Hunters and shooting sports enthusiasts who wish to leave a less pronounced auditory footprint often turn to suppressors to tame the muzzle blast and recoil from their favorite rifles. This provides a more comfortable and covert shooting experience, while also saving wear and tear on their ears.
Unsuppressed firearms produce sound levels that can damage ears — about 170 dB from a .308 Win. out of a 20-inch barrel. Often referred to as silencers, suppressors reduce the acoustic intensity and recoil of the shot by modulating the speed and pressure of the propellant gas from the muzzle and suppressing the muzzle blast — anywhere from around 23 to 36 dB sound reduction depending on the type of suppressor. Many rifles today come factory-threaded for adding muzzle brakes or suppressors, which can be easily attached. Other rifles and shotguns are available with the suppressor an integral part of the barrel. Here are several models that will help tame the beast.
Amtac Mantis
Available in several over-barrel variations, Mantis suppressors from Amtac provide an optimum balance of length, weight and sound performance. The single-piece CNC-machined baffle structure threads directly to the rifle barrel, which delivers uncompromising accuracy at long ranges and adds durability for shooters who practice regularly. The over-barrel chamber increases performance and reduces gas blowback without adding length to the rifle. Rated for magnum calibers and available in both .30- and 6.5mm-caliber versions, Mantis suppressors provide the versatility to go from an AR10 to a hunting rifle to a precision rifle with ease while delivering suppression up to 28 dB. MSRP: $899.
AWC Silencers Thor PSR
Designed for elite military units, the Thor PSR over-the-muzzle-brake suppressor was engineered by AWC Silencers and Surgeon Rifles. It mounts over the muzzle brake for a faster attachment method that maintains the accuracy and repeatability of AWC threads on suppressors. Manufactured from titanium, this suppressor is super lightweight — just 1 pound, 2 ounces. It is available for 5.56 NATO, 6.5, .308 and .338 calibers and comes in black, olive drab and FDE Cerakote finishes. MSRP: $935.
Dead Air Silencers Primal
Dead Air Silencers has announced the addition of the magnum-rated Primal to its product lineup — a multi-purpose .46-caliber “rifle centric” suppressor that is optimized for cartridges such as the .458 Socom, .45-70 Govt. and .450 Bushmaster, yet versatile enough to be effective on sub-caliber handguns. Rated to handle the extreme pressures produced by large magnums such as the .338 Lapua, the Primal weighs only 16.5 ounces and can accept the SD500 booster assembly, making it usable as a handgun silencer. It can be configured to mount with direct thread, KeyMo, Xeno or three-lug. The Primal’s body is coated with a high-heat Cerakote finish, with a mount/end cap that has a nitride treatment for lifelong durability. MSRP: $929.
Phoenix Weaponry Eliza Suppressed Shotgun
Produced from only domestic materials, Phoenix Weaponry integrally suppressed shotguns use the company’s proven suppressor design on a custom barrel to provide the ultimate in sound suppression for an enhanced hunting or shooting experience while retaining factory chokes. Phoenix suppressors take sound suppression to the next level by integrating its suppressor design directly into the barrel. Integrally suppressing a rifle or shotgun barrel offers many advantages over a thread-on or quick-attach model. By design, an integral suppressor offers improved accuracy over many other types and designs of sound suppression for firearms because there’s no impact shift to deal with. MSRP: Starting at $2,550.
Rugged Suppressors Mustang22
Known for its innovative products, Rugged Suppressors has introduced the Mustang22, designed exclusively for .22 LR. The Mustang22 is an ultra-lightweight suppressor constructed of Grade 5 titanium and aircraft-grade aluminum. Weighing 2.4 ounces in its short configuration and 3.3 ounces in the standard configuration, its slim profile is an excellent addition to any shooter’s firearm. Indexing tabs provide repeatable return to zero after user servicing. The Mustang22 uses keyed baffles that create a gas seal to prevent carbon and gas build up between the tube and baffles for ease of disassembly. This suppressor is named after the iconic P-51 Mustang aircraft, known for its modern design and ability to perform at higher altitudes. MSRP: $465.
Sig Sauer SLX
Developed to meet the demands of the U.S. military and designed to deliver cutting-edge performance, the SLX series of rifle suppressors from Sig Sauer feature the new Clutch-Lok QD mounting system, which is easy to use, repeatable and extremely durable. The internal multi-flow path within SLX suppressors allows gasses to exhaust at a faster rate than traditional baffle-style suppressors — resulting in a 70 to 80% reduction of toxic fumes flowing back through the ejection port into the shooter’s face. The SLX is designed for use with supersonic ammunition and ideal for users focused on flash reduction and lower toxic fumes. Other features include monolithic core construction for strength and durability and flash reducing end cap design. MSRP: Retail: $1,049.99.
SilencerCo Large Bore Hybrid 46M
SilencerCo has added the Hybrid 46M modular large-bore suppressor to its extensive lineup — giving shooters the option of using it in either a short or long configuration. Effectively reducing the sound signature of everything from 9mm to 10mm and 5.56 NATO to .458 SOCOM, the Hybrid 46M is compatible with various centerfire firearm platforms due to its wide range of available attachment accessories. It allows the shooter to remove the front module, providing a shorter and lighter option that is especially useful on handguns — providing the ability to suppress big-bore pistol calibers such as .45 Auto and 10mm. The Hybrid 46M ships with a multi-tool, spanner tool, ASR mount, .46-caliber front cap and .30-caliber front cap. MSRP: $1,117.
Thunder Beast Arms Corp Dominus-SR
The Dominus-SR from Thunder Beast Arms Corp is a lightweight suppressor designed for 5.56mm assault rifles and .30-caliber battle rifles, including SBR and full-auto variants. It is equally at home on a 0.25 MOA bolt rifle on the 1,500-yard range as it is on a MK18 in the CQB house. Made from Grade 5 titanium with a high-temp Cerakote finish, it has an overall length of 6.95 inches and weighs 12.5 ounces. The Dominus-SR features a quick-attach/detach mount to provide secondary retention during hard use and heat cycles and precision-rifle-level accuracy. It meters at 137 dB (milspec left/right) and 126 dB at the shooter’s ear with a .308-caliber rifle with a 20-inch barrel. MSRP: $1,495/Includes one mount.
Yankee Hill Machine Phantom .22
The Phantom .22 from Yankee Hill Machine provides superior sound reduction via a newly designed baffle system, and the rear of the blast chamber serves as the takedown tool for the muzzle cap. Other features include a shielded interlocking baffle stack made from heat-treated 17-4 stainless steel and a two-part outer assembly with an aluminum blast chamber and tube that houses the baffle stack. Weighing only 4 ounces, the Phantom .22 can handle rounds up to 5.7x28mm. It has a length of 5.5 inches and a 1.1-inch diameter. Factory tested sound reduction is 114 dB from a 9mm 4.25-inch barrel. MSRP: $388.
