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Review: Yankee Hill Machine TURBO Suppressor and QD Mount

New England. It’s a region of the United States steeped in history. The Mayflower landed here. And the Boston Massacre, as well as the Boston Tea Party, set the American Revolution in motion. Folks from New England are Yankees, some are patriots, and it’s in New England we find Yankee Hill Machine.

YHM is the manufacturer of modern sporting rifle parts including rail accessories, complete uppers and suppressors. YHM has produced parts for some of the big names in the black rifle market and they have their own lineup of AR parts and rifles. They’re entering into their 66th year of operation and continue to build high-quality, American-made products for an exceptional value.

We traveled to central Massachusetts, an area rich with firearms manufacturing history, to visit the crew at YHM and test out their new suppressor, the YHM TURBO. Much like the challenge to the status quo the American Revolution offered, the YHM TURBO is certain to shake up the suppressor market. Completely redesigned from their popular Phantom line, the TURBO and its bigger brother the NITRO 30, are unlike any other suppressor available in value. With the possibility of the NFA being repealed, this suppressor will give you even more to celebrate like our revolutionary brothers and sisters.

Chris from YHM demonstrates the full-auto rating of the TURBO Sound Suppressor.

Chris from YHM demonstrates the full-auto rating of the TURBO Sound Suppressor.

At RECOIL, we’re just as excited as our readers for the possibility of the Hearing Protection Act to pass, which would remove silencers from the NFA listing. Not only would this be a political victory for the firearms community, it’d eliminate the $200 tax stamp and, of course, make the range a little quieter. This possibility, along with the introduction of the YHM TURBO for only $489, makes the possibility of owning a 5.56 can for under $500 a reality. We shot the TURBO at the YHM range with a few members of the YHM staff. Shooting the can alongside the guys who designed it proved highly educational and convenient, as all of our questions were answered immediately.

We asked about the finish and were told our test can was fresh out of production and the high-temperature Cerakote finish was literally still drying as it was placed in our outstretched paws. The TURBO’s construction, we were told, features a stainless steel body with Inconel blast baffle. Inconel is a nickel-chromium super-alloy, resistant to corrosion and oxidation.

We asked about full-auto capability and were shown a destruction test of the suppressor in “the lab” on YHM Advertising Manager Dave S’s phone. As we huddled around the smartphone, we watched the rifle, set in a vice, rip through drum mags and turn the suppressor various shades of orange, red, and white.

When we asked about the value of the suppressor, we learned the TURBO comes with the quick-detach muzzle brake. With some other manufacturer’s suppressors requiring the purchase of specific adapters, competitor suppressors have hidden charges not realized with the initial cost. This saves the buyer at least an extra hundred bucks. Sold as a combo suppressor and QD mount, the buyer has everything he needs (minus the rifle, mags and ammo) to reap the benefits of a suppressed rifle. YHM is seriously undercutting other manufacturers who sell these components separately.

The YHM TURBO doesn’t add significant weight to the front of the rifle and doesn’t inhibit quick follow-up shots.

The YHM TURBO doesn’t add significant weight to the front of the rifle and doesn’t inhibit quick follow-up shots.

We traveled to Massachusetts for this review and even though the state is rich with firearms history, a lot has changed since the revolutionary days. We weren’t going to risk imprisonment so we relied on the YHM crew to provide a host rifle. Like the TURBO, the host rifle is made entirely at the YHM facility with the exception of anything glass or plastic. It was equipped with the quick-detach mount that’s sold with the TURBO. This QD, three-chamber brake and mount serves as a sacrificial baffle and adds more baffles to the sound suppression system without adding them to the suppressor body. It also works well to reduce felt recoil by expelling gases to the sides and out of the line of sight when used without the suppressor. This rifle and suppressor package handled extremely well and driving the rifle sights from one target to the next was effortless. When added to our test rifle, the YHM TURBO, at only 6.5 inches, didn’t extend the overall length to an unwieldy proportion. The rifle balanced well with the TURBO attached and we couldn’t complain about it being front heavy. The extra weight was enough to help with muzzle flip but not enough to force our sights low as we recovered our sight picture. During testing, we used a mixed ammo box of 55-grain rounds from various manufacturers and experienced no anomalies and consistent performance without a malfunction.

At only 6.5 inches overall and 1.56 inches in diameter, the YHM TURBO is relatively low-profile.

At only 6.5 inches overall and 1.56 inches in diameter, the YHM TURBO is relatively low-profile.

As with any suppressor and semi-automatic pairing, we encountered some blowback, a result of the can creating backpressure in the system. It was not uncomfortable, but noticeable; but if we had a 5.56 bolt gun, it wouldn’t register on our radar. As with any AR, some mods (different charging handle, gas-venting bolt carrier, or a maybe a thin layer of silicon, if that’s your thing) are available to limit the amount of gas-face. The YHM TURBO suppressor didn’t produce Hollywood quiet noise suppression, but it did lower the rifle’s report to a point where we would not hesitate to use it without ear protection in the open. Since we were shooting in and around a covered range, we used electronic ear pro to dampen the report in the enclosed area. We didn’t notice as loud of a report as we progressed downrange and closed on the targets. The only complaint we can anticipate about the TURBO suppressor is the fact it is not direct thread compatible; it’s gotta be used with the supplied brake. Other than that, we’re waiting for the titanium version drop so we can make a little noise again with the YHM crew.

The muzzle brake provided with the YHM TURBO is an effective recoil-mitigating device and sacrificial baffle.

The muzzle brake provided with the YHM TURBO is an effective recoil-mitigating device and sacrificial baffle.

Just as the muzzle loader was the firearm of choice for the American Revolution patriots, the AR15 is the rifle of choice for modern day patriots. Our forefathers would have killed for the tactical and practical advantage of sound suppression like the YHM TURBO Suppressor affords. For less than $500, you won’t have to. For that price point, the YHM TURBO is bound to become a popular sound suppressor whether the Hearing Protection Act passes or not. According to the folks at YHM, “The new TURBO brings suppressors into the reach of the everyday shooter, where it should be. The regular firearms enthusiast does not have thousands of dispensable dollars to throw away on this years newest gimmick in the world of sound suppression, they want something that they will trust will perform to the highest standards, and have a ton of features and stats that reassure them they made the right choice.” Suppressors for all firearms? That is a revolution we can get behind!

Pros

-Saves you money for more gun parts.

-Comes with a Q.D. brake/suppressor mount

-Downward compatible with smaller calibers

-Designed for rigorous use

-Lifetime warranty

Cons

-Not user serviceable

-No direct-thread option

-No titanium option … yet

Specifications:
WEIGHT: 13.5 ounces

LENGTH: 6.5 inches

DIAMETER: 1.56 inches

BODY: 17-4 Stainless Steel

BLAST BAFFLE: 718 Inconel

SOUND: 134 dB (average out of 14.5-inch AR, 55-grain ammo)

MSRP: $489

URL: YHM.net

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