What is the Quietest Suppressor?

Determining the quietest silencer is difficult without laying out specific parameters. For example, if we asked, "What is the fastest car in the world?" You might say the Bugatti Chiron, as it's been deemed the fastest production car.
 

But would the Bugatti beat a drag-racing car in a straight line? Does that make the drag car the fastest? 

What if it was racing around the Circuit of the Americas? Then maybe a Formula 1 car would be the fastest car in the world.  

Typically, suppressors are designed for specific tasks. Keeping sound suppression at a maximum is a major goal, but manufacturers also focus on other important silencer features such as versatility, back pressure, size, and weight.

The lowest dB rating silencer is likely a rimfire silencer like the Rugged Oculus in its long configuration.

However, if you need a suppressor for hunting brown bears in Alaska, a rimfire silencer won't help you. 
 

We recognize that folks need to be able to protect their hearing when shooting multiple firearms, not just rimfires, when plinking or hunting. So, we've broken down the quietest silencers in different calibers, applications, and price points. 

• Factors in Suppression
• Top 3 Quietest Suppressors for Beginners  
• Top 3 Quietest Suppressors for Enthusiasts 
• Top 3 Quietest Suppressors For Connoisseurs
• Conclusion

What round you're shooting plays a massive role in the suppression level of your weapon system.  
 

Lower-pressure, slower-moving cartridges like .22lr or subsonic 300BLK will be quieter than fast-moving high-pressure rounds like .300 WinMag or 5.56.    
 

There are a few reasons for this.    
 

The first is eliminating the supersonic crack; anytime a bullet breaks the sound barrier (usually around 1100 feet per second), it goes supersonic and emits a supersonic boom. Because physics is fickle, silencers can't eliminate the noise of the sound barrier breaking; therefore, supersonic bullets will be louder than subsonics. 
 

Secondly is the powder charge. As we know, a bullet is fired by a primer detonating, which ignites the gunpowder in the cartridge, which builds pressure and propels the bullet down range.  

Smaller, slower bullets require less powder. For example, a .22lr standard velocity round uses about 1 grain, and a 5.56 cartridge uses about 25 grains. As you can imagine, the larger powder charge produces much more sound and energy. 

Barrel length can largely affect how a silencer sounds.  

The primary reason is that longer barrels allow for muzzle pressure to be lower. This is the same reason we see barrel length restrictions on silencers.  
 

Lower pressures mean there is less energy (which translates to sound) for the silencer to manage, so it sounds better.    

Another often-overlooked factor is that a larger barrel moves the muzzle further from your head and ears. This added distance can make a silencer sound significantly quieter.  
 

Imagine popping a balloon right in front of your face and then another balloon 2 feet away; the sound difference is staggering, even though the two balloons produced the same sound.   

Silencer Size is also important to consider.  
 

Silencers work by trapping combustion gases and allowing them to cool, slow, and expand before exiting into the atmosphere. Added volume often translates into more gas trapped and lower sound.  

A longer or larger diameter suppressor will usually have more volume and better sound performance. 

There are now two primary ways to build suppressors: Traditional subtractive manufacturing and additive manufacturing (known as Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) or 3D printing).  

Most silencers are made via CNC mills, removing material from a solid metal block to create a baffle. Then, multiple baffles are welded together, or are pressed into a tube to form the main suppressor body. 

3D printing technology allows for additive manufacturing. Instead of removing material from a metal block to create the desired baffle shape, DMLS silencers are made of thin layers of metal powder, which are laser welded together, creating one solid piece. 

Neither of these methods inherently creates quieter suppressors. If you had two silencers, both of the same design, one made from CNC baffles and the other 3D printed, they would sound the same.  

The difference is that 3D printing allows for complex designs that CNC machining does not.   
 

Due to the freedom of 3D printing architecture, this technology produces some incredibly high-performing suppressors. 

We typically get asked, are bolt actions quieter? Yes, bolt action rifles generally sound quieter than semi-auto guns like an AR15. This is because the action on a bolt gun is locked; this is also true of lever action rifles.  

The locked action eliminates port noise. All of the gas travels out of the barrel instead of back into the action and out of the ejection port when the bolt unlocks like a reciprocating firearm.  

The ejection port is right next to your head, so port noise greatly increases the sound you hear as the shooter.

Rimfire silencers are the quietest silencers in the world.  

Usually, pistol caliber silencers like 9mm and 45 come in just behind rimfire.  
 

Then centerfire rifle and specialty silencers, like those for 50BMG or 12GA shotguns, round out the pack. 

This group of silencers represents incredible value because of their price point or versatility to be used on multiple hosts -- including rifles and pistols.  

These suppressors are often great starting points for the budding suppressor enthusiast, as they have a lower barrier to entry but maintain excellent performance.

The Rugged Oculus is among the quietest silencers in the world.  

One of the most popular rimfire silencers, the Rugged Oculus is a whisper-quiet .22lr suppressor, that features modularity and robust build materials.  
 

If you have a .22lr rifle sitting in your safe, or you picked up one of our exclusive Ruger SSHs, a rimfire silencer is a great way to make those guns even more fun.  

Rugged also uses a clever baffle design that helps to stop carbon from building up and reduces first-round pop, furthering the Oculus’ remarkable performance.   

A perennial favorite for a good reason, the YHM R9 delivers massive versatility and performance.  

