SSS.6.187 - Sylvan Arms SA223TIS and the M4A1 Mid-Gas 5.56x45mm 14.5-in Barrel Automatic AR15 Rifle (Free Version)
/Sylvan Arms SA223TIS on the M4A1 Mid-Gas 5.56x45mm AR15 with 14.5-in Barrel
The SA223TIS is designed and manufactured by Sylvan Arms. It is a 223 caliber centerfire rifle silencer, intended to suppress 5.7x28mm and 5.56 NATO cartridges. It has a 1.44-inch diameter and is 7 inches long with the included SAQD mount installed. The integrated QD mount system in the silencer uses coarse ACME threads, a forward taper seal, and a rear ratcheting retention pawl mechanism that interfaces with the muzzle device. The pawl mechanism on the rear of the silencer may be depressed by the user to disengage the lockup and remove the silencer from the mount. The silencer is also available in a direct-thread model which has a reduced system length of 6.4 inches. The tube of the silencer is constructed from grade 9 titanium; the blast chamber and baffles are 17-4 stainless steel. The silencer weighs 12.1 ounces, and the 1/2-28tpi threaded SAQD mount weighs 4.5 ounces, for a total system weight of 16.6 ounces, as tested. The SA223TIS can be obtained from Sylvan Arms.
PEW Science is an independent private testing laboratory and also hosts the world’s only independent public suppressed small arms research cooperative. Testing, data analysis, and reporting is generated with funding provided by PEW Science members. Any test data that is generated with any portion of private funding contains this disclosure. The testing and analysis production for this Sound Signature Review was funded in part by PEW Science Project PEW-Sylvan-106-001-24. Therefore, data pertaining to the SA223TIS in this Sound Signature Review is published with the express written permission of Sylvan Arms.
The testing and analysis presented in this Sound Signature Review are of the Sylvan Arms SA223TIS on the M4A1 Mid-Gas Automatic AR15 rifle, chambered in 5.56x45mm NATO with a 14.5-inch barrel. Federal XM193 55gr ammunition was used in the tests. The standard PEW Science M4A1 test host weapon system is described in Public Research Supplement 6.127.
Section 6.187.1 contains Sylvan Arms SA223TIS test results and analysis.
Section 6.187.2 contains overall gross Suppression Rating comparisons of the SA223TIS with other rifle silencers on the current market on the M4A1 Mid-Gas Rifle, including various configurations of the BOE Mod 1, Echo Zulu Defense X1R556-Ti, PTR VENT Spiritus 556i, HUXWRX FLOW 556 Ti, Surefire SOCOM556-MINI2, KAC QDC/CRS-PRT, KAC QDC/MCQ-PRT, CAT/WB/A1, and Surefire SOCOM556-RC2.
Section 6.187.3 contains an article summary and PEW Science laboratory staff opinions.
Summary: When paired with the 14.5-in barrel M4A1 and fired with Federal XM193 with the SAQD mount, the Sylvan Arms SA223TIS achieved a composite Suppression Rating™ of 31.5 in PEW Science testing.
As with all weapon systems, the user is encouraged to examine both muzzle and ear Suppression Ratings.
Relative Suppression Rating Performance is Summarized in SSS.7 - PEW Science Rankings.
6.187.1 Sylvan Arms SA223TIS Sound Signature Test Results
A summary of the principal Silencer Sound Standard performance metrics of the Sylvan Arms SA223TIS is shown in Table 1. The data acquired 1.0 m (39.4 in) left of the muzzle is available for viewing to all. The data acquired 0.15 m (6 in) right of the shooter’s ear is only available to membership supporters of PEW Science and the Silencer Sound Standard. You can support public PEW Science testing, research, and development with a membership, here. State-of-the-art public firearm sound signature testing and research conducted by PEW Science is supported by readers like you.
