The CMMG Zeroed 36
CMMG offers a broad selection of suppressors, from rimfire suppressors made for .22s to 5.56 cans for your carbine, on up to big .30-caliber cans made to run on CMMG’s .308 rifles, and even into the .36 and .46-caliber cans for those big bores.
The Zeroed 36 suppressor is perfectly fitted for a host chambered in nearly any of today’s popular carbine calibers. The Zeroed 36 features the popular HUB-mounting system that most manufacturers are using. I can’t explain how much I appreciate this trend.
As someone used to having firearms re-threaded to use with my suppressors, it’s beautiful to do away with that concern moving forward. The Zeroed 36 came with both a 1/2x28 and 5/8x24 thread cap for mounting to various firearms.
All Zeroed suppressors are constructed of laser-welded 17-4 stainless steel. You can feel the robust build when you pick them up; this one weighs over 17 ounces. When shooting full auto, breaks are recommended every 240 rounds or so. The HUB-mounted design is accented by a 3/8-inch square drive hole in the muzzle end of the suppressor, providing an easy disassembly option. Keeping with its modular design, no special tools are required for assembly or disassembly.
Shooting with the Zeroed 36
My first test with the Zeroed 36 was at an indoor range to see how it performed with .300 Blackout and 5.56 in an 11.5-inch semi-auto carbine. For that I used a Desert Tech WLVRN bullpup, switching quickly between two calibers in the same rifle.
I also paired the Zeroed 36 with several bolt-action rifles: my Desert Tech SRS in 6GT and 8.6 BLK, a Howa Mini in 6 ARC, and a Taurus Expedition in .308 Winchester.
Shooting across all these host rifles, I used a variety of hubs to get the right thread pitch to fit each one. I even used my Breek Arms tri-lug mount, which makes attaching and removing the suppressor quick and easy.
For shooting the Zeroed 36 suppressor on a handgun, I chose my Ruger RXM 9mm. After installing a booster and piston into the back of the Zeroed can, it threaded nicely onto the pistol. It was a bit heavy for a pistol suppressor, but it worked great at keeping down the noise. There was, of course, a little added backpressure, but that is not uncommon.
Modular Mounting
As a HUB-compatible suppressor, there are countless ways to mount the Zeroed 36. The can came with two direct-thread HUB mounts, threaded 5/8x24 and 1/2x28, which will fit most firearms. I already had several other HUB mounts that I used, too.
My Desert Tech SRS in 8.6 Blk needs a 3/4x24 threaded HUB, and a SilencerCo HUB fit perfectly. I also used a Breek-LOK QD tri-lug mount, which makes adding or removing the suppressor quick, sturdy, and secure. The Zeroed 36 has a 3/8-inch square drive in the muzzle to give you a robust torque point for changing the HUB system.
In total, I ended up mounting the CMMG Zeroed to quite a variety of host firearms, including a Desert Tech WLVRN SBR with 11.5-inch barrels in both 5.56 and .300 Blk, and another WLVRN with 20-inch barrels chambered in 6 ARC and 5.56.
To see how it did with 8.6 Blk, I fit the Zeroed 36 to my Desert Tech SRS A1, where it sounded great. For .308, I ran the suppressor on my Taurus Expedition .308 Winchester, a bolt action featuring an 18-inch barrel. For 6.5 Creedmoor, I installed the Zeroed can on a Bergara 22-inch HMR carbon.
Sound Management
Shooting all these firearms with the Zeroed 36 gave plenty of opportunity to evaluate its sound suppression. As you might imagine, it worked very well with low gas volume cartridges with big bores. When shooting the 9mm and 8.6 Blackout, the Zeroed 36 can had more than enough volume to suppress the expulsion of gas to a reasonable level.
Higher-pressure cartridges like the .308 Winchester and .223 Remington gave the can a little more of a workout. Even so, the noise at the shooter’s ear was what I would consider hearing safe. Obviously, according to authorities on the subject, you should always wear ear protection, but the whole reason I own suppressors is to avoid that inconvenience.
Bolt-action rifles were perfectly suppressed by the Zeroed 36 can, whereas some of the semi-auto rifles were a touch louder. For example, using a Zeroed 556 can would have likely given better results when shooting 5.56 rounds. The larger muzzle of the 36 is less restrictive for the tighter column of pressure, and as usual, having a semi-auto ejection port near your face also brings the noise closer to your ears.
My overall impression with the report of the Zeroed 36 suppressor was good. It’s hard to make a modular suppressor that is perfect at everything, there always seems to be one compromise or another. I think this suppressor does a great job of offering the user options for various hosts and calibers. In the open country where I shoot it sounds fantastic.
Gas Blowback?
In our modern suppressor market, we are spoiled for choice. There are so many manufacturers, designs, and features that you can get nearly anything you want.
A hot topic when it comes to suppressing semi-autos is the topic of gas blowback, as semi-autos tend to push exhaust from the chamber back towards the shooter when suppressed. Many suppressor manufacturers have worked to reduce this backpressure to enhance your shooting experience with their suppressor.
I shoot mainly outside, and my typical shot string isn’t particularly long. So, this is not as big a deal for me, and I found the backpressure caused by the Zeroed 36 to be acceptable. Some folks seem to be much more susceptible to blowback, and they might want to spend more money on something different.
This is obviously greatly dependent on the host firearm. For example, shooting the Zeroed 36 on my bullpup rifles brings the ejection port even closer to your face than conventional rifles. It doesn’t bother me, as I prefer the advantages of the design, but I can see how it might bother others.
Pros & Cons
There are plenty of great features to mention on this suppressor. I’ve gone over the modular mounting, as well as the multi-caliber application. These two features alone make this can worth a good look when buying a suppressor. If you are a machine gun fan, or even an FRT kind of shooter, you will also appreciate the suppressor’s full-auto rating.
On the downside, the hardy construction that makes this can so tough also adds a bit of weight. There are plenty of other options out there if you are looking for something lighter. A comparable suppressor I use quite a bit weighs nearly half of the Zeroed 36. It’s something to consider, depending on if you plan on shooting heavy strings or full auto versus carrying the host firearm very far.
