The Shooting Hunting and Outdoor Trade (SHOT) Show in Las Vegas drew more than 65,000 attendees to look at new products. Suppressors have been very popular in recent years as the Hollywood mystique has started to give way to reality. Firearm suppressors are going mainstream and represent one of the fastest growing accessory segments in the firearms market. Retailer margins are healthy because demand is so strong. This condition should persist with or without the passage of the Hearing Protection Act. Here are some new suppressors that have been or will be introduced this year.
1. Silencerco Maxim 9
Photo: Silencerco
Silencerco stunned the firearms world last year with its integrally suppressed 9mm pistol, the Maxim 9. Last year at SHOT the Maxim 9 was still in development. This year it moves to production and is sure to have ridiculously high demand. Silencerco had some Maxim 9s available to try out at Industry Day at SHOT and this writer indulged. The Maxim 9 is a stunning piece of engineering. It is well balanced and very, very quiet (hearing safe). It ships in the long configuration, but the user may remove two sections of the suppressor to shorten the overall length by about 2 inches. The price point is very reasonable considering what it costs to buy a good pistol and a great suppressor to go with it. www.silencerco.com
• MSRP: $1,499
• Length: 10¾ inches in long configuration
• Diameter: 1.58×5.41 inches
• Weight: 2 pounds, 7 ounces
• Rated: 9mm semi-auto
• Other: May be shortened by more than an inch
From the April issue
2. StingerWorx
Photo: StingerWorx.com
StingerWorx is a new entrant to the suppressor world, but it sure looks to be headed in the right direction. It is a direct-to-retailer manufacturer, which creates good margin opportunities. The Emperor suppressors are hearing safe, full-auto rated and very lightweight. The secret is StingerWorx’s patent-pending titanium blast chamber design. The design directs gasses to two chambers and eliminates the need for heavier materials in the blast chamber. The Emperor 556-L2 has a MAP of $975 at 30 percent margin. The company has a unique production bonus program for top sales people. Contact jason@stingerworx.com for dealer inquiries.
- MSRP: $975 with OBX
- Baffle stack: Titanium
- Length: 7½ inches
- Weight: 12.8 to 16.7 ounces with OBX
- Diameter: 1¾ to 1½ inches
- Blast baffle: Titanium
- Rated: full auto .223/5.56 >=10½-inch barrel
- Other: Replaceable baffle stack
3. Alphadog
Prior to the Alphadog Alpha 9, no one had thought of hanging anything from a suppressor. The device is a sound dampener after all, not a place to put accessories. Alphadog has challenged that thinking by integrating a rail onto the outside of the Alpha series suppressor tubes. This does a few things.
Photo: Alphadog
First, the extra metal acts as both a heat sink and a high-surface-area heat dissipater. Second, unobstructed sights are part of the rail design, so there is no need to get special suppressor height sights when using an Alphadog. Third, the rail offers the flexibility to add a laser, red dot or light directly to the suppressor. The rail can be clocked to any index point. Alphadog’s design created quite a stir at SHOT 2017, and from the looks of things they will be disrupting the industry for a while. www.alphadogsilencers.com
- MSRP: $775 with piston
- Baffle stack: 7075 T6 Aluminum
- Length: 7½ inches
- Weight: 10.2 ounces
- Diameter: 1¾ inches
- Blast baffle: 17-4 Stainless
- Rated: Semi-auto pistol
- Other: 124 dB dry with 147-grain Rem HTP
4. Yankee Hill Machine
YHM has been making great suppressors for quite a while. This year YHM showcased the new Turbo 5.56 suppressor. It’s a tubeless design, making it lightweight and not bulky.
