph SS/Inconel 718 Blast Baffle
Mount: Phantom 1/2” x 28 Q.D. HUB adapter
Decibel Rating: 134 dB
Minimum Barrel Lengths:
5.56 NATO: 10” Minimum barrel length.
Full Auto Rated

Shooting the Turbo T3

Both the T2 and T3 models fit snugly to my mounts, which made it easy to run back and forth between a few different rifles. One of the rifles I tested it on was a pretty standard Aero Precision 16″ direct impingement rifle, as well as my Desert Tech WLVRN which is a 20″ piston gun.

quattro 15 AR15 yhm turbo t3 — the YHM Turbo did great on this **Aero Precision** concoction, **read more about it here**

The larger AR rifle ran like a champ, and sounded fantastic. Accuracy from the rifle suffered no degradation while suppressed, in fact it might have been better. Dedicated 5.56 cans like this one seem to always sound so good to me. The sharpness of the report removed entirely leaving only a pleasant hiss. On the downside however, I did notice a larger gas exhaust from the ejection port. This was expected as it is pretty stereotypical when shooting suppressed, and as long as its done outside it doesn’t bother me at all. For the record most of my shooting is done outside.

When shooting the new Turbo on my WLVRN rifle, I was able to use the adjustable gas valve to lower the flow of gas coming back. Additionally, since this little bullpup uses a piston there is less gas coming out of the ejection port, which is nice since it’s next to your face. While it was a little better than on my AR, it was still a touch more noticeable gas than unsuppressed. Again I’ll stress the point, this is pretty common with suppressed shooting. Some designs have improved gas flow designs to reduce backpressure, and they are somewhat better in my opinion but still its not perfect.

desert tech wlvrn, yankee hill machine Turbo T3 — the Turbo made an excellent match with my Desert Tech WLVRN, read more about the rifle here

I took the Turbo along for a prairie dog hunt a few weeks ago, attached to the WLVRN. It definitely seemed to help the accuracy during that hunt, as we scattered the little varmints all over the desert. Shooting my rifle next to my buddies we all got an earful from each can. The noise from the Turbo T3 compared to a YHM Turbo K and a SiCo Omega 30 was excellent. We were all shooting .223 rifles, and it was hard to tell which was the better sounding can, at least without professional testing equipment.

yhm turbo t3 suppressor — the Turbo is easy on and easy off with the QD mounting system

My Recommendation

If you are looking to get into a 5.56 suppressor, there are a million options to choose from at this point. In my opinion, the YHM Turbo series is a great line of suppressors. They provide excellent sound suppression, and quality construction for a very affordable price. Whether you choose to go with the Turbo T2, the Turbo T3, or the shorter Turbo K, I think you will be happy with your purchase. These suppressors are built for durability, I have not been easy on them. I have even shot limited amounts of full-auto through them, limited because I am not a rich man. And I expect unless you are a rich guy with pallets of ammo and machine guns, these suppressors will last you a lifetime.

-CBM

The Tiny Terror of the Yankee Hill Machine Phantom 22 suppressor

February 8, 2022Product review, Shooting hardware, suppressors22, 22lr, phantom, phantom 22, silencer, suppressor, yankee hill machine, YHMcoldboremiracle

Introduction

The first time I heard the name Phantom, I assumed like many of you probably did that the name implied a ghostly illusion of anonymity while shooting. Having shot quite a bit of suppressed rifle-fire over the years, and having heard other’s shots from various angles and distances gives the name more credence in my mind.
The latest suppressor to join my NFAmily is the Yankee Hill Machine Phantom 22, and another Phantom it surely is.

The Yankee Hill Machine Phantom 22

The aggressive suppressor market is doing an outstanding job of giving end users the great gift of choice, and the Phantom 22 is an excellent example of giving customers what they want.
The Phantom 22 is constructed of both aluminum and stainless steel, the outer tube being made of aluminum and the baffles themselves being machined from stainless steel. The attachment to the host utilizes a stainless steel threaded insert as well for robust mounting and durability.

