Which is the quietest...so what

[Bird]

I've had the chance to shoot a bunch of different cans from different manufacturers, different hosts and calibers over the last few months. Including my own cans and friends cans, one of which is a class 2/SOT so he has a bunch in all different calibers that he makes. In any event, what I've come to learn is that the question of which is the quietest is a lot like asking who makes the best truck.

Every can I've dumped rounds through has been quiet. No, not the Hollywood quiet we all seem to be sub-consciously programmed to hear, but snuff the report of the the muzzle blast. You hear the action, a sound similar to a pellet gun or nail gun, the bullet impact and if super sonic the bullet crack. So, my 308 sounds like a nail gun or a 22 depending on the ammo I'm shooting. Honestly the only way to tell which can is really the quietest, is to shoot them side by side with the same ammo and swapping hosts. By themselves, can and host, you really can't tell.

What I'm getting at is for those looking for your first can/next can and asking which is the quietest can, look for one that comes from a local dealer (relative term), and/or someone who give you the best service and value for your hard earned dollar. This not to say who has the cheapest prices because after you add $200 tax stamp and 6 months wait, they are all expensive one way or another. Find your value in how the can fits your needs and the service relationship with dealer and so on.

[Artful]

But Birdy what about all the other things that we love about a maker or model?

Is it cleanable?

Does it allow us to see the front sights?

Can you use it on more than one host (Nielson or fixed), or changeable threading?

Can it take full auto use?

Is it a lightweight can or does it bend the barrel and change the POI?

Warranty, after purchase support?

And the list goes on....

[continuity]

Good thread. Appreciate the thoughts. Agree that suppressors, with few exceptions, do just that.

Most non-paper applications, lend themselves to a practical field suppression level of performance. Can I fire this round without hearing protection and not be deafened? Not gonna argue the sound level vs. doctors suggestion thing here. IMHO, if I can bail outta a cruiser and deploy the weapon for a shot, or crank off a couple of rounds at a coyote without ear plugs, THAT is a practical suppressor application.

The things that Artful notes, can be important, every one of them. For my general suppression application use tho, it seems that Bird has hit on a discussion point that often seems to escape users.

2 cents worth. Carry on.

[martineta]

Maybe I got lucky. I bought a decent, (not the highest price can) that was in stock at my local dealer's place. Dealer is a good guy and a friend over the past several years that I have been buying from him. It is full auto rated. Quiet by my ears, and doesn't seem to change point of impact enough to worry about for the ranges I shoot. Minute of deer up to 150 yards shooting subs or supers from my Noveske using 300 blackout or 5.56 uppers.

[doubloon]

... it seems that Bird has hit on a discussion point that often seems to escape users.
...

Yes, even though his thoughts on the topic are incomplete.

Most people looking for the "quietest" suppressor don't even know how to define "quiet". Average quiet? First round quiet? Rifle quiet? Pistol quiet? Best subsonic suppression? Best supersonic suppression? Even the pitch/tone plays a role in the personal experience because most old bastards can't hear high frequencies so a "squeaky" can sounds quieter to them than a can with a little more bass.

Quiet can be sliced and diced six ways from Sunday.

As Bird tries to point out, quiet is only one aspect of an intelligent and informed selection process. Art's list, as noted, just begins to scratch the surface.

[Historian]

One issue that does not get mentioned often enough:
At about a nominal 117 DB rating you still should wear
ear protectors for long term shooting. The damage levels
at each DB rating are legion on the net.

Just a caveat gleaned over 3/4 of a century. I'm sorry, what did
you say? Please repeat.

[rimshaker]

Patience can be a bitch, but i think many ppl give wait times too high a priority. Getting a can in stock from a local dealer can shave about a month off the total wait time, but the most important thing is deciding on the can you actually want. Don't settle for something else in stock just cause the local dealer doesn't have THE can you want. I'd happily wait more than an extra month if it meant not having regrets or being stuck with a can I end up not wanting. Do NOT have your local dealer place an order with the manufacturer either. I've heard of wait times longer than the NFA process itself!

[dtom29]

There is too little emphasis put on weight. The weight of a suppressor will have an huge affect on POI, weapon manipulation, and the pleasure of using the weapon/suppressor combo. I think weight and suppression level are interchangable as the #1 consideration when choosing a silencer. In oher words I will choose a little less suppression for a lighter weight silencer if I have to. Fortunately there are very light weight silencers that are very quiet. You will pay more for them, but that is something I'm willing to do. Makes the choice easy.

[dtom29]

Patience can be a bitch, but i think many ppl give wait times too high a priority. Getting a can in stock from a local dealer can shave about a month off the total wait time, but the most important thing is deciding on the can you actually want. Don't settle for something else in stock just cause the local dealer doesn't have THE can you want. I'd happily wait more than an extra month if it meant not having regrets or being stuck with a can I end up not wanting. Do NOT have your local dealer place an order with the manufacturer either. I've heard of wait times longer than the NFA process itself!

+1, the month or two extra wait shouldn't be a deciding factor...get what you want, it's a lifetime purchase.

[Enfield577]

Excellent post and I think raises some very good points.

Now over here in NZ I make and sell a few cans just on a hobby basis, though I must have sold around 50-70 by now.

As I have devloped these little 22 cans I tried various versions of the baffles and am now very happy with the suppression, weight and size. However as I developed these things I got concerned about testing with a meter but the meters and mics are so expensive. Then I suddenly realised that we all get so tied up with data (that we mostly don't understand) and got down to the basics.

I have ears and so does the customer, if I can hear a difference then so can they and if I can't then neither can they.

So I made the quietest version that I could and every new person that hears one buys one.

[Dr.K]

I have 7 cans "pending" I guess I'll keep filling out forms until they start coming back.

[Bird]

... it seems that Bird has hit on a discussion point that often seems to escape users.
...

Yes, even though his thoughts on the topic are incomplete...Quiet can be sliced and diced six ways from Sunday...As Bird tries to point out, quiet is only one aspect of an intelligent and informed selection process. Art's list, as noted, just begins to scratch the surface.

Yeah, what he said I started to make a more detailed list of things to look for but the post ended up being so long even I got bored reading it.

I have definitely agree on too much emphasis on wait time. I saved a little and bought a can that had metric threads that the dealer had in stock. Well after having an adapter made and shipped to me I could have waited another month or so and got the exact can I wanted for the same amount I have in the metric one. As long as the wait times are, another month isn't a big deal in the long run.

[Emilio]

Narrow to best sounding cans, then narrow from materials /Ease of cleaning / versatile and best customer service .