Hive Mind: Present Suppressor Best Picks

[Chance]

I am totally ignorant of all things suppressors, and while I'm presently educating myself, I figured I would ask the folks here with hands-on experience what the present best options are. I'm looking to pick up a suppressor for a rifle up to .30 caliber and a suppressor for a 9mm pistol. I'm not particularly concerned about price if it'll last.

Suggestions? What do you look for and what do you avoid?

[SeriousStudent]

How much money do you have? Do you have a preferred dealer?

What are you going to mount them on - what kind of rifle and pistol? A semi-auto AR would offer different choices than a bolt gun.

Pistols also offer a different path regarding mounts and boosters, based on how they operate.

And would these be for hunting, ear protection, defense in an enclosed space, or just general fun?

I have some, we could get together sometime and you could try before you buy.

[LittleLebowski]

I’d be looking at the Dead Air Nomad, Energetic Vox S, the YHM Resonator R2, and the Rex Silentium Mod X. Remember, those posted prices are NOT the PF prices ;)


https://hansohnbrothers.com/shop/dead-air-armament/silencers/30-caliber/nomad-30/

https://hansohnbrothers.com/shop/energetic-armament/silencers/30-caliber/vox-s/

https://hansohnbrothers.com/shop/yhm/silencers/30-caliber/resonator/

https://hansohnbrothers.com/shop/rex-silentium/silencers/30-caliber/rex-silentium-mod-x-308/

[Duke]

Ditto on the resonator or yhm turbo.


My first, oldest and most abused can is an AAC M4-2k mod whatever.

It’s got about 20k through it..Almost all via a 12” SBR

Been back to Aac 2x to have the latch replaced (each time came back in 7 days with fresh paint)

It fits the 2 51T mounts I have with perfect lock up.

It’s still quiet. Thought the mount is arguably the shittiest there is


I wouldn’t buy a new one now. But this one has been good for me. Sometimes that happens even if the can you end up with isn’t the latest/greatest.

[Doc_Glock]

I was super impressed with a guy shooting 5.56 through a can at the range the other day. It has me wanting one.

The issue is: I have a bunch of rifles and they all have A2 flash hiders. Is there a can that will work with that flash hider because I don’t really want to swap a bunch of muzzle devices?

[Duke]

I was super impressed with a guy shooting 5.56 through a can at the range the other day. It has me wanting one.

The issue is: I have a bunch of rifles and they all have A2 flash hiders. Is there a can that will work with that flash hider because I don’t really want to swap a bunch of muzzle devices?

Gemtech Halo.

Griffin makes one too. Not sure what it’s called

[HCM]

Gemtech Halo.

Griffin makes one too. Not sure what it’s called

The Griffin is the M4SD. Like a lot of Griffin products it is a knock off of a Knight Armament product, in this case the QDSS/NT4.

[Clusterfrack]

If I could do it all again, the only cans I would buy again are my SF mini and my Thunderbeasts. I would probably buy TBAC cans for everything else.

My AAC and SiCo cans have been disappointing in various ways.

[Duke]

If I could do it all again, the only cans I would buy again are my SF mini and my Thunderbeasts. I would probably buy TBAC cans for everything else.

My AAC and SiCo cans have been disappointing in various ways.

Yea. I bought a triple pack of saker 556s.

The cans themselves are okay. No end cap blow outs on mine. But the mount is trash.

Yhms Adapter is the best mod. But $180 for the part alone. Plus mounts. SF or knights is less hassle

[LittleLebowski]

Yea. I bought a triple pack of saker 556s.

The cans themselves are okay. No end cap blow outs on mine. But the mount is trash.

Yhms Adapter is the best mod. But $180 for the part alone. Plus mounts. SF or knights is less hassle

I upgraded all of my Sakers to the Griffin taper mount from Hansohn Brothers, highly recommended. Weight save, length reduced, and it’s reliable.

[LittleLebowski]

Look, you want to stick with cans that have the new de facto industry standard 1.375x24 threading on the rear of the can. That gives you an array of options from different manufacturers, direct thread, etc. So...look at Energetic Armament, the Dead Air Nomad, and Rex Silentium to name a few off of the top of my head. Cans that limit you to proprietary mounts/thread patterns are dying.

