Silencers are not exactly caliber specific. Many people buy a .30-caliber can and use it for anything smaller than a .30, even rimfire. Is this the best way to go? Not always. The important thing to consider is - what bore-size firearm are you going to use the suppressor on most often? Depending upon what you want to do with your suppressor, this is a very important consideration. We want to give you all the information you need. This includes sizes, to help you choose the right suppressor for your needs.
Multi-caliber versatility
While most suppressors have a maximum bullet diameter they can handle. Many cans, like a BANISH 30-V2, cover a wide range of firearm calibers, even down to rimfire. Many .223/5.56 shooters want a suppressor specific to that caliber. There are some sweet options that can work with smaller calibers and rimfire but are intended for the .223/5.56. Don't worry. We're going to dive in a bit more to give you the information you need.
The shooter needs to know what diameter the suppressor is intended for in regard to the gun’s caliber. However, the bullet diameter size only tells a part of the story. Just because a suppressor might have a rifle bore size of .30 caliber does not mean that every .30 cal. rifle cartridge is safe to fire through it. The same goes for handgun caliber sizes. Some handgun suppressors will not accommodate every type of round with a smaller handgun bore size.
WHAT DO WE MEAN BY CALIBER OR GAUGE SIZES?
A rifle or handgun’s caliber size refers to the outside diameter of the bullet or the inside diameter of the barrel through which the bullet is fired. This handgun or rifle caliber diameter also refers to the measurement of the inside diameter of a firearm silencer, although it might be slightly larger than the handgun or rifle’s caliber size.
The firearm’s chambering may be 9mm Parabellum (also known as 9mm Luger or 9x19mm) but there are also other 9mm cartridges known as 9x21mm, 9mm Makarov, or 9x18mm which will not chamber in the same firearm even though they share the same caliber size. The 9mm Makarov or 9x18mm actually uses a slightly wider bullet caliber size measuring 0.365” instead of 0.355” to further confuse things.
Shotguns are a little different
Gauges are similar to calibers, but they relate to shotguns. Common gauges you may see are 12, 16, 20, and 28 gauge. A 12 gauge shotgun has a bore diameter of 0.729”, or 18.5mm. So where does the number 12 come from? The 12 means that a dozen lead balls of 12 gauge diameter would be required to add up to one pound. The same holds for the other gauges. 16 gauge needs 16 lead balls of 16 gauge diameter to add up to one pound.
Shotgun gauges run opposite what you would normally think. That is, a 12 gauge barrel is bigger than a 28 gauge barrel. Oddly enough, since we refer to shotguns by bore and gauge. But just to be different, the smaller of the shotguns, the .410, is actually measured by caliber, not gauge. The reason for this should be clear as mud.
You might think it’s easy to break down bullet-diameter sizes by whether the caliber is designed to be used with a handgun or a rifle. With rifles chambered in what were traditionally pistol calibers and pistols chambered in what were strictly rifle calibers at one time, those lines have completely blurred in recent years. It is important for the buyer of a suppressor to understand what these mean. It is also important not to get hung up on bullet caliber sizes.
COMMON BULLET CALIBER SIZES
Since suppressors are generally categorized by caliber groups, it would stand to reason that they would fit together. Let's explore some of the common groups.
Rimfire
The most common round in the United States is the lowly .22 Long Rifle, or .22LR. It can be a source of confusion , as its name implies use in a “long rifle.” Yet it can be fired through pistols and revolvers as well as rifles. Due to its small size, availability, and low noise signature, it is often the first caliber for most shooters. It is probably the most useful and least expensive.
The .22 Long Rifle is what’s known as a rimfire cartridge. This means that a firing pin impacts the rim of the cartridge to ignite the powder in the case. You may see reference to rimfire suppressors, and these are ideal for use with .22 Long Rifle ammunition. Over the past 10 years, most rimfire suppressors will also handle rimfire magnum length cartridges. This includes .22 WinMag or .17 HMR. A few can even handle smaller .22 caliber centerfire rounds, such as 5.7x28mm, .22 TCM, or .22 Hornet.
The next size up in bullet diameter is for those suppressors labeled in the rifle caliber size as 5.56 or .223. For the most part, these are intended for rifle calibers like .223 Remington or 5.56 NATO. These are the most common calibers for AR-15 rifles, carbines, and pistols. This size suppressor will comfortably handle the rimfire calibers previously mentioned as well as the smaller centerfire rifle calibers like 5.56 or .223.
The 5.56/.223 suppressors are very popular and are often the one suppressor category that is only used for the designated caliber. In other words, folks who buy a .223 can are most likely to only use it for a .223 variant.
