How Does A Silencer Work?
We often get the question – how does a silencer work? All silencers start out as a chunk of metal which gets made into a tube. Some high-end silencers like our BANISH Suppressor line are made out of machined titanium, but any sort of high-pressure seamless tubing that can contain the pressure of firing a gun will work for a silencer body.
The suppressor body also helps bleed off heat from firing, which cools the gasses from the muzzle blast and makes the gun shoot quieter. A steel tube won’t cool as fast as titanium, and aluminum tubes are better suited for low-pressure rounds like pistol or rimfire. Of course, titanium is the best, but also the most expensive, so shooters make trade-offs over price and performance. But that’s okay because that’s capitalism, and we love capitalism.
Once you’ve got a tube, then it’s time to make the internal components. These are usually some form of machined baffle, which redirects and slows muzzle gas to reduce the sound of gunfire. They also aid in cooling. Some earlier suppressors used stacked sheet metal baffles, leather or Nomex wipes, or various combinations of baffles, wipes, oil, grease or other methods. Some highly advanced suppressors include a clever piston system to help control the flow of gas.
Once you’ve made the “guts” of the silencer, then it is time to add end caps. These close off the tube and allow for it to be threaded onto your gun on one end, with an opening for the bullet to escape on the other. Some will be permanently attached, creating a “sealed” suppressor, while others, like on our Banish line, are removable.