Newb, First Post, First 300BLK, Suppressor and Magazines?

[Shushh]

So as the title suggests, new here and getting my first 300BLK AR15, a pistol with 8.5" barrel.

Anyway, next pieces of kit I need to decide on are the suppressor and magazines. For suppressor thinking the Dead Air, Nomad 30. Looks like a good piece of kit and a good price. I want short, but have no desire to fit it under the foregrip so fatter makes for more internal space. So at 1.75 wide, 6.5" long with the doodads and reputation of Dead Air it sounds good, anything better to consider?

Then, been looking into magazines as that's the next piece, a lot of conflicting information out there. Magpul is doing there 300blk mag, but I read differing reviews. I read somewhere Lancer has 300BLK specific mags but don't see it on their site. I've read good things about the IMI. Just not sure what to at least grab first to try out. Then of course also I want a selection of sizes. From a 20rd when I need it to be compact to a drum if there's any that work well with 300BLK. Of course key is the mags ability to work well with a big 200+ grain pill. For some sad reason I don't own a regular AR15 so don't have 5.56 stuff to work with either. So looking for suggestions from you folks on which mags to grab up first?

Thanks...

EDIT... Looks like everyone here prefers the Lancer mags and I've found the 30rd smoke version at Brownells.

[BoomerVF14]

Take a look at Bravo Company USA's offering too, I've got a couple and they have functioned flawlessly for a year and half:

https://www.bravocompanyusa.com/AR15-30 ... -bravo.htm

[gds]

The magpul 300blk mags are actually pretty good. All Magpul did is the same thing a lot if us have done. File down the front rip on the inside of the standard 5.56 magazine and the heavy fat bullets have no problems feeding. The 300blk are usually a few dollars more, but 2 dollars vs 10 to 20 minutes filing down the ribs. Well I am getting a little lazy as I get older.

As far as a drum. I have a cmag 100 round that has run flawlessly on a full auto. Could only get it to run on 300blk supersonic if I put less than 35rounds in it. so kind of made it pointless. I honestly do not know if anyone else has tried any other drum or not.

I have also herd good reviews on the lancer, however never tried one myself.

[John A.]

One thing about the 1.7" diameter can, it probably won't fit underneath of many of the freefloat handguards out there these days.

Further, if it is the actual 1.75" diameter it would be a very tight squeeze to fit it underneath of the oldest style free float tubes. If that is your intention.

I have a couple Lancer l5 mags and they have done well. Naturally, I don't load them up to the full capacity. Though I only load 29 556's in my other magazines either. So....

I don't think I prefer lancer mags. It's just what I have been using. I often use Colts mags with magpul followers in everything. But the lancer seems to be fine with the long subs, so I keep a few of them loaded up for easy recognition. I don't really have any major complaints with the lancers though.

[Shushh]

Take a look at Bravo Company USA's offering too, I've got a couple and they have functioned flawlessly for a year and half:

https://www.bravocompanyusa.com/AR15-30 ... -bravo.htm

Thanks, I'll probably snag one up to try out. But I think all else being equal I'd prefer plastic mags. Round corners so they slide in and out of pouches easier and less prone to damage from being dropped.

[Shushh]

The magpul 300blk mags are actually pretty good. All Magpul did is the same thing a lot if us have done. File down the front rip on the inside of the standard 5.56 magazine and the heavy fat bullets have no problems feeding. The 300blk are usually a few dollars more, but 2 dollars vs 10 to 20 minutes filing down the ribs. Well I am getting a little lazy as I get older.

As far as a drum. I have a cmag 100 round that has run flawlessly on a full auto. Could only get it to run on 300blk supersonic if I put less than 35rounds in it. so kind of made it pointless. I honestly do not know if anyone else has tried any other drum or not.

I have also herd good reviews on the lancer, however never tried one myself.

Yeah, if I can I'd much rather buy the proper mag in the first place. Interestingly thinking about it, I'd think 5.56 would work better in a 300blk specific mag then 300blk will in a 5.56 specific mag. The rib that is a problem with 300blk in a 5.56 mag isn't really needed at all for 5.56 it's just 5.56 optimized.

