Good evening everyone and welcome back to TFB’s Silencer Saturday brought to you by Yankee Hill Machine, manufacturers of the new YHM Turbo T3 5.56 rifle suppressor. Last week we installed a flash hider using the Precision Armament Accu-Washer system. Today we get a look at a short silencer on a long barrel – the SureFire SOCOM556-MINI2 – and compare it to a longer silencer on a shorter barrel. Which combination would you choose? Let’s get behind the two setups.

More SureFire @  TFB:

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SILENCER SATURDAY #274: Short Silencer, Long Barrel? Surefire SOCOM556-MINI2

Choosing a barrel length for a 5.56mm AR-15 is not as easy as it seems. First, as aways, the mission dictates the gear. Meaning, figure out what the intended purpose is and outfit the gun to meet those needs. We have established, in past installments, that 10.3″ is the shortest 5.56mm AR-15 barrel that should be considered  practical for defensive use based on bullet velocity and terminal ballistics. And 18″-20″ delivers near peak practical velocity.

But somewhere in between those two lengths lies a balance between length, weight, and bullet performance. And one of the most common questions I get is about short ‘K’ sized suppressors for rifles shooting supersonic ammunition.

Above: An 11.5″ Knight’s Armament upper receiver with a SureFire SOCOM556-RC2 (top) and a 14.5″ KAC upper receiver with the SureFire SOCOM556-MINI2

So, all other things being equal, would you rather have a shorter barrel and a longer suppressor, or a longer barrel and a shorter suppressor?

Let’s eliminate the urge to run a short barrel and a short suppressor on a 5.56 gun – while it’s not a terrible idea, you have a small silencer trying to capture all that extra unburnt powder. I guess it’s better than no suppressor at all, but not by much. Barrel lengths that hover around 10″ will just need a longer suppressor.

But as the purposed barrel lengths increase, more powder burns where it is supposed to happen – inside the barrel – and a smaller silencer can do a decent job of taming the blast. And you can reap the rewards of all that extra velocity. Win-win.

Above: An 11.5″ Knight’s Armament upper receiver with a SureFire SOCOM556-RC2 (top) and a 14.5″ KAC upper receiver with the SureFire SOCOM556-MINI2

There are two other aspects to consider when picking between a short or long suppressor. First, ask yourself how often will you run this particular rifle unsuppressed? If the answer is ‘never‘, my suggestion would be to opt for a longer barrel and a shorter silencer. If the answer is ‘a lot’, opt for the shortest barrel that is practical and a longer suppressor.

The second aspect is weight. Hanging additional weight off of the end of the barrel is compounded by lever forces. For example, shouldering a rifle with a 20 ounce optic will feel lighter than shouldering a rifle with a 20 ounce suppressor because the weight is shifted back towards the shooter.

Let’s compare two battle-proven suppressors that only differ in length. But first, the numbers.

SOCOM556 MINI2 SUPPRESSOR

• Manufacturer’s Page: https://www.surefire.com/products/suppressors-division/suppressors/socom556-mini2-suppressor/
• CALIBER: 5.56 mm (.223 caliber)
• CONSTRUCTION: HIGH-TEMP ALLOY & STAINLESS STEEL
• COATING: LONBOND AND CERAKOTE™ FINISH
• BODY COLORS: BLACK, DARK EARTH
• DIAMETER: 1.5 IN (3.8 CM)
• LENGTH: 5.0 IN (12.7 CM)
• LENGTH ADDED TO WEAPON*: 2.5 IN (6.4 CM) *ACTUAL LENGTH MAY VARY, DEPENDING ON WHICH SUREFIRE ADAPTER IS USED
• WEIGHT‘: 15 oz (425 g)

SOCOM556 RC2 SUPPRESSOR

• Manufacturer’s Page: https://www.surefire.com/products/suppressors-division/suppressors/socom556-rc2-suppressor/
• MSRP: $1,199
• CALIBER: 5.56 mm (.223 caliber)
• CONSTRUCTION: High-Temp Alloy & Stainless Steel
• COATING: DLC and Cerakote™ Finish
• BODY COLORS: Black, Dark Earth
• DIAMETER: 1.5 in (3.8 cm)
• LENGTH: 6.4 in (16.2 cm)
• LENGTH ADDED TO WEAPON: 3.8 in (9.7 cm) *Actual length may vary, depending on which SureFire adapter is used
• WEIGHT: 17.0 oz (482 g)

Below, the lengths are confirmed at 6.4″ for the RC2 and 5″ for the MINI2.

The real-world weight of the MINI2 is about 14.1 ounces, lighter than the advertised 15 ounces.

The RC2 is slightly over the advertised weight of 17 ounces, but it also has a few thousand rounds through it that may have left some debris buildup inside.

The 14.5″ KAC with the SureFire SOCOM556 MINI2 with a Mini Scout Light and Aimpoint T2 in a Scalarworks mount drops in at 7.75 pounds.

The 11.5″ KAC with the SureFire SOCOM556 RC2 with a Micro Scout Light and Aimpoint ACRO in a Scalarworks mount drops in at 7.58 pounds.

As a comparison, the RC2 on the 14.5″ barrel makes for a long rifle and the 11.5″ with the MINI2 makes for a very compact carbine. But the blast on the shorty is big and the long setup is heavier.

But how do the two short/long, long/short setups compare in terms of noise reduction.?

The 11.5″ with the RC2 is quieter while the 14.5″ with the MINI2 is a pleasant surprise for such a short can. It was a closer race than I was expecting. It’s all about the powder burn – keep more of it in the barrel where it belongs and you can get away with a smaller suppressor. Like life, it’s all about balance – find the right formula that fits your needs.

And don’t let anyone talk you out of a ‘K’ size suppressor. On the right gun, they can still be pleasant to shoot.

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

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