***Thank you, bigbore, for injecting some learned reason into an issue that I would generally prefer not to get involved in.
But what the heck, since I'm off traveling to SHOT Show and free... tonight maybe I'll make an exception and type a bit.
MasterBlaster - You asked a question, perhaps I can offer some commentary that might answer it. If I cross the line in answering this question and it becomes too much of a plug, moderators, feel free to delete my response here with no hard feelings... That said - Like most things in life, there are ups and downs, two sides to an issue. Fully welding cans has both merits and drawbacks. Fixing a simple baffle strike? Gotta cut apart and gut the whole can in many instances (we won't go into a tangent of whether or not it's illegal to replace the exterior tube). A fast turn around time / sub-hundred dollar repair job for a struck G5 endcap compares how to a probably-not-warranty-work complete $$$ gutting and $$$ rebuild of some fully welded cans? It's not a problem to repair a modular suppressor like the G5 is. And, regardless of what some might have you believe, Gemtech DOES weld many parts of our suppressors - just because there aren't gobs of weld seams and marks all over your can doesn't mean it doesn't utilize welding where it's needed.
Like you commented, I'm curious about about baffle welding [being touted] for added durability too. Welding alone isn't where the Gemtech units get their strength from. The G5 has a core suppressor of inconel, stainless, and titanium, and this "suppressor within a suppressor" is redundantly encased into a high grade stainless exterior shell with hydraulic torquing into place. A note here concerning material: Gemtech often purchases what's called "mill runs" or large custom-made runs of unique tubing to obtain the qualities we're looking for. (As a for-instance, even the economical little Outback is constructed with mill runs of 7075 tubing - the same stuff ARs are made out of - while smaller manufacturers will use 6000 series aluminum. Why would they do that? Because it's cheap, off-the-shelf-available in small quantities. And hey - I'm certain it's probably good enough - we just go the extra mile in various areas. The high-grade stuff is not a size commercially available from most raw metal tubing suppliers. We could cheap out too, but it's not as strong as we wanted, so we have to buy custom runs - tons of the good stuff - to make your Outback suppressors the best value out there.)
The point of that particular subject-matter veer: If you're listening to someone that says that our cans are corner-cutting or weak, I'd suggest pondering a bit about the above sorts of business decisions we make here. Our guys have been making, servicing, supporting, and shooting suppressors for decades, and generally what we do and how we do it is for good reasons. Selah!
Forgive the tangent.
The G5's double-wall construction and material choices makes for a very strong unit. In all the time I've been in the suppressor business, I can't recall ever having seen a Gemtech G5, M496D, HVT, or TPRS "blow out" or rupture a tube. I have, however most certainly, seen a not-insignificant number of guys messing around with trying to make subsonic handloads, mounting their suppressors cockeyed, shooting highly questionable mil-surp ammo that has ended in routine clipped endcaps, baffle strikes, etc.
Simply stated: You put enough ammo downrange for years on end, you *will* experience a squib, or a double charge, or some sort of ammo-induced problem. In the three million-plus rounds I've obtained to be sent into berms, baffletraps, and bodies, I have observed ammo from most every major ammunition manufacturer simply have a bad day. Point being? One day, no matter who's suppressor you buy, you might just clip an endcap. It might be prudent to ask your manufacturer of choice if this is covered under a warranty. It probably isn't - so ask what method is used to repair a damaged baffle. Then ask what that sort of repair might cost you. Our suppressor is designed to stay together under extremely hard use. It's also designed to be easily factory-serviced without financially penalizing a civilian end user if/when something eventually happens.
I'm reminded here of an anecdote worth sharing for the benefit of the readers. There was a USAF trial a couple years back where a Gemtech M4 suppressor was competitively tested against two "all welded construction" suppressors. After a number of tests were performed, I received a call from the procurement officer telling me "Your suppressor was damaged in testing, where can we send it back for repair?"
Naturally, I was disappointed at that outcome, and inquired as to who 'won' the trials.
His response was both encouraging and enlightening: "Oh no- I said your can was DAMAGED - the all-welded competing units CEASED TO BE SUPPRESSORS. Since you're the only suppressor still functioning, we're probably going to go ahead and issue you a sole source on this one".
We received the damaged suppressors back. They were, indeed, screwed up! Significant endcap strikes happened as ammo had gone squirrely and tumbled a bit during their fairly abusive endurance tests. Again, the modular design of a Gemtech unit allows for a quick and economical repair. The two competiting suppressors which utilized welding alone's disposition? The first suppressor's welds softened under the extreme heat and pressure. One or more baffles collapsed from their plug/spot welds and flew forward, stacking up in the nose of the suppressor, making it.... "quite loud". The second suppressor, an all-welded single wall design (that admittedly saved a few ounces as compared to our suppressor), when subjected to the intense heat and blast pressures had it's welds go "plastic" and as a baffle tore away from where it was welded to the suppressor tube wall, it ripped a large tear inside along with it, rupturing it's tube completely to the outside.
I suspect both of these competing units would be difficult and probably impossible to fix, no matter what kind of warm fuzzies the respective company's paper guarantee offers.
I make it a policy of this company to never publicly disclose or advertise the specific names of our U.S. end-users, but perhaps if anyone is really, really bored and likes to google enough, you might find one of the multiple USG contracts that were competed fairly and won by Gemtech to supply hundreds of those weak, unwelded, inferior cans to our troops after these tests...