At least that’s about when I’ll get to take it home. I finally bit the bullet and bought my first suppressor, a Rugged Obsidian 45. It came in a few days ago and I finally had a chance to stop by my LGS and give it a try today. In preparation, I loaded up 100 rounds of 200 grain FMJ’s over 5.0 grains of W231, which yielded an average of 846 FPS according to my Garmin. I also loaded up 50 rounds of 220 grain SNS cast powder coated flat points over 7.8 grains of 800x. I was a little surprised by these, as my average was 1145 FPS. I was expecting around 1080, but they were still pretty quiet. The 200 grain at ~850 were quiet enough that I shot a couple mags with only ear plugs and no muffs. If I had been alone in the range, I would have tried no protection at all and think I would have been ok.
Shooting with a suppressor will definitely put a smile on your face. I can’t believe I waited this long to take the plunge. Too bad I can’t take it to my gun club yet, but at least I’ll be able to shoot it on occasion while I’m waiting.
I wanted to buy a suppressor for my AR15. After shopping around I found, for me at least, that cost was prohibited @ around $1000 all in.
Yeah, I hear you. That was the biggest stumbling block for me as well and the main reason I waited so long. The suppressor itself was “on sale” for $699 (at most, $400 in material and machining labor in my opinion), then $200 tax stamp plus sales tax, kiosk fee, etc. put it right around $1K.
IIRC some EU nations mandate suppressed firearms at outdoor ranges. Many many years ago knew a Brit machinists that immigrated to the US. He had a 22 suppressor for shooting. He simply disassembled it and put the pieces in his tool box.
Yeah, I hear you. That was the biggest stumbling block for me as well and the main reason I waited so long. The suppressor itself was “on sale” for $699 (at most, $400 in material and machining labor in my opinion), then $200 tax stamp plus sales tax, kiosk fee, etc. put it right around $1K.
I built my first 22LR can back in 1991. They are very easy to build as they do not need a Nielsen device to get the action to cycle and they're relatively inexpensive. The making tax was by far the most expensive part of the entire project.
I do not live out in the country so it was great to be able to walk into the backyard and pop a few rounds off without bothering any of the neighbors.
I bit the bullet and purchased my first centerfire suppressor back in 2008. It was a 9MM can but I bought back ends that make it work on my pistols, my Uzi, my MP5 and my 300 Blackout AR
I don't have as much free time on my hands any longer but the last thing I built for myself was an integrally suppressed 300 blackout bolt action rifle. It was astonishingly quiet and will shoot half MOA out to at least 200 yards. I have not shot it at any longer distance as yet
Here is a little video showing the bolt action rifle in the field. I made this when we were trying to sell these just to show how quiet the package is
I probably run more ammo through the 22 cans than anything else. It is so wonderful to not put on the muffs at the range and hear clank clang clang clang clang as the metal targets drop
My bet is this will not be your last can. If you take your total investment and average it across 20 or 30 years of shooting enjoyment you're only spending about 35 bucks a year to do this. Where can you have that much fun for $35 a year?
I have an Obsidian 9mm can and I've been very happy with it. I've used it on a variety of 9mms and also on .300BLK for subs. It's a great can, and darn near 'hollywood' quiet with 147 subs on my M&P.
I would agree with colt_saa that my .22 cans probably get the most use, but it's centerfire rifles where they really shine.
I just realized I didn’t mention caliber or type of weapon. I used it on my FN 510 10mm, and even with the .45 end cap, it was pretty quiet. I plan on getting a .40 end cap, which should make it even quieter. My LEO daughter wants to try it on her M&P 2.0 9mm, so I’ll be getting a threaded barrel, piston, and 9mm end cap as well.
It’s just a BGC and a 4473. No reason it can’t be cash and carry OTD.
Even under the current system, once you've passed the ATF background for one NFA item, there's no reason to have to wait a year for subsequent approvals.
It's all designed to intimidate and deter citizens from owning them.
I have the Rugged Obsidian 9, my first, and probably last, suppressor (mainly because I don't really want to wait 8+ months again for approval of an eForm).
As stated earlier, it is great with 147 subsonic, and also works very well for 300 BO subs.
