SILENCER SATURDAY #338: Range Time With The HUXWRX FLOW 556 TI

Good evening everyone and welcome back to TFB’s Silencer Saturday brought to you by Yankee Hill Machine, manufacturers of the brand new YHM 338 Bad Larry Suppressor. Last week we previewed the new HUXWRX FLOW 556 TI rifle suppressor. This week we take the full-size FLOW 566 Ti out on the range for some initial impressions. Is this your next fighting carbine suppressor? Let’s take a look.

More HUXWRX @ TFB

• SILENCER SATURDAY #281: Let It Flow Through You – HUXWRX FLOW 762 Ti
• SILENCER SATURDAY #239: Top 5 Initial Impressions – HUXWRX FLOW 556k Suppressor
• SILENCER SATURDAY #244: HUXWRX FLOW 556K Full Auto Range Time
• HUXWRX FLOW 556k Wins FBI Hostage Rescue Team 5-Year Contract

Note: Firearms such as silencers, short barrel rifles, and other items are controlled by the National Firearms Act of 1934. The ownership and transfer of these items is highly regulated and they cannot be treated the same way as non-NFA firearms. In short, I wish there were no restrictions, but for your safety, please know and understand all of the applicable laws and regulations.

SILENCER SATURDAY #338: Range Time With The HUXWRX FLOW 556 TI

Last week I covered the basic premise of the HUXWRX FLOW models and why I think they are some of the best performing semiautomatic suppressors currently on the market. As a review, I think HUXWRX has done a fantastic job of preserving the flow-through tech that is the cornerstone of their brand, while using additive manufacturing to build lightweight and hyper durable silencers.

There are shooters/owners of the HUXWRX FLOW 556K, the original additive manufacturing model the company released a few years ago, who perceive it to be louder than other suppressors currently available. This has not been my experience for the FLOW 556K, FLOW 762, and now the FLOW 556 TI. I’ve found that the reduction in gasses exiting the ejection port keeps the noise at the ear down to impressive levels. Bystanders may feel that the FLOW models are louder than non-forward venting suppressors because all of the gas saved from the ejection port is instead vented forward out of the muzzle.

Forward venting expanding gasses with the HUXWRX FLOW 556 Ti makes host weapons almost completely suppressor agnostic. There is no need for gas adjustments, buffer swaps, or other tech designed to mitigate adding a silencer onto the end of a barrel. Think of the host as a garden hose and the suppressor as your thumb when you place it over the end of the hose to spray water farther. As you increase the pressure with your thumb, the pressure increases, swelling the hose, and spraying water back into your face. The HUXWRX FLOW eases that pressure.

The Flow Through tech alone makes the HUXWRX models stiff competition for the latest and greatest suppressors on the market today. Let’s take a look at the numbers.

Specifications: HUXWRX FLOW 556 TI

• Manufacturer’s Page: https://huxwrx.com/flow-556-ti
• MSRP: $1,623
• User Manual: https://huxwrx.com/content/manuals/FLOWManual.pdf
• Caliber: 5.56, .223, 17 HMR, 5.7, 22 LR, 5.45
• Weight: 11.4 oz / 323 g
• Overall Length: 6.8 in / 17.2 cm
• Diameter: 1.8 in / 4.6 cm
• Length Added to Barrel: 6.1 in / 15.5 cm
• Barrel Length: No restrictions
• Coating: C-Series Cerakote™ Matte Black and Flat Dark Earth (FDE)
• Materials Utilized: 3D-Printed Grade 5 Titanium

With gas mitigation and sound reduction out of the way, we can discuss some of the more subjective opinions on the FLOW 556 TI. As we have discussed several times in the past, suppressed supersonic rifle hosts are never going to be quiet, especially when using barrels shorter than 18”. As such, my preference has always been to prioritize other attributes over sound reduction, specifically length and weight.

The FLOW 556 TI is quieter than the FLOW 556K, mostly because of the extra length that increases internal volume. But how much quieter is somewhat debatable. Since the human ear can only detect a 2-3 dB difference in sounds, I’d say that is where the FLOW 556 TI lands compared to the FLOW 556K.

Obviously the FLOW 556 TI is longer. If a few inches extra is a deal breaker, I would go with the 556K. The weight difference between the two is almost negligible.

I will be really happy when HUXWRX designs a minimalist-style muzzle device or makes the FLOW series HUB compatible like the VENTUM series. Currently, any weight savings that is gained with using titanium over Inconel is lost with the larger/heavier muzzle device.

And then we have the price; an issue that is not exclusive to HUXWRX. I know that additive manufacturing is a time consuming, energy intensive, and expensive process. And those costs have to be passed on to the consumer. But $1,600 is a lot of cash. However, the HUXWRX FLOW 556 TI, like its predecessors, does work as advertised. So if you have the money and the right host, the only real choice left is 556K or 556 TI.

Thanks for reading. Be safe, have fun, and we’ll see you back here next week for another Silencer Saturday.