Busy July for Suppressor Enthusiasts
July 21, 2017
July has been one heck of a month for silencer enthusiasts. First of all, the ATF appears to have finally cleared the pre-41F paperwork onslaught! That means approvals should speed up significantly. Second, a variety of manufacturers have announced new suppressors. Just two weeks after Thompson Machine revealed its new fully-modular .22 suppressor, SilencerCo and Q have thrown their hats into the ring with releases of their own. All three of the upcoming silencers are intriguing, so let’s take a look.
Thompson Machine Horizon
The Horizon follows in the footsteps of Q’s Erector in that it is truly modular. It’s not just an adaptable silencer with two selectable lengths. The entire suppressor is segmented into individual baffles that can be unscrewed and reattached as desired. Also like the Erector, the Horizon has no outer tube.
Thompson Machine’s silencer differs from its competition in that it comes with baffle segments of two different sizes, four long baffles, and six shorter pieces. This means that the Horizon can be configured in an almost endless variety of configurations. It’ll certainly be interesting to see how swapping the baffles around affects performance.
As far as the details are concerned, the Horizon is constructed of titanium and 7075-T6 aluminum, with the former making up the threaded endcap and the latter appearing in all of the baffles. Thompson Machine advertises that the can measures in at 6.85” long with all ten baffles and weighs a meager 3.8 ounces in such a configuration, which is incredibly light. It’ll be offered in matte silver and anodized black ($50 upcharge) with a starting MSRP of $449.
Q Erector 9mm and .45 ACP
This week has been big for Q. The company’s new lineup of silencers just hit a bunch of dealers, including Modern Rifleman partners, Silencer Shop. As such, we’re dropping some fresh reviews for readers, with the Full and Half Nelson featured on Wednesday and the Erector coming from Pete this weekend. Q, not content with these recent accomplishments, has announced two new pistol silencers that closely resemble the .22 caliber Erector.
In reality, this announcement is more like a single silencer that’s available in two different calibers. Like the current Erector, the 9mm and .45 ACP versions will feature segmented baffle stacks and tubeless designs that allow them to be configured in virtually any length. The configuration options are impressive enough, but the weight of the cans is also worth mentioning. The 9mm model is expected to weigh in at just 8.2 ounces (or a little less) and the .45 just 8.25. Compared to my 12.1-ounce Octane 45, these guys are going to feel like feathers. The only downside is that (for now) Q doesn’t plan to offer a 3-lug mount. Sad! You guys already know we’re going to have these as soon as they’re available.
SilencerCo Omega 9SD
SilencerCo is expanding its (mostly) tubeless Omega series with an MP5SD-specific offering – the Omega 9SD. This one is really, really interesting. First, it’s far shorter than the original ‘SD silencer (11.89” vs. 7.96”). It’s also a good bit lighter, weighing 13.7 ounces to the original’s 17.6. There’s a lot to like about the Omega 9SD.
However, the Omega 9SD also raises eyebrows in a few key areas. First and foremost, it isn’t user-serviceable. Now, many will tell you that centerfire cans don’t need to be cleaned. That’s mostly true for rifles, but less so for pistol-caliber firearms. I’ve seen plenty of photos of MP5SD cans that have been wrecked due to poor or non-existent maintenance. We’re talking full-on, lead-filled messes.
Second, the Omega 9SD’s 126 dB performance isn’t exactly bad, but it isn’t great either. SilencerCo compares it to the original SD silencer from Heckler & Koch, but they don’t show any of the alternatives, such as KAC’s model or the popular SD silencer from TPM Outfitters that are both well known to be better performers than the HK design. They also don’t mention that TPM’s current SD silencer weighs only 14.2 ounces. Truly, the TPM SD is a closer competitor with the Omega 9SD than HK’s original design. Few US civilian shooters own MP5SDs to start out with, and of those who do, even fewer own HK silencers. Far more opt for aftermarket designs like TPM’s.
That brings me to my final point. Who’s buying these? Yes, thanks to folks like Atlantic Firearms and their Omega (coincidental nomenclature) line of MP5-style guns, MP5SDs are as popular as they’ve ever been, but the market is still tiny. Moreover, SilencerCo’s MSRP for the Omega 9SD is a whopping $1,180. It certainly won’t sell for that much in gun stores, but that’s way up there. For reference, TPM’s model is listed at $599, but it’s currently on sale for $465 as the company supposedly makes room for a new (allegedly modular) model. Certainly, TPM isn’t in nearly as many dealers and isn’t as recognizable as SilencerCo, yet it also isn’t like MP5SD owners are your average or casual gun enthusiasts.
An information security professional by day and gun blogger by night, Nathan started his firearms journey at 16 years old as a collector of C&R rifles. These days, you’re likely to find him shooting something a bit more modern – and usually equipped with a suppressor – but his passion for firearms with military heritage has never waned. Over the last five years, Nathan has written about a variety of firearms topics, including Second Amendment politics and gun and gear reviews. When he isn’t shooting or writing, Nathan nerds out over computers, 3D printing, and Star Wars.