Hansohn Brothers

[HCM]

Look, you want to stick with cans that have the new de facto industry standard 1.375x24 threading on the rear of the can. That gives you an array of options from different manufacturers, direct thread, etc. So...look at Energetic Armament, the Dead Air Nomad, and Rex Silentium to name a few off of the top of my head. Cans that limit you to proprietary mounts/thread patterns are dying.

Hansohn Brothers

That depends on your application.

Modular cans make sense for recreational use (I have one and another in NFA Jail) but for serious or institutional use the removable rear cap is a potential point of failure.

[whomever]

FWIW: it depends on your intended use. For example, if you're looking at hunting use on a bolt gun, there are ones that are largely built of aluminum. They are cheaper and lighter than the inconel/titanium/etc ones, but are temp limited - you can only fire so many rounds a minute or they will overheat and fail. If you want to do mag dumps out of a semi, they aren't what you want at all, but they might be the bee's knees for a bolt gun hunter.

[LittleLebowski]

That depends on your application.

Modular cans make sense for recreational use (I have one and another in NFA Jail) but for serious or institutional use the removable rear cap is a potential point of failure.

This isn’t a modular can thing, like the Rugged Obsidian.

kedminster

[Chance]

As a total novice, my initial application would be a .300 BLK AR and some variety of a Glock 9mm, just to have. But with the specter of a rabidly anti-gun administration, I'm approaching this under the assumption that I may not be able to buy suppressors for specific applications in the future.

So I probably should have opened the thread with less of an emphasis on "optimal" and more of an emphasis on longevity and serviceability. I'm happy to pay $1500 or more if it'll last.

[Grey]

As a total novice, my initial application would be a .300 BLK AR and some variety of a Glock 9mm, just to have. But with the specter of a rabidly anti-gun administration, I'm approaching this under the assumption that I may not be able to buy suppressors for specific applications in the future.

So I probably should have opened the thread with less of an emphasis on "optimal" and more of an emphasis on longevity and serviceability. I'm happy to pay $1500 or more if it'll last.

Dead Air Nomad or Vox S has you covered for 300 BLK and any of your 30 cal cartridges and then get a separate 9mm can.

[JRB]

I was super impressed with a guy shooting 5.56 through a can at the range the other day. It has me wanting one.

The issue is: I have a bunch of rifles and they all have A2 flash hiders. Is there a can that will work with that flash hider because I don’t really want to swap a bunch of muzzle devices?


Gemtech Halo.

Griffin makes one too. Not sure what it’s called

Speaking from first hand experience on a friend's Gemtech Halo some years back - not all 'A2' muzzle devices are created equal. If it is a *true* Milspec A2 muzzle device it will work, but the majority of A2's out there are close-but-not-quite copies. That makes zero difference in function in any situation except this particular scenario. The not-milspec A2's were either too wide and wouldn't lock up, or too loose and that made us all nervous about baffle strikes.
Interestingly, the best fitment for his Halo was on the A2 flash hider on a early 90's Bushmaster.

While it worked OK, personally I'd rather replace the muzzle device and have 100% reliability.

[kedminster]

This isn’t a modular can thing, like the Rugged Obsidian.

kedminster

I agree with Lebowski on this. In suppressor context, modular generally means the ability to alter the length or configuration of the baffle stack. I would argue that an interchangeable mount is very different and very valuable hence why it has been widely adopted in the industry. I have not seen an instance where an interchangeable mount (ours or otherwise) caused a failure at the interface between the mount and the silencer body. This is a very easy point to secure, especially with a few drops of Rocksett and properly applied torque. There is WAY more surface area in this threaded joint than in the joint between a muzzle device and barrel. In every mount failure I have ever seen, the failure was between the mount and muzzle device.

[kedminster]

FWIW: it depends on your intended use. For example, if you're looking at hunting use on a bolt gun, there are ones that are largely built of aluminum. They are cheaper and lighter than the inconel/titanium/etc ones, but are temp limited - you can only fire so many rounds a minute or they will overheat and fail. If you want to do mag dumps out of a semi, they aren't what you want at all, but they might be the bee's knees for a bolt gun hunter.

