Firearms Silencers 101
The Best 9mm Suppressors
When we think of pistols, most of us think about a 9mm, simply because there are so many options for the “nine.” While it may not be the leader in stopping power, there is no shortage in 9mm ammo, pistol models, and suppressors for the 9mm. Why suppress the 9mm? That’s easy – because you can. A suppressed 9mm pistol is very quiet, and the increases in accuracy are noticeable. The question often gets asked – Who makes the best 9mm suppressor? That’s not easy to answer, as everyone already has a favorite 9mm pistol and many will argue that point but picking a 9mm suppressor is as much a personal choice as picking a 9mm pistol. Just like we do with the buying process, how about we help make picking the best 9mm suppressor for you as painless as possible, too?
Picking the best 9mm suppressor
Let's narrow down the criteria for how most people select a suppressor for their 9mm. There are three main areas most people use when choosing the best 9mm suppressor:
- How much is it?
- How compact is it?
- How quiet is it?
When I pick a suppressor, it is a lot like picking out a firearm - It has to fit me. That fit includes cost - as in it has to fit my budget. It also has to fit the type of use I have planned for it. With a pistol silencer, that is a bit weird. I say that because of concealed carry options. Most of us don't exactly include a suppressor when it comes to carry concerns, but with something like the awesome BANISH 9K, it is possible. I'm buying a new 9mm pistol to go with the (k that I bought, and I already have a call into my holster maker for a sweet shoulder rig to carry the pistol with the 9K attached. Call me crazy, but it sounds like it should work.
That falls in with compact size being a criteria. If you don't need a compact 9mm suppressor, there are plenty of options and more coming. For compact cans, there are a few options, but you already know which one I picked. The size often has an impact on how quiet a can is, too.
Editor's Choice - BANISH 9K
The BANISH®9K is made from 100% high-grade titanium that is made using with the most advanced kind of manufacturing used in suppressors to date - Additive manufacturing, which is very similar to 3D printing, but more intricate. The 9K is just 4.1 inches long with a diameter of 1.25 inches, making it one of the most compact 9mm suppressors available. It weighs just 2.7 ounces, too. Yes, you read that right – 2.7 ounces.
The 9K brings the decibel levels down for average 9mm rounds to 132 decibels at the ear. It is even rated for full-auto fire. The big news here is that it is light enough that there is no need for a piston to keep your pistol functioning properly. That's right, the Nielsen Device is not required. The BANISH 9K is the best option available right now for your 9mm pistol, or pistol-caliber carbine. It also works for .300BLK, 5.7x27, and smaller caliber loads.
Advantages:
- Extreme light weight
- No piston required
- Direct Thread mounting
- Low price
Disadvantages:
- None as of yet
Specs:
- Caliber: 9mm
- Weight: 2.7 oz.
- Length: 4.1 in.
- Sound Reduction: 30db
Price: $699
BANISH 45
Call us biased, but when we set out to design a pistol-caliber suppressor, we opted to go for an all-in-one design and came up with the Banish 45. We feel it is the best for the money, simply because it has all the elements you'd look for in a premium can, and it adds the versatility of working with all major pistol calibers, including 9mm, .40 S&W, .45 ACP and 10mm. You can also use this can on select rifle calibers, too.
Many 9mm suppressors are pretty much caliber specific. They handle 9×19mm and little else that isn’t around that same size/power range. Sometimes you can sneak .300 Blackout in, and of course, if you want to suppress that .32 or .380 gun, or your .22, your average purpose-built 9mm will work just fine.
But if you want a true universal handgun suppressor that is compatible with a wide range of caliber AND costs less than a thousand bucks, then you need a Banish 45.
The Banish 45 is made of titanium. That means it is lighter, stronger, more durable, and quieter than a silencer that uses stainless steel. It’s also modular and user-serviceable. That means you can make it longer or shorter based on your needs. And more importantly, it is multi-caliber rated! That means no matter if you are shooting a thundering 10mm, or popping off a little .22, the Banish 45 can be quickly configured for your gun, your caliber, and your setup – even .300 Blackout.
Advantages:
- Fully modular and user-serviceable
- A true multi-caliber suppressor
- User-configurable in size
Disadvantages:
- There are cheaper silencers out there
Specs:
- Caliber: rimfire through .45
- Weight: 9.6 or 11 oz.
- Length: 6.7 or 8.6 in.
- Sound reduction: up to 36 dB
- Price: $949
Price: $949
YHM R9
While there are other 9mm suppressors that can be made shorter due to being modular, we opted to include the YHM R9 as the most compact because it only comes in one length - 5.2 inches. That's not big at all. And yet, as they say, good things come in small packages, the R9 is pretty sweet.
For starters, it is way more versatile than just 9mm. The YHM R9 is compatible with everything from 17HMR to 9mm in the handgun range, plus rifle calibers such as 5.56 NATO, .300BLK, .350 Legend, 6.5 Grendel, and .308 Winchester.
If you like to run high volumes of ammo through your handguns, SBRs, and subguns, then the R9 is exactly what you need. It’s rated for limited full-auto fire, so go ahead and send it! The fully-welded, tubeless design is built from stainless steel for rugged durability no matter what caliber you’re using.
Mounting options abound, as the R9 is compatible with the YHM Phantom QD adapter, 3-lug adapter, Nielson adapter, and other direct thread sizes.
Advantages:
- The shortest 9mm silencer on the market
- Works on all types of firearms and calibers
Disadvantages:
- Heavier than some
Specs:
- Caliber: 9mm, some rifle calibers up to .30
- Weight: 10.7 oz.
- Length: 5.2 in.