Table 1. Sylvan Arms SA223TIS Sound Metric Summary
6.187.1.1 SOUND SIGNATURES AT THE MUZZLE
Real sound pressure histories from a 6-shot test acquired with PEW-SOFT™ are shown below. Six cartridges were loaded into the magazine, the fire control group positioned to single-shot, and the weapon was fired until the magazine was empty and the bolt locked back on the follower of the empty magazine. Only five shots are considered in the analysis. The signatures of Shot 6 are displayed in the data presentation but are not included in the analysis to maintain consistency with the overall PEW Science public dataset and bolt-closing signatures. The waveforms are not averaged, decimated, or filtered. The data acquisition rate used in all PEW Science laboratory sound signature testing is 1.0 MS/s (1 MHz). The peaks, shape, and time phasing (when the peaks occur in relation to absolute time and to each other) of these raw waveforms are the most accurate of any firearm silencer testing publicly available. PEW-SOFT data is acquired by PEW Science independent laboratory testing; the recognized industry leader in silencer sound research. For more information, please consult the Silencer Sound Standard.
The primary sound signature pressure histories for all 6 shots with the Sylvan Arms SA223TIS are shown in Figure 1a. The sound signatures of Shot 1 and Shot 2 are shown in Figure 1b, in early time. The real sound impulse (momentum transfer potential) histories from the same 6-shot test are shown in Figure 2a. In Figure 2b, a shorter timescale is shown comparing the impulse of Shot 1 to that of Shot 2 and Shot 3.
Fig 1a. Sylvan Arms SA223TIS 5.56x45mm NATO M4A1 Automatic Rifle Muzzle Sound Pressure Signature
Fig 1b. Sylvan Arms SA223TIS 5.56x45mm NATO M4A1 Automatic Rifle Sound Pressure Signature
Figure 2a. Sylvan Arms SA223TIS 5.56x45mm NATO M4A1 Automatic Rifle Muzzle Sound Impulse Signature
Figure 2b. Sylvan Arms SA223TIS 5.56x45mm NATO M4A1 Automatic Rifle Muzzle Sound Impulse Signature
The Sylvan Arms SA223TIS is a midsize centerfire rifle silencer dedicated to 5.56 NATO or 5.7x28mm use. Like the Sylvan Arms SA30TI which was previously evaluated with 7.62 NATO (6.186), the smaller SA223TIS is classified as conventional design in the PEW Science research taxonomy. Like the larger SA30TI, the SA223TIS uses an outer tube that houses curved cone baffles that are both notched and stepped. The outer diameter of the silencer is relatively small, at 1.44 inches. This dimension, along with the type of baffles-in-tube construction, result in somewhat limited expansion volume. However, the baffle geometry is relatively efficient for the diameter. The SA30TI has a bore intended for 30 caliber use, and smaller. The SA223TIS has a bore intended for 223 caliber use, and smaller.
PEW Science Research Note 1: The 5.56 NATO evaluation of the subject Sylvan Arms SA223TIS in this test report displays some similarities to the previously evaluated 30 caliber model evaluation. However, there are some notable differences. The measured blast overpressure propagation from the silencer, in the free field, is displayed in Figure 1. The corresponding external blast momentum accumulation in the impulse regime is displayed in Figure 2. Observations include:
Primary blowdown is somewhat typical for a dedicated bore on this system (Fig. 1a).
Clear delineation between initial jet coupling and primary jetting is present, albeit with prolonged initial positive phase duration in all shots (Fig. 1b).
The rate of impulse accumulation to maximum is relatively high (Fig. 2a).
