Lets take the TBAC Ultra as the example. They can be purchased in 1 of 2 ways:

- Direct thread. You spin the suppressor right onto the threads of your rifle barrel.

Or

- TOMB thread. You install a muzzle break on the rifle barrel. The break has external threads where you install the suppressor over the break.

There is some discussion that the conical shoulder of the TOMB thread allows for tighter lock up when spinning on the can, but my google fu searching of SnipersHide and the like turns up a lot of posts like this:

"I can very easily switch between shooting suppressed and shooting un-suppressed with a muzzle break."

Ok...why? Why would you want to spend all the monies on a suppressor to shoot a quieter rifle, only to unthread the thing and shoot with a muzzle break? There is bound to be a reason that I'm not understanding. Sure, I get it if you live in a state where hunting suppressed isn't allowed. Then it makes sense - plink/practice suppressed, hunt with a break. But I can't figure out any other reason to buy the TOMB thread vs Direct.

Any OB suppressor owners mind chiming in on this?

Depending on what you're doing (competitions etc) the length of a suppressor is cumbersome.

1) The muzzle brake, while unpleasant to be around, provides a lot of the same recoil reduction that the occasionally missing suppressor would normally provide.

2) You don't have to thread on a thread protector when you take off a suppressor if you have a brake there doing that job.

3) Most thread over protectors have a big beefy Acme thread or the like that is quick to use and virtually impossible to cross-thread. 1/2-28 and 5/8-24 can be mangled by the inexperienced or those in a hurry.

4) Other things here.

Direct thread also has the (slight) risk of wrecking a barrel if you cross thread it if you use the suppressor on more than one firearm.

#1 I get - yes with a TOMB you are shooting reduced recoil whether its suppressed or not.

#2 isn't necessarily the case. With the TOMB, you now have external threads on the break that have to be kept safe/clean - and the reason why TBAC offers a thread protector for the TOMB threads.

#3 Yeah I got that.




Charlie to your point about OAL of the rifle - I guess thats probably true. I can't foresee too many times that I would have my suppressor and not want to use it, but maybe there's some applications where less OAL would make sense, knowing that you'll have to leave the suppressor behind.


So what do y'all shoot? TOMB or Direct thread?

Direct threads don't have any sort of locking or taper mechanism so they can come loose when shooting too. And if you don't have a glove or suppressor shroud, you have to wait for it to cool before reaching up there to snug it up.

Muzzle break given the choice. It protects the threads on the barrel. The threads on the brake itself are usually of sufficient design that messing them up would be a feat to behold.

If you jack up the threads on a muzzle break, you buy a new muzzle break. No tax stamps to,deal with. No need to find a Class 3 dealer to deal with.

Plus, the muzzle break helps distort gas inside the can amd aids in suppression.

I like to shoot supersonic ammo out of my 300blk sometimes, mainly for longer range target practice and tactical bay work. Supersonic target rounds are much cheaper than the subsonic loads I use also. Finally, although my suppressor is rated to handle supersonic, it shortens the life considerably.

Much prefer TOMB over direct thread.

Sometimes I just do not want to shoot suppressed. Ergo, having an option to quickly cater to both is ideal for me.

Though I will say it gets pricey if you want to equip all your rifles with TOMBs.

Direct thread. I care about length and weight when lugging it around so it fit my needs better.

Another main reason to get a thread over muzzle break is the first two baffles take the brunt of the muzzle blast and erode out the most quickly. If you have a muzzle break it is taking all the erosion.

After thousands of rounds you now have to replace a $100 muzzle brake instead of sending your suppressor back to get rebuilt.

So TOMB has stronger threads, faster to thread can on, can have teeth to secure suppressor, easy to replace, and conical to better center suppressor.

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After thousands of rounds you now have to replace a $100 muzzle brake instead of sending your suppressor back to get rebuilt.

