Well, I jumped into the NFA game. I have a Liberty Regulator as well as a SiCo Omega and Octane on the way, on a form 3.

I just realized I'm short threaded guns!

.22 Regulator
I have a threaded 10/22, but could use a pistol. I was leaning towards a Beretta 71 or GSG 1911.

7.62 Omega
I have a few ARs and was planning on getting my .308 Mauser threaded. That should hold me over ... right?

.45 Octane
I was going to get a threaded barrel for my 1911. Should I bother to get one for my M&P .40?

After threading services and the barrels, I think I have the budget for one, maybe 2 more hosts. I'm looking at factory threaded mainly to keep costs down. Thoughts? And why are Lone Wolf barrels so expensive

FYI: I didn't find any added value in the $300 threaded 1911 barrels. After much fussing with different options, I ended up with an ATI 1911 and a $60 Swenson barrel in it as my 1911 host.

I still have my Colts and Paras, but they have been safe queens for the last two years and no longer get used.

YMMV

sillycon wrote:FYI: I didn't find any added value in the $300 threaded 1911 barrels. After much fussing with different options, I ended up with an ATI 1911 and a $60 Swenson barrel in it as my 1911 host.

I still have my Colts and Paras, but they have been safe queens for the last two years and no longer get used.

YMMV

Thanks, phenomenal advice. I'm not made of money and that'll keep $200 in my pocket!

I've had the GSG 1911 but like the kit better.

These where $126 shipped with two mags and no paper work or stupid take down screw and your 1911 trigger . Mine has been flawless and queit . http://palmettostatearmory.com/index.ph ... /id/11616/

I ordered a Swanson barrel for cheap but couldn't trust it ( sloppy fit, crude, iffy threading to bore) I am very happy with my $200 threaded storm lake and Octane, the semi fit barrel is tight and very accurate.

A Ruger pistol is always a good choice so are threaded bolt 22's and threaded 10/22 barrels, look at the price of mags for hosts also.

You can get a 300blk barrel for one of your AR's or upper cheap ( see DSG PSA for upper)

Do you really think you are going to stop buying hosts ?

Stick with good common quality hosts like you did suppressors, they don't have to be expensive just proven.

+1 Ruger 22/45 makes a great host, very reliable and durable. Money well spent

quiettime wrote:+1 Ruger 22/45 makes a great host, very reliable and durable. Money well spent

That's true. I have a MKII, and it's nice and does shoot well, but it doesn't seem too ergonomic.

Emilio wrote:I've had the GSG 1911 but like the kit better.

These where $126 shipped with two mags and no paper work or stupid take down screw and your 1911 trigger . Mine has been flawless and queit . http://palmettostatearmory.com/index.ph ... /id/11616/

I ordered a Swanson barrel for cheap but couldn't trust it ( sloppy fit, crude, iffy threading to bore) I am very happy with my $200 threaded storm lake and Octane, the semi fit barrel is tight and very accurate.

A Ruger pistol is always a good choice so are threaded bolt 22's and threaded 10/22 barrels, look at the price of mags for hosts also.

You can get a 300blk barrel for one of your AR's or upper cheap ( see DSG PSA for upper)

Do you really think you are going to stop buying hosts ?

Stick with good common quality hosts like you did suppressors, they don't have to be expensive just proven.

Haha I guess I'm trying to rush things and be impatient
The 300 blackout is a pretty good idea! My brother has a .22 AR upper I can play with too. I'll dig around for a .22 1911 upper as well.

Ruger 22/45 LITE. Mine is awesome... Can on the way. Put your thumb behind the slide to make it into a single-shot, and you have a back-yard suburban plinker.

300BLK. This round was DESIGNED to be suppressed. Shoot 220gr bullets from an AR-15 for the cost of ONLY the barrel... Good ones are as low as $150.