On drums, the cmag is a bit much, but I'd really like something like the D60 or X15 mag. But of course it needs to work, I've read/seen people say the D60 works with smaller bullets or if seated deeper. This of course makes sense, same rib problem as the others. Haven't seen/read of anyone that's tried the X15. Also read that magpul is hinting at a 300blk D60 version, but I'm doubtful. They'd make a 20 and 40 before that and they haven't done those yet.

[Shushh]

One thing about the 1.7" diameter can, it probably won't fit underneath of many of the freefloat handguards out there these days.

Further, if it is the actual 1.75" diameter it would be a very tight squeeze to fit it underneath of the oldest style free float tubes. If that is your intention.

I have a couple Lancer l5 mags and they have done well. Naturally, I don't load them up to the full capacity. Though I only load 29 556's in my other magazines either. So....

I don't think I prefer lancer mags. It's just what I have been using. I often use Colts mags with magpul followers in everything. But the lancer seems to be fine with the long subs, so I keep a few of them loaded up for easy recognition. I don't really have any major complaints with the lancers though.

I really don't think it's worth it to try and fit a can under the handguard. I like a skinny handguard and would need either a longer can or an undersized can. Nor am I a fan of that arm out thumb over grip where a long handguard would be useful. Rather have the short fat can, a more capable can, and the option to have the gun really short with the can off.

Same reason I don't think I'm going to do a quick attach muzzle brake or flash hider. Adds length to the gun and takes up space in the can. I'm a bit torn on that though, I've read and it makes sense that a muzzle brake can make the can last longer as the brake acts as the first baffle. But it's not like they wear out fast or I plan on full auto mag dumps.

[John A.]

Nothing wrong with building it that way, but I was just wanting to point that out in case it was your intention to try to mount it underneath of a handguard like so many people do these days.

I've made cans and used them for more than a decade that do not have internal brakes.

If it's made well and correctly, it will outlast either of us regardless of whether you use an internal brake or not.

An internal brake may however help disrupt the flow better though since it directs some of the blast out and away from the bore, which will help improve the efficiency of the can though.

The more gas that isn't flowing straight through the bore of the silencer uninhibited, the more quiet that it should be. That's why a dedicated 22 silencer will almost always be more quiet than shooting a 22 through a 45acp silencer.

*Not saying that it still wouldn't be quiet due to the larger OD and likely longer length, but pound for pound, the point I was trying to make holds true. The longer that you keep the gas/pressure in there, the more effective the muffler is going to be.

[Shushh]

An internal brake may however help disrupt the flow better though since it directs some of the blast out and away from the bore, which will help improve the efficiency of the can though.

Interesting, I'd think however that the space taken up by the material reduces the expansion area, but I can see your point as well, hmmm.

So Dead Air offers several add-ons to consider.

A brake with a quick detach, adds about an inch to the length and $340 to the cost. Nice stuff, but ehhh.
https://deadairsilencers.com/product/key-mo/
https://deadairsilencers.com/product/ke ... e-brake-2/

Or they have an add on muzzle brake that goes on the front of the can. Looks like about an inch as well, $89 bucks and they say it's worth 2-4 decibels as well as some brake function. Worth it, IDK, I doubt it, but kinda a neat piece.
https://deadairsilencers.com/product/nomad-e-brake/

For the trade off of length and cost though, if either option the e-brake on the front of the can is probably more worth it. Or, just bite the bullet, get it all, and then I have every option. The add-ons of course I don't have to figure out now. The suppressor is going to be in NFA jail for a while anyway. But if it could change which can I get that's worth working out.

[John A.]

Interesting, I'd think however that the space taken up by the material reduces the expansion area.

It does, but I'm not talking about trying to reduce the internal area to lessen first round pop from an overly large and poorly designed expansion chamber.

I'm talking about a fundamental way to re-direct some of the forward flow of gas/pressure.

Any significant amount of gas that you direct to the side (or rear), is less amount of gas that is thrusting forward initially. Pretty basic really. But frequently overlooked.