Suppressed Service Weapons:

Suppressors, also known as silencers and informally as cans, are muzzle devices that are either threaded, pinned, or welded to the muzzle, and which contain a series of internal vanes or baffles.

These baffles trap or redirect gasses (or both) expanding at the muzzle with the primary aim of cutting back on muzzle pop and the overall volume of the firearm’s report.

It’s easy to tell when a firearm is suppressed, as they tend to be pretty large, bulky muzzle devices.

It’s also increasingly popular to suppress rifles (and handguns, although suppressing a handgun substantially changes its concealability, handling, and balance) because of the number of benefits conferred.

So what are they? Here we break down some of the best suppressor benefits and arguments.

There are numerous benefits of suppressing a service weapon, specifically a rifle. Here are among the best of them.

●     Reduced muzzle pop and volume

The best suppressor argument out there is that suppressors considerably reduce the volume of a gunshot and also cut back on muzzle pop. This not only protects your hearing (and your range mates’ hearing, when at the range) but it can also improve communication in the field. Suppressors also make it safer for those in the presence of gunfire, especially if they are not using hearing protection.

●     Reduce recoil and muzzle flip

While noise reduction is the most obvious touted benefit of suppressing a rifle, what doesn’t get talked about enough is just how much a suppressor can reduce felt recoil as well as muzzle flip. In truth, most suppressors can reduce recoil by as much or more than a comparable muzzle brake, without adversely affecting shot power; in fact, suppressors increase it.

This advantage of diminished recoil and muzzle flip is significant not only from an aesthetic perspective, but also because it enables the operator to make faster, more accurate follow up shots by keeping the sights trained on target.

●     Greater firepower/muzzle velocity

Suppressors are not quite technically barrel extensions, but in a functional way they sort of are. Because they extend the barrel and trap propellant gasses, thereby increasing bore pressures, they do add a little boost to the bullet. Just how many FPS will be added is a function of cartridge type, bullet weight, barrel length and load data, but when shooting suppressed, you will get a slight boost of FPS regardless, resulting in a slightly flatter trajectory.

●     Greater discretion, less muzzle flash

Suppressors, like a different type of muzzle device known as a flash hider (also sometimes known as a flash suppressor although they are not suppressors) also obstruct most if not all of a rifle’s muzzle flash.

That does two important things. It enables the shooter to remain more or less hidden, and it also prevents the muzzle flash from obstructing the shooter’s view of the target, which, like the aforementioned benefit of recoil reduction, assists the shooter in rapid reacquisition and faster follow up shots.

While the benefits mentioned here are some of the best suppressor arguments out there, it should be mentioned that suppressed service weapons will need a little extra care and attention.

Suppressors considerably increase chamber and bore pressures, and so are much harder on action components. In gas-operated platforms the gas rings will wear out sooner, and in most autoloaders, the recoil springs will fatigue more rapidly as well.

Suppressors also run very dirty and blast a lot of fouling into the barrel and action. You will need to clean the suppressor itself, as well as the rifle, much more frequently if it is suppressed.

It also bears noting that suppressed rifles will be longer, heavier, and will experience a shift in center of gravity when so equipped, as suppressed tend to be long and somewhat weighty.

There is one more thing that needs to be touched on here since it bears a confusingly similar nomenclature to suppressors, and that is the difference between flash suppressors vs. muzzle brakes.

You might know flash suppressors by their other name, flash hiders. These are muzzle devices that mitigate a rifle’s muzzle flash so the shooter’s sight picture will remain clear, for faster follow up shots.

Flash suppressors do not mitigate recoil or reduce muzzle pop. As for muzzle brakes, they are special muzzle devices that redirect gasses at the muzzle to reduce recoil. They cut back on felt recoil and muzzle flip for faster follow up shots, but they do not eliminate the muzzle flash and they actually make a gun considerably louder.

Interestingly, suppressors offer all of the benefits of both flash hiders and muzzle brakes, and then a few extras too, making them among the most practical and valuable muzzle devices of all.