Please be very very very careful how you speak of your FFL allowing your pre-approval use of your can. My local dealer was recently closed by ATF due to loose controls on FFL held items like supressors and class 3 arms. Did I mention you need to be real careful?
Even under the current system, once you've passed the ATF background for one NFA item, there's no reason to have to wait a year for subsequent approvals.
It's all designed to intimidate and deter citizens from owning them.
My son manages a lgs that sells a lot of suppressors to LEO, military, and civilians. He tells me that it doesn't matter how much business you've done with the ATF in the past, your eForms application is handled the same for you as it is for a new guy. The good news is that right now most applications are being approved within 2-3 weeks. I could get the "Dad price" if I wanted to buy a suppressor, I just have a problem convincing myself to spend more on acquiring a suppressor than I did on the firearm! But that's just me. Enjoy!
My son manages a lgs that sells a lot of suppressors to LEO, military, and civilians. He tells me that it doesn't matter how much business you've done with the ATF in the past, your eForms application is handled the same for you as it is for a new guy. The good news is that right now most applications are being approved within 2-3 weeks.
I have several NFA items, so I'm familiar with the process. Right now individual E-Form 4s and 1s are coming back very fast. Trust E-Form 4s are still around 6 months. My last approval (Trust E-Form 4, approved in Feb) was just over 180 days.
Great discussion here, guys. I’m learning a lot about the process as I go through it and from the posts here. One question I have is if you go the individual route, can you later set up a trust? I was thinking about the trust initially, but learned that all my kids would have to be present to sign it, and being spread out across three states, it wasn’t practical. With E-forms and Docusign, it seems like they should be able to sign at a silencerco kiosk at a participating LGS in the state they are in. I’d like to eventually change it over to a trust and have them all sign it when they come home for Christmas. Would the process start all over, or could I remain in possession of the can while the trust paperwork went through?
Up until now, Ive been one of those persons Rodan alluded to that was intimidated by the procedure. Glad I finally got the nerve up to bite the bullet and pull the trigger(pun intended).
Great discussion here, guys. I’m learning a lot about the process as I go through it and from the posts here. One question I have is if you go the individual route, can you later set up a trust? I was thinking about the trust initially, but learned that all my kids would have to be present to sign it, and being spread out across three states, it wasn’t practical. With E-forms and Docusign, it seems like they should be able to sign at a silencerco kiosk at a participating LGS in the state they are in. I’d like to eventually change it over to a trust and have them all sign it when they come home for Christmas. Would the process start all over, or could I remain in possession of the can while the trust paperwork went through?
You can do your Form 4 with you as the responsible person, and add other persons to the trust at a later date. You do not need to send fingerprints, etc. to the ATF when people are added/removed from the trust. You only need to do so if they are on the trust at the time of application.
If you get an individual approval and later set up a trust, you would need to do a Form 4 to transfer the NFA item that is owned by you personally to the trust, which will cost an additional $200. Fortunately, you can still possess it while you are waiting for approval.
My suppressor WAS a Christmas present. I got the email from ATF at 5:30 Christmas Eve; yes that's right a Sunday evening, Christmas Eve. It was delivered the Sunday afternoon of MLK weekend.
I just got the ready to certify email, then the LGS called and helped me submit the form 4. So now the clock starts. Hopefully in a month or so, I can take it home.
Now that I’m waiting for my new toy to get out of jail, I have a few questions for the suppressor experts, especially those of you who reload.
1. First off, how often do you clean your cans? I made sure I got one that was able to be disassembled. I understand there are welded cans that don’t allow disassembly for cleaning. I’ve already put about 140 rounds through it…I shot five of each before attaching the can to make sure I wasn’t getting any keyholing. I was surprised how dirty the can got and how fast. I doubt they will let me clean it at the LGS after using it, but I haven’t asked either…which brings up my second question:
2. For the reloaders, do you take into consideration how dirty a powder burns? So far I’ve used W-231 and 800-X. I didn’t notice much difference between the two, both seemed equally sooty. I’m trying to keep my loads subsonic and I know slower loads can be sootier. What powders are more conducive to cleaner cans?
3. Also for the reloaders, do you take into consideration how much sound a powder produces? Are some powders “quieter” than others when using a can?
