Suppressor choices

I’m looking at potentially getting a suppressor so that I can mitigate the likelihood of a noise complaint from shooting on some rural land we own out of state. Primarily interested in suppressing a Sig 516, but I wouldn’t hate being able to suppress my .22lr rifle and Glock 19.

Setting aside the .22, which will need a user serviceable can...

Talked to a gun shop employee who suggested getting a multi-caliber suppressor that would work on both the Sig and Glock, but some preliminary research says that may be less than ideal. Anybody have any first-hand pro/con on multi-caliber vs dedicated (aside from the obvious cost issues and multiple tax stamps)?

At the end of the day, decent suppression of the Sig is my priority, so I don’t want to compromise *too* much there just for the sake of having it be swappable. I’m thinking a pistol suppressor (maybe .45 to leave me options down the road) and a dedicated .223 suppressor is the way to go.

Your use cases describe three different cans. Don't get a 223 can unless you never intend on swapping it to another host. Get a 30 cal instead.

No can is going to suppress the 5.56 as well as anyone thinks. I’m not a fan of the multi cal cans. They might work for some but you will be carrying around a bag of parts for changing hosts. And they do everything alright but not great individually. I’d suggest getting a nice 22 can to start with. It has proven to be the most fun for me.

Thanks for the replies. We have 20 acres, and the “range” will be in a deep draw, so I think reducing the .223 down from the mid 160dB range to the mid 130dB range would at least mitigate the likelihood of neighbors complaining. I’ve fired suppressed M4s when I was active, and you’re right that they are definitely not “quiet.”

The .22 might be the way to go, initially. If I’m plinking and teaching my son to shoot, that will probably get the most use and will definitely be the most quiet and comparatively cheaper way to go (both the can itself and the ammo costs).

Now I just have to save up and get ready for a looooong wait on the tax stamp.

I have a few cans. Went for a Griffin Optimus first in order to suppress most things, I still do not regret that. It showed me what was fun, what was useful, and what was somewhat pointless. First can after was a dedicated 22 can, while a larger rifle rated can can suppress 22, it doesn't do that great of a job, just too much space between the baffles, and it's about double the size/weight of a decent 22 can. 22 with standard velocity or subs is really the only thing that gets laughably quiet, IMO 22 handguns with a small/light 22 can are also practical for most uses suppressed, unlike centerfire handguns. So while you could shoot 22 through a serviceable, modular can, you will end up buying a 22 can down the road anyway.

The Optimus does a good job on rifles, but even there, it's long, and you quickly see the benefits of a shorter can. It also has to be checked from time to time to make sure the cap and sections don't come loose, so this is where a dedicated, welded rifle can is nice, won't come apart, can be short, fat, and simple. It won't clog up with jacketed ammo running rifle pressures, so as long as that is all it sees, no reason to take it apart, only need to clean the mount, not the baffles. Pistol cans are really the best candidate for modularity, and this is where my Optimus currently serves me. It's primarily set up as a PCC/braced PCP can with the 3 lug mount, and it's Hella fun, it's just basically an overbuilt 9mm pistol can anyway. On a handgun, even the lighter cans are unwieldy, require a RDS or tall sights, a booster,, and are kinda gimmicky. It's fun to try from time to time, but nowhere near as fun as I thought it would be.

The noise from different calibers is not what all the youtube videos would have you belive, 22 from a rifle is stupid quiet, 9mm subs from a carbine is pretty good too. ARs are kinda loud from port pop regardless of caliber, but still fun. Some models like my RDB and AK are FAR quieter, than ARs. Bolt actions, even with full power 308 or larger are really quiet for the shooter even if there is a boom downrange. Figure my 9" AR with 300BO subs is probably close to as loud at the ear as my 20" bolt action 308 with full power loads. Even there, you will want short threaded barrels on basically everything you want to suppress, and ill appreciate braced pistols, bullpups or SBRs that end up at "normal" dimentions with the can on the end. Rifles like a 20" AR might look fun to suppress, but as they become an unbalanced nearly 4 foot long monstrosity, you gain a new appreciation for small stuff.

Call my very good friend, Dan Bowen, at Gunmetal, Inc. he will get you sorted out. Tell him Kevin Joyce says howdy!

https://gunmetalusa.com/

As long as you shoot hyper-velocity ammunition, a suppressor will not help your situation. Suppressors only 'silence' sub-sonic munitions as far as the casual observer goes. .556, unless loaded sub-sonically and fired from a single shot(bolt) gun will be the only way to silence it, so called. Sub-sonic .556 ammo will not cycle any AR 15 type gun.

I second the 22 lr can as your first. I have e a dead air mask and just bought a second. I use my 22 cans far more than any of my center fire rated cans.

My first was an aac 762 and it didn't do what I was hoping, its a decent can and I use it on 6.5 and 5.56 but it just never was that much fun. With my 6.5 grwndwl a d 18" bbl it is hearing safe and comfy to shoot w/o ear pro. My 556 is also probably hearing safe and since it's a 30 cal can there is less gas at the ejection port than in a true 556 at least in my opinion. I don't use my account on any 30 cal rifles since 300 blk is still as much or more than 308 and none of my 308's have concentric threads (ask me how I know...)

I have a dead air ghost and I use it on a 357 lever gun which is nice and quiet with 38 spl loads and was plenty quiet with full house 357 when hunting deer this year but I still don't use it that much as it's still way louder than a 22 unless you use the hyper vel ammo in the 22. With a pistol it is still a gunshot and everyone knows it especially with 9mm. As they tend to still be supersonic out of pistol barrels.

A 22 with cci quiet ammo in a manual repeater is giggle quiet. Squirrels don't bother running when their friend goes down as long as they can't see him get hit.


TLDR; I would do a 22 can, then pistol, then center fire rifle and a 30 cal at that.

Just a thought, find a stainless steel solvent trap kit and get a form 1. Took about a month for the stamp and $100 for the kit. Works great for a .22.

Sent from my SM-N970U using Tapatalk

Whats everyones thoughts on the Inland PM-22 ?
not finding a ton of reviews on i

Thanks for all the detailed replies. I think I’m going to go with a .22 suppressor—that will absolutely get the most use and be the most neighbor-friendly.

The form 1 solvent trap is intriguing, but in my line of work I have to keep well clear of gray market type stuff—just not work the risk to me to save a couple hundred bucks or the wait for a Form 4. I’m also not sure if trust a piece of cheaply milled Chinese metal attached to the working end of a rifle, even a .22.

I’ll do some looking around and may swing back for some opinions on specific brands/models.

Slackdaddy said:

Whats everyones thoughts on the Inland PM-22 ?
not finding a ton of reviews on i

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Polymer baffles that have to be sent in to be replaced, F-no.
Would be worthless if it became obsolete or the manufacturer went under. It's light, but not much different than Aluminum monocore. 22 cans are worthless if not user serviceable IMO. Figure steel baffles in a steel or Ti tube can be cleaned easily, and are the best if 6oz of weight isn't an issue. Aluminum have to be cleaned delicately, but can cut weight in half. Monocore are simpler, but have more first round pop. Love my DA mask, probably the best first 22 can, resistant to seizing up, easy to clean, rugged, really quiet with a good tone, pretty small
It is a little heavy, and the tube can unscrew from the mount if you run it inside a handguard. Have an Oculis in NFA jail, in full size config it's slightly longer/heavier than the mask, but all steel, the mount/lower tube are 1 peice, looks cool, and it's modular. It can be a tiny 3" K-config with good performance on rifles, or can make handguns well within hearing safe levels.