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Posted: 2/28/2026 3:56:50 PM EDT
| I have been looking at getting my first can and the new AM stuff seems really really nice. I was originally looking at the DL5, Recce5K and Explorr 224 but with the new AM versions coming out I have found myself kind of stuck. The explorr series is really appealing because of the weight but I was curious if there were any performance improvements with the new can besides more durability from the new alloy. And with the DL series, I see the HRT is almost the same price as the DL5, is there a major difference in performance in the DL5 that would make someone go with it over the HRT if the HRT has more flow now? I know the HRT has cooling fins and is slightly heavier but is flash/sounds pretty similar? Sorry for all the questions but all of these cans look awesome. (If you guys could please do a podcast going through the 5.56 offerings of the new lineup and talk about their pros/cons compared to each other I think it’d be super helpful) |
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The DL5 sounds a little cleaner. The HRT5 AM is a bit lower pressure and cools faster for greater durability for heavy shooters. The Explorr cans are more or less the improved performance conventional cans made with nickel superalloy baffles. The Recce cans are a little more durable and heavier than the explorr cans, and the Recce 5 AM has one more baffle than the Recce 5K and Ex224. So it is the best sounding model. The Recce cans perform a bit better for flash signature than the Explorr cans- they have the better flash hiders and are a more "tactical" can and less hunting meets tactical like the explorr which emphasizes low system weight but still has a minimalist flash suppressor integration. The PRC 224 will have the same number of baffles as the Recce 5 AM but in a little bit lighter Explorr style weight I believe. So same really quiet can, but different slightly lighter weight. |
Austin, Managing Partner - www.GriffinArmament.com
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Originally Posted By CatholicKit: Thanks so much for the answer! So are the Explorr baffles a completely differnent one than the Recces? And any word on when the PRC can is coming out? Sounded really nice from the podcast. In the current lineup the Recce and explorr baffles of the conventional cans are different. In the AM cans they are similar but lighter in the explorr version than the Recce version. The flash hider caps on the Recce cans are a little more serious than the explorr cans, but they both work fairly well. I think the Ex 224 AM is like ~10 ounces, whereas the Recce 5K is maybe 14.5? So there is a weight/durability difference which is in keeping with the two models having somewhat different purposes- the light practical can and the more durable can for the more tactical end user where the use is harder. |
Austin, Managing Partner - www.GriffinArmament.com
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Green0 is there a huge difference between the HRT5 AM and the original HRT as far as db and flash? I see you also said that it cools faster, is significantly faster? I love my HRT gen1 and just picked up a DL5 & DL7 (go figure new ones were coming out but I ordered in late Dec) and I wanted your opinion on if it will adversely affect the HRT if you dump some water on it to cool it down? I have had some high rate of fire classes where the heat soak was getting the handguards to be uncomfortably hot but I didn't want to risk douching the can. It wasn't glowing or anything just really hot. |
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Originally Posted By Green0: In the current lineup the Recce and explorr baffles of the conventional cans are different. In the AM cans they are similar but lighter in the explorr version than the Recce version. The flash hider caps on the Recce cans are a little more serious than the explorr cans, but they both work fairly well. I think the Ex 224 AM is like ~10 ounces, whereas the Recce 5K is maybe 14.5? So there is a weight/durability difference which is in keeping with the two models having somewhat different purposes- the light practical can and the more durable can for the more tactical end user where the use is harder. Awesome, thanks for the info! After looking at your guys’ flash and sound testing with the DL5 AM I think I’m sold. Any word on when you guys will be having the ship to door option available? And are FDE pretty soon to come? If so may wait a little longer. Super stoked! |
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Originally Posted By mmrpm: Green0 is there a huge difference between the HRT5 AM and the original HRT as far as db and flash? I see you also said that it cools faster, is significantly faster? I love my HRT gen1 and just picked up a DL5 & DL7 (go figure new ones were coming out but I ordered in late Dec) and I wanted your opinion on if it will adversely affect the HRT if you dump some water on it to cool it down? I have had some high rate of fire classes where the heat soak was getting the handguards to be uncomfortably hot but I didn't want to risk douching the can. It wasn't glowing or anything just really hot. The hrt5am cools faster than the dual lok 5am. It cools significantly faster than the other AM model. Nickel alloys heat faster than 17-4 and cool slower in general. So I don’t know if that would help you. Water quenching cans is not recommended. That doesn’t mean nobody ever does it, but it isn’t recommended as it kind of shocks material and could cause movement like warping on a small scale. I do know that running a Recce 5k and an HRT5AM through a socom table is very different in outcome- orange color like a light bulb to dull red for the HRT5AM- the thermal management is better on that model. |
Austin, Managing Partner - www.GriffinArmament.com
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Originally Posted By CatholicKit: Awesome, thanks for the info! After looking at your guys’ flash and sound testing with the DL5 AM I think I’m sold. Any word on when you guys will be having the ship to door option available? And are FDE pretty soon to come? If so may wait a little longer. Super stoked! I saw one in FDE in media room where they take photographs- the first cans selling were printed oversize and ground to od size and that can really looked great in FDE. I think they should be available now. I went and saw them not available on website so maybe that will be next week? Maybe asking cs would derive a better answer. The grinding just increases material consumption (print it to remove it) and makes longer print times, so we were not planning to keep grinding them all, as the additive texture is typical and provides grip and some surface area increase. |