Again, some of these observations are similar to that from the 308 bolt-action evaluation of the larger silencer that uses the same internal technology. However, both blowdown duration and the initial positive phase duration are greater than previously observed. These differences in behavior are the result of both blast load input duration and silencer length. The combustion volume from the 7.62 NATO cartridge results in significant pressure stagnation in the SA30TI, increasing distal blast momentum propagation throughout blowdown. In the case of the shorter SA223TIS, stagnation also occurs, but because the silencer has fewer baffles, the early-time shocks are allowed to immediately propagate. After the projectile exits, the tighter bore aperture in the 5.56 system results in much greater efficiency for this baffle design, with even higher back pressure. The Suppression Rating at the muzzle with the SA223TI on the 14.5-in 5.56 NATO barrel is much higher than it is with the larger SA30TI on the longer 20-in 7.62 NATO barrel. Consequences of system back pressure are examined in Section 6.187.1.2 of this report.
PEW Science Research Note 2: The same increased blast momentum accumulation post-first-round-pop (post-FRP) throughout the string, that was observed with the SA30TI, is present in the test data with the SA223TIS. However, the behavior is reduced to nominal levels; this is again a result of the increased efficiency of this baffle technology with tighter bore aperture. Reference Figure 2a for the nominal increase. Another efficiency increase of this design with tighter bore aperture is a reduction in FRP severity. Though FRP is still postulated to be noticeable to bystanders, it is of less relative severity than in the case of 7.62 NATO combustion in the longer system.
PEW Science Research Note 3: The closest performance competitor to the Sylvan Arms SA223TIS on the 14.5-in M4A1 mid-length gas rifle, at the muzzle, is the WARCOMP-equipped Surefire SOCOM556-RC2 (6.128). With the use of a 3-prong mount, the RC2 performance pulls further away from that of the SA223TIS. The RC2 system’s hybrid design is also better optimized for combustion input from short barrels. The total system length of the Sylvan Arms SA223TIS is 6 inches, and the total system length of the Surefire SOCOM556-RC2 is 6.4 inches. The Sylvan Arms SA223TIS outperforms the smaller Surefire SOCOM556-MINI2 (6.144), regardless of mount choice. The MINI2 system length is 5 inches. It is interesting to note that the SA223TIS outperforms the gross suppression performance of the KAC 556 QDC/CRS-PRT (6.156) on this host weapon. However, the SA223TIS has much higher backpressure than the KAC PRT-series silencer which does result in increased operator hazard, as reflected in the detailed Suppression Rating metrics. The reader is encouraged to examine the sortable and filterable table in the Rankings Section of the Silencer Sound Standard.
The Sylvan Arms SA223TIS does provide competitive gross suppression performance for its size, for the type of technology. There are certainly more advanced designs that have recently proliferated in the market, some of which are classified as hybrid designs in the PEW Science research taxonomy. One example in the size class that has also been evaluated on this host weapon is the CAT WB (6.130). This type of silencer uses early venting and different pressure stages to relieve stagnation and increase suppression efficiency in a given design envelope, while also significantly reducing back pressure. For more details, performance evaluations, and in-depth signature comparisons of hybrid and conventional designs, the reader may examine analysis that was previously published in:
Member Research Supplement 6.103 (supersonic 5.56 NATO)
Member Research Supplement 6.115 (supersonic 7.62 NATO)
Member Research Supplement 6.124 (subsonic 300 BLK)
Member Research Supplement 6.169 (supersonic 5.56 NATO), and recently
Member Research Supplement 6.184 (subsonic 9mm).
PEW Science Research Note 4: As in all semiautomatic AR15 weapon testing, a second pressure pulse originates from the ejection-port signature of the weapon and it occurs early enough in time such that its waves coalesce with that of the muzzle signature. However, in late time (at approximately 80 ms in Figure 1a) the mechanical noise of the bolt closing is observed. The pressure signature of Shot 6 does not display this event due to the bolt remaining open after the sixth and final round is fired from the magazine.