The suppressor uses a threaded end-cap at the muzzle, and the main tube is comprised of two sections that thread together just ahead of the blast chamber. Inside the main-tube is the baffle stack, with indexing tabs to keep them all aligned in the same orientation. The blast chamber also has a stainless steel liner that slips into place at the back of the baffle stack. The short section of the main tube at the rear features all the serial numbers and identifying marks.

The Phantom 22 weighs in at a miniscule four ounces, which is a good two ounces lighter than most twenty-two suppressors on the market. The diameter of 1.1 inches and only five and a half inches long make it not only light but less intrusive into your shooting. The suppressor is rated at 114 decibels (which I assume was with a 22Lr), because the suppressor is also rated for 22 magnum, 17 HMR, and even 5.7×28.
All this at a street price not far from three-hundred dollars makes the Phantom 22 a great option for those looking to get quiet in the rimfire game.

Opening the box

suppressed Ruger RPR.22LR — The **Ruger RPR .22LR** was an excellent host

I managed to get my hands on one of the very first production model Phantoms, with a single digit serial number I knew it was at the head of the line. I couldn’t believe how light it was as I lifted it from the box, before I even got it opened I was worried I had been shipped an empty box. But there it was, the beautifully anodized little tube I had been anticipating for some time. After admiring the exterior of the suppressor for a moment I decided to get right into the guts of what makes it so light. The front and rear tube sections are undone by hand without tools, the compression and friction of the assembly keep it quite snug.

Upon removing the rear section of the tube I noticed that the breach of the suppressor has an embossed tool as part of it to be used in loosening the end cap which I also threaded carefully out. The smooth stack of baffles slid smoothly out the front, making one of those soothing metallic slipping sounds. I took a couple of them off the stack, to see exactly how it was that they went together. And at the back of the stack was the blast chamber sleeve.

Basically the liner and stack of baffles contain the entirety of the gasses and rimfire debris, the outer tube is simply there to align and hold it together. It was immediately apparent that the idea was to keep all carbon and lead buildup contained inside the blast chamber sleeve. This would keep buildup from locking the assembly together as carbon builds up, which it of course it will, at an impressive rate. So even if you shoot thousands of rounds through this can, and stack the crud deep into it, you will still be able to disassemble it for cleaning.
Another feature that quickly manifest to me was the location of the legal markings, they were all part of the short portion of the main tube at the breach end. This made a lot of sense to me, in the unfortunate event that the can should come loose under fire, and you suffered the dreaded baffle strike, it would be very unlikely to damage the serialized part of the can. This would make repair or part replacement very easy, with something like 85% of the suppressor being easily swapped out for a new part.

Head for the hills!

suppressed Taurus TX22 — The Phantom 22 worked great with the **Taurus TX22**

I couldn’t wait to get the Phantom mounted on a rifle and outside, but it’s first host actually turned out being my Taurus TX 22 pistol. I had shot thousands of rounds through my two TX pistols with various suppressors so I figured it would be a great place to start my comparison. I installed the 1/2-28 thread collar on my pistol, an threaded up the Phantom onto it. Two ounces doesn’t seem like much, but it sure seemed like I could feel a difference between the Phantom and the Dear Air Mask that had been on it last. And it was definitely a noticeable difference from the SiCo can that also frequented the muzzle of my TX’s. There are lighter suppressors sure, but who wants a suppressor that looks like anal beads?

I wasted no time burning through a paycheck’s worth of ammo, a couple mags later I needed to swing by the house to pick up more. Shooting the TX with the Phantom installed was similar to what I was used to, the increased backpressure caused by suppressors was noticeable. Particularly when dumping large quantities of ammo through the gun I could see and feel plenty of gas and debris in my vicinity. (Note: always wear the appropriate safety equipment when shooting)
I will say that with this pistol, you better be wearing glasses when shooting suppressed because you WILL feel stuff hitting you in the face.
I don’t recall how many rounds I’ve put through that pistol/can combination since, but it is no insignificant number. And yes there tends to build up carbon and other crud around the breach and ejection port of the pistol, but not so much as to deter me from keeping them married.