If you need a silencer that will work on your Glock 19, your AR15, and your .308 hunting rifle, the YHM R9 has you covered.  
 

Made from stainless steel, this 9mm suppressor is built like a tank and has excellent sound reduction. The R9 will tame most of the firearms in your collection and doesn't break the bank. 

The Otter Creek Labs Polonium is in the running for the quietest 5.56 silencer and excels on 6MM firearms as well.  

The Polonium is a top-tier option to protect your ears when shooting your .223 or 6ARC AR15 or a bolt action rifle in 6 Creedmoor.  
 

The Polonium stays compact at just 5.8" and 13.5 oz while providing incredible sound and flash reduction. All for a very competitive price. 

These suppressors add more features beyond having great sound performance, like back pressure reduction or more versatility.  
 

Once you dip your toes into the suppressor game, you might realize that some features outside of being quiet are more important to you.  

The suppressors below do more than protect your hearing and allow you to dial in your suppressed weapon system. 

HUXWRX's newest silencer, the Ventum 762, is feature and performance-packed.  
 

This suppressor is HUB compatible, so it can be adapted to your preferred 5.56 and 30 caliber rifles using your favorite quick detach (QD) systems or direct thread mounts.  

It also uses HUXWRX's famous Flow-Through Technology™ so you won't get any blowback in your face or ringing in your ears while you're running your rifles.  

The high-flow properties also make the VENTUM ideal for gas-sensitive systems like AK platforms, SCARs, or AR15s.  

The VENTUM is 3D printed from titanium, making it strong enough to run any .30 caliber round without barrel length restrictions and it stays light and maneuverable. 

The SilencerCo Hybrid 46M is as close to a universal silencer as possible.  

This suppressor will tame your pistols and rifles up to 45 caliber, including .223, 300BLK, .308, .338 Lapua, 350 Legend, 450 Bushmaster, 45-70 Govt, 9mm, 40SW, 45.ACP, and more.  
 

There is a good chance that the 46M can make every firearm in your collection sound incredible, giving you supreme versatility.  
 

The 46M is also modular, so it can be used in a short or long configuration to tune performance, size, and weight for any given gun or scenario.   

The Hybrid, in its long configuration, has massive volume which delivers excellent sound suppression across a variety of hosts and calibers. 

The Rugged Obsidian 9 has been a top-tier pistol silencer since its inception.  

The Obsidian is a high-performing, modular 9mm suppressor designed to provide excellent signature reduction in both sound and flash. 

Rugged is known for its durable suppressors, and the Obsidian follows suit. It is belt-fed rated for 9mm and can also suppress 300BLK, 9x39, and 350 Legend rifles.  

This modular silencer has a short configuration when compactness is essential and a long configuration when sound suppression is paramount. 

Silencer connoisseurs, or "Cannosseurs" as we like to call them, aim to get a specific silencer for a specific host weapon.  

Dedicating a silencer to a gun allows you to create an ultra-high-performing weapon system dialed in for your use case.  

These silencers are purpose-built for certain types of rounds and employ advanced technologies and designs not often found in other suppressors. 

HUXWRX developed the FLOW 762Ti to be the no-compromise .30 caliber silencer.  

The FLOW 762Ti is a low back pressure 7.62 silencer utilizing Flow-Through ™ Tech to effectively suppress sound and flash and eliminate blowback to the shooter.  
 

If you have any .30 cal cartridge, the FLOW will suppress it, and there are no barrel length or caliber restrictions.   

The FLOW allows you to shoot all day on your favorite hard-use, bolt-action, or hunting rig without tuning your weapon or any gas in your face. 

SureFire is known for its legendary silencers adopted by the military, and the SOCOM556-RC3 is the next generation of SureFire pedigree.  

The RC3 is DMLS printed from Inconel alloy and achieves incredible noise reduction, flash suppression, and minimal back pressure.  

Designed with the shooter's safety in mind and exposed to SOCOM testing, the RC3 was built to save the shooter's ears and reduce exposure to carcinogens and toxic gases.  

The SOCOM556-RC3 is ideal for semi-auto 5.56 rifles.  

CGS designed the Hyperion to be the quietest .30 caliber suppressor in the world.  

The 3D-printed titanium Hyperion design creates highly effective gas paths that trap as much of the combustion gases as possible, resulting in incredible sound performance on both subsonic and supersonic cartridges.  

The Hyperion delivers best-in-class performance for suppressing 300 Black Out, .308 Winchester, 6.5 Creedmoor, .300 RUM, and more.  

The Hyperion also uses swappable endcaps, allowing you to tune the silencer to maximum gas trapping and sound suppression or high flow rate and low back pressure.   

At 9.5" long and 1.75" in diameter, the Hyperion has increased volume to maximize its suppression and weighs just 15.1 oz to maintain the maneuverability of your rifle.  

If you want the quietest tactical or hunting rifle possible, you'll want to check out the the CGS Hyperion is the suppressor for you. 

There are a ton of great silencers available today, and there has never been a better time to be interested in suppressors.  
 

Now that you understand how different factors about your host weapon and silencer attributes interact to aid in suppression and a few of the best options in different categories, you are well-armed to make an educated decision about your next suppressor.  
 

Feel free to reach out if you want more information or need help deciding which silencer would be best for you and your specific application. We have a dedicated staff available to answer all of your questions. Give us a call at 512-931-4556 or shoot us an email.