Griffin Armament Announces Optimus Universal Suppressor
November 9, 2015Today, Griffin Armament formally announced their new Optimus universal suppressor. Intended to be a suppress everything sort of can, the Optimus is rated to be used with .22 LR all the way up to .300 Win Mag, depending on the configuration. Without a doubt, the Optimus is set to be the most versatile suppressor on the market, at least until SilencerCo brings out their Hybrid early next year.
Over the course of 2015, we’ve seen several silencers that call themselves “modular”. In fact, Griffin Armament led this trend in some ways with their Revolution line of pistol suppressors that came out last year. However, it is my opinion that the Optimus is the first truly modular silencer. It really is a system as much as it is a suppressor.
Constructed entirely of 17-4 stainless steel, the Optimus is 1.375″ in diameter and can be configured in a whopping five different ways. These include a 9.4″, 18.5 ounce full length setup that attaches to Griffin’s taper mounts, a 7.9″, 16 ounce mid size configuration that uses Griffin’s minimalist taper mounts, a 13.5 ounce pistol format with booster, an HK-style three lug compatible configuration, and finally a direct thread option. The barrel length ratings for each configuration can be seen below.
Full Sized:
Bolt gun use up to .300 Win Mag on a 24″ barrel
308/6.5CM 14.5″
6.8spc 10.5″
7.62×39 8″
300blk 8″ Super/sub
5.56mm 7.5″
Mid Size:
308 Win 16″
6.5CM 16″
6.8spc 12.5″
7.62×39 8″
300blk Super/Sub 8″
10.5″ 5.56mm
Pistol Configuration with Booster:
Up to .357 Magnum
**With fixed barrel spacer, full auto 9mm
3-Lug Configuration:
5.56mm limited full auto down to 16″
5.56mm Semi-auto 14.5″
.300BLK supersonic limited full auto to 9.5″
.300BLK subsonic full auto to 8″
5.7 full auto
Direct Thread Configuration:
300BLK Subsonic and 9mm full-auto rated
Rimfire full auto
5.7 full auto
If the myriad of mounting and length options were not enough, the Optimus also features interchangeable front caps that allow shooters to optimize the suppressor for .22 caliber projectiles. Though it is unlikely that decibel chasers will buy a jack of all trades, master of none type of suppressor, the option to squeeze a bit of additional suppression out of the can is a welcome addition. If you’re going to do a truly modular silencer, you might as well do it right.
Unlike virtually every other rifle-rated centerfire suppressor, the Optimus can be completely disassembled for cleaning and servicing. Since Griffin intends for the silencer to be used with .22 LR and messy lead pistol rounds, this is a very welcome feature. I firmly believe user serviceability is a must for cans to be used with bare lead ammo.
Beyond the configuration options, there are two other areas where the Optimus impresses. The first is that the suppressor is only 1.375″ in diameter. Most rifle silencers are 1.5″ across or more, and if the Optimus performs well, it will be quite an accomplishment for Griffin. Secondly, the Optimus seems to be reasonably light for being entirely 17-4 stainless. A 7.9″ can that weighs only 16 ounces seems like a winner to me.
My only concern at this point is that the Optimus could lag noticeably behind other suppressors in terms of performance. A few decibels here and there won’t be a big deal for most shooters, but if the Optimus is noticeably louder than other options, some shooters will dismiss the can as unimpressive. So far, Griffin’s published suppression numbers look promising, or at least respectable, so I cannot wait to try the Optimus out for myself.
The MSRP for the Optimus is a reasonable $1,095. If you consider what some companies wanted for standard.30 caliber suppressors just a few years ago, this is an excellent price. I will be working with the guys at Silencer Shop to bring one of these in for review as soon as possible, but until then, I’ve embedded Griffin Armament’s preview video below. What do readers think? Will this level of modularity soon be the norm for suppressors?
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.