I’m more of a rifle guy than a pistol guy though, so I really wanted to see how it would do on a rifle.

Yankee Hill Machine Phantom 22 on rifles

tikka T1x with Kahles 318i — The **Tikka T1X** and **Kahles K318i**

The first rifle I was able to use with the Phantom was a Tikka T1X in 17 HMR, a very smooth little rifle you can read about here shortly. The rifle was fairly heavy for a rimfire, making recoil non-existent. The noise was still there though, the higher velocity of the 17HMR obviously creates quite a bit more racket than a 22Lr. But it was plenty quiet for my ears, shooting with the Phantom in the open country of the Rocky Mountains needed no hearing protection. The cold winter snow seemed to help soak up some of the sound as well. The Tikka saw no decrease in accuracy with the Phantom installed, which I expected to be the case.

Next I threaded the Phantom onto a Ruger RPR 22Lr to give it an additional workout. The Ruger shot outstanding with the Phantom installed, watching all my impacts one-hundred and fifty yards away was beautiful, and the icing on the cake was the thud sound every-time I pulled the trigger. I tried both super-sonic and sub-sonic ammunition through it and the results were outstanding. The anonymity that comes with shooting that quiet can certainly inspire the sensation of a Phantom presence.
Shooting long strings of fire barely heated the Phantom 22 up at all, though that could have something to do with the below freezing temperatures around here.

Score-Card

I’ve shot a few cans, but the other two rimfire cans I have are in the same competitive league as this one, so I think they are a great comparison.
I have to give the Phantom all high marks, it is just as if not quieter than my other cans. And the significant weight reduction cannot be ignored when compared to the others. And the price on the Phantom is hard to beat, if you can find one they are priced around $325 up to near the $400 mark.
The sound is outstanding, and the ease with which you can disassemble and clean this can makes it a perfect suppressor for just about any rimfire need.

The Phantom 22 next to the author’s **SilencerCO** Spectre II and **Dead Air Mask**, both excellent company for comparison.

Conclusion

As usual with YHM cans, this one is an obvious winner in my opinion, at least when compared to those that I’m familiar with. There may be better cans, there may be lighter cans or some other feature that outperforms this one. But I’ll have a hard time justifying to myself looking for a better one with this spectacular little suppressor in my stable, it is an absolute joy to shoot.

-CBM

If you like this review, check out the YHM R9 suppressor

desert tech trek 22 — The Phantom 22 on the Desert Tech Trek 22

Yankee Hill Machine R9 Suppressor :A great first or fifth can

September 2, 2021Product review, Shooting hardware, suppressors308, 5.56, 6.5, 9mm, r9, silencer, suppressor, yankee hill machine, YHMcoldboremiracle

Introduction to suppressors

One of the biggest questions when buying a suppressor, is selecting one out of the hundreds of options. I’ve been through a bunch at this point in my life, so let me shed some light on the subject for you. What caliber? what configuration? Today we will take a look at the Yankee Hill Machine R9 suppressor.

Many other questions you’ll be asking yourself. With so many options how can you pick one that is best for your purposes? The right answer is that there are always too many good choices to pick only one. Today we are going to look at the subject as a first time suppressor buyer, and a suppressor that might just cover all your bases.

The Yankee hill machine R9 suppressor mounted to the Browning X-bolt McMillan chambered in 6 creedmoor and trijicon ten-mile 5-50 riflescope — The **YHM R9** mounted direct on a **Browning X-bolt** 6 Creedmoor

Why the YHM R9?

What makes the YHM R9 a perfect can for an NFA Greenhorn? I’ll get right into it. Todays gun owners come from every walk of life. Our modern world has given them overwhelming opportunities for firearms and accessories.