I would respectfully disagree. Aluminum is not a material that should be used for any rimfire or centerfire rifle use. I think there may be some applications where it could be ok for centerfire pistol. Titanium and high performance steels have a superior strength to weight ratio over aluminum. For the same can, designed for the same pressure safely margins, titanium will always be lighter. Titanium and aluminum have similar temperature limitations. Aluminum has horrible hot gas erosion characteristics; even with hard anodizing. I would agree that you can make a less expensive silencer from aluminum (particularly 6000 series aluminum) but if you look at the silencer from a value perspective (performance, service life, purchase cost/tax stamp) I believe titanium or other higher performance materials will always yield a better overall value. Given the costs both in time and money for a silencer purchase, I think it is a better investment to buy on value than just raw purchase cost.

[whomever]

I would ...

A comparison of two cans picked because ... I happen to have them :-)

Griffin Sportsman - 17-4 blast baffle, otherwise 7075AL, weighs 11.3 oz, silencershop says $629, comes with the following advice from the mfgr:

"Rate of Fire consideration 10 rounds rapid, 3RPM sustained (.300 RUM 24" min Barrel length)."

Sig 762Ti - titanium, weighs 17.5 oz, silencershop says $1000 [1], full auto rated


In terms of durability, I have a couple thousand rounds through the Griffin, and it's going strong. Here is my use case: I have a couple of Ti/SS 30 cal cans if I want to do mag dumps (which I don't). For me, the Griffin was a lot cheaper and a lot lighter, and I only want to use it on a bolt gun. So think about a hunter who just wants a can to save his hearing a little, and over a lifetime will only put a few hundred rounds through the can. The aluminum one is cheaper and lighter. It's not the right choice for everyone, but it might be for him (and I think it was and is the right choice for me).


[1]but out of stock ... dunno eventual price. IIRC min griffin was $500 and the sig was $1150 or something like that, as prices bounce around; YMMV.

[Chance]

What accounts for the price difference between something like a Dead Air Nomad and a Thunder Beast Dominus? The material?

[littlejerry]

If I could do it all again, the only cans I would buy again are my SF mini and my Thunderbeasts. I would probably buy TBAC cans for everything else.

My AAC and SiCo cans have been disappointing in various ways.

This is currently where my head is at, but I'd put it differently: I want a heavy duty compact/k can for my AR, and a lighter, larger, 30 cal can for everything else.

I'm very happy with my Turbo K for AR use. Light, small, durable, and as effective as you can really hope for.

TBAC looks like the best option for a light and effective. 30 cal can. I keep hoping ill win one of their 50% certs at a match.

[DaBigBR]

Turbo K (or regular Turbo) in 5.56. Just impossible to beat for the money. Hard to beat for more money. Hell, tough for twice the money.

Very intrigued by the CGS MOD9SK. Have an Omega 9K that is currently my pick for a 9mm can, but got a MOD9SK in the other day and have high hopes. Another one that promises to be a ton of suppressor for the money.

[757_Magnum]

I've got a Nomad that just got approved, and I'm just waiting to get the stamp back any day now. This is going on my ultimate 300 BLK SBR build as my main HD rifle, and I'm going with either an EA Vox S or K for my 12.5" 5.56 build. I recently filed for my CGS Mod9 SK, and that little thing feels amazing! Between the rear biased weight distribution and the short length, it's perfect for a nightstand pistol if you're open to the idea of a suppressor for HD.

[UNM1136]

As a total novice, my initial application would be a .300 BLK AR and some variety of a Glock 9mm, just to have. But with the specter of a rabidly anti-gun administration, I'm approaching this under the assumption that I may not be able to buy suppressors for specific applications in the future.

So I probably should have opened the thread with less of an emphasis on "optimal" and more of an emphasis on longevity and serviceability. I'm happy to pay $1500 or more if it'll last.

If I recall correctly .300 BLK subs are compatable with quality 9mm pistol cans. Supers not so much. If you want to ease your way in.

pat

[rob_s]

One thing to keep in mind in the suppressor market...

By the time your new hotness gets to your hands, it'll be old busted and there'll be a new new hotness. Just be prepared for that.

I'm probably outdated in this thinking these days, but IMO there's three categories of cans:
-Centerfire rifle (I'd want something that can handle .223 through .308, should be QD mountable)
-centerfire 9mm (I'd want something I can mount on a pcc and a handgun, only needs to be 9mm, needs to operate as direct-thread and with a booster)
-rimfire (ideally something that can handle the hotter rimfire loads just in case, like .17 mag and .22 mag, for pistol and rifle, can be direct-thread only most likely)