While shotguns provide a host of benefits, one of the most overlooked is that they are a fair bit quieter than most pistols and rifles. To that end, adding a suppressor to one only expands their versatility. Suppressing a shotgun is easier said than done, though, as options are limited, and mounting one involves using the threads that normally hold a choke. Alas, at that point, weight becomes an issue, as shotgun shells require more suppressor volume to house and vent the enormous amount of gas created when they are fired. Taking these issues into account, Yankee Hill Machine (YHM) has recently released its Victra-12 shotgun suppressor, which promises to take the sting out of 12-gauge shotguns while adding less weight than ever before.
Yankee Hills’s latest is comprised of 12 pieces, which include 10 baffles, a blast chamber and an end cap. Each of these parts nest into one another and are held in place with a pair of connecting rods and Allen bolts. It arrives in its full, 12-inch configuration, but can be shrunk down to 10, 8 or even 6 inches using the available rod kits. This makes the entire device user-serviceable, and being that the internals are simple in nature, cleaning is a task that requires minimal effort. Finally, as the shot pattern is critical, the end cap takes a Victra-12-specific choke tubes, with the improved cylinder choke coming stock. Modified and full chokes are available at Yankee Hill Machine’s website for $54.95 each. Interestingly, the chokes thread from the inside out, in order to continue the coning pattern of the baffles. This contour ensures that the shot wad stays together and that all lead leaves the suppressor in a consistent manner.
I was interested in testing this suppressor in its longest configuration as well as its smallest. To that end, I requested the assembly rod kit, which enables you to set it up at each of the previously listed lengths. Although if you only wish to try it in one of these lengths, there is an option for the single pair of rods to do so. A simple formula to calculate quietness is barrel length + suppressor volume = suppression. What that means is putting a huge can on a long barrel is always going to be your quietest option—but certainly not the most maneuverable. In the case of shotguns, maneuverability is essential, so I decided to use the Victra-12 in its shortest configuration with a Mossberg 590S to complement its compact nature, and the full-length setup with a Benelli Nova 3. Most folks like longer barrels on a bird gun, as they feel it helps them to point better, so in this case, the addition of a suppressor might actually enhance things.
Adapters for each of these shotguns, and more, are available on the YHM website. As it arrived in the longest configuration, I started by installing it on the Benelli. Mounting the can is as simple as removing your existing choke, screwing the adapter in its place, then screwing the can to the adapter. Once in place, a jam nut keeps it there, and an indexing mark is provided to ensure that it is straight. The Victra-12 is built with an offset bore, so using your existing bead sight or iron sights is not an issue. That was a concern of mine, as the instinctual shooting nature of a scattergun can be shot to heck the moment a change like that is required.
I chose appropriate ammunition for each shotgun, as I didn’t see any value in “gaming” things to make them quieter than they would be during actual use. For the field gun, I went with Remington’s new Heavy Dove Load. With a listed velocity of 1,255 fps, these do indeed break the sound barrier, so that element of the gunshot will be present. However, it’s this extra dose of kinetic energy that makes each individual pellet more effective, allowing for the desired effect with less lead on target. As I have zero experience with this shotgun wearing this suppressor, that extra cushion will be helpful. Nearly everybody using a shotgun for self-defense is running buckshot, so for the Mossberg, I chose Winchester’s Defender Elite 00 load. Nine copper-plated pellets at 1,145 fps typically handle anything thrown your way, so it’s plain to see why I selected it.
Range day began with a simple on/off sound comparison with the Benelli Nova. One of the hardest things to get across in writing are quantitative results of this testing. In a word, I’ll say that the results were “noticeable.” Of course, this was only for a single shot in an open space, which also factors into the equation. Patterning wasn’t affected to the point of being perceptible, and I was able to swing and break clay pigeons without a negative impact. Dare I say, it might have even enhanced the overall performance a bit, as longer “barrels” typically do.
Satisfied with the longer shotgun, I pulled the can off and started taking it apart. An Allen wrench is all that’s required, and by removing the 12-inch assembly rods and a few of the baffles, I had it shrunk down to 6 inches in no time. Again, the suppression level was evident, but the report was still a little sharp to my ear, which is to be expected, and it’s the reason why we still strongly recommend the use of hearing protection even when using suppressors. Shedding baffles is bound to do this, but that was the price I paid to keep the gun a realistic length. In this case, the pattern improved on account of the Victra’s choke tube being tighter than what was in the 590s. I did notice, though, that it was about 4 inches lower on target with the suppressor mounted, which could be corrected for once I install an optic.
I ended the day by fully disassembling the Victra-12 and observing the level of fouling it had built up from the roughly 100 shots that I put through it on the range. Surprisingly, it wasn’t that bad. I had a fair amount of unburnt powder to remove, which doesn’t require much elbow grease, but carbon was minimal. Most of this came off with a nylon brush and some solvent, which was also easy on account of the suppressor’s relatively simple internals. This is also part of the sub-$1,000 MSRP, which puts it on the menu for even a modest hunter or clay shooter.
Thanks to the implementation of the $0 tax stamp now in effect, due to President Donald Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill, there won’t be the required $200 tax stamp either. Yankee Hill Machine is known for its cost-effective solutions, and the Victra-12 now expands that realm into the lexicon of shotguns.
YHM Victra-12 Shotgun Suppressor Specifications
Gauge: 12 (max 3.5-inch shells)
Weight: 25 ounces
Length: 12.4 inches (user-configurable to 10-, 8-, and 6 inches)
Height/Width 2.7×1.95 inches
Construction: 7075 Aluminum and 17-4 PH Stainless Steel
Finish: Hard Anodized and Melonite
Decibel Reduction: 135 dB with most loads
MSRP: $959.95
Website: yhm.net
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