That said, there’s a good chance that most firearm enthusiasts looking into a suppressor probably have an Modern Sporting Rifle (MSR) of one kind or another. That rifle is probably chambered in the extremely popular 5.56. Or one of the other calibers that are growing in popularity like 300blk, 6.5G, 6 ARC, etc.

The R9 from YHM is ideal for using with any of these calibers. It can suppress large frame cartridges too, like the 6.5 Creedmoor and 308 Winchester. It is rated to suppress pretty much anything under 308 Winchester really, even with limited amounts of full auto. But Wait! There’s more! The R9 is also a perfect fit for a 9mm pistol or carbine. It’s stainless construction is more than enough to retain pressures generated by the cartridge, and other 9mm rifle cartridges like the 350 Legend.

As I see it, it is pretty damn likely that your apprentice level prospective suppressor purchaser would benefit greatly with an R9. One could swap it back and forth from various rifles. Or install a booster and run it on their Glock or other handgun as well.

The R9 is ideal for the **Desert Tech MDRX** and its assorted calibers

Adaptation

YHM is one of many manufacturers that has embraced the uniformity of threads. The threaded rear end of the R9 can be fitted with a direct thread cap (1/2-28 or 5/8-24). It can also fit a Nielsen booster assembly and run with one of various piston manufacturers. It doesn’t end there, it can also use YHM’s Phantom QD system. The system allows rapid swapping of the suppressor from various YHM muzzle devices.

Further still, the can uses the same threads as other major manufacturers like Dead Air and SilencerCo, so you could also install those devices. All three options are used for my R9, I have both thread caps that I use when shooting the R9 on my precision guns. I also have the QD mount so I can swap it back and forth on my carbines as well. I run a Rugged suppressors piston inside my Nielson Booster assembly, which makes my Canik TP9 quiet and smooth as ever I could ask.

Yankee Hill Machine’s R9 is only threaded on the breach end, the rest of it’s construction is solid baffles welded together making it simple and no non-sense. All the provided tools allow the user to tighten down the various assorted mounting options. Or perhaps more importantly disassemble them after being used.

Shooting with the YHM R9

Some of the very first shots I fired through the R9 were with my pistol. It was the first mounting adaptor in my possession so I went straight to the range to try it out.
The R9 tamed all the sounds produced by my pistol, adding of course its due weight and a bit of added backpressure. But the heavier muzzle sure made the pistol smooth and even more controllable. Shooting the pistol in closed quarters was very tolerable. Sound reduction was everything I’d hoped for, and the function was flawless.

The R9 seen mounted direct on my SRS M2 6mm GT

Shortly thereafter I received the 5/8-24 direct thread adaptor, and the R9 went straight to my Desert Tech SRS M2 chambered in 6mm GT. There it stayed for quite some time, hundreds of rounds sent through the R9 from fifty to seventeen-hundred yards. Accuracy of the rifle was if anything enhanced by the presence of the R9, this is typical in my experience. Cartridges like the 6mm GT were easily suppressed by the R9, making precision even more pleasant.

Using the QD mount for the R9 is perfect for running the suppressor back and forth between rifles. I ran the Phantom flash hider on my 308 carbine threaded 5/8-24. and on my 5.56 chambered carbine I use the Phantom Turbo 556 muzzle brake. Which made it easy to swap the R9 back and forth between the two rifles, both of which sounded great when suppressed with the R9. With the gas turned down a notch on both rifles, they functioned perfectly without gassing me out at the breach.

Carbines like this 350 Legend are a perfect host

First or Fifth suppressor?

Ya, I said first or fifth. The reason I put it that way is because even though I have a dozen or so cans at any given time, the R9 is still an excellent addition to my collection. A modular suppressor like this is very useful on better than half of my gun collection. With an MSRP of only $494.00 it is pretty economical compared to many other cans.
I’m at a point in life where I seldom go places without a rifle, and much of the time I have two or three rifles. Having an additional suppressor that will fit most of my rifles makes it an easy choice for me.

