AAC Goes Titanium with the Ti-Raid 30
May 7, 2018
This week and just in time for the NRA Annual Meetings, Advanced Armament (AAC) announced their new fully-titanium Ti-Raid 30 suppressor. The Ti-Raid is the first mainstream rifle (.30 caliber or 5.56mm) product, at least in recent memory, where AAC has opted for titanium construction. Previous options, like the 762-SDN-6, 762-SD, and SR7 all employed stainless and Inconel and all were fairly heavy – though undoubtedly durable.
Let’s talk about the Ti-Raid’s specs. The can is 8.1″ long with a direct thread adapter and 8.5″ with a 90T mount adapter. As mentioned, it’s entirely titanium, yet it weighs a whopping 20 ounces. I don’t quite get what AAC is trying to accomplish here. Sure, the Ti-Raid is rated for full-auto 7.62 NATO (minimum barrel length TBA), but this still leaves AAC without a lightweight rifle suppressor. Someone who wants to really hammer the suppressor with full-auto rates of fire could already pick up one of AAC’s other offerings at a similar weight and with more durable materials. Most of us aren’t nearly that rough on our silencers, and the weight savings offered by a less-overbuilt titanium suppressor would be appreciated. Moreover, Griffin Armament’s Paladin is roughly 25% lighter, is also user-serviceable (yes, the Ti-Raid can be broken down for cleaning), and features a 17-4 stainless steel tube and blast baffle. The weight here just doesn’t make a whole lot of sense, unless you consider that the mounting adapters are really, really bulky.
Thankfully, Modern Rifleman’s relationship with Silencer Shop will allow me to put some of my skepticism to the test. Look for a review of the Ti-Raid at some point in the relatively near future.
An information security professional by day and gun blogger by night, Nathan started his firearms journey at 16 years old as a collector of C&R rifles. These days, you’re likely to find him shooting something a bit more modern – and usually equipped with a suppressor – but his passion for firearms with military heritage has never waned. Over the last five years, Nathan has written about a variety of firearms topics, including Second Amendment politics and gun and gear reviews. When he isn’t shooting or writing, Nathan nerds out over computers, 3D printing, and Star Wars.