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csmith
22 January 2012, 15:50
I have a few questions concerning items that fall under the NFA.

1.) Suppressors. I in no way expected Hollywood / video game levels of sound suppression (truly "silenced") when I began researching this subject. What I've found, though, has left me a little confused. Most of the products I've come across barely make it under what I've always known to be the threshold of when hearing protection should be required (a level that I've seen highly debated the more time I spend looking at this subject). I'm more or less lost on the purchase of an item that doesn't show much "function". Can someone please educate me on what I'm missing?

2.) SBRs. Instead of asking questions I'm sure have been answered a million times, I'm just looking for a resource that can be used to give me a general education on the subject. I'm looking more for lengths of barrels, pros and cons, how particular lengths affects the cycle of operations, etc.

Thanks in advance for any help.

MoxyDave
23 January 2012, 11:51
Suppressors aren't just for sound reduction. They alter the pitch of the report, making it more difficult to pinpoint shooter's position. They also increase accuracy (assuming they are well-made), and they completely eliminate flash. For anything above .22lr, I use hearing protection while shooting anything suppressed or not. Keep in mind OSHA limits are for "extended exposure", meaning that short bouts of exposure to SPLs near OSHA limits is considered safe. Furthermore, imagine shooting an AR in a confined space (a hallway in your home for example) and you can quickly see why a suppressor would be valuable. You may have some hearing damage, but at least your eardrums won't be ruptured.

I don't have a good link for SBRs, but a lot of info can be found in various threads on this forum. Generally I think you'll find most experts agree that a barrel length less than 11.5" on an AR platform is undesirable for reasons such as excessive blast, extreme operating pressures causing excessive wear, and less effective range. If you just want a fun range toy, a 7" barrel is possible but I doubt you'll find any professionals using such a rig for work. Search for Larry Vickers, Mike Pannone and other AR experts for their takes on SBRs. Defense Review has some good articles written by these guys.

Just my $.02. I'm no expert by any means but I've done a lot of reading and built a couple SBRs for myself. Have fun!

inch man
30 January 2012, 17:31
can you have more than one shorty upper on a nfa lower?

Hmac
30 January 2012, 18:48
can you have more than one shorty upper on a nfa lower?
Yes, as long as you have the parts in your possession necessary to return the lower to its registered configuration.