Conclusion

If my positivity is hasn’t been obvious enough about my feelings about this little suppressor, let me make it clear; I think this is the perfect suppressor for a first time NFA victim. It has everything most people need, multi-caliber, adaptable, tough as nails, and all at a very reasonable price. If I had to say something about the R9 that I dislike, you’d really have to force it out of me. The only issue I’ve ever had was keeping the thread caps tight, this was almost certainly due to me not tightening them on using the supplied tools as I’m a lazy ass. But I wouldn’t put that at the feet of the boys over at YHM.

So there you have it, the R9 is nearly a flawless purchase in my opinion. Short from needing magnum capabilities or a bunch of machine guns you need to suppress, this is an excellent suppressor for your typical firearms consumer. Best get yourself one.

-CBM

Yankee Hill Machine Nitro N20 suppressor

July 7, 2021Product review, Shooting hardware, suppressorssilencer, suppressor, yankee hill machine, YHMcoldboremiracle

You could definitely say that I am a fan of Yankee Hill Machine, my very first suppressor was a YHM, and my most recent purchase is beginning to show a trend. My experience with YHM suppressors has always been a simple no-nonsense one, but much like some others in the industry, the good people at YHM are evolving their products. This is welcome news for all of us who endure the tiring infringement by authoritative acronyms from the federal government. Today we are taking a look at the YHM Nitro N20 Titanium suppressor.

Yankee Hill Machine

Yankee Hill Machine has been in the business since the 1950’s, a family business that has grown over the last seventy years. The Graham Brothers have recently broadened the different offerings from YHM, as well as spun off another brand of bolt-action rifle accessories called Graham Brothers Rifleworks.

The Nitro N20 is a next generation suppressor as far as I can tell, it is following a brilliant trend in the suppressor industry. The Nitro is a modular suppressor, meaning it can be adapted to whatever host you might install it. The back end of the Nitro features the same common threads from other suppressor manufacturers, allowing the user to use an assortment of mounting configurations. The YHM offerings include a direct thread cap in popular thread pitches like 1/2-28 or 5/8-24. You can also install a Nielsen Booster to run on your semi-auto pistol , or one of the Phantom QD muzzle break devices that YHM offers.

Graham Brothers Rifleworks MARC Sport Chassis for the Remington 700

July 2, 2019Product review, Shooting hardwareChassis, Graham brothers rifleworks, marc sport, precision rifle chassis, remington 700, Rifle, yankee hill machinecoldboremiracle

Precision Rifles & chassis

Precision Rifles are just my cup of tea, and watching the technology around them progress over the years has been exciting. While they are still relevant, and in many cases beautiful, traditional and wooden rifle stocks are being overtaken by modern chassis systems.

A chassis system essentially serves the same purpose as a rifle stock, but the difference between them is quite stark. Stocks are generally made of wood or a synthetic material like glass filled nylon. Rifle chassis are almost uniformly manufactured from non-organic materials, such as aluminum, plastics, and more and more often from cutting edge composites like carbon fiber. Today we will be looking at the Graham Brother Rifleworks MARC Sport rifle chassis for the Remington 700.

Rifle chassis bring modularity, customizable options, and other modern conveniences to the user’s rifle. As well as providing one of the most important foundations for precise shooting, a rigid and firm structure from which successive shots can be launched with meticulous control. Naturally, modular rifles like the AR-15 have been gleaned over, and some of their best features have been merged into precision rifle chassis.

The Graham Brothers MARC Sport Chassis

And that brings us to the current subject, the Yankee Hill Machine MARC Sport Rifle Chassis is one of the latest to join my fold. Yankee Hill has long manufactured AR-15’s and their components, so it seemed a natural progression to build the similar parts of a precision rifle chassis.
YHM has a new division specifically geared towards the precision rifle market, suitably named Graham Brothers Rifleworks, I look forward to see what else they bring to the shooting bench.