Austin, Managing Partner - www.GriffinArmament.com
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First round flash with the HRT5 AM is not its best attribute but after round 1 it is essentially invisible from all angles except right down the bore from the front. The first round flash is maybe the one thing the conventional HRT5 could do better if anything. The sound is better than the HRT5 preceding it. A lot of development went into that and additive compared to conventional machining, there is just an incredible amount of geometry you can put in a can that is an unfair comparison. We have a lot of distinct things going on through 63 prototypes that make that happen. The amount of time that you would have to put into manufacturing to even prototype that, let alone manufacture it, just makes that impossible in conventional machining. The HRT5AM is lefty shooter friendly- AKA face in the ejection port in a normal left hand shooting position, the gas pressure is so low it is comfortable to shoot. |
Austin, Managing Partner - www.GriffinArmament.com
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Originally Posted By Green0: @CatholicKit The FDE option is available today. The issue was the inventory ERP number wasn't correct, so the inventory wasn't showing up. I saw the product photos, looks fantastic, just waiting on my notification for the Ship to Door option and I’ll be grabbing one! Or if my local shop is able to get one in I’ll probably get it from them but their 150 bucks to get it transferred is rough! |
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There are some early models which were OD ground to be smooth and others which are a printed finish that affords texture. They are both performing the same as the only difference was grind stock. We are making small 250 unit batches because we are trying to launch a lot of models at the same time. So its like 250 a day. They are selling out sporadically because of the time to get back to run another 250. |
Austin, Managing Partner - www.GriffinArmament.com
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Originally Posted By Jakezor: Would it be possible to upgrade my DL5 into an HRT556AM? The diameter is the same and the mount end looks very similar. Just dreaming It might be kind of possible but the diameter of the rear is a little larger 1.528” on the AM one vs 1.5” on the DL5- We just don’t have time right now to do anything custom. With stamps at zero, new cans are easier than before also. |
Austin, Managing Partner - www.GriffinArmament.com
Joined:
Feb 2026
Posts:
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EE: 0% (0)
CO, USA
|
Originally Posted By Green0: There are some early models which were OD ground to be smooth and others which are a printed finish that affords texture. They are both performing the same as the only difference was grind stock. We are making small 250 unit batches because we are trying to launch a lot of models at the same time. So its like 250 a day. They are selling out sporadically because of the time to get back to run another 250. Do you by chance know how many are being made in FDE as a proportion? I really wanna pull the trigger on the DL5 but I’m worried I’m gonna buy it in black right before the FDE comes available on the to your door option. My local shop wasn’t able to order one it seems so I’m anxiously waiting for my in stock notification email. Really excited to try it out! |
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Originally Posted By CatholicKit: Do you by chance know how many are being made in FDE as a proportion? I really wanna pull the trigger on the DL5 but I’m worried I’m gonna buy it in black right before the FDE comes available on the to your door option. My local shop wasn’t able to order one it seems so I’m anxiously waiting for my in stock notification email. Really excited to try it out! I think 20% of them are FDE. So when they make 250, 50 are fde. Maybe that needs some fine tuning. I am not sure. The product catalog is so big it is kind of impossible to perfectly manage it all on that fine level of doing the perfect amount of a color to sell down identically. |
Austin, Managing Partner - www.GriffinArmament.com
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Originally Posted By Green0: It might be kind of possible but the diameter of the rear is a little larger 1.528” on the AM one vs 1.5” on the DL5- We just don’t have time right now to do anything custom. With stamps at zero, new cans are easier than before also. Originally Posted By Green0: Originally Posted By Jakezor: Would it be possible to upgrade my DL5 into an HRT556AM? The diameter is the same and the mount end looks very similar. Just dreaming It might be kind of possible but the diameter of the rear is a little larger 1.528” on the AM one vs 1.5” on the DL5- We just don’t have time right now to do anything custom. With stamps at zero, new cans are easier than before also. Thanks for the more detailed explanation, again as I said I was mostly dreaming. I snagged a black HRT556AM since they came back in stock early this morning since you mentioned these should be great for lefthanders. |
The plane flew, admit you're wrong and get over it.
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Originally Posted By Jakezor: Thanks for the more detailed explanation, again as I said I was mostly dreaming. I snagged a black HRT556AM since they came back in stock early this morning since you mentioned these should be great for lefthanders. Thanks for your business. The HRT5AM is a great choice for left hand shooters. |
Austin, Managing Partner - www.GriffinArmament.com
Moderate-Length Barrel Evangelist
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| Yes AM explorr cans have typical backpressure for conventional cans, so sound improvement and durability improvements are the major difference. They needed to be light and in inconel that is harder to do- impossible in a low pressure design with redundant walls and flow stuff. |
Austin, Managing Partner - www.GriffinArmament.com
Moderate-Length Barrel Evangelist
Joined:
Jun 2022
Posts:
4891
EE: 100% (11)
USA
|
Originally Posted By Green0: Yes AM explorr cans have typical backpressure for conventional cans, so sound improvement and durability improvements are the major difference. They needed to be light and in inconel that is harder to do- impossible in a low pressure design with redundant walls and flow stuff. Cool, thanks. |
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