BANISH 30 GOLD on Rifle with scope
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Silencers 101

The Top 5 Suppressors of 2024

There are more suppressors to choose from right now in 2024 than ever before. It truly is a buyers' market, but the sheer number of options can be intimidating if you're new to the world of suppressors. First and foremost, there's no one suppressor out there that can do everything. Suppressors are broken down into categories of the type of gun it attaches to, the caliber compatibility, and so much more.

It's important to know the applications and limitations of different types of suppressors. Broadly speaking, that's what we're going to go over in this piece, and you'll learn all about it as we delve into our top suppressors of 2024.

Hunting trip with Banish 30 Gold

the Top 5 Suppressor Models

It can be hard to pick just one suppressor as a clear winner overall, so we made it a little easier by breaking them down into different categories and picking the best one in each of those categories. These are our top 5 suppressor models of 2024.

CategoryNameCaliberWeightLengthPrice
Best Overall Rifle SuppressorBANISH 30-Gold.3013.2 oz8.2 in$1,699
Best Affordable SuppressorDead Air WolfmanMulti9.8 oz or 14.4 oz5.13 - 7.5 in$899
Best Pistol SuppressorBANISH 45.459.6 oz or 11 oz6.7 - 8.6 in$949
Best Rimfire SuppressorFN Catch 22 Ti.225 oz5.5 in$499
Best Big Bore SuppressorBANISH 46.46 and below20.4 oz max7.9 - 10 in$1,249

Best Overall Rifle Suppressor: BANISH 30-Gold

If you’re going to go all out and spend the big bucks, you might as well splurge on the BANISH 30-Gold. Now, this can is specially made for us at Silencer Central, but there’s a good reason for it taking this spot on the list.

Made of lightweight titanium, the BANISH 30-Gold has 11 baffles in a tube that’s just barely over eight inches in length and weighs just 13 ounces. This means you’re getting a suppressor that is as light, short, and quiet as possible, and will make your range day with your rifle one of the most pleasant you’ve ever had.

This QD suppressor is rated for full-auto fire and can be completely taken apart by the user for cleaning. Yeah, we know you’re not supposed to have to take a rifle suppressor apart for cleaning, but it’s nice to know that you have the option to really get in there and get it super clean if you want to.

To round out the BANISH 30-Gold, it also comes standard with accessories that normally cost extra from other companies. Along with the suppressor, you’ll get two muzzle brakes – 1/2×28 and 5/8×24, a limited-edition gray Devour suppressor cover, BANISH suppressor pouch in black, BANISH baffle removal tool, a Silencer Central t-shirt, and a Silencer Central vinyl sticker.

Advantages:

  • Full-auto rated
  • User-serviceable
  • Comes with a premium accessory package valued at more than $500

Disadvantages:

  • At $1,699, it may be out of reach for some buyers

BANISH 30-Gold Specs

  • Caliber: .30
  • Weight: 13.2 oz
  • Length: 8.2”
  • Price: $1,699

Best Affordable Suppressor: Dead Air Wolfman

Dead Air - Wolfman 9 DT .5 x 28 Black
SHOP DEAD AIR WOLFMAN

The Wolfman is the next generation in suppression from Dead Air. Like its Wolf-9SD predecessor, the Wolfman from Dead Air is a modular, multi-caliber suppressor that specializes in sub-gun, light-duty rifle, and pistol use, which means it'll be right at home on a variety of guns in an array of calibers you may own. Versatility helps with the value, which translates to overall affordability.

Because of its modularity, the Wolfman provides ultimate sound suppression in its full-length configuration while still providing exceptional performance when set up in the short configuration. As an added bonus, the front cap can contain a user-provided rubber wipe that can drop sound suppression levels even further.

Made of fully welded 17-4 PH stainless steel, this provides ultimate levels of strength and durability while still keeping the suppressor as light as possible. It’s the perfect balance of toughness and lightweight, which is very important when it comes to adding a suppressor to a pistol.

The Wolfman is designed for maximum muzzle suppression while also maximizing at-ear performance for the shooter by utilizing a large internal volume and generous blast chamber.

The Wolfman ships with a 1/2x28 direct thread mount and features a wipe-compatible front cap (tool included). Wipes are user-replaceable with commonly available rubber washer sizes.

Advantages:

  • Wipes make it extra quiet
  • Welded stainless steel is super durable
  • Not too heavy for use on handguns or long guns alike

Drawbacks:

  • There are some limitations for rifle calibers

Dead Air Wolfman Specs:

  • Caliber: multi
  • Weight: 9.8 oz or 14.4 oz
  • Length: 5.13" or 7.5"
  • Price: $899

Best Pistol Suppressor: BANISH 45

SHOP BANISH 45

The BANISH 45 motto is “one suppressor, one tax stamp, many guns” and it definitely lives up to it. As the name would suggest, the BANISH 45 is designed for .45-caliber cartridges, but it isn’t limited to them.

