A sound suppressor is one of the coolest and most enjoyable firearms accessories. But what most people don’t know is that suppressors have an enormous aftermarket of parts to maximize your suppressed shooting experience. So, to ensure you get the most out of your federally regulated muffler, let’s delve into the top five suppressor accessories.
Subsonic Ammo
Full disclosure, not every caliber has subsonic loadings available for it. But the good news is that with the ever-increasing popularity of suppressors, the number of calibers getting subsonic loads increases daily. Of course, shooters could simply buy a naturally subsonic round - or a cartridge whose standard loading launches the bullet slower than the speed of sound. But for the sake of simplicity, we will assume your gun fires supersonic projectiles.
Why buy subsonic ammo? In a word: performance. When it comes to the report or sound produced by firing a gun, there are two significant components: muzzle blast and supersonic crack. A suppressor reduces the muzzle blast by allowing the hot expanding gases to cool inside the suppressor before escaping the muzzle, but doesn’t affect the supersonic crack. That is, unless you have an MP5SD where the barrel itself is ported inside the integral suppressor and thus decelerates the round.
To eliminate the “crack” produced by the round breaking the sound barrier (which is the sound of the air collapsing on itself), the bullet has to stay under the speed of sound (1,125fps). The only way to do this other than the aforementioned integrally suppressed gun is to use slower bullets.
Interestingly, it isn’t a simple case of reducing the powder load and calling it a day. While this might work, a better solution that doesn’t affect the round's efficacy as much is to use a heavier projectile propelled by a modified charge to meet SAAMI specs. The only downside to subsonic rounds is that they have a more limited effective range and a different ballistic arc. So if your rifle’s optic is zeroed for factory supersonic ammo, you’ll have to adjust that zero for subsonic rounds.
How much of a difference does it make? Depending on the cartridge, most are exponentially quieter with subsonic loads than supersonic ones. For example, depending on barrel length and suppressor size, subsonic loads are 6-10 decibels quieter than supersonic ones. Remember, decibels are logarithmic scale units, so if supersonic shots are ten decibels louder, they are ten times louder! Lesson learned: Use subsonic loads whenever possible.
Quick Detach Muzzle Device
Originally, sound suppressors were clamp-on devices like the Soviet Bramit Device, which locked onto the Mosin-Nagant 91/30’s front sight. Later, manufacturers replaced these with male-threaded muzzles and female-threaded endcaps on suppressors. These are great and are still used by many budget-friendly sound suppressors. A shooter needs only to screw the suppressor on to a threaded muzzle (assuming they have the same thread pitch) tighten with a tool, and the gun is ready to use. The problem with these direct thread suppressors is that they aren’t swift to install/remove and are limited (without the use of an adaptor) to one thread pitch.
The solution to these issues is the Quick Detach or QD suppressor mount. A QD suppressor mount replaces a firearm’s standard muzzle device with one that can rapidly interface with a given suppressor type. Some companies use a cam-lock system, while others use oversized threads that only require around two complete rotations to lock into place.
This means that a shooter who has multiple different firearms they want to suppressor can purchase additional QD muzzle devices instead of new suppressors. Another advantage of these devices is that they allow shooters to quickly remove their suppressor and reduce the gun’s overall length when storing or transporting it. One exciting trend emerging with these devices is their partial standardization. Many companies are starting to use the same QD mounts as other companies, allowing shooters to buy a new suppressor without replacing several QD devices.
The only downside to QD mounts is their cost. Several premium brand suppressors use muzzle devices that cost over $100 each. While still vastly less expensive than a new suppressor, buying five of these can a shooter back 700 or more dollars.
Heat-Resistant Gloves
Suppressors get really hot, really fast. They are metal devices that contain an explosion consisting of fiery gas. If you failed to properly tighten a suppressor before using it and notice it “walking off” your muzzle, set the gun down and wait for it to cool. If that’s not an option, you’ll need some sort of heat-resistant glove to prevent severe burns to your hands.
Before you ask, yes, a Kevlar oven mitt will suffice if you don’t have anything else. But given the amount of aerated lead found on muzzle devices, you should probably leave it in the kitchen, especially if you have young kids.
Instead, shooters should invest in a special heat-resistant glove or mitt to handle their hot suppressors safely. If you think I’m being dramatic, remember that it only takes a single magazine to get a rifle suppressor hot enough to cook bacon. We all love the smell and sound of sizzling bacon, but not if the bacon is your hand.
There aren’t really any downsides. Most heat-resistant gloves are under $100 and take up very little space in a shooting bag. Don’t cheap out; buy a purpose-built glove or at least a Kevlar oven mitt to protect your hands. Also, remember that although these gloves protect you from the heat, they don’t do so forever. Do what you need to do to your suppressor, then stop touching it and remove the gloves.
Ultrasonic Cleaner
If you thought guns got dirty fast, wait until you clean a suppressor. Firearms only contain the hot expanding gases produced by detonating a round for a few milliseconds, while suppressors are designed to capture those hot gases and allow them to dwell for awhile. As a result, suppressors collect carbon and fouling exponentially faster than firearms.
With a firearm, performance decreases as the gun accumulates carbon, typically only in terms of reliability. With suppressors, carbon build-up affects the sound performance, the weight, and can eventually render them unsafe.
How?
As carbon fills the spaces between the baffles, the suppressor's internal volume decreases. This means less of the muzzle blast is contained. In turn, more hot expanding gases are released into the cooler air, causing the explosion sound we hear from gunshots.
As that carbon hardens and compacts over time, it measurably and noticeably increases the weight of the suppressor. This makes your host firearm feel heavier and more unwieldy as you’ll have a heavier weight hanging off the end of the muzzle. And if we’re talking about pistol suppressors, which need to move with the help of a Neilson Device, this can affect timing and make the gun less reliable.
As for safety, if the carbon buildup gets severe enough, it can obstruct the bullet’s path inside the suppressor, leading to a deflection and possible baffle or end-cap strike, potentially rendering the suppressor worthless.
OK, so I have to clean my suppressor, so what?
Here’s the kicker, suppressors are difficult to clean because of how that carbon build up hardens over time. Ask any poor grunt who’s had to scrap their M4’s bolt lugs clean with a standard issue cleaning kit, it’s a pain and you never get the thing totally clean. A better solution is an ultrasonic cleaner.
These devices vibrate a solution in which the component is submerged to aggregate it and produce tiny micro bubbles that chip away at carbon buildup. The best part is that a shooter only has to hit a button and let the device do its job. It may take several hours, but at least you’re not personally scrubbing the inside of your suppressor during this time.
The only downside of an ultrasonic cleaner is that they can’t be used on aluminum suppressors as they will destroy them, and the cost. Most ultrasonic gun cleaners are at least $200. But if you value your time, they are 100% worth the investment.
Suppressor Covers
We wrote a piece about this a few weeks ago, and I can’t overstate just how valuable a suppressor cover is. These are a must if you intend to run your gun hard or maneuver with it while suppressed.
Suppressor covers are exactly what they sound like - a device that covers your suppressor. These are invaluable because they protect your delicate skin and flammable clothing from the hot suppressor.
Personally, I like the silicon models as they are very easy to install, inexpensive and low profile. If you want something a little more rugged, many companies make Kevlar wraps that do the same thing, and are similar in cost.
Takeaway
Shooting suppressed guns is incredibly enjoyable, and something every shooter should try. The experience is made that much better with the inclusion of a few inexpensive accessories. Think of it this way: if you bought a high-end suppressor, it’s like buying a Ferrari. Should you buy the bargain tires or specific race tires if you want to get the most of your new machine?