4. And finally, while seeking out suitable hosts for the can, I’ve noticed that they seem to really geared toward the Glock fan boys, with a few for newer Sigs, CZ’s, Beretta 92’s, couple of M&P’s and the ubiquitous 1911. Right now I’ve got three that are setup for cans, all 10mm: an FN 510, an RIA Tac Ultra and a CMMG Banshee, but I’d like to eventually branch out into other calibers. Does anyone make threaded barrels for some of the more classic firearms, like 2nd and 3rd Gen S&W’s, for example? If not, is it possible to get a spare barrel for a favorite firearm and have an extension welded on, then threaded?
Forgive me if some of my questions are idiotic, but I’m a can newbie and want to learn all I can about it before I start using it regularly. I’m sure I’ll have more questions down the line, but these are the ones I’ve been pondering and researching so far.
Now that I’m waiting for my new toy to get out of jail, I have a few questions for the suppressor experts, especially those of you who reload.
1. First off, how often do you clean your cans? I made sure I got one that was able to be disassembled. I understand there are welded cans that don’t allow disassembly for cleaning. I’ve already put about 140 rounds through it…I shot five of each before attaching the can to make sure I wasn’t getting any keyholing. I was surprised how dirty the can got and how fast. I doubt they will let me clean it at the LGS after using it, but I haven’t asked either…which brings up my second question
I never clean a can. Almost none of the cans in the 70s/80s were able to be disassembled
Many companies made lots of money "Jail Breaking" the cans for disassembly. Shooters have an obsession about cleaning
In the Dark Ages before the World Wide Web got popular, we had UseNet Groups. I belonged to the NFA List, we were all Class 7 manufactures. Dr Phil Dater was also one participants.
I asked Doc Dater about cleaning cans and his view was that the soot that coats the baffles help make things quieter. Another manufacturer that I can't recall asked if I ever heard of anyone cleaning a car's muffler.
Quote:
Originally Posted by tlawler
2. For the reloaders, do you take into consideration how dirty a powder burns? So far I’ve used W-231 and 800-X. I didn’t notice much difference between the two, both seemed equally sooty. I’m trying to keep my loads subsonic and I know slower loads can be sootier. What powders are more conducive to cleaner cans?
I never hand load lead projectiles for suppressed use. Much of the soot is from bullet lube burning off. Additionally subsonic ammunition is not reduced power, the projectiles are usually heavy for caliber and loaded to full pressures
IMIs subsonic 9MM is a 158 grain projectile, myself I load 165s for my 9MMs.
A few years back I developed a 240 grain JHP for use in the Government's next generation of integrally suppressed carbines chambered in 10MM Auto
Quote:
Originally Posted by tlawler
3. Also for the reloaders, do you take into consideration how much sound a powder produces? Are some powders “quieter” than others when using a can?
Not really
Though I would never try a big boomer like H110/296
Quote:
Originally Posted by tlawler
4. And finally, while seeking out suitable hosts for the can, I’ve noticed that they seem to really geared toward the Glock fan boys, with a few for newer Sigs, CZ’s, Beretta 92’s, couple of M&P’s and the ubiquitous 1911. Right now I’ve got three that are setup for cans, all 10mm: an FN 510, an RIA Tac Ultra and a CMMG Banshee, but I’d like to eventually branch out into other calibers. Does anyone make threaded barrels for some of the more classic firearms, like 2nd and 3rd Gen S&W’s, for example? If not, is it possible to get a spare barrel for a favorite firearm and have an extension welded on, then threaded?
With interchangeable back end and pistons on most centerfire cans these days accomadating most availble threaded barrels is no big deal.
While not stocked on their webpage most of the better barrel manufacturers can easily make 2nd and 3rd gen barrels. The trick is to actually call them and discuss the project. Do Not waste your time on an E-Mail. Just expect a long wait time as the put your order into the production schedule
For firearms that you can not get a threaded barrel, there are companies that will thread and sleeve existing barrels. This is very important for pistols with fixed barrels or even Lever Action rifles
Got my Christmas of ‘24 present
yes that's right a Sunday evening, Christmas Eve. It was delivered the Sunday afternoon of MLK weekend. 
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