JeffWard

I like the Beretta 22- I think it's a 21, but not made anymore. For the price of it, you could get a good Ruger MKII or 22/45 LITE. I've got the MKII with a TacSol aluminum upper and it is my favorite host period. A buddy has the LITE and it is a very nice 22 pistol. I've probably got close to $700 in the MKII, and the 22/45 is around $300 I think. Not $400 worth of difference, but they didn't have the LITE when I got the MKII. I;ve been looking at the GSG 1911 and the Sig 22 1911 too.

For the 7.62 can, yeah, take a look at the 300BLK, either with an AR barrel ($80- $300) or a Handi Rifle ($250-$300) or even the Micro 7. All are proven performers with the 300BLK. Just make sure you get a 1:8 or 1:7 twist.

For the 45 can- I;ve got a Handi Rifle in 357 that is absolutely mouse fart quiet with a 9mm can. I've seen some folks threading Ruger 77/357 and 77/44 rifles lately. I have an integral 77/44 and it is almost as quiet as the 357 Handi when throwing 300 grain Hornady XTPs at 1050 fps.

My recommendations, in order, are 22/45 LITE, 77/44, 300BLK Handi.

I agree with Jeff. Ruger 22/45 lite is the way to go. I was at a friends bachelor party this weekend and there were guns everywhere. I think everyone decided it was there favorite gun of the day with an element 2 on the end. Big burly men were chosing the Ruger 22/45 with the element 2 over a 1911 with a tirant 45, 300 blackout with a SDN-6, MP5K (semi) with octane 9. Its a ton of fun. I still prefer my integral 10/22 over it but it's definitely on the top in my book and cheap to shoot.

gicts wrote:... I have a MKII, and it's nice and does shoot well, but it doesn't seem too ergonomic.
...

What is it you don't like about the Ruger you already own? Maybe something else can be suggested based on your needs.

Emilio wrote:I ordered a Swanson barrel for cheap but couldn't trust it ( sloppy fit, crude, iffy threading to bore) I am very happy with my $200 threaded storm lake and Octane, the semi fit barrel is tight and very accurate.

The finish on the Swenson is crude, no doubt. I've not shot it on paper, but 8" plates at 40yd are no issue so long as I do my part so regardless of it not being "pretty" it does what it is supposed to do. Lock up was nice, and the barrel has enough meat that it can be setup to ride on the lugs (unlike many expensive factory guns which have to ride the link... ). I didn't measure concentricity directly (I verified there was free space around the baffles with a rod down the bore), but a sample size of one wouldn't mean much any way.

If you're expecting $300 in fit and finish, you'll be disappointed. If you just want a threaded barrel that puts rounds down range with reasonable accuracy and not a big-money price, the Swenson is worth a look.

Unfortunately, with 1911-pattern guns, the manufacturing variances are pretty wild sometimes so it's a bit of a crap shoot as to how tight/loose it will fit on any particular gun. Also, note that the Swenson barrel will NOT work on a Para or other gun with integrated feed ramps and such.

JeffWard wrote:Ruger 22/45 LITE. Mine is awesome... Can on the way. Put your thumb behind the slide to make it into a single-shot, and you have a back-yard suburban plinker.

300BLK. This round was DESIGNED to be suppressed. Shoot 220gr bullets from an AR-15 for the cost of ONLY the barrel... Good ones are as low as $150.

JeffWard

I've read up on the .300blk today and looks pretty tempting. How does it sound compared to a suppressed .223? The best I could find is a youtube video that make them sound neck and neck.

ncorry wrote:I like the Beretta 22- I think it's a 21, but not made anymore. For the price of it, you could get a good Ruger MKII or 22/45 LITE. I've got the MKII with a TacSol aluminum upper and it is my favorite host period. A buddy has the LITE and it is a very nice 22 pistol. I've probably got close to $700 in the MKII, and the 22/45 is around $300 I think. Not $400 worth of difference, but they didn't have the LITE when I got the MKII. I;ve been looking at the GSG 1911 and the Sig 22 1911 too.

For the 7.62 can, yeah, take a look at the 300BLK, either with an AR barrel ($80- $300) or a Handi Rifle ($250-$300) or even the Micro 7. All are proven performers with the 300BLK. Just make sure you get a 1:8 or 1:7 twist.

