Suppressor Buying 101

Choices

A suppressor is not a cheap accessory so in my simplistic, uneducated thinking, I would get a one-size-fits-all can. Doing research, I realized it was possible but a poor choice. As the saying goes, a jack of all trades is a master of none. The orifice must be close to the bullet diameter to reduce noise so a suppressor to fit my 45 ACP would not effectively reduce the sound of my 7mm Rem Mag, and the length of a suppressor for a high-power rifle may be a poor choice for a handgun.

A suppressor is truly purpose-built. Generally, they are broken down into rimfire, handgun, .223/5.56, .30 caliber, and large bore. Those categories can be further broken down by length, weight, and noise reduction. As you can see, the choices can be daunting and almost overwhelming.

Here are some general considerations when shopping for a suppressor:

Length — Longer means more sound reduction, while shorter means more maneuverability.

Mounting — Quick detach (QD) mounts are becoming the norm. Many new firearms come with threads but older guns must be modified by threading the barrel.

Caliber — The closer the suppressor is to your caliber, the better it reduces the sound, but a .30 caliber model work well on anything smaller.

Material — Aluminum is light and inexpensive but relegated to less powerful cartridges and slow-fire use. Titanium is very light but expensive and not suited for lengthy rapid-fire use. Stainless steel is the most common as it is strong enough to withstand continued rapid fire or higher pressures but is also heavier than other options.

Decibel Reduction – A suppressor reduces the muzzle blast to eliminate hearing damage. The design and environment will impact the amount of noise reduction. Further, not all manufacturers test their cans the same so noise reduction ratings can be tricky.

Maintenance — Some powders and cartridges deposit carbon faster than others, with rimfire cartridges being the worst. As a suppressor becomes loaded with carbon deposits, it gets heavier and loses performance. Some cans are made to disassemble for maintenance, and some aren’t. If they are not serviceable, the can will need to be sent back to be cut apart for cleaning, which adds expense and downtime.

Before buying, a newbie needs to focus on what they intend to do with the silencer. For me, I wanted a suppressor for my hunting rifles. I have multiple rifles to use it on so a can with quick disconnect (QD) was a good choice. Swapping the can is almost as fast as disconnecting an air hose.

The same goes for weight. As I wander the mountains in Arizona, I’m not particularly eager to carry extra weight if I don’t need to. My knees and back remind me every day the additional cost of titanium is a benefit.

Are you going to be using it in competition while running and gunning? What about long-range competition with lots of time between shot sequences? Is it for hunting or home defense? Do you want to burn through a 30-round magazine as fast as you can pull the trigger or will you be using a retina-detaching caliber? These all have a bearing on what suppressor to buy.

The best advice is to find experienced shooters doing what you want to do and ask what they are using.