Suppressors

SIG Goes Seamless

SIG Sauer makes a big splash

The firearms industry is witnessing a change. Gun manufacturers once did just that: manufacture guns. They didn’t make suppressors. This is now changing and the lines are becoming blurred.

SIG Sauer has been aggressively evolving over the past 5 years. It started with construction of a massive manufacturing facility in the United States — then releasing new product after new product.

Two years ago SIG Sauer released a line of silencers. How does a company with the reputation and the size of SIG make that decision? Jeff Creamer, executive director, brought us up to speed. “The decision to move into silencers was driven by the transition of SIG from firearms producers to systems provider. Now, we have quality, leading-edge offerings in ammunition, optics and silencers, creating a system approach. The silencer division started in 2014, with full production ramping up by the end of 2015. We have released rimfire, 762Ti, 338Ti and 5.56 Silencers. Pistol calibers will be released by Q4.”

SIG’s flagship rifle silencer, the SRD762Ti-QD has been a long time coming. Suppressor has been chomping at the bit, waiting not so patiently to put it through the paces. Not only is the suppressor an excellent performer, but it boasts impressive technology both inside the can and in its attachment system.

The SRD762Ti-QD is 8.3 inches in length, which places it within the average length of 7.62 caliber cans. Its construction is Grade 5 titanium known for its strength to weight ratio. The SRD762Ti-QD has an innovative tubeless design, and due to their use of integrated spacers and baffles, SIG was able to make welds roughly 5 times stronger than normal. This design also creates more inner volume since there is no outer tube to take up that space. Baffles can thus be larger. SIG has gone a step further and made their silencer’s diameter overall diameter. The average diameter of competitive suppressors is 1½ inches. SIG bumped their Ti models up to 1¾ inches, resulting in 50 percent more internal volume than competitive designs. This should mean excellent sound reduction as well as less pressure and less stress to welds and parts.

SIG offers a non-titanium version dubbed SRD762-QD. It’s constructed of stainless steel and Inconel. The titanium model is 1.2 ounces lighter and brings the total weight under one pound. Initially, this may not seem like a big deal but keep in mind the titanium silencer is 1.3 inches longer and is rated 3 dB quieter because of its greater volume. The SRD762Ti-QD is rated for .300 Win. Mag and smaller.

Innovative Mount

Unique looks and design in the silencer give way to unique innovation in the mounting system. Properly securing the suppressor is paramount, and SIG’s Taper-Lok system, based on the Morse Taper, takes this element to the next level.

SIG’s muzzlebrake is threaded into the muzzle device and timed with a crush washer placed internally. Complicated to say, simple to do. (Photo courtesy of “Shooting Times”)

The heart of their Taper-Lok system is the fast attach muzzle device. It is actually a three-piece system. The mounting base is the portion that threads onto the barrel. It is available in several different thread pitches from standard to metric. Our silencer came with a 5⁄8-24 mounting base. The portion of the base closest to the barrel is tapered, to take advantage of SIG’s barrels, which are tapered just below the threads. Optimal mounting can be achieved on SIG barrels, but the base is backward compatible with other manufacturer’s barrels that lack the taper. The front portion of the base that inserts into the rear of the silencer is tapered as well, and mates up with the taper inside the silencer. The base is open, like a flash hider, but is threaded in its mouth for the attachment of a thread-in type muzzlebrake. The orientation of the brake is timed with the use of a supplied crush washer that fits between the brake and the mouth of the mounting base. It sounds complex but is very efficient and simple in its execution.

Sig Sauer SRD762TI-QD Specs

Caliber: 7.62
Weight: 15.8 oz.
Overall Length: 8.3 in.
Materials: Grade 5 titanium
Noise Rating: 137 dB
Attachment Type: SIG Taper-lok
Finish: SIG grey lonbond PVD
MSRP: $895

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This tapered system is self-centering and allows the silencer to return to the same location every time, which allows for maximum accuracy by alleviating POI shift and dispersion. It is also very effective at preventing the silencer from loosening during use. Twenty percent more energy is required to loosen the suppressor than to tighten it. The Taper-Lok mounting device as a whole is very well made. When screwing the muzzlebrake to the Taper-Lok base it feels almost as if the threads are on bearings. Wrench flats are provided on their silencers to assist with mounting and removal.

Performance

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Shooting Impressions

We were excited to get the SRD762Ti-QD to the range. We attached it to a NEMO Arms Tango 8 .308 MSP. It features a 16-inch barrel and an adjustable gas block. The Tango 8 has a unique and fast 1:8-inch rate of twist, so we used HPR 168-grain HPBT for testing, not knowing exactly how it would perform. There wasn’t a notable change in group size, though the average suppressed groups were 1.3, unsuppressed groups 1.42. Point of impact shifted .75 inches to the left and remained consistent when the suppressor was removed and reattached.

The SRD762Ti-QD was very quiet to our ears, and when teamed up with the adjustable gas system of the Tango 8, the whole shooting experience is very enjoyable. Quiet and smooth. This is the sort of gun/suppressor combo that makes us want to stay on the trigger all day. No drama equates to sheer excitement in the suppressor world. We are looking forward to spending more time with the SRD762Ti-QD. It’s a great performing suppressor, and the Taper-Lok system is very slick. Suggested MSRP is an attractive $895, which represents a huge bargain with no sacrifice in performance or quality. We like that.