April 19, 2024 David Higginbotham Gun law can get complicated. Yet there are some 90-year-old foundational rules that govern most of what we do today that are worth understanding. We are going to unpack some of these today to help you better understand the complexity — and it all begins with the Firearms Act of 1934. What is the National Firearms Act of 1934? The National Firearms Act of 1934 was an epic bit of legislation in firearm regulation. It made ownership of silencers, short barreled rifles, and short barreled shotguns (and much more) far more complicated. Before 193 ..read more

April 12, 2024 William Lawson Hiram Percy Maxim ranks among the greatest inventors and technology advocates of the late 19th and early 20th century. Graduating from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) at age 17, Maxim created or led advancements in electricity, automobiles, aviation, radio, and sound suppression. Among his many interests, Maxim’s greatest enthusiasm was reserved for amateur radio, and his influence is still felt today. But Maxim is best remembered for inventing the Maxim Silencer, the first commercially successful firearm suppressor. Hiram Percy M ..read more

April 5, 2024 Kat Ainsworth In the diverse landscape of modern caliber choices, one caliber remains a top pick for AR-platform owners: the .223 Remington. However, the interchangeability of .223 Remington and 5.56 NATO — or the lack thereof — can be confusing at times. Today, we’re discussing the differences between the two and why it’s important to understand how to use them. What is the difference between 5.56 vs. .223? The two cartridges look identical, but they’re not actually the same. (Photo credit: Hop Munitions) The most noteworthy difference is the fact that 5.56 N ..read more

March 22, 2024 Travis Pike For a long time, shotgun suppressors weren’t viable for massive public release. They had serious design issues in dealing with the shot that a shotgun fires and were often regulated to slug use. There were some examples historically, but the size, cost, and limitations didn’t make them viable. SilencerCo changed all that with the release of the Salvo 12 shotgun suppressor. This innovative shotgun suppressor gave users a modular suppressor option that could fire birdshot and buckshot.  The Salvo 12 is configurable to 6", 8", 10", and 12" lengths ..read more

March 15, 2024 William Lawson The US Army and Marine Corps are making suppressors standard issue for their front-line infantrymen. The Marines began the process in 2016, field-testing suppressed M-4 carbines and M-27 Infantry Automatic Rifles. 2021 saw suppressors issued across the board, with the goal of protecting shooters’ hearing, facilitating battlefield voice communication, and reducing each man’s noise and light signature.  A US Marine fires a suppressed M-4 Carbine. (LCpl Kyle McNan/US Marine Corps) The Army notably included suppressors on its new Next Generati ..read more

March 8, 2024 Kat Ainsworth Having a high-quality suppressor is a must both to protect your own hearing and to reduce the auditory impact you make on an area. This also means having the correct suppressor for the task at hand. If you’re a fan of .30-caliber rifles or want a suppressor that’s capable of versatile use across a variety of calibers, the SilencerCo Omega 300 might be ideal for you. Here’s how the Omega 300 works in the field and why we think it’s a fantastic choice for hunters and sport shooters alike. This is a rugged, well-made suppressor that’s designed to with ..read more

March 1, 2024 David Higginbotham Way back when, in the dark ages of my career as a gun writer, I decided I wanted one dedicated, rock-solid caliber for all of my long-range center-fire rifles. I don’t hunt huge North American game, and I wasn’t skilled at super long-range shooting, so the .308 seemed ideal (primarily because there was more of it around at reasonable prices). While I’m still a fan of the workhorse .308, I’ve gotten a lot more trigger time with 6.5 Creedmoor in the last five years and — now that I’ve shot a 6.5 Creedmoor suppressed — I’ve become a convert.  ..read more

February 23, 2024 Travis Pike Handguns tend to be the most popular type of firearm on the market, and handguns and suppressors are the perfect pair. The beauty of handguns lies in their inherent compactness, and the addition of a suppressor does not them unwieldy. That brings us to the question, “What is the best SilencerCo suppressor for handguns?”   Oh boy, I’d love to give you an easy answer, but the real world just doesn’t work like that. Identifying the best suppressor for your handgun means we need to know a few things. What caliber is it? Does it need a threaded ..read more

February 16, 2024 Travis Pike Pistol calibers aren’t isolated to pistols. They never have been, and in the commercial market, the rise of pistol caliber carbines, aka PCCs, can’t be ignored. On the professional market, the submachine gun still maintains its niche as a small, easily maneuverable, and handy weapon for law enforcement and military use. Like any gun, the PCC and SMG can and should be suppressed. In fact, if you’re not suppressing your pistol caliber long gun, you’re really missing out on one of the best reasons to own one.  Pistol Caliber Carbines are super ..read more

February 9, 2024 David Higginbotham I’ve yet to meet anyone who has fired a suppressed rifle who enjoyed the experience without a suppressor than with one. Hunting suppressors offer benefits that are easy to hear and feel. That combination of noise reduction and felt recoil reduction is why many hunters prefer hunting suppressed. Hunting with a suppressed firearm is the way to go. A Short Aside The first time I ever hunted hogs with a rifle, I was tucked into a stand of palmettos north of Lake Okeechobee, Florida. I’d been quietly waiting for dusk, sitting beside a feeder ..read more