Standard .45 ACP is, by its very nature, subsonic. This makes it a breeze to suppress and a popular choice if you want a quiet yet beefy cartridge. Of course, not everyone shoots .45 ACP. Some people prefer 9mm or even 10mm. The BANISH 45 handles both of those cartridges with ease.

With the rise of .300 Blackout as an incredibly popular caliber for AR-style pistols, we figured that the “many guns” part of the motto ought to extend to that caliber as well. As such, the BANISH 45 is capable of handling subsonic .300 Blackout rounds as well.

Whether you’re shooting .22LR, stepping up your game to 10mm, or anything in between, the BANISH 45 can accommodate it. Obviously, barrels on a .22 are considerably smaller than those of a 10mm, so you can choose from seven pistons with different thread options so that you can fit your BANISH 45 onto the gun barrel of your choice. (We also recommend a dedicated rimfire can, but you can use the BANISH 45 if you can’t swing two suppressors right now.)

Made of lightweight titanium and aluminum and able to change between two sizes means that this modular suppressor can be an incredibly compact can, while sacrificing very, very little. In fact, when shortened to 6.7” it weighs just 9.6 ounces, making it the lightest suppressor in its class.

Advantages:

  • Self-serviceable
  • Lightest in its class in the short configuration
  • Full auto rated

Disadvantages:

  • Price may put it out of reach for some people

BANISH 45 Specs:

  • Caliber: .45
  • Weight: 9.6 oz or 11 oz
  • Length: 6.7” or 8.6”
  • Price: $949
FN Catch 22 Ti FDE
SHOP FN CATCH 22 TI

Best Rimfire Suppressor: FN CATCH 22 Ti

We have been very impressed with the new FN Catch 22 Ti. This suppressor is compatible with .22 LR, .22 WMR, and .17 HMR.

The Catch 22 Ti is a lightweight, tough, and quiet rimfire suppressor. It reduces muzzle blast from all .22 LR firearms and is a perfect pair with the FN 502™ Tactical. It gives you reliable feed and extraction across most ammunition types. Our testing has shown it to maintain outstanding accuracy, cycling reliability, and the high durability you would expect from FN.

Mounting to rimfire hosts is fast and repeatable with the direct-thread ½” x 28 mount. The user-serviceable blast baffle and baffle stack delivers a quiet and smooth shooting experience.

Coming in with a 1.1-in diameter, the Catch 22 Ti clears most suppressor-height sights. It uses a titanium tube that weighs just 5 oz. too. It is an easy-to-maintain design that breaks down quickly with the included tool and carries a limited lifetime warranty from FN.

Advantages:

  • Self-serviceable
  • Lightweight
  • Very high quality

Disadvantages:

  • Fairly new on the market makes for greater demand - low in stock often

FN CATCH 22 TI SPECS

  • Caliber: .22
  • Weight: 5 oz.
  • Length: 5.25 in.
  • Price: $499
black banish 46 suppressor
SHOP BANISH 46

Best Big Bore Suppressor: BANISH 46

We are pretty fond of just how versatile the BANISH 46 turned out, but hey – that’s what we designed it for! It is a modular silencer designed for use with a wide assortment of rifle calibers including 8.6 Blackout and .338 Lapua up to the mighty .45-70 Government as well as pistol calibers including 10mm and .45ACP.

Testing has shown that the BANISH 46 offers a best-in-class noise reduction, more than 34 decibels in its long configuration. Being modular, you can set it up to best fit your needs.

The 46 is made of titanium and Inconel, and provides an outstanding combination of durability and light weight, weighing only 16.3 oz. in the short configuration of 7.9 in. It is just 20.4 oz. in its 10 in. configuration.

The BANISH 46 is available with a variety of mounting options, including direct thread, a quick-detach muzzle brake attachment, or a Nielsen Device. It is user-serviceable and can be easily and disassembled for configuration changes and cleaning. Since it’s made of titanium, you can easily clean the baffles in a tumbler, ultrasonic cleaner, or by hand with a brush and solvent.

The unique design of the BANISH 46 makes it the one suppressor to fit any gun – rifle or pistol. It’s never been easier or more convenient to use one suppressor for smaller pistol and rifle calibers like .380ACP and .223/5.56 as well as larger pistol and rifle calibers like .45ACP and .45-70 Government. Silencers are a significant investment, so it’s a huge plus to be able to use one can on multiple different firearms in a wide variety of calibers. If you want versatility, this is the one to get.