For the 45 can- I;ve got a Handi Rifle in 357 that is absolutely mouse fart quiet with a 9mm can. I've seen some folks threading Ruger 77/357 and 77/44 rifles lately. I have an integral 77/44 and it is almost as quiet as the 357 Handi when throwing 300 grain Hornady XTPs at 1050 fps.

My recommendations, in order, are 22/45 LITE, 77/44, 300BLK Handi.

Everyone seems to be in favor of the 22/45
I used to have a little Beretta .32 Tomcat. It's a bit cliche, but I do have an urge to get some Hollywood / 007 style setup. I guess that's where the Beretta 71 comes into play. If I went with a .32 or .380, I think that'd be another suppressor.

thecameraman79 wrote:I agree with Jeff. Ruger 22/45 lite is the way to go. I was at a friends bachelor party this weekend and there were guns everywhere. I think everyone decided it was there favorite gun of the day with an element 2 on the end. Big burly men were chosing the Ruger 22/45 with the element 2 over a 1911 with a tirant 45, 300 blackout with a SDN-6, MP5K (semi) with octane 9. Its a ton of fun. I still prefer my integral 10/22 over it but it's definitely on the top in my book and cheap to shoot.

I think a .22 would get the most action. One of my justifications to jump in was to get a .22 for the squirrels and invasive birds in the backyard. The .45 and 7.62 will have to be range only toys.

doubloon wrote:

gicts wrote:... I have a MKII, and it's nice and does shoot well, but it doesn't seem too ergonomic.
...

What is it you don't like about the Ruger you already own? Maybe something else can be suggested based on your needs.

Well this will make some Ruger fans shutter ... It's actually a 1976 MKI and the least shot in my collection. Sure, it's pretty accurate, it just doesn't handle well. There's a narrow grip, horribly unbalanced, and every time I look at it I see a hobbled together Nambu wannabe.

sillycon wrote:

Emilio wrote:I ordered a Swanson barrel for cheap but couldn't trust it ( sloppy fit, crude, iffy threading to bore) I am very happy with my $200 threaded storm lake and Octane, the semi fit barrel is tight and very accurate.

The finish on the Swenson is crude, no doubt. I've not shot it on paper, but 8" plates at 40yd are no issue so long as I do my part so regardless of it not being "pretty" it does what it is supposed to do. Lock up was nice, and the barrel has enough meat that it can be setup to ride on the lugs (unlike many expensive factory guns which have to ride the link... ). I didn't measure concentricity directly (I verified there was free space around the baffles with a rod down the bore), but a sample size of one wouldn't mean much any way.

If you're expecting $300 in fit and finish, you'll be disappointed. If you just want a threaded barrel that puts rounds down range with reasonable accuracy and not a big-money price, the Swenson is worth a look.

Unfortunately, with 1911-pattern guns, the manufacturing variances are pretty wild sometimes so it's a bit of a crap shoot as to how tight/loose it will fit on any particular gun. Also, note that the Swenson barrel will NOT work on a Para or other gun with integrated feed ramps and such.

I think I'll give it a go. For $100 for a barrel, housing, and thread cover, do I have that much to lose?

gicts wrote:...
Well this will make some Ruger fans shutter ... It's actually a 1976 MKI and the least shot in my collection. Sure, it's pretty accurate, it just doesn't handle well. There's a narrow grip, horribly unbalanced, and every time I look at it I see a hobbled together Nambu wannabe.
...

I own the model 150, steel frame, full 32oz.

Understand the ergonomics issue now, I have some of the same concerns.

I don't mind the weight so much but I wouldn't mind a thicker grip. I've never been a 1911 fan either and yet I also own a Beeman P1. I need to look for new grip panels for both of them but I'm too lazy.

A lot of people like the plastic Rugers, they're lighter, maybe they feel better balanced but I have enough plastic guns already.

doubloon wrote:

gicts wrote:...
Well this will make some Ruger fans shutter ... It's actually a 1976 MKI and the least shot in my collection. Sure, it's pretty accurate, it just doesn't handle well. There's a narrow grip, horribly unbalanced, and every time I look at it I see a hobbled together Nambu wannabe.
...

