Silencer Saturday #358: A Holiday Suppressed Gift Guide
Welcome back once more to Silencer Saturday! Christmas is in the air, so it is time for a holiday gift guide for that silencer lover in your life. Buying gifts for us gun/silencer nerds is not easy, as my wife will attest! Keep reading for a list of gift possibilities at a few different price points.
Silencer Saturday @ TFB:
Silencer Saturday #357: Black Friday Suppressor Sales Silencer Saturday #356: Reflex Silencer Roundup Silencer Saturday #355: More “DIY-Lisle” Adventures Silencer Saturday #354: SHOT Show 2025 Predictions Silencer Saturday #353: The SilencerCo Velos LBP
Muzzle Devices
Suppressors only work when they are attached to a gun, and that happens at the muzzle end. While some silencers mount directly to the muzzle threads, many rifle silencers us a quick detach system. Each rifle that will host a quick detach silencer needs a specialized muzzle brake or flash hider mounted on its barrel. Most silencer enthusiasts could always an extra muzzle device or two to put their silencers on other guns in their collection.
But now for the bad news: these muzzle devices are all proprietary. For example, you can’t use a Dead Air mount with a Yankee Hill silencer without sourcing some kind of additional adapter. The first step is matching the brand of the silencer to the brand of the muzzle device.
Unfortunately, there is another complication. The sizes of muzzle threads are usually standardized, but there are exceptions to that rule. In general, a common rifle in 5.56 NATO or .223 Remington (like an AR-15) will generally have 1/2×28 threads. .308 or 6.5mm rifles usually have 5/8×24 threads. But again, these are usually the right size but that is not a guarantee. If you give someone a muzzle device, unless you are absolutely sure that it fits the gun, make sure it can be returned to the store to exchange for the right one! Most employees at gun stores that deal in suppressors and mounts would also be happy to help you make an educated guess on the right muzzle device.
Shim Kits
These are a great option for a small stocking stuffer that no one would be mad about getting. Some of the muzzle devices described above have to be tightened down with the top side facing up. Special shim kits make the process of matching up the right tension with the right orientation on the barrel much easier. Dead Air sells a nice shim set that can also be found at many retailers.
A Tax Stamp
One of the greatest annoyances with purchasing silencers in the United States is the mandatory $200 tax stamp for each individual suppressor. That extra expense can take the fun out of finding a good deal on a silencer. Two hundred dollar bills with a sticky note that says ‘Tax Stamp’ would be a welcome gift for anyone who enjoys suppressors. Just be warned though, if you have shared finances with the gift recipient (like a spouse, perhaps) this will probably be taken as your blessing to also buy another silencer!
Suppressor Cover
Shooting with a silencer gets it extremely hot. The combustion gasses from a gunshot burn at very high temperatures, and silencers work by capturing those gasses and giving them time to expand and cool off. Trying to find a place to set down a gun with a blistering hot silencer is not fun, and most of us have a story or two about melting a rifle case or glove that was not up to the task of handling a hot silencer.
Many companies make covers that attach to silencers to prevent them from burning things (or people). Once again, this is an accessory that should be matched to a specific silencer. Covers have different lengths and diameters and they need to match up well with the silencer. It is best if you know the make and model of the silencer so that you can look up the measurements and make sure that the silencer will fit. Burn Proof Gear makes a nice range of covers that fit most silencers, and their sizing chart makes it easy to figure out the appropriate model and size.
A related item is the Armageddon Gear Suppressor Hot Pocket. This is a pouch that holds a hot silencer once it is detached from the gun. Suppressor lovers have to plan time for their can to cool off before it gets put away at the end of a range session, lest it burn through a rifle case or range bag. The Hot Pocket is a way to bring that hot silencer home without destroying anything else.
Cleaning Products
Much like firearms, silencers benefit from regular cleaning. Several companies have developed specialized cleaning products to remove the carbon and heavy metals that build up inside suppressors. One example is Suppressor Sauce from Huxwrx. It is a two-part cleaning system that also includes plastic tubes to hold the silencer while the cleaning agents work their magic.
Subsonic Ammo
Anyone who likes shooting could use more ammo, and this is true for silencer enthusiasts too. While any ammunition for a gun they own would be welcome, suppressors sound best when they are used with subsonic ammo. For 9mm guns look for 147-grain or heavier. Hollow point ammunition will cost more than full metal jacket (FMJ), and while hollow points are the right choice for personal protection, the added cost is wasted on paper or steel targets. .45 ACP ammo should be of the 230-grain variety, but that is the most common option. Subsonic .300 Blackout ammo is usually 190-grains or heavier. For .22 LR ammo, most options list a velocity on the box. If you can keep that below 1,100 FPS it will probably stay subsonic.
That’s all for this week. What suppressor-related thing would you like to find under the tree on Christmas morning?
SILENCER SHOP – HANSOHN BROTHERS – DEADEYE GUNS
MAC TACTICAL
ALL YHM PRODUCTS AT BROWNELLS
DEALERS: If you want your link to buy YHM suppressors included in future Silencer Saturday posts, email: silencers@thefirearmblog.com