Permanently affixed sound suppressor?

[Farnham]

I had this errant thought today on the drive to work (one of many).

Why doesn't someone put together an 11.5" or 14.5" barrel AR upper with a permanently affixed sound suppressor?

The way I understand it, you have to shell out the $200 for an SBR, and then another $200 for the suppressor. If someone built an upper with a permanently affixed suppressor, long enough to bring the barrel to 16", couldn't you just pay the suppressor tax?

I'm dying to get a suppressor, but I think it'd be handier on a 14.5" barrel. Is there something I'm missing?

S/F

Farnham

 

[VorpalSpork]

I would guess that most people who buy a suppressor have more than one barrel it would work on. Once you spend $750-$1200 on a suppressor, tax, and transfer what's another $200 to be able to use it on your other barrels, or use your short barrels without the suppressor.

 

[wdlsguy]

You can get suppressed uppers:

http://www.google.com/search?num=100&hl=en&lr=&as_qdr=all&q=suppressed+upper+site:ar15.com

I'm about to send in the paperwork for an 11.5" AR-15. A 5.56mm suppressor is next on the list.

 

[kelwhelan]

http://www.g-man-weaponry.com/Suppressors.htm

...like this?

Kel

 

[444]

wdlsguy, it looks to me like that link you provided mostly is talking about pistol caliber uppers that do not have a permenently attached suppressor. I have an LRM M169 upper (I have two stamps: SBR/Suppressor), so I know the suppressor isn't permenently attached.
If you want a barrel less than 16", it would be tough to get around having two tax stamps. If it was a registered machine gun, you can have any barrel length you want, but it would still have two stamps. If it was a registered SBR you will have two stamps. If it was a pistol, you would only have to have one stamp. I am not sure about the permenently attached suppressor: I have never heard of that being done.

 

[Bartholomew Roberts]

I am thinking that one big problem with a permanently attached suppressor on a rifle barrel is that the extra heat means the barrel will wear out much faster and then your suppressor is permanently attached to a barrel that has no throat left.

This is probably also why you usually only see the concept on pistol caliber rifles.

 

[wdlsguy]

Bartholomew, why would a barrel with a suppressor attached run hotter than a barrel without a suppressor attached?

Either way, you make a good point, in that barrel changes would be significantly more expensive with an integral suppressor.