Silencer Shop Authority: Gemtech Lunar-45 Review
For over a century, choosing the ideal suppressor was largely seen as a trade-off between performance, weight, and size, among a few other factors. Once a model was settled upon and the purchase made, few silencers offered any sort of configuration options. Anyone who wanted a shorter or lighter suppressor than the one they owned had to fork over a wad of cash for another silencer and its required tax stamp.
Over the last five years, that paradigm has drastically changed, thanks largely to configurable – or modular – suppressors. But while younger companies like Dead Air, Griffin Armament, and Rugged Suppressors have all jumped headlong into modular offerings, other industry stalwarts have been slower to adopt the designs.
First announced at SHOT Show back in January, the Lunar-45 is Gemtech’s first modular suppressor. It isn’t intended to replace the more affordable GM-45 that I reviewed last year, but instead slots in as the company’s flagship .45 caliber silencer. Thanks to our friends at Silencer Shop, I recently spent some time with the Lunar-45, and today, we’ll take a closer look at this exciting new can.
Size & Weight
The Lunar-45 can be configured in two lengths. The first and full format is 8.625”, which makes for one of the longest .45 ACP suppressors available. Fortunately, the Lunar can be shortened to a more compact 7.125” simple by unscrewing the front module. The short configuration handles very well and is noticeably more maneuverable than the longer format; however there is a part of me that wishes Gemtech had made the shortened Lunar just a hair shorter. Rather than making the removable section 1.5” long, a 2” module would help to draw a stronger distinction between the full configuration and the short.
Despite being mostly aluminum, the Lunar-45 is fairly heavy. According to my postal scale, the suppressor’s full-length configuration comes in at 12.3 ounces. Shortening the silencer helps somewhat, bringing the can down to 10.9 ounces. This heft can largely be blamed on the Lunar’s steel booster assembly. It’s larger than those of other pistol silencers, which adds weight but also pulls the balance of the can rearward. This makes the Lunar feel marginally lighter than my SilencerCo Octane 45, despite weighing almost exactly the same.
Materials & Design
From a materials standpoint, the Lunar is quite diverse. The booster assembly (including the piston) is stainless steel, as you might expect. The blast baffle is titanium and it’s followed by a stack of 7075 aluminum distal baffles, all of which have been nickel boron treated for easier cleaning. Both tube sections are 7075 aluminum with matte black Cerakote.
Aside from being modular, the Lunar-45 has another unique feature – its baffle design. The six inside the main tube are K-style with rearward-facing mating skirts that seal the outer tube from carbon and lead buildup. In contrast, the two baffles inside the forward modular are cones (or M-baffles) with stepped ports. They, too are designed to shield the tube from debris. Curious, I asked Gemtech about the design. According to them, the K-baffles were chosen for the main portion of the suppressor because they offer reduced first round pop (FRP) and less blowback. Backpressure is less of a concern inside the forward module, far away from the muzzle, so the simpler, lighter, and efficient conical baffles make sense.
Though the bulky Linear Inertial Decoupler (LID, also booster assembly or Nielsen device) adds considerable weight to the Lunar-45, Gemtech made a smart move with its design by allowing it to accept GM-45 and Blackside-45 pistons. The Lunar can also accept fixed barrel and 3-lug adapters for these legacy suppressors. Shooters who are already geared up for Gemtech’s older .45 ACP silencers won’t need to buy a whole new set of pistons and adapters for the Lunar-45.
Taking the Lunar apart is easy. The front module unscrews and as long as the front cap is installed, the baffles won’t fall out. With the forward extension off, the K-baffles are free to slide out of the front of the primary section of the silencer or alternatively, the front cap can be installed on the main body to configure the silencer in its short format. The booster assembly also unscrews to reveal the piston or to allow the attachment of various fixed barrel adapters.
Range Report
Naturally, the first configuration I tested with the Lunar-45 was the full-length format. With the front module attached, the suppressor is easily within hearing safe limits. I’ve found that .45 ACP is a far less pleasant round to suppress than 9mm. It’s a huge bullet that requires a large bore aperture, which works against a silencer’s performance. With that in mind, the Lunar, when used with my Glock 21SF, put up a respectable performance. It’s always difficult to make comparisons between different suppressors and across different days, but my impression was that the Lunar ran marginally louder than some of the other .45 ACP silencers I’ve tested.
When shortened, the Lunar-45 was noticeably louder, but that’s to be expected. The abbreviated configuration is intended to improve maneuverability by trading in some of the can’s performance. That said, it was still quiet enough to be hearing safe sort of. Out in the open, the short format was comfortable. As soon as I moved underneath the covered shooting line, my ears experienced mild ringing, indicating I should seek additional hearing protection to avoid hearing damage. This sort of experience is typical of most short .45 silencers. The Lunar may not be the quietest in the .45 realm in its full configuration, but it’s right there with the best when shortened.
The above describes my subjective experience with the Lunar-45, but there’s an objective, numbers-based perspective as well. Shortly after I tested the Lunar, Silencer Shop released their meter results for Gemtech’s modular suppressor. Fully assembled, the Lunar averages 137 decibels one meter left of the muzzle. That’s a good bit louder than best performers in the category and to be honest, it’s a surprise. I don’t necessarily believe the Lunar is the quietest .45 ACP silencer, but I don’t know that it’s seven decibels louder than the Ti-Rant or the Obsidian. Meter results can vary by a decibel or two depending on the conditions of the day. Shortened, it comes in at right around 140 decibels, which is very much in line with .45 caliber leaders.
One of the best aspects of the Lunar is its minimal, perhaps negligible, first-round pop (FRP). When a suppressor is first attached to its host firearm, it is filled with oxygen. When the first round is then fired through the silencer, that oxygen rapidly burns, producing a loud pop. I’m accustomed to FRP that’s three to five decibels louder than subsequent rounds, but the Lunar’s is more like half that. It does a fantastic job of balancing sound reduction across the entire magazine.
Conclusion
While the Gemtech Lunar 45 may not be the quietest or lightest .45 suppressor, there’s plenty to like here. First, it’s modular. Gemtech’s entry into the modular silencer world was overdue and this first effort is absolutely worth considering. Second, the Lunar-45 is compatible with all previous Gemtech .45 ACP accessories. If you already own a Gemtech .45 caliber suppressor and a multitude of mounts, there’s simply no choice that makes more sense than the Lunar. Finally, the Lunar’s negligible FRP is, at least for me, a real win. Some see it as insignificant, but I hate FRP, so the Lunar’s performance in this regard is noteworthy and commendable.
Those looking to purchase the Lunar can find it at Silencer Shop for just over $700, depending on Powered By dealer pricing.
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.