The Remington Model 700 has long enjoyed a position as the one to use for custom rifle builds. As such, most rifle chassis are built to accept the 700’s footprint and its many clones, the MARC Sport is no different. Other footprints such as Savage Long and Short actions are also available as well. And I wouldn’t expect it to end there, surely others like Howa, Tikka, and other popular models will follow.

The MARC Sport comes as just the heart of the chassis, it uses an AR-15 style buffer tube in the back. The simple reasoning behind this is that you can easily attach any buttstock made for the AR-15 family of rifles. The modular design allows the end user to configure the chassis to their liking, an ownership feature that many gun enthusiasts are quick to take advantage of. The chassis also uses AR-15 patterned pistol grips, so you can pick and choose from the bountiful variety of grips to fit your hand and shooting needs.

The handguard of the MARC Sport is similar to an AR-15 freefloat handguard, obviously it attaches differently, but it shares familiar features. The handguard has MLOK slots on all eight facets, this allows the user to add accessories such as bipod mounts, cartridge quivers, support bags, or tripod interfaces, all great accesories for competition shooting.

The handguard attaches via four screws along the center of the chassis, steel thread inserts assure durable strength over time. It also features QD sling cups at the front and rear of the handguard tube. The chassis also has a series of threaded mounting holes along the bottom of the fore-grip area, to attach likely a tripod mount, or the available YHM Arca Swiss rail.

The chassis accepts AICS pattern magazines, I have tried several different manufacturers magazines and they all work perfectly. One suggestion I would give YHM would be perhaps a slightly longer mag release bar, or a wider one. Either option would give the user a better purchase when trying to strip a magazine from it. And if you twisted my arm for another complaint, it might be that the handguard is a little too intrusive in the objective area of the scope. This didn’t allow me to install the sunshade on my scope, not a huge deal, but one you may want to know about.
The MARC Sport chassis will accept both right or left handed actions, it comes with a small adapter plate that uses a screw to hold it in place. The plate is mounted over the unused bolt handle recess on either the right or left side.

The MARC Sport shown with optional Arca Swiss rail, mounted on the tripod.

In the very rear of the chassis is the buffer tube adapter, there are two different options when purchasing the MARC Sport. These are to accept the different types of buffer tubes and the buttstocks that go with them.

My little 16 inch 260 Remington was a perfect fit, the aftermarket trigger also had no issue fitting into the chassis

The chassis is built intuitively, a thumbshelf comfortably bedded in the right place. A comfortable contoured grip area under the center of gravity for carrying, and rounded edges in all the right places. And it comes with screws of the appropriate length to mount your Remington barreled action.

I used one of the many Magpul buttstocks available, mainly because I had them. It was very convenient to have the collapsable buttstock, it made the overall rifle more compact and easy to store. But with so many great options out there, you can surely find one to fit your needs.

Final thoughts

The MARC Sport chassis system is a perfect addition for a good rifle. Most of us love to customize our guns and this chassis allows you to do it at a great price without giving up any quality. It does exactly what a rifle chassis should do, it gives the rifle a solid platform, that the user can adjust and customize to fit his skill level and needs. It has rekindled my love with my custom Remington’s, I have another one finishing up at the gunsmith now, and it too will soon be paired up to the MARC Sport chassis for a little match shooting.

-CBM

Yankee Hill Machine Resonator Suppressor

July 11, 2018Product review, Shooting hardware, suppressorsresonator, suppressor, yankee hill machine, YHMcoldboremiracle

Introduction

A long time ago, on a dry desert plain, the boys and I were shooting at a distant prairie dog town. After producing the very first suppressor to the group, we all became addicted to suppressed shooting. Since then I have been adding to my collection, and today we will be taking a look at the Yankee Hill Machine Resonator suppressor.