PEW Science Research Note 5: The closing time of the AR15 bolt is directly related to the flow restriction of a silencer for a given weapon system. PEW Science has determined bolt closing time variation from the unsuppressed state to be a reliable indicator of silencer back pressure, with strong correlation with the PEW Science Back Pressure Metric, Omega and the alpha parameter. However, PEW Science has also determined that the indicator is unreliable upon upper receiver fouling. Sound signatures are not influenced by this fouling, as these kinematics occur in late time, after gas venting to atmosphere. Momentum transfer, weapon condition (upper receiver fouling), and other factors, can significantly influence bolt closing time. PEW Science urges the reader to exercise extreme caution if using the published bolt closing time to make determinations regarding silencer flow restriction (back pressure) or weapon system kinematics. This type of calculation may provide erroneous results, as the weapon condition at the time of each test is not published data. The time-scale duration showing bolt closing time is only published by PEW Science such that the signature data pedigree may be verified.
The shape, timing, and magnitudes of the early-time pressure pulses and overall shape of the impulse waveforms measured at the muzzle, from shot-to-shot, are relatively consistent. The consistency of the waveform amplitudes highlight the silencer’s overall sound performance consistency at the muzzle after the FRP, as well as the relative consistency of the tested automatic rifle firearm configuration.
As typically indicated, first-round sound signatures always differ from subsequent shots, as the atmosphere within the silencer changes. The FRP phenomenon cannot always be shown by viewing only the peak sound pressure. This is one of the reasons why The Silencer Sound Standard requires examining multiple sound signature metrics. Ammunition consistency can play a role in the determination of FRP, however, the close examination of measured pressure and impulse waveforms typically excludes ammunition from the possible factors influencing true FRP, due to the relative consistency of most high quality factory ammunition.
PEW Science Research Note 6: Note that the muzzle Suppression Rating of the Sylvan Arms SA223TIS is 31.1 and the at-ear Suppression Rating is 18.8; different zones on the Suppression Rating Dose Chart. In the tested configuration, with the tested mount, the back pressure of the SA223TIS does contribute to elevated ejection port blast operator hazard. The back pressure is not low enough to reduce the ejection port blast loads to the shooter as significantly as some other designs silencers on the standard M4A1 weapon system.
The signatures measured and analyzed at the shooter’s ear are presented in the full Member Version of this report.
Gross hazards and behaviors with the M4A1 weapon system are compared in the following section.
6.187.2 Suppression Rating Comparison (5.56x45mm from the M4A1)
Figure 5 presents a comparison of the PEW Science Suppression Ratings of the Sylvan Arms SA223TIS with that of other rifle silencers on the M4A1 weapon system. The standard PEW Science M4A1 test host weapon system is described in Public Research Supplement 6.127. As PEW Science research with the M4A1 system continues, the dataset will be further populated.
Figure 5. Suppression Rating Comparisons of the Sylvan Arms SA223TIS and the BOE Mod 1, Echo Zulu Defense X1R556-Ti, PTR VENT Spiritus 556i, HUXWRX FLOW 556 Ti, KAC QDC/CRS-PRT, KAC QDC/MCQ-PRT, Surefire SOCOM556-MIN2, CAT WB, and SOCOM556-RC2 with different mounts, Using PEW-SOFT 5.56x45mm Supersonic Test Data and PEW Science Analysis
Figure 5 presents an overall summary of the postulated hazards to the operator and bystanders when fielding a Sylvan Arms SA223TIS on the M4A1 weapon system. Data is also presented for the fielding case of the BOE Mod 1 (6.183), Echo Zulu Defense X1R556-Ti (6.181), PTR VENT Spiritus 556i (6.176), HUXWRX FLOW 556 Ti (6.168), Surefire SOCOM556-RC2 (6.128), SOCOM556-MINI2 (6.144), and KAC QDC PRT units (6.156) on different muzzle devices, along with fielding of the CAT WB (6.130). Hazards are expressed with the Suppression Rating; a holistic parameter that captures human inner ear damage risk potential from a measured impulsive complex overpressure signature during the entire time regime of weapon operation, including combustion, complete blowdown, and all mechanical operation, including the carrier group returning to battery, in the true free field. The parameter may be used with the dose chart at the beginning of this report. The PEW Science Suppression Rating is a damage risk criterion (DRC), a lower Suppression Rating indicates a higher personnel hazard in the free field - it is not a subjective quantity; it is an objective quantification of hearing damage risk potential. Due to its true free field test data origin and complete waveform analytical calculation basis, it is the only known universal suppressed weapon system signature comparison metric available.
