If I had the money to buy a dedicated 5.56 can, I'd buy the Saker. I like it mainly because of the modular mount design; it will fit on my current AAC muzzle brakes and I can switch the MAAD mount for many other mounting options in the future.
That said, if I was buying a dedicated 5.56 can and I didn't care about the modularity or being able to fit on my current rifles, I'd probably go with the Surefire SOCOM. It's compact and rugged, has a very simple mounting system, and it's supposed to have less gas blowback and less POI shift than other 5.56 cans. I've shot one before, and it seemed to be just like any of the other 5.56 cans on the market as far as loudness (that's a good thing; Surefire has a reputation for having less blowback and less POI shift at the cost of being louder). I didn't shoot the rifle without the can, so I can't say if the POI shift is less than normal, but it sure did seem like it was gassing me less than most other cans I've shot on ARs.
The mounting system on the SOCOM is very similar to their previous-generation mounts, except they claim it has less carbon build-up so the can is less likely to carbon-lock to the mount. It's also rock-solid, unlike some mounting systems that have a little play in them (AAC for example). For some reason, they got rid of the indexing notch on the SOCOM cans, so it's a little harder to tell if it's lined up properly before you slide the can over the muzzle device. It's still not hard, and if it bothers you it would be easy to make your own indexing notch. I'll be honest, after getting used to AAC-type mounting systems where you turn the whole can until it stops, the Surefire mount can be slightly difficult to get used to. But everyone I know who owns a Surefire swears the mount is much easier than others. I have a buddy who bought an AAC SDN-6 for his 6.8 after using a 2nd gen Surefire on his 5.56 for years. He says the AAC mount is not as fast or intuitive for him as his Surefire mount.
That's a really good price for a 5.56 SOCOM. One of the reasons I've never owned a Surefire can is because they're almost always more expensive than their competition. But $1,000 puts it on par with AAC and Silencerco as far as price.