Photo: YHM
The Turbo sounded very good at the SHOT Show Industry Day at the range. What was most impressive was the complete lack of gas in the user’s face. It uses a simple quick detach system and comes with one QD brake. More brakes may be purchased to enable use of the suppressor on multiple hosts. www.yhm.net
- MSRP: $489 with QD brake
- Baffle stack: 17-4 stainless
- Length: 6½ inches
- Weight: 13½ ounces
- Diameter: 1.5625 inches
- Blast baffle: 718 Inconel
- Rated: Full-auto
- Other: 134 dB on 14½-inch barrel with 55-grain ammo
5. Gemtech
The Integra by Gemtech is an integrally suppressed complete upper, which gives users the advantages of a suppressed SPR with just one NFA stamp. Gemtech starts with a 10½-inch barrel and permanently attaches a suppressor tube that takes the overall barrel length to 16.1 inches per NFA/ATF standards. This eliminates the need for the SBR stamp, but a stamp is still required for the unit as it is suppressed. The G-CORE technology baffle stack is user serviceable, removable and replaceable as needs arise. There is also an integrated flash hider. The Integra upper feels great in hand and is very well balanced. The Gemtech/Nemo Arms patented gas block reduces blowback, which eliminates the number one disadvantage of using a suppressor (except the wait time). The Integra is available now exclusively through the Silencer Shop in either 5.56 or 300 BLK. www.gemtech.com
- MSRP: $1,999
- Baffle stack: 6AL4V Titanium
- Length: 16.1 inches barrel for NFA purposes
- Weight: N/A
- Diameter: N/A, fits under included handguard
- Blast baffle: 6AL4V Titanium
- Rated: Semi-auto
- Other: 131 dB at shooter’s ear
6. Griffin Armament
Photo: Griffin
Griffin Armament brought a big silencer that weighs very little to the SHOT show this year. The Sportsman Ultralight is designed for a .338 Lapua round with hunters in mind. This suppressor is not intended for full-auto or long-shot strings, but hunters using a .338 would not be doing so anyway. It uses the Griffin taper mount attachment mechanism. It is made from 7075 billet aluminum with two stainless baffles up front and 7075 baffles after that to keep weight to a minimum. These units are being made now, and will be available in the second quarter of 2017. www.griffinarmament.com
- MSRP: $995
- Baffle stack: 7075 billet aluminum
- Length: 8¾ inches
- Weight: 12.7 ounces
- Diameter: 1½ inches
- Blast baffle: 17-4 stainless (2)
- Rated: .338 slow fire
- Other: 136 dB at the shooter’s ear on .338 rifle
7. SIG Sauer
Sig Sauer last year was one of the more mainstream companies to start manufacturing and selling suppressors.
Photo: Sig Sauer
SIG made a big splash with some great offerings in 7.62 and 5.56. This year, SIG debuts the SRD22X which is .22LR, .22 magnum and 17HMR rated. The SRD uses a Grade 9 Titanium tube and 17-4 stainless heat treated shielded baffles. The SRD22X is available now to dealers. www.sigsauer.com
- MSRP: $445
- Baffle stack: 17-4 stainless
- Length: 5.8 inches
- Weight: 5.1 oz
- Diameter: 1 inch
- Blast baffle: 17-4 stainless
- Rated: .22LR, .22 mag, .17HMR
- Other: ½”-28 direct thread
8. Dead Air Armament
Photo: Dead Air Armament
Dead Air frequently delivers great suppressors to the market, and this year was no different. The Wolverine PBS-1 is a suppressor designed for the ubiquitous AK. The AR market may be huge, but AK fans are a loyal bunch. Nearly all silencer manufacturers have stayed away from the AK platform, but not Dead Air. The PBS-1 is optimized around minimal back pressure and sound reduction. It was a joy to shoot at the SHOT Show Industry Day at the Range. At just under 2 pounds, it is kind of a beast, but it has a big job to do! With a loaded magazine the AK at the range felt surprisingly well balanced with the Wolverine attached. One look at the Wolverine and AK users will want to know more. www.deadairsilencers.com
- MSRP: $1,099
- Length: 7.4 inches with thread adapter
- Weight: 22 oz on average (+/- 2 oz depending on mount)
- Diameter: 1½-inch tube, 1.93 inch near mount
- Blast baffle: 17-4 stainless
- Rated: Up to 7.62 with no barrel length restrictions
- Other: ships with 14L mount with several others available based on demand