The following gross conclusions can be made from the above:
The Sylvan Arms SA223TIS achieves hazard reduction to bystanders directly adjacent to the weapon system, in the free field, on the standard untuned M4A1RIII weapon system that is comparable to that of the WARCOMP-equipped Surefire SOCOM556-RC2. The 3-Prong mount enables the Surefire RC2 suppression performance to increase. The Sylvan Arms SA223TIS performance, to bystanders, is higher than the KAC QDC PRT systems, as well as higher than that of the smaller Surefire SOCOM556-MINI2, regardless of mount. The conventional design of the SA223TIS, with its dedicated bore, enables this high pure suppression performance at the expense of back pressure.
As a result of increased back pressure, the free field operator (shooter) hazard reduction with the Sylvan Arms SA223TIS on the standard untuned M4A1RIII weapon system is less robust than that of several other designs in the dataset. The phenomena responsible for this performance reduction, to include increased early-time back pressure, are discussed in Research Note 1 of this report and examined in detail in the Members-only Section 6.187.1.2. The M4A1RIII is also a somewhat “over-gassed” rifle. Significant hazard reduction efficacy is extremely difficult to achieve without weapon modification. Furthermore, as discussed with in-depth analysis in previous Member Research Supplement 6.169 on the MK18, specific signature attributes and environmental factors can and will influence user perception and experience. With regard to holistic sound field, especially near reflecting surfaces, the competitive muzzle Suppression Rating and distal blast momentum control of the Sylvan Arms SA223TIS are likely to provide positive operator experiences in a variety of environments, especially with weapon tuning. Any tuning of the M4 system for ejection port blast reduction will result in higher levels of overall operator hazard reduction performance with this silencer. FRP, however, will still influence operator hazard differentials during the first shot. That performance detriment can not be “tuned out” of the system without the use of some type of ablative medium.
Increased gross flow rate (lower back pressure) does pay dividends in ejection port blast hazard reduction to the 14.5-in barrel M4A1 midlength gas weapon operator, but without weapon modification, shooter’s ear protection levels may plateau. This has now been demonstrated several times with high performance silencers. Management of internal blast load impulse accumulation and flow rate in multiple time regimes is paramount for holistically balanced suppression performance on such weapon systems.
As detailed in this report, the Suppression Rating at the shooter’s ear may be significantly influenced by the ejection port signature from an AR15; all other things equal. For details on performance increases that are possible when “tuning” an AR-15 weapon system for a silencer, please see Review 6.111. It is important to note that not all silencers will possess a significant increase in shooter’s ear Suppression Rating from weapon tuning. Signature at the operator’s head is a function of both muzzle and ejection port signatures from the AR-15 weapon system. Specific weapon system parameters will dictate modification efficacy.
Small arm weapon system suppression performance is a spectrum. The PEW Science Suppression Rating and the Silencer Sound Standard help quantify this spectrum for end users and industry, objectively.
6.187.3 Review Summary: Sylvan Arms SA223TIS on the M4A1 Mid-Gas 5.56x45mm AR15 with 14.5-in Barrel
When paired with the 14.5-in barrel M4A1 and fired with Federal XM193 with the SAQD mount, the Sylvan Arms SA223TIS achieved a composite Suppression Rating™ of 31.5 in PEW Science testing.
As with all weapon systems, the user is encouraged to examine both muzzle and ear Suppression Ratings.