In general, the bulk of .30 caliber suppressors are intended for use on rifles chambered in 308 Winchester or 7.62 NATO. By default, they will handle everything that a .223 caliber rifle silencer can handle with the addition of 300 Blackout in supersonic and subsonic loads, as well as .30 caliber rifle cartridges with lower pressures, such as 30-30 Winchester and 7.62x39. Usually, rifle calibers with smaller diameters such as .270 Winchester, 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5 PRC, 6.5 Grendel, 7mm rem mag, 7mm-08, and even the newer 7mm Backcountry can be fired safely.
Many .308 caliber rifle suppressors are actually rated for 300 Winchester Magnum, 300 Weatherby Magnum, and even 300 Remington Ultra Magnum. It is of extreme importance to determine if a suppressor will tolerate rifle calibers such as these before they are fired.
Another caliber increasing in popularity for the long-range shooter is the .338 rifle caliber size. Typically regarded as the Cadillac of any line of suppressors, these models were built for the mighty .338 Lapua Magnum and can handle any rifle caliber size with a smaller diameter from rimfire .17 caliber cartridges up through all the belted Magnum rifle calibers as long as the bullet diameter does not exceed 0.338 inches or 8.6mm.
These cans are also finding traction with the hotter new calibers like 8.6 Blackout and .338 ARC. There are more bigger caliber cartridges that are gaining in popularity, so a .338 can might be a great fit for you.
With the popularity of lever guns coming back strong, there are a lot of .45-70 shooters looking to tame the bark of their rifles. Most big-bore cans are right in the .46 caliber range. This covers you for .45-70, .44 magnum, .400 Legend, .360 Buckhammer and more. Keep in mind that the bigger you go caliber0wise with a suppressor, the less effective it is for rimfire use. I mean, you can use a BANISH 46-V2 for your .17HMR, but it isn't going to be ideal and you likely won't get the suppression you are looking for.
While .46 caliber isn’t actually a specific type of cartridge, the slightly larger diameter allows it to be used on all .45 caliber cartridges and smaller, as well as some larger rifle calibers. These are calibers like .450 Marlin, .454 Casull, .458 SOCCOM, and .45-70 Government.
This also includes the .50-caliber options. These are intended for use on 50 BMG rifles and anything smaller in diameter. While one of these suppressors might seem as if they can perform well on everything you own with a threaded barrel, their size often makes them less than ideal for a lot of smaller caliber firearms such as a rimfire rifle, for instance.
One of the most popular pistol caliber sizes is 9mm. If measured in inches, this would be 0.357”. Therefore, a suppressor in this diameter can safely fire 9mm, .380 ACP, and .38 Special, plus all smaller calibers.
Despite the names of the cartridges, a .38 Special and .380 ACP have diameters that fit within 9mm/0.357”. The “38” and “380” designation comes from the outside diameter of the loaded cartridge. This goes back to the latter part of the 19th century when gunsmiths converted black powder cap and ball revolvers to a pistol caliber which used a heeled bullet that had the same diameter as the loaded round. So, when the .38 Colt was lengthened to become 38 S&W Special, they kept the “38” moniker for familiarity. The .380 ACP has a similar origin in that it evolved from the now obsolete pistol caliber .38 ACP and the cartridge name came from the outside diameter of the round measured at the neck.
Most 9mm suppressors can handle rifle caliber sizes like 300 Blackout, 300 Whisper and 350 Legend in subsonic loads because the pressures are much lower. Some of the better-made ones will handle 357 Magnum or even 35 Remington because they are the same caliber size. It is advised to consult the manufacturer before trying these rounds to protect the shooter as well as the suppressor and ensure that it’s safe to fire these types of rounds.
Another popular pistol caliber is the .45 caliber. As you could imagine, .45 caliber suppressors are intended for pistols chambered in .45 ACP. Many will handle smaller pistol calibers such as 9mm, .38 Special, .40 S&W, and .44 Special as well as the .300 Blackout or 350 Legend in subsonic form. Certain .45 caliber suppressors can tame the 10mm, .44 Magnum, or hotter .45 Colt loads, but this should be confirmed with the manufacturer.
If the .45 caliber pistol silencer is an older model, it may not be able to withstand a steady diet of 9mm supersonic rounds. In general, .45 ACP is a subsonic round and 9mm is not unless specifically stated on the ammo box.
CHOOSING THE RIGHT SUPPRESSOR FOR THE CALIBER SIze
It might seem simple to choose the caliber size of a suppressor to match the caliber of your gun. This makes sense for some shooters, but not for all. There are shooters who rely on a handful of caliber sizes between their rifles and pistols. If all of those needs are met by a.30-caliber suppressor, then the choice is easy. Yet there are a lot of shooters who have a wider spectrum of rifle and pistol calibers.