Advantages:

  • Versatility – One can to silence them all!
  • Price is great for all it can do

Disadvantages:

  • We will let you know when we find one

Specs: BANISH 46:

  • Caliber: .46 on down.
  • Weight: 20.4 oz. max
  • Length: 7.9-10 in.
  • Price: $1,249

Know the Different Types of Suppressors

Broadly speaking there are three different types of suppressors based on use and the guns they’re mounted on: rifle, shotgun, and pistol. Rifle suppressors are built for the higher pressures and the demands of centerfire rifle use. Pistol suppressors are designed around lower pressure handgun rounds and sometimes the lower pressure subsonic .300 Blackout round. Shotgun suppressors make skeet shooting, hunting, and tactical shotgun much more comfortable and quiet.

Benefits of Using a Suppressor with a Rifle

  • Helps tame recoil on even the heaviest of calibers, making it more pleasant to shoot
  • With less noise and less recoil, it makes for a more comfortable shooting experience
  • Less recoil can allow shooters to use bigger calibers that they might otherwise not be comfortable using

Benefits of Using a Suppressor with a Shotgun

  • Makes shooting more comfortable if you're shooting a lot of shells
  • Reduced recoil can help the shooter make a more accurate shot, either while hunting or playing for sport
  • Completes the "final frontier" of suppressors since shotguns are the most recent type of firearm to be able to be used with a suppressor

Benefits of Using a Suppressor with a Pistol

  • Less recoil makes it faster and easier to get back on target for a follow-up shot
  • Great for introducing a new person to the world of pistol shooting by making the experience less intimidating
  • Protects your hearing if you have to use your pistol indoors during a home defense situation

Factors to Consider When Choosing the Best Suppressor

There are a lot of things to consider when choosing a suppressor, and they can vary depending on the type of gun you'll be using. Here's some things to keep in mind for different gun types:

  • Rifle - Weight and length are two of the biggest considerations for rifle suppressors. What works on a backcountry hunting rifle (shorter and lighter) is probably not ideal for a benchrest competition rifle (longer and heavier).
  • Shotgun - There are far fewer options for shotgun suppressors on the market, so just be aware that your selection is going to be much more limited than if you were shopping for a rifle or pistol suppressor.
  • Pistol - Since a suppressor interacts with the gases and their forces used to cycle the pistol, the weight of the suppressor and the grain weight of the ammo you're shooting both have to be taken into consideration in order for your pistol to cycle properly when shooting suppressed.

Sound Reduction Performance

The biggest benefit of using a suppressor is the decibel reduction. How a suppressor is constructed (i.e. type of baffles, number of baffles, diameter, overall length) will have a big impact on the sound reduction performance.

A suppressor that has more baffles and a greater internal volume will provide better sound suppression than a smaller suppressor with less baffles. Still, sometimes you need to trade off on some sound suppression for a more optimal size depending on your intended use. That's perfectly fine, just so long as you look at the ratings and make sure that you're still staying within the real of hearing-safe decibel levels, which is 140 and below.

While many suppressors are capable of handling multiple calibers, it's important to understand that no one suppressor can do it all. For example, you can certainly shoot subsonic .300BLK through a .45-caliber suppressor, but the performance won't be nearly as good as if it were being shot through a .30-caliber suppressor.

Recoil Mitigation and Muzzle Control

Suppressors operate by dissipating the gases that are generated when a cartridge is fired. Overall, they slow down and cool the gases, which leads to less felt recoil when compared to shooting with a bare muzzle. This recoil mitigation makes it easier for many shooters to control the muzzle of the gun, thereby making it faster and easier to get back on target.

Size, Weight, and Length

Any time you add something to the end of the barrel of your gun, you're going to affect the balance, maneuverability, and overall usability of the firearm. You have to consider the size, weight, and length of the host gun that you'll be using with the suppressor so that you don't make the gun so unwieldy as to be unusable. Essentially, there's a performance sweet spot that you're trying to hit that gives you the perfect ratio of size, weight, length, and sound suppression.

Shop Suppressors Today!

Now that you understand what goes into choosing the right suppressor for your rifle, pistol, or shotgun, hopefully it'll be easier for you to pick the right one based on your specific needs. If not, that's perfectly fine. Silencer Central is here to help!

Our staff has been shooting and selling suppressors of all kinds and calibers for more than 15 years. Suffice it to say that we’ve got a pretty good handle on which ones are the top choices right now. If you’re having trouble deciding which one to get, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We’ll happily talk you through the options and then, when you’re ready, get you on your way to silencer ownership and suppressed shooting as quickly and easily as possible!