I own the model 150, steel frame, full 32oz.

Understand the ergonomics issue now, I have some of the same concerns.

I don't mind the weight so much but I wouldn't mind a thicker grip. I've never been a 1911 fan either and yet I also own a Beeman P1. I need to look for new grip panels for both of them but I'm too lazy.

A lot of people like the plastic Rugers, they're lighter, maybe they feel better balanced but I have enough plastic guns already.

I agree, and in the same vein that kinda narrows out the P22, M&P 22, Mosquito ... I don't mind the weight, just don't like the distribution.

Apparently I shouldn't expect the Regulator until at least early August, so I do have some time to do some exploring.

I had a Mosquito, I couldn't get rid of it fast enough. Traded it for a KelTec and I think I got the better part of that deal.

I also bought a 22lr conversion for the P226. It works well enough but it completely changes the weight of the gun, feels almost like a toy.

The Ruger 22/45 is a good choice and it has a 1911 style grip so different from your Mark 2 if that was the problem. You can find factory threaded ones pretty cheap around $329-$400 http://grabagun.com/ruger-mkiii-22-45-4 ... -sgts.html depends on how fancy you want.

The thing I like about my 22/45 LITE is the weight. The gun it under 23 oz with a 4.5" barrel. Add a rim-fire can (mine will be a TacSol Axiom, 6", 6oz), and you have a 10" <30oz suppressed pistol for quick steel-blasting, or squirrel-elimination.

For introducing young shooters, for my GF to blast away with (and for my own hedonistic cheap blasting)... It can't be beat.

Jeff

There is a huge difference between 5.56 and 300 BLK suppressed in an AR platform. As mentioned earlier by Jeff the 300BLK is designed to cycle subsonic ammo in the AR platform. no matter what can you run on a 5.56 AR you will not be hearing safe at the shooters ear (around the 143db range). With subsonic 300BLK on the other hand you can shoot all day without any cycling issues and be completely hearing safe (around the mid 130's or less range).

I got to take mine out to about 100 yards on steel on Saturday and my friends were rolling on the floor laughing because all they could hear was the round hitting the steel which in there words "sounded like a spittoon". I need to upload a video onto youtube when I get home.

gicts wrote:

JeffWard wrote:Ruger 22/45 LITE. Mine is awesome... Can on the way. Put your thumb behind the slide to make it into a single-shot, and you have a back-yard suburban plinker.

300BLK. This round was DESIGNED to be suppressed. Shoot 220gr bullets from an AR-15 for the cost of ONLY the barrel... Good ones are as low as $150.

JeffWard

I've read up on the .300blk today and looks pretty tempting. How does it sound compared to a suppressed .223? The best I could find is a youtube video that make them sound neck and neck.

ncorry wrote:I like the Beretta 22- I think it's a 21, but not made anymore. For the price of it, you could get a good Ruger MKII or 22/45 LITE. I've got the MKII with a TacSol aluminum upper and it is my favorite host period. A buddy has the LITE and it is a very nice 22 pistol. I've probably got close to $700 in the MKII, and the 22/45 is around $300 I think. Not $400 worth of difference, but they didn't have the LITE when I got the MKII. I;ve been looking at the GSG 1911 and the Sig 22 1911 too.

For the 7.62 can, yeah, take a look at the 300BLK, either with an AR barrel ($80- $300) or a Handi Rifle ($250-$300) or even the Micro 7. All are proven performers with the 300BLK. Just make sure you get a 1:8 or 1:7 twist.

For the 45 can- I;ve got a Handi Rifle in 357 that is absolutely mouse fart quiet with a 9mm can. I've seen some folks threading Ruger 77/357 and 77/44 rifles lately. I have an integral 77/44 and it is almost as quiet as the 357 Handi when throwing 300 grain Hornady XTPs at 1050 fps.

My recommendations, in order, are 22/45 LITE, 77/44, 300BLK Handi.