We all ran muzzle brakes back then, because who wants recoil? Spotting your own hits is always handy sure, but muzzle brakes require good hearing protection. This lead to a firing line of yelling back and forth because we were all to cheap to buy electronic hearing protection. It didn’t take me long to see the value of a good suppressor.

Yankee Hill Machine from the start

My first can (as they are commonly referred to) was a Yankee Hill Machine. It was a YHM Phantom that graced my muzzle. And I still use it frequently to this day.

There was no looking back after that, it seemed almost ridiculous to shoot without suppression anymore. It didn’t take long for my shooting buddies to catch on. Soon we were all running quite a spread of suppressors.

After multiple begrudging transactions with the ATF, I’ve got cans to outfit everything from rimfires up to forty-fives. I cant seem to get enough of them, like most people, once I shot suppressed I never wanted anything more.

the desert tech srs M2 with us optics FDN25X and yankee hill machine r9 suppressor — Another YHM suppresor, **the R9** mounted to my **Desert Tech SRS M2** featuring the **US Optics FDN25X**

The new Resonator from Yankee Hill Machine just happened to cross my path recently, and much like it’s little brother the Turbo 5.56 I was immediately hooked. The Resonator is a QD mount suppressor. It threads onto a muzzle brake that is attached to the muzzle.

It is quickly spun on, and held captive by a spring loaded ratchet to keep it from coming loose under fire. The gas is sealed by a conical shoulder on the brake, keeping carbon buildup away from the threads. The construction of the Resonator is stainless steel and inconel, and again like the smaller Turbo 556, the simple structure makes the can both light and cost effective.

yankee hill machine muzzle device — The muzzle device that came with the Resonator

The muzzle brake comes with the Resonator. There are an assortment of brakes and thread pitches available from YHM allowing you to purchase extras to fit any applicable hosts.

the Desert Tech SRSA1 covert with yankee hill machine resonator — The Desert Tech SRS A1 Covert with the Yankee Hill Machine Resonator

Shooting with the Yankee Hill Machine Resonator

I started out shooting the Resonator on a Desert Tech SRS A1 Covert. The rifle was currently setup with a 308 barrel. But I could have dropped in a 300WM barrel as well, the Resonator is rated for up to 300RUM.
Suppressors almost always add a point of impact shift, its almost impossible to add weight and length to the barrel without doing so. The Resonator was no different, I re-zeroed the rifle, which was now hitting several inches high at 100yds after installing the YHM. Shooting the sixteen inch 308 was much more pleasant with a suppressor on the end. And as usual the rifle seamed to shoot better suppressed. The added weight of the can, and the buffering of the report I feel are both beneficial to accuracy.

the desert tech mdrx with the yankee hill machine resonator suppressor — Shooting the 308 Win MDR with the Resonator

We also tried the Resonator on a Desert Tech MDR, a short stroke piston 308 auto-loader. The Resonator worked great on the rifle, keeping recoil and noise down to a reasonable level. And the YHM 4302 brake did an OK job at mitigating the recoil all by itself. Any time you put a can on a gas operated semi auto, you’ll find more gas coming out of the rifle. Turning the gas settings down on the rifle made it quite tolerable.

Switching Host Rifles

Many times I went back and forth from rifle to rifle, letting it cool down to keep from burning myself. I couldn’t find anything about the Resonator to complain about. Sure, you can always say they should be lighter, that’s a given. But the Resonator 30 at 16 ounces is still quite light considering the price point of its competitors. I suppose if I had one request to the folks at YHM, it could be a direct thread option of the resonator. That would probably make a few precision rifle shooters happy, and maybe dip the price point a little further, who knows…

Shop Yankee Hill Machine Suppressors at Silencer Central

Final Thoughts

The Resonator is a great option I think for anyone looking to get into the class III market. It would work great on any AR variant, small or large frame. It works great as a companion to a precision rifle too, the price point of the Resonator makes it ideal as a first can, or as another one to add to your NFA collection. Go to YHM.net for more info.

-CBM