Gun Tests Editor Todd Woodard interviews Alexander Crown, Marketing Manager for Gemtech Suppressors, and learns about the company’s suppressor-integrated uppers in 5.56 NATO and 300 Blackout and 22 LR. Video transcript below.
Hi, this is Todd Woodard from Gun Tests magazine at the 2018 SHOT Show.
We’re here with Alexander Crown, marketing manager for Gemtech Suppressors, which is now a subsidiary of Smith & Wesson, and he’s going to tell us about the company’s Integra and Mist suppressor lines.
Crown: Yeah, thanks Todd, so the Integra is sort of our culmination of several years of work on suppressor technology obviously, and it was the beginning of the process for the suppressed upper receiver group, which was a government solicitation first for a integrally suppressed upper receiver in the 5.56 cartridge, and we also made one in 300 Blackout because, why not.
And so we sort of took their solicitation and worked it, and over time we came up with the product and decided it would be best if we release it to the public. It’s a great system, you know, it’s purpose-built for a suppressor to be integrally suppressed.
There’s less blowback in the shooter’s face, which hopefully you experienced when you got to shoot it. There’s less wear and tear on the rifle overall. The buffer, the buffer spring, firing pin, retaining pin, things like that.
And then, of course, it is user serviceable by-using our G-Core. The G-Core is a monocore system, completely made of titanium, along with the titanium tube gas block and the gas tube. So it comes out for cleaning.
Woodard: The way the Integras are set up, they have a 10.5-inch barrel, right?
Crown: Correct, the 5.56 is actually a 10-inch barrel, and the 300 Blackout is a 10.5, yes sir.
Woodard: Because those units are integral to the gun, they count in the overall length of the gun, so you’re not shooting an SBR?
Crown: Correct, it’s a one-tax-stamp gun. The way we built it is that the tube, which is titanium, is welded to the actual gas block, and the gas block is press-fit onto the barrel and pin and welded as well. So we’re negating that SBR, you know, tax stamp.
Woodard: So it’s just one tax stamp.
Crown: Correct, right right, so it’s a good package, you know, overall 16-inch length, making it legal federally.
Woodard: What about the Mist series? It’s also an integral design, but for 22s?
Crown: It is, yes, so the the Mist series is built for the 10/22 and the 10/22 Takedown. We have two different models, and they use the proprietary V-block system that comes on those 10/22s. And what we did was, basically, we took a match-grade barrel, match-grade chamber, and then we took our G-Core, that monocore system, and pinned and welded it to the barrel. And then we have a tube that slides over and screws down, so it’s a little opposite of the Integra.
Where in the Integra the actual core comes out; on the Mist the whole tube comes off. And then you know as well as I do rimfire is very dirty, and so it’s really important to be able to have that ability to clean, you know, not just the barrel and the threads, but, of course, the monocore itself.
Woodard: So what do you anticipate the MSRP being for the Mist?
Crown: The mist should MSRP around $599, $595, right around there.
Woodard: And the Integra units start at?
Crown: The Integras, I believe, again are around $1999, that sounds pretty right to me. I wasn’t prepared for a a pricing question but that sounds pretty right.
Woodard: So they’re gonna be in the ballpark of $1900, $2000. Because you get a gun, as well as the suppressor.
Crown: Well, you get an upper receiver. An upper receiver. You know, it does come with a Bravo Company Gunfighter charging handle, it comes with a standard mil-spec bolt carrier group, so it’s ready to go out of the box. Just slap it on whatever mil-spec lower you have.
Woodard: When do you anticipate them being ready in 2018?
Crown: They are ready now. They’re shipping.
Woodard: Alexander, we very much appreciate the time. These sound like fun guns.
Crown: Thanks, thanks a lot.
