I am in the process of writing a proposal to revamp our issued patrol rifles, going across the board with 11.5" guns with a can.  I have found a few decent articles with some sciency-type information relating to Db levels with and without cans, and where the 'agency is now paying disability' level is, which is good information, but I'm always looking for more info, if I can find it.

Does anyone here work at an agency with cans on their patrol rifles?  If so, are you aware of any studies--done by your own agency or any others--citing information as it relates to suppressors being cheaper in the long run than disability payouts for hearing loss?  I know there are a number of reasons why an agency might cave in and buy cans for everyone, but history tells me this is my best bet.

Also, since I know the question will be asked--for those who do have cans on their patrol rifles, and the rifle is kept in a standard locking rifle rack in a cruiser, how does your agency deal with the can being removable/stealable (even if the rifle remains locked in the rack) in a vehicle burglary?  Mandate taking the rifle indoors overnight?  Leave it in the rack overnight and accept the risk?

Thanks

For the last question, there are pin and weld direct thread suppressors.

When I started all of our firearms were personally owned.

When the new Chief was able to budget department owned squad rifles, we went from personal rifles to a ruger AR to 10.5 select fire suppressed AR rifles.

I'm pretty sure our city council don't care what we get. We were the first agency in our county to have suppressed squad rifles. Soon after one of our neighboring agencies got suppressed select fire CZ Scorpions. I don't think they had to any proposal on hearing studies.

We have direct thread suppressors and our squad is either in our secure garage at the PD or it's at an Officers house and haven't had any issues leaving them in the squads.

Unless I can get enough of a budget for a dozen or so extra training rifles, I probably won't go the welded-on route, as it would then preclude the use of frangible ammo and Sims.  But, if I can keep a dozen or so of my current rifles and keep them unsuppressed, or afford to purchase some new ones and keep them unsuppressed for frang./sims, welded-on cans would be a good way to mitigate the potential theft issue.  Thanks for that.

We are kind of split. Our tactical guys have 11.5" FN with direct thread Gemtech cans. The rest of the dept has 16" FN. I believe the dept will transition from 16" to 11.5" in the future. All it took was our tactical guys complaining about shooting inside a structure to get a few cans. As far as storage, there are no take home cars except for K9, so all are locked in a secure garage when not in service.

Rocksett and torque the cans and they aren’t coming off without tools and some knowledge.

We're looking into that direction. Right now it's just SWAT running suppressed shorties. No issues with storage...but the first time something gets stolen someday I'm sure things will change.

In practical terms it's considerably easier to get shorties into car gun racks. The only real downside is that you'll have the occasional novice burn themselves on the can during training.

We only had them for SWAT as patrol had 16” rifles.  But they were Gemtech G5’s which use a QD mount which always mounts the same. I liked the ability to take them off sometimes, use them sometimes, and plenty of times I did not want the extra length (but also had electronic hearing protection a lot of the time).

I had minimal POI shift, so that was not an issue.  

Not a bad option if your people won’t lose them.  Made it super easy for SIM usage too.

Partner agency SWAT folks had 11.5” guns with thread on cans- people disliked them due the extra length doing clears and such.  They eventually took them off as the hearing protection got more common.  Theirs were always kind of a pain when switching to SIMs, as they could not be Rocksett on- they were going one and off at least once or twice a month.  QD was much better.

For patrol, if you wanted to Rocksett them onto 11.5” guns, it would be all good til it was time to use the SIMs.  Not sure how I would handle that, as you need some time for water to dissolve any Rocksett, then need to clean and dry the can.  

QD is just better….especially if it was a light Titanium can, or even a cheap steel welded YHM Turbo.  Anything helps when it comes to protecting your hearing…

My department issues every officer 10.5” Aero Precision rifle with YHM Turbos.  I work for a university so our argument was hearing loss for officers and bystanders, especially inside a building.  My proposal had decibel numbers with and without suppressors.  It was a surprisingly easy sell to admin.  I wouldn’t worry about theft of the suppressor, most people are clueless.

All for cans on patrol rifles. Fortunately retired. My agency operated in the mode of ThIs Is HoW we always did it.

Agency would have to pay for the cans, where-as the fed pays for the hearing damage.  So I figure the agency would see no savings at all.

I'm on my agency's collateral assignment SWAT team, and we are issued 11.5 w/ cans. Most of the team is in Patrol and it has not been an issue carrying them in the racks. The rule is do not leave them in your take home car when off duty unless you leave your car in the secure parking lot at the station.

I'm working on getting them for every rifle in the department.

In car rifle locks are not good defense against BOVs. Shouldn't be leaving them in the cars when off duty unnattended anyway.  I wouldn't worry about just the cans getting unthreaded.


Don't pin an weld them that's a silly idea and would be an unnecessary pain in the ass for a lot of reasons.



Get some good examples and demo them for the decision makers. It's been the easiest way in my experience. Demo a nice loud as shit unnsuppressed 10.5 in a realistic scenario then do it again with a good suppressed setup.

My full time agency is going to cans on their ARs only because the neighbors to the police range are complaining about noise. Cans on 16 inch barrels. I suggested that they go to shorter barrels the last time they bought new rifles and they refused, claiming the rifles would be hard to sell at the end of their service life. I'm glad I retired.

The small agency I worked for  all used issue 10.3 uppers with cans.

Just get 11.5" barrels with SureFire SOCOM 556 Mini 2's.  Have your troops shoot the piss out of them and never take the cans off for cleaning; the cans will essentially weld themselves to the muzzle device with carbon and NOBODY will be able to take them off the rifle to steal them.  Problem solved.

We have AAC Cans on 12.5” rifles, and 14.5” 870’s. Both are in a vertical rack between the seats.  We pool cars. When cars are not in use all equipment is removed.