Low Back Pressure Suppressors – Do They Really Make A Difference?

I love to shoot. Especially when I don’t have to pay for the ammo. And thankfully, life gave me plenty of opportunities to do that when I did trials and weapon testing in different countries. I wore out gloves in 7 days just from constant magazine loading, more than once my shoulder looked like one giant bruise with skin peeling off, and a couple of guns exploded in my hands, but that never once stopped me from shooting more. Until one day in 2018, when we went to the indoor range to test a newer version of the 9 mm SMG “Vityaz” (КR-9). It had a conventional suppressor, what was unconventional was the insane amount of backpressure – gas that was coming back into the action and hitting the shooter in the face.

I experienced that before, but mostly at outdoor ranges. At the indoor range, it was completely insufferable. My friend, who is arguably an even bigger gun geek, cursed a few times, finished the magazine, and refused to shoot more.

I was laughing and summed up the experience with one phrase: “It feels like kissing a freaking leafblower”. We both had eye protection, and the ventilation system at the range was on, but nothing helped, we both were effectively blinded after the first few bursts.

Just to make a joke out of it, I gripped the SMG like a pistol, extended my hands, and fired a few more bursts. Believe it or not, the backpressure was still really bad, even when the gun was two feet away from my face.

After that experience, I started researching low-backpressure suppressors and soon realized that it is not just about the comfort of the shooter – there is a lot more at stake.

Reliability

High backpressure increases the amount of carbon build-up in the weapon. A gun that can typically work without any issues for thousands of rounds starts to choke up much earlier if you use it with a suppressor.

I had a chance to test it many times, and high backpressure suppressors noticeably decreased reliability, especially in dusty or humid climates.

Increased wear on the parts

Excessive backpressure speeds up moving parts – bolt carrier and bolt. That increases the cyclic rate, which might not sound like a big deal.

But back in the Vietnam War days, the increased velocity of the bolt carrier was one of the main reasons the first M16s had reliability issues. The parts designed to withstand a certain amount of stress couldn’t handle the damage caused by the increased cyclic rate and started breaking.

Very few units do comprehensive testing before they buy suppressors, and a sudden increase in cyclic rate and part breakages becomes an unpleasant surprise.

Better shooting performance, especially with NVGs

Few people would argue that gas hitting the shooter in the face affects shooting performance. It can reintroduce a flinch reaction that many shooters experience when they just start shooting and getting used to the recoil.

But it gets even worse when you use night vision. After a few bursts, the cloud of gas near the face of the shooter decreases visibility through the night vision.

Back in the day, when my friend group didn’t have low backpressure suppressors, I actually joked that after every few shots under night vision, you must quickly change your position. But not for tactical reasons – just to escape the cloud of gas that forms next to you and obstructs visibility through the tubes.

After all my research, I believe that low back pressure and a high gas flow rate should be the main concerns when buying a suppressor. Let’s look at some options available at SilencerShop.

One of the best-known manufacturers of low backpressure suppressors is HUXWRX, previously known as OSS. The company uses the design they call “flown-through technology” to reduce backpressure and offers suppressors for various weapon platforms: from 22LR to 9mm and for 5.56 and 7.62 rifles. Their suppressors were tested by SOCOM multiple times and successfully passed the trials.

Both manufacturers describe their suppressors as “Full Auto Rated”. SilencerCo representative noted that they have examples of cans that shot over 18,000 rounds without any issues. But even if you eventually experience a problem with your suppressor – both manufacturers offer a lifetime warranty, so essentially you buy it and solve the problem once and for all.

To sum up and answer the question in the title of the article: Does a low backpressure suppressor really make a difference? I think it does.

It will not decrease the reliability of your weapon, it won’t cause premature part breakages and it will not decrease your shooting performance. I think those are good enough reasons to look for a low backpressure suppressor, but at the end of the day, that is for you to decide.

TFB is proud to partner with Silencer Shop as our preferred vendor for all of your NFA needs. Whether you are searching for a new suppressor, SBR, or trust, Silencer Shop is here to provide a seamless and fast service for your next NFA purchase. Head over to www.silencershop.com to begin your NFA journey.