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On a bolt action hunting rifle, I'd need to hunt with one rifle for the rest of my lifetime and change barrels at least once to have that be a concern. But - noted.

the muzzle brake option is nice because on all my rifles i can cycle the suppressor in 20 seconds to each different rifle. the what i call ratchet system keeps everything nice and tight without the possibility of the suppressor slowly coming unscrewed after a few rounds and maybe having a baffle strike or having the suppressor blown off the rifle. the only rifle i dont shoot suppressed is a deer rifle (which will change this next season), otherwise i always shoot suppressed. my ears are thankful

PFG said:

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After thousands of rounds you now have to replace a $100 muzzle brake instead of sending your suppressor back to get rebuilt.

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On a bolt action hunting rifle, I'd need to hunt with one rifle for the rest of my lifetime and change barrels at least once to have that be a concern. But - noted.

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With 3 total cans (.22, .45 and .30 rifle) you can suppress damn near any gun you own.

Considering the wait time and cost, it's silly not to consider the best way to best use a can on multiple rifles.

Teflon tape and direct thread. Solid and saves a lot of weight

lexofer said:

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Another main reason to get a thread over muzzle break is the first two baffles take the brunt of the muzzle blast and erode out the most quickly. If you have a muzzle break it is taking all the erosion.

After thousands of rounds you now have to replace a $100 muzzle brake instead of sending your suppressor back to get rebuilt.

So TOMB has stronger threads, faster to thread can on, can have teeth to secure suppressor, easy to replace, and conical to better center suppressor.

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This.

Plus the other starred replies above. There are lots of reasons you don't want the can mounted. From weight, to length, to desiring reduced recoil (cans don't do that anywhere near as well as brakes) to improved handling characteristics of the rifle without it mounted, to reducing the amount of crap dumped back into the action of your rifle requiring you to clean/lube it to keep it running, to being able to quickly and without risk choose to have it mounted or not.

If you are a fud with one rifle and one can that you only use for hunting, thread on works great. I guess.

The real question the OP should be asking is "why would I want a thread on can?"

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The real question the OP should be asking is "why would I want a thread on can?"

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Lighter, cheaper, perfectly fine for hunting applications (thread on, hunt/shoot, thread off and store).

Just trying to decide if thread over is worth it for my intended use.

And then thread on the thread protector. Don't lose the thread protector. Buy another thread protector...

Absentmindedly cross thread the can once and you will have your answer.

The only reason thread on was a thing for so long was that the tech wasn't there to build a mount that didn't offer zero shift as an option. Once that became possible the better answer became the norm.

Op, you can also just use a flashhider mount instead of a brake. No extra loudness. Protects your crown. Reduces flash. Plus the benefits of a QD can.

PFG said:

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The real question the OP should be asking is "why would I want a thread on can?"

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Lighter, cheaper, perfectly fine for hunting applications (thread on, hunt/shoot, thread off and store).

Just trying to decide if thread over is worth it for my intended use.

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This is how I base my decision. My hunting rifle has a thread on. The one I'm waiting on will will be for my ARs and fun guns so I went with a quick detach. The next one will be a Form 1 and might go either direction depending on what I decide to build it for. It's really dependent on the application for me.

I haven't bought one yet, but after lots of research I'll be going with the muzzle break option. I'm going to primarily have it for hunting and use with a 308, but I'll also use it for plinking with my ARs. So I can be at the range and go from my 223 to my bolt action bigger caliber right away. If I we're going to have multiple suppressors maybe not such a big deal, but for someone only affording one it's not to be versatile.

Quick detach all the way.

muzzle brakes and flash hiders inherently the same?
Reason to use one over the other with a suppressor?

barnag said:

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muzzle brakes and flash hiders inherently the same?
Reason to use one over the other with a suppressor?

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Not necessarily. Most brakes will have aome,flash hiding properties, and some flash hiders can have some recoil reducing properties, but not always.

Go with a brake, it will have a more useful purpose with and without the can.

Brakes tend to work better as "sacrificial baffles", taking most of the blast instead of the first couple of baffles inside the suppressor.