Good afternoon everyone and welcome back to TFB’s Silencer Saturday brought to you by Yankee Hill Machine, manufacturers of the new YHM Phantom 22 rimfire suppressor. Last week we got a look at the X-Ring TSS rimfire integrally suppressed barrel from Tactical Solutions. This week we get our hands on the Otter Creek Labs OCM5 rifle suppressor. How does it stack up against the O.G. Allen Engineering AEM5? Let’s take a look.

More @ TFB

• Allen Engineering And The Silencer For The MK12
• BOLO: Otter Creek Labs Suppressors And Muzzle Devices
• SILENCER SATURDAY #36: AEM5 – 223 Remington Vs 224 Valkyrie
• The Delta/Gordon Carbine – A True Modern Classic
• SILENCER SATURDAY #64: 5.56mm Allen Engineering Suppressors

Gear used in this review:

1. BCM MK12 Upper Receiver Group
2. Maven RS.4 5-30×56 – I have been using this glass for a year, it is fantastic.
3. Federal 73gr OTM .223
4. RRS SOAR ANVIL Tripod
5. Caldwell 33% IPSC AR500 Target

There are only a handful of people I truly respect in the silencer industry, and Ron Allen of Allen Engineering is one of them. After decades of hard work, dealing with a challenging business partner, and ultimately supplying 99% of the world’s supply of AEM5/Ops Inc suppressors to the military and civilian market, Ron is still humble and unassuming. Most people would feel threatened when a purported “update” to their flagship product comes from a new manufacturer. But Ron just keeps on cranking, never having enough time to meet the demands of the AEM5 market.

I was definitely conflicted about taking on an OCM5 and AEM5 comparison.

My favorite 5.56mm rifle setup is a MK12 length barrel with the AEM5. If you want real quiet out of a supersonic gas gun, the AEM5 is the best you can get. So when I heard about the Otter Creek Labs OCM5 being just as quiet and about 20% lighter, I had to hear it for myself.

SILENCER SATURDAY #202: Otter Creek Labs OCM5 Rifle Suppressor

The OCM5 is an improved version of the legendary ops inc 12th model and AEM5 while staying true to the aesthetics and mounting system.

What? Improved? How dare you!

Yes, improved. Staying true to our precision rifle roots with accuracy and POI at the forefront it’s lighter, it’s quieter, it has less back pressure and it’s still full auto rated. Why get stuck using tech that’s older than you when you can look the same and mount the same? Welcome to the 21st century cloners.

Everything that the ops inc 12th model (the only true clone correct model) and AEM5 will mount on, so will the OCM5. All of your legacy OPS/AE brakes and collars will still work, everything is completely interchangeable.

You want better performance, who can blame you? We promise we won’t tell your buddies on the forum. Tell them it’s an OPS/AE if you want to, your secret is safe with us 😉

All OCM5’s ship in a very nice 11x8x3 Eylar protective gun case with some stickers. No mounts are included in the box.

The OCM5 arrives in a lockable hard case with a custom foam insert.

Aesthetically, the OCM5 and AEM5 are basically identical. My AEM5 doesn’t have the classic knurling found on the military issued versions.

Obviously, the OCM5 and the AEM5 share the same brake, over-the-barrel, and collar mounting system configuration. I swapped between the two without any need for adjustments.

Without looking at the manufacturer markings, you’d be hard pressed to pick out the Allen Engineering or the Otter Creek Labs suppressor. I tried getting a shot of the baffle geometry for comparison, but ultimately failed.

Specifications:

• Manufacturer’s Page: https://ottercreeklabs.com/product/ocm5/
• Suggested Dealer: Hansohn Brothers – $830 
• Length: 8.8”
• OD: 1.5”
• Weight: 16.02 oz (AEM5 weight 21 oz – that’s 19% yo!)
• Full auto rated: yes
• Barrel length restrictions
  • No shorter than 10.3 inch barrel when using the Otter Creek Labs PTB mount
  • No shorter than 11.5 inch barrel when using the Otter Creek Labs OTB mount
  • When using the Otter Creek Labs OTB mount on barrels under 12.5 inches we recommend using a more conservative full auto firing schedule

Confirming one of the OCM5’s biggest selling points, it weighs in at about 16.5 ounces.

And the AEM5 sits at about 21 ounces. That’s a significant weight reduction, especially considering that most AEM5/OCM5 suppressors will ride at the end of 18” barrels.

My MK12-like gun gets the best .223 ammo in my supply. The Federal Premium 72gr OTM has been surgical out of my stainless BCM barrel. Todays testing was at 100 yards and I’m using the 33% IPSC target from Caldwell.

The Results:

I am happy/sad to report that the Otter Creek Labs OCM5 is just as quiet, if not ever-so-slightly quieter than my AEM5. Part of me wanted the AEM5 to remain king of 5.56mm suppression, but full credit goes to Otter Creek for making a lighter version that shares the same dimensions that really performs. The MK12 guns are really fun to shoot

After zeroing, I ripped two groups that were just above MOA. In fact, I swapped between the OCM5 and the AEM5 and didn’t observe any point of impact shift. Blowback, as noted by the dirty chamber and magazines, was consistent between the two suppressors.

The original AEM5 will always hold a special place in the silencer hall of fame. And clone-correct builders will want one made by Ron’s hands. However, functionally, the OCM5 performs just as good if not a little better than the AEM5 while reducing the overall weight by 20%. These two facts make it easy to recommend the OCM5 – what’s not to love?

Thanks for reading. Be safe, have fun, and we’ll see you back next weekend for another Silencer Saturday.

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