PEW Science Laboratory Staff Opinion:
The Sylvan Arms SA223TIS is a mid-size 5.56 rifle silencer that possesses a robust mounting system and a lighter weight than some competing designs. Its conventional baffle technology provides suppression performance that competes with models using similar technologies, as expected, and exceeds the performance of some designs. For use on short barrel rifles, the titanium-tube clad SA223TIS possesses a stainless steel blast chamber and baffles, adding some resiliency. The included taper mount with ratcheting retention securely seals; a direct-thread version of the silencer is also available.
Like the Sylvan Arms SA30TI which was previously evaluated with 7.62 NATO, the smaller SA223TIS is classified as conventional design in the PEW Science research taxonomy. Like the larger SA30TI, the SA223TIS uses an outer tube that houses curved cone baffles that are both notched and stepped. The outer diameter of the silencer is relatively small, at 1.44 inches. This dimension, along with the type of baffles-in-tube construction, result in somewhat limited expansion volume. However, the baffle geometry is relatively efficient for the diameter. The SA30TI has a bore intended for 30 caliber use, and smaller. The SA223TIS has a bore intended for 223 caliber use, and smaller.
The closest performance competitor to the Sylvan Arms SA223TIS on the 14.5-in M4A1 mid-length gas rifle, at the muzzle, is the WARCOMP-equipped Surefire SOCOM556-RC2. With the use of a 3-prong mount, the RC2 performance pulls further away from that of the SA223TIS. The RC2 system’s hybrid design is also better optimized for combustion input from short barrels. The total system length of the Sylvan Arms SA223TIS is 6 inches, and the total system length of the Surefire SOCOM556-RC2 is 6.4 inches. The Sylvan Arms SA223TIS outperforms the smaller Surefire SOCOM556-MINI2, regardless of mount choice. The MINI2 system length is 5 inches. It is interesting to note that the SA223TIS outperforms the gross suppression performance of the KAC 556 QDC/CRS-PRT on this host weapon. However, the SA223TIS has much more backpressure than the KAC PRT-series silencer which does increase operator hazard, as reflected in the detailed Suppression Rating metrics. The reader is encouraged to examine the sortable and filterable table in the Rankings Section of the Silencer Sound Standard.
The Sylvan Arms SA223TIS does provide competitive gross suppression performance for its size, for the type of technology. There are certainly more advanced designs that have recently proliferated in the market, some of which are classified as hybrid designs in the PEW Science research taxonomy. One example in the size class that has also been evaluated on this host weapon is the CAT WB. This type of silencer uses early venting and different pressure stages to relieve stagnation and increase suppression efficiency in a given design envelope, while also significantly reducing back pressure. For more details, performance evaluations, and in-depth signature comparisons of hybrid and conventional designs, the reader may examine analysis published in PEW Science Member Research Supplements.
The included mount provides very secure lockup. In PEW Science testing, the gas seal also functioned well. The coarse ACME mount threads are robust and are postulated to be durable both in mount installation/removal as well as when the silencer is not installed on the mount and the host weapon is being used in the field. This may be attractive to some users, as some fine-thread mounting schemes may become more easily damaged from errant drops and impacts, rendering subsequent silencer mounting impossible. Removal of the silencer from the mount necessitates the depression of the latch pawl; this secondary retention feature may also be attractive tom some users. In the event the user desires a different mounting system, the silencer is also offered in a direct-thread model.
In this review, the Sylvan Arms SA223TIS performance metrics depend upon suppressing a supersonic centerfire rifle cartridge on a commonly fielded gas-operated rifle, which is an incredibly difficult task. PEW Science encourages the reader to remain vigilant with regard to all supersonic centerfire rifle suppression claims. The gas volume and combustion products created by the firing of the supersonic 5.56x45mm cartridge are significant; the measured pressure and impulse magnitudes, and their durations, illustrate this fact. Silencer performance on automatic (reciprocating) rifles depends on many factors. Weapon configuration may significantly influence total suppressed small arm system performance.
The hearing damage potential of supersonic centerfire rifle use is significant. PEW Science encourages the reader to consider the Suppression Rating when deciding on an appropriate silencer and host weapon combination for their desired use.