Everyone seems to be in favor of the 22/45
I used to have a little Beretta .32 Tomcat. It's a bit cliche, but I do have an urge to get some Hollywood / 007 style setup. I guess that's where the Beretta 71 comes into play. If I went with a .32 or .380, I think that'd be another suppressor.

thecameraman79 wrote:I agree with Jeff. Ruger 22/45 lite is the way to go. I was at a friends bachelor party this weekend and there were guns everywhere. I think everyone decided it was there favorite gun of the day with an element 2 on the end. Big burly men were chosing the Ruger 22/45 with the element 2 over a 1911 with a tirant 45, 300 blackout with a SDN-6, MP5K (semi) with octane 9. Its a ton of fun. I still prefer my integral 10/22 over it but it's definitely on the top in my book and cheap to shoot.

I think a .22 would get the most action. One of my justifications to jump in was to get a .22 for the squirrels and invasive birds in the backyard. The .45 and 7.62 will have to be range only toys.

doubloon wrote:

gicts wrote:... I have a MKII, and it's nice and does shoot well, but it doesn't seem too ergonomic.
...

What is it you don't like about the Ruger you already own? Maybe something else can be suggested based on your needs.

Well this will make some Ruger fans shutter ... It's actually a 1976 MKI and the least shot in my collection. Sure, it's pretty accurate, it just doesn't handle well. There's a narrow grip, horribly unbalanced, and every time I look at it I see a hobbled together Nambu wannabe.

sillycon wrote:

Emilio wrote:I ordered a Swanson barrel for cheap but couldn't trust it ( sloppy fit, crude, iffy threading to bore) I am very happy with my $200 threaded storm lake and Octane, the semi fit barrel is tight and very accurate.

The finish on the Swenson is crude, no doubt. I've not shot it on paper, but 8" plates at 40yd are no issue so long as I do my part so regardless of it not being "pretty" it does what it is supposed to do. Lock up was nice, and the barrel has enough meat that it can be setup to ride on the lugs (unlike many expensive factory guns which have to ride the link... ). I didn't measure concentricity directly (I verified there was free space around the baffles with a rod down the bore), but a sample size of one wouldn't mean much any way.

If you're expecting $300 in fit and finish, you'll be disappointed. If you just want a threaded barrel that puts rounds down range with reasonable accuracy and not a big-money price, the Swenson is worth a look.

Unfortunately, with 1911-pattern guns, the manufacturing variances are pretty wild sometimes so it's a bit of a crap shoot as to how tight/loose it will fit on any particular gun. Also, note that the Swenson barrel will NOT work on a Para or other gun with integrated feed ramps and such.

I think I'll give it a go. For $100 for a barrel, housing, and thread cover, do I have that much to lose?

The best way to do the 300BLK is with an 8 or so inch barrel. That does require a pistol configuration or a Form 1 SBR. I went the SBR route, you can efile those online right now if you have a trust, they are about a 60 day turnaround. I'm running the Octane 45 on mine and it is very quiet.

gicts wrote:... I'll dig around for a .22 1911 upper as well.

Depending on which kit you get and which silencer, this may not work well. The weight of a can on the barrel has been noted to cause enough friction to cause malfunctions.

My own Kimber conversion unit is very finicky, only running 100% with the most powerful ammo, even with not having a can on the end. Subsonics will not work in it.

22/45 or 22/45 Lite is the way to go if you like the 1911 platform. It will eat anything including subsonics and will also last many many rounds.

I have a GSG 1911 as a host as well as a 22/45 lite. The Ruger is running 100%, I wish I could say that for the GSG I can barely get it to run right with high velocity none the less sub sonic ammo. I read tons of good things but that is just not my experience and I really decked mine out with all kinds of performance parts. Perhaps the issue. I also end up getting out my 22/45 anyway when it comes to pistols.

For .45 hosts, I bought a HK barrel for my USP and I bought Remington threaded barrel for my R1 Enhanced. I have a Glock 17 with threaded barrel in route for my first 9mm host.