Price: $579.95
FN RUSH 9 Ti
FN is one of those companies that, when you see the brand name, you know the product is going to be good. There's good reason behind that, as FN handles most of the world's police and military firearms needs, as well as holding several big-name brands that are known for quality - Browning and Winchester, to name a couple. Their pistols are amazing, and when we started carrying their new suppressors, we were immediately impressed.
The latest thing in 9mm suppressors is the Rush 9 Ti. This is a lightweight, easy-to-clean suppressor that is just flat-out cool.
With FN's advanced booster assembly, mounting the FN Rush 9Ti to any pistol barrel that is threaded ½” x 28 is easy and fast. It has a tight piston gas seal that contains the carbon fouling in the baffle core. This gives you smooth shooting without heavy blowback and stoppages that can be common with some suppressors.
The FN Rush 9Ti has a great strength to weight ratio, thanks to the titanium construction. At just 10.8 oz., this light, easy-to-maintain design breaks down quickly for cleaning, too. FN feels so strong about this silencer that they gave it a limited lifetime warranty.
Advantages:
- Extremely quiet
- Lightweight
- Easy to clean
Disadvantages:
- Not user configurable
Specs:
- Caliber: 9mm
- Weight: 10.8 oz.
- Length: 7.3 in.
- Available in black and FDE
Price: $848
Rugged Obsidian9
Rugged's Obsidian9 is an excellent choice for a modular 9mm suppressor. The modularity of Rugged’s ADAPT™ Module gives users the ability to choose between the full configuration at 7.8 inches and 12.7 ounces, and the compact configuration at 4.8 inches and 8.7 ounces.
Rugged has a reputation for being extremely durable and easy-to-use. Designed for 9mm firearms, this silencer features a 1/2×28 non-slotted piston design that reduces blowback, resulting in a smoother and more enjoyable day at the range with proper function of your pistol.
The Obsidian9 features keyed baffles machined from 17-4 stainless steel and is also belt-fed rated, for those adventurous enough to try it.
Advantages:
- Modular
- User serviceable
- Full-auto rated
Disadvantages:
- Heavier and longer than some
Specs:
- Caliber: 9mm
- Weight: 12.7 oz - 8.7 oz
- Length: 7.8in. - 4.8 in.
Price: $822
What to look for in a 9mm suppressor
There are many factors that go into play when you pick a 9mm suppressor, but there are two in particular that seem to stand out - Weight and length.
Weight
Obviously you don't want a hefty suppressor tacked onto the front of your pistol. There are some 9mm options that can fit a Nine, but in all honesty, we wouldn't recommend them as a stand-alone 9mm suppressor simply because they are really for something bigger - such as a large-caliber rifle. If you want a dedicated 9mm suppressor, look for something that is light enough to not interfere much with your pistol's balance when you hold it.
Length
The idea of optimal length goes hand-in-hand with the weight factor. You really don't want to have a long, heavy suppressor on your pistol if you're not able to shoot it as you'd like. On our list, the longest is a 9.5 inch model, but it has reasonable weight to go along with it. Still if you want short and light, that used to mean more money, but that is very much NOT the case anymore. I mean, the BANISH 9K is 4.1 inches long, weighs 2.7 ounces and costs UNDER $700! That's a deal so sweet you might get sugar-shock from trying it. It's a deal like tea in the South - sweet and everybody wants it.
Function
Function is a concern as well. While every suppressor will do the job, or Silencer Central wouldn't sell it, you need to keep in mind how the can will work with a pistol, as opposed to a rifle. Most pistol suppressors require some special tooling to work with a pistol's recoil-driven action. More on that can be found on this blog post on Nielsen Devices. But that is not always the case. Again, I'm going to point out the BANISH 9K.
Why so serious?
Why is it that people love to assume that their personal pick is the best option for everyone? It can get heated, right? You can have a debate over which pistol caliber is the best and you might have to separate the .45 folks from the 9mm folks before fists come out. Then you take the 9mm team and ask who makes the best 9mm pistol. Now you have to look at the Glock folks, the Springfield folks, the 1911 team, and the list goes on and on.
Because 9mm suppressors are in common use, it is hard to find objective criteria for what is the best 9mm suppressor that applies across the board. Some folks look at price point, others favor extremes in performance, while others may have a long laundry list of other features they consider most important.
We’re not as concerned with telling you which 9mm suppressor is the best, we’re more concerned with which one fits your needs best, and that you use one because we are heavily in favor of protecting your hearing. Okay, that and we want to sell you one, but if you’re not happy, we’re not happy. We claim to have the most pain-free path to suppressor ownership, but that includes you being happy with your purchase.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE 9MM SUPPRESSOR?
We won’t lie. Our absolute favorite 9mm suppressor is the Banish 9K. Why? Because we designed it to be that way! We’d love to sell you a suppressor for every handgun caliber you own and your .300 Blackout to boot. We made as close to a universal 9mm handgun and .300 Blackout silencer as is possible so you only need one.
But what we love may not be what you love. That’s why as the nation’s largest silencer dealer with locations in all 42 silencer legal states, we stock a wide variety of the best 9mm (and rifle, and shotgun) suppressors on the market. Our expert staff is here to help you choose the best suppressor for your needs. We maintain an in-house lab for testing silencers in real-world conditions, and we are happy to share our data with you.
Get started today
After you’ve taken a look at our selection, send us an email or give us a call, and we’ll be happy to help you choose your next silencer. And don’t forget, Silencer Central is the only silencer dealer who can conduct your entire purchase without leaving your home.
That’s right! You don’t have to leave your home to buy and receive your silencer. We’ll even send you fully prepared registration paperwork and a free NFA gun trust with your purchase. And when the ATF gets around to approving your registration, we mail the completed paperwork and silencer straight to your door. How cool is that? So, tell us what your favorite 9mm silencer is, and let’s get your paperwork started!