Big Game hunting, like deer, elk, moose and bear, calls for a .30-caliber can at a minimum. There are some specialized suppressors for .30 caliber that are tailor made for hunting, like the BANISH Backcountry and MeatEater by BANISH. These cans will handle anything from a .308 and .30-06, through other popular big-game calibers, like 7mm Rem Mag, .300 Win Mag, .300 Weatherby, and more.
Go big for dangerous game situations
If you want to hunt with a bigger caliber, there are several suppressors for the .338-caliber rifles. Hunting with a .338 Lapua, or a .338 Win Mag? You should grab one of those suppressors as they are a big help with sound and recoil management. These suppressors cut down the big boom that goes along with a big caliber. They also help alleviate the recoil that can put a hurting on your shoulder. If you’re like us, you likely don’t really feel that recoil when taking a shot on a trophy bull. It is still there, and reduced recoil helps with overall accuracy as it also helps stabilize the bullet.
If you're in big-bear country, there's a decent chance you carry a .375 H&H. For that one, a BANISH 46-V2 will cover you. You can use it for a wide range of other calibers, too.
If suppressors were easily obtainable, some would buy a rifle or pistol suppressor in sizes that they need and call it a day. Unfortunately, that is not currently the case in the United States. The answer is find the right rifle or pistol sizes that give the most options to the shooter. To this end, we recommend a rimfire caliber suppressor, a pistol suppressor, and a.30-cal rifle suppressor. This covers most needs.
Some facts to keep in mind
The .30 caliber sized suppressor will work on 5.56 caliber rifles and other cartridges. This includes .270 Winchester, .30-30 Winchester or .243 Winchester.
A modern quality .45 caliber pistol sized suppressor will handle .45 ACP, 9mm, and even subsonic .300 Blackout.
Some shooters have tried bigger suppressors intended for larger .50 caliber rifles on all their firearms. As we mentioned earlier, they are often a bit unwieldy or weighty to use on some rifles and most pistols. Plus, they don’t suppress the sound of the shot as well with smaller calibers. There is just too much open space.
Suggestions on buying
For a truly diverse pistol caliber suppressor, we recommend the Dead Air Mojave 45. This is a modular suppressor in .45 diameter that uses different pistons based on the thread pattern of the host firearm. It can handle everything from rimfire to .45 ACP and including subsonic .300 Blackout. If you are a dedicated 9mm shooter, the new BANISH 9 is about as good as it gets, being lightweight and requiring no modification to work on every 9mm on the market with a threaded barrel.
As for a diverse and modular .30 rifle caliber suppressor, you cannot go wrong with either the BANISH 30, which is the most popular .30-caliber suppressor on the market or BANISH 30-GOLD. The BANISH 30 can be assembled in two lengths, 7” or 9”, and is a direct-thread model that uses an adapter to go down to 1/2×28” threads and is rated to .300 Weatherby Magnum. The BANISH 30 GOLD-V2 is a fixed length, and it uses an industry-standard hub mount and is rated to .300 RUM.
After a basic battery of rifle caliber and pistol caliber suppressors, a dedicated shooter can and should diversify for better performance, whether it is a rifle caliber suppressor for use in precision rifle shooting competition where weight is a factor or a machine gun collector where a suppressor that can handle the volume of full-auto fire is needed.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Always remember that while the gun caliber size is important when buying a suppressor, it is equally important to consult the manufacturer with regard to the power threshold, especially when it comes to rifle caliber suppressors. Some suppressors may be fine for certain calibers with regard to rifles, but there may be minimum barrel lengths as considerations.
A number of manufacturers give a minimum barrel requirement of 10.5” with rifle calibers such as 5.56 NATO or 308 Winchester because the excessive blast and flash signature can cause premature wear on the baffles of the silencer, regardless of caliber.
READY TO BUY a suppressor?
What a coincidence, we are ready to sell you one... or two, three... As many as you want. No one makes the suppressor buying process easier or simpler than Silencer Central. You can do it from your favorite chair while watching the game, all on your phone, if you like. Pick the can you want, go through a few steps, pay for it, and when you're approved by the ATF, we ship it to your front door. It doesn't get any easier, and there's no extra fees or hidden costs.And, we back the entire process with the best.customer service in the industry.
While many suppressors can be used on several different caliber firearms, we have some specific models that can make your shooting more enjoyable. Pick the caliber that you have in mind. If you don’t see your caliber, pick one close to it to see our recommendations.
