The current process to buy a silencer is a pain in the ass. It takes weeks before you can even see your silencer and then months before you can take it home, with a government bureaucracy having the final say about you and your equipment. Its a process that no one really wants to do more than once, and thankfully with AAC’s 762-SDN-6 you might only have to do it once for all of your rifles…
I’m giving you guys fair warning right up front: I own this silencer. I paid for it, paid the tax, and have the stamp to prove it. And while I’m going to try and give this an impartial review, I want you to take my feelings on this with a grain of salt.
Most people think that when you buy a silencer, its only good for that caliber. Not true. Any silencer designed for a specific caliber can handle smaller, less powerful calibers as well. Which means that while this silencer was designed to handle 7.62 NATO ammunition, it can also suppress any caliber with a smaller diameter and volume of gas. The volume of gas is important — .300 Win Mag is the same diameter, but not such a good idea to try through the can.
I had previously tested AAC’s M4-2000 silencer and loved it for 5.56x45mm NATO ammo, but the issue with that silencer is that you’re restricted to .223″ or smaller rounds. With the .308″ diameter silencer it should be able to help quiet the round down, but it may not be as good as a dedicated can as more gasses would escape around the bullet as it flew (like a hotdog down a hallway) through the baffles. I decided to try it out myself and see how well a .30 cal can works on .223 ammo.
So, what’s the verdict? The sound is just SLIGHTLY on the other side of the “comfortable” line. Not something I would want to shoot all the time without hearing protection, but it does a fantastic job of removing that concussive “POP” from the muzzle and making the experience much more enjoyable.
For .300 Blackout, the round it was really intended to be used for, it is absolutely perfect.
Even out of a SBR, the subsonic ammunition is (relatively) quiet as a field mouse. Supersonic is only slightly more obnoxious thanks to the supersonic crack.
Its nice that it can suppress the sound from a number of different guns, but that’s not the reason that its the perfect silencer for those who only want one can. That reason is the mount.
AAC has standardized their “standard caliber” silencers around the 51-tooth adapter, including 5.56 and 7.62 NATO. The adapter comes either with a .223 hole in the middle or a .308 hole, but also has the most popular thread pitches available for each. This means that no matter the dimensions of the barrel or the thread pitch of the threading, if you can cram a 51-tooth adapter on that puppy then your silencer WILL fit. What’s even better is that the mount is a “fast attach” mount, meaning that it screws on pretty quickly and easily — no worrying about cross-threading.
Since I got my stamp back I’ve popped a 51-tooth adapter on all of my AR-15 rifles, and anytime I want to shoot one I simply crank the silencer onto the chosen upper and walk out the door. 5.56, 300 BLK… no matter the caliber it all works. And when I eventually buy that bolt action .308 I want, the mount will thread onto that barrel just as well and let me use my precious silencer on it just as well as something that threads directly to the barrel.
That is really the benefit of the 762-SDN-6. Its a kickass .30 cal silencer all by itself, but the ability to be quickly swapped and used on a wide number of host rifles really makes it shine.
[UPDATE: January 2015]
In less than three years, the silencer has gone from awesome to useless.
The ratchet system that makes this silencer so appealing has also become its downfall. After mounting and removing it a couple times a week for a few years, the ratchet has completely worn away and the silencer will no longer firmly mount to the gun. In short, the silencer is useless.
The silencer is still under warranty with AAC, and I have contacted them to repair the latch. We’ll see how long that takes.
[UPDATE: March 2015]
AAC has repaired the silencer, and it works again. But given how quickly the first latch wore out, I’m a little gun shy to go use it again. I’m afraid I will wear it out again and it will need to go back for repairs… again. Although I’m sure that if those repairs are ever needed, AAC will be there to help me out.
Honestly, the 762-SDN-6 was the best option when it came out for those who wanted one can they could put on anything and be happy. In some respects, it still is. But with the modern competitors like Gemtech and SilencerCo and even SIG SAUER putting out fast attach and multi-thread cans there isn’t much to recommend this silencer over the competition. It works, and it looks great, but its heavy and has parts that wear out rapidly. Let me elaborate:
- The SilencerCo Omega weighs 6 ounces less, costs just as much, and has interchangeable mounts for direct thread or fast attach that is user replaceable. And it can go up to .300 WM, where the 762-SDN-6 is capped out at .308 Win.
- The Gemtech ONE weighs four ounces less, costs $25 less, and also has interchangeable mounting options for quick attach or direct thread that is user replaceable. It also goes up to .300 WM.
- The Liberty Mystic-X weighs half as much, costs almost half as much, and also has interchangeable mounting options for quick attach or direct thread that is user replaceable. It doesn’t quite do the same range of calibers on the upper end, but it is easy to take apart and clean.
Compared to the modern options, the 762-SDN-6 is dated. The ratchet system was cool like five years ago, but better options have emerged. And the can is just far too heavy by modern standards. The world of silencers has evolved, and the 762-SDN-6 has gone from “state of the art” to nearly a museum piece. There are better options for those looking to buy.
762-SDN-6 7.62 NATO Silencer
Length: 7.66″
Weight: 20 oz
Diameter: 1.5″
Sound Reduction: 39 dB (300 BLK)
MSRP: $1050
Ratings (out of 5):
Sound Suppression: * * * * *
Yes. Just… yes.
Build Quality: * * *
After thousands of rounds through it, the most that I’ve done is scratch up the finish a little bit. And melt a little bit of a picnic table to it. But it sounds just as quiet as the first day I tried it out. [UPDATE] The ratchet can and will wear out, and when it does you might be screwed.
Ease of Use: * * * * *
There’s nothing to take apart, nothing to clean, and nothing to lube. It’s easy as pie to maintain. And swapping it on and off different guns is an absolute breeze.
Overall Rating: * *
[UPDATED] Times have changed, but the 762-SDN-6 has stayed the same. Its a great can that works, but there are better options available on the market. For those looking for their first silencer, try a Mystic-X. Looking for a .30 caliber can to stick everywhere? SilencerCo Omega. As for the 762-SDN-6, or at least for my 762-SDN-6, she’s going to be sitting in the safe from now on.