Hey, folks. Search function hasn't produced anything recent. Looking to consider one of these. Cost aside, what's the better option? Anybody have hands on experience with both?

QDC pros, cons
MAMS by far the better brake
Less flash when suppressed?
Made with SR-15s in mind
Easier to take off when hot? Heatshield helps?
Cost a lot

RC2 pros, cons
Shorter, lighter
Slightly quieter
Fast on and off
Brake isn't as good, very concussive and bright flash

This is going on a SR-15 MOD 2 -- if that detail helps any. Am I missing anything? Which suppressor has more repeatable POI shift and the lesser amount? Thanks!

How are you defining "better" in regards to the brake? I would think it would be reduces felt recoil and muzzle rise but you seem to mean that it's not abusive...
Never thought I'd hear a Socom win the "quieter" battle
Shorter, lighter, quieter wins for me 99.87% of the time.
Also, do you have data that says the KAC heat shield effectively dissaptes heat TO THE POINT that it aids in safe handling removal?

I have a gen 1 socom and a gen 2 in jail.

I've been happy with my gen one on the larue. I don't have a kac.

I would personally say go for the socom.

You do have a kac though. Maybe stay for brand loyalty?

Right, my apologies. I meant more or less -- less concussive and abusive. However, it is also ported equally, whereas the SFMB has a right side port and the left side doesn't. Right now, I have one and it drives my muzzle left.

As for the heatshield, that's what I was wondering, hence the question marks. I've heard it, so it's speculation on my end, but never from a reputable source.


Interesting. It seems to me that more people have SOCOMs than QDCs by far and large. Might explain the possibility of why it's so hard to get any opinions from folks who have hands on experience with the QDC.

Hopefully my Surefire gets out of jail soon.  Doesn't really answer your question, but your post made me think of my poor can that is apparently wasting away in solitary.

Socom mini FDE in jail.
I know the feeling

I have both. I use the KAC QDC on an 11.5" SR15 Mod 2 upper and the SF RC2 on a 16" SR15 Mod 1 upper. Because of the different barrel lengths it's hard to do a fair comparison, but I am perfectly happy with both cans. They are as quiet as you'd expect from an intermediate-size 5.56 can. Back pressure is minimal with both, but again that is highly dependent on the rifle. Since you have an SR15 I wouldn't expect it to be a problem.



I shoot both rifles suppressed 99% of the time, I don't know what the POI shift is.



The QDC mount is a little easier to take off since there's no latch to fiddle with but it's barely worth mentioning.



They are pretty much the same in terms of weight and length.



Can't comment on flash suppression, I haven't shot either at night yet.



The Surefire gets stuck a lot more easily, the QDC's mount always comes right off. Both lock up about equally tight (QDC might have a slight edge here), there is slight rotation through the slop in the index pin/notch with both if you really twist them hard.



The SF brake is absurdly loud. It's at least as bad on the 16" barrel as the MAMS is on the 11.5" barrel. But after shooting each without the can I decided I would probably never do that again.



I can post some side by side pics later.



Since you have a KAC rifle, I would say get the QDC if money isn't an option. They're definitely cooler and more unique.

My surefire can has been stuck after 250 rounds.

I am a suppressor novice. I didn't realize you should remove them warm.

I was able to remove the surefire by minimal twisting and up and down movement.

My 12 inch larue is LOUD with the surefire brake. It also throws a decent flame. On the flip side though it appears the first "baffle" (maybe wrong use of word?) On the brake will take the brunt of abuse from burned powder rather then the baffles in the suppressor. An issue or not? I'm unsure. Again suppressor novice. It is comforting to me though.

Also check out the newer surefire warcomp muzzle device.

I have a RC1 and an NT4, so not exactly what you're comparing...

the NT4 is my go to.  Its a deeper sound and much more pleasing than the RC1.  The NT4 + flash hider is about the same weight as the RC1 + flash hider.  

Both are a pain in the ass to remove hot.

Thanks for the input gents. I went ahead and secured one in FDE for my SR-15. I don't think I'll regret it and it'll be nice to have next to some of the 762 SureFire offerings I have.

gck5150, if you could, pictures would be awesome. You shoot primarily suppressed -- any chance you use the Gemtech carrier?

I look forward to having the MAMS a lot and it not getting stuck. Is it still easy to remove even after it has cooled? I know I'm in the same boat as NoMoreGreen when I burn myself removing the can while it's still on.

NT4 then QDC then RC2 then M42000 then Specwar k

or full-size 7.62 QDC with an adapter for the 7.62 MAMS, this has been done.

Here are a couple pictures of them side by side.
I do not have a Gemtech bolt carrier but I do want one and I will probably get one in the near future. I have 5 ARs that will all eventually be suppressed so I'm sure I can find a home for it.
The MAMS is cool, it's a good balance of recoil and rise reduction, not too obnoxious, and acting as a pre-blast baffle, and of course it looks bad ass.
The QDC is fine to remove warm or cool. Actually the Surefire, in my experience, is somewhat easier to remove cool than hot/warm. I have attempted both and while still warm it was STUCK. I tried bashing it off against a wooden table, etc., nothing worked. After I let it cool completely it loosened up enough that I would wiggle it back and forth and work it loose. Now I periodically apply high temperature anti seize compound to the tapered mating surface and it helps. It still sticks but it's doesn't get totally stuck even when warm.
With both cans, keeping the outside of the muzzle device clean of carbon buildup helps to make it easier to attach and remove.







 

 

Soooo... Which do you prefer??

The purpose of these suppressors, besides hearing safety and situational awareness, is to make it harder for the enemy to pinpoint your location. It has been noted that a pleasing, deeper tone is actually heard further than a higher pitched tone. So for the tacticool points, the higher pitched cans are "mo betta." Think about the dbag in the civic as he rolls down your neighborhood with the bass on 11.

The Surefire is the official SOCOM can, great advertising and promotional value right there. The Surefire stuff is expensive and the KAC is at least as expensive or more so, like holy jeebus the price of the MAMS!!! You might also try the KAC forum, has a lot activity there.

I prefer the QDC, I like the mount a little better than Surefire's. It's pretty close, though. Like I mentioned above, I am very happy with both.

I choose the RC2 mainly because I can afford Warcomps for all my guns, but can't afford MAMs for all of them.

I got a Gemtech SBC a couple days ago and shot it today with my 11.5" Mod 2 upper, H2 buffer (standard for this upper), and QDC full size. I tried it with the following ammo:





Wolf steel case 62 grain


Remington UMC 55 grain


Freedom Munitions 5.56 55 grain M193 (new, not their remanufactured stuff)


Remington M855





I will say up front that I am very happy with with the standard carrier and the QDC with this rifle. Gas blowback is minimal even with full power 5.56 ammo, but I wanted to see if I could eliminate it completely.





With the standard carrier, all of that ammo functions 100%. With the SBC in suppressed setting, everything but Wolf worked fine. The Wolf ammo would not cycle properly about 20% of the time and on rounds where it did work it was very noticeably sluggish.





I did some comparisons between the suppressed and unsuppressed settings. On the suppressed setting, there is significantly less recoil. It is definitely reducing the carrier speed although the reduction in speed is not noticeable in terms of how fast the next round is chambered. However, there is more gas blowback on suppressed than unsuppressed. Maybe blowback isn't the right word, but there is more gas in the vicinity of your face. Presumably this is due to the gas being vented out the side of the carrier.





I haven't decided if I prefer more recoil and less gas or less recoil and more gas. I suspect that the SBC would be more beneficial on a gun that is more overgassed than the KAC. I will try it in my other rifles another time and find the best home for it.