Product Spotlight: SureFire Suppressors

Although they're often called "silencers," sound suppressors actually REDUCE the sound of the muzzle blast. They don't completely eliminate it, regardless of what you see in Hollywood spy thrillers! Andrew Wright from SureFire joins Caleb to give us an overview of his company's suppressor lineup. The main function of a suppressor is to lower the decibels of a gunshot to a level that won't damage your hearing or at least requires less extensive hearing protection. If you have to discharge a firearm in a confined space, such as during a home-defense emergency or law enforcement / military operation, the sound of that gunshot can do irreparable hearing damage. More and more HUNTERS are also using suppressors, both to protect their hearing and to avoid scaring away all the game in the vicinity when they take a shot.

 

Most of SureFire's suppressors are made of an alloy called Inconel, which maintains its structural integrity at high temperatures, ensuring a long service life. The cupped-and-vented baffle system reduces back-pressure, which helps gas-operated guns cycle reliability. SureFire's Fast-Attach® mounting system offers easy "click on/off" operation, with minimal to zero shift in point-of-impact (POI). You can remove your SureFire from one gun, put it on another, then swap it back onto the first gun, and the POI will be virtually the same.

 

A good rule of thumb is that shorter barrels need a longer suppressor, while you can get the same amount of quieting on a longer barrel with a shorter suppressor. On a short barrel, a short suppressor will be louder and generate more flash. It's all about tradeoffs. "There's no free lunch," says Andrew. Fortunately, SureFire offers plenty of choices.....

 

WARDEN: This is actually not a suppressor but a blast diffuser or mitigator that fits over any SureFire suppressor mount. Unlike a traditional muzzle brake, it directs all the concussion of the muzzle blast FORWARD. The folks on either side of you on the firing line at a public range will appreciate a Warden on your gun.

 

SOCOM556 RC2: Great for barrels 10.3" and longer, but if you have a barrel 14.5" or longer, you might prefer the shorter SOCOM556 MINI2 suppressor. (The "longer barrel can use a shorter suppressor" rule!) SureFire makes the SOCOM556 SB2 for barrels 9" or shorter. The SB2's bore is a larger to avoid baffle strikes from bullets that haven't fully stabilized when they exit the muzzle.

 

The SOCOM762 is for both gas-operated and bolt action rifles. It's available in both RC2 and shorter MINI2 configurations. If you need SOCOM762 suppression but the 17 oz. RC2 is a too heavy, the SOCOM762 TI2 made of Titanium tips the scales at a mere 11 oz. The TI2 is great for applications with slow rates of fire, such as hunting rifles.

 

SOCOM300 SPS: Purpose-built for guns chambered in .300 Blackout, and amazingly quiet when shooting subsonic ammo. If you're shooting steel targets, the "ping!" of the bullet hitting the target will be louder than the rifle going off!

 

Now, to definitively answer that question, watch our video, "Smith Busters: Is It a 'Silencer' or a 'Suppressor'?"