If you are a gun owner and like to shoot, whether it is for hunting, recreation, competition, or other, you likely have noticed that guns are loud. I know, shocking isn't it? Guns are really loud and they can cause some pretty harsh hearing damage, especially if you don't do something to protect your hearing. Adding a suppressor to your firearm is a great way to protect your hearing. They also have a wonderful side effect of reducing recoil and increasing your accuracy. Protect your hearing AND make you a better shot? Sign me up! And I did just that by buying suppressors and using them. You can do that, too, and to make it easier for you to pick the best suppressor for your needs, I pulled together this short list of the top five suppressors for 2025.
There are more suppressors to choose from right now in 2025 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 go along.
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 five suppressor models.
Best Rifle Suppressor: BANISH 30-V2
If you're headed out to the range or the woods with a .300 PRC rifle, the BANISH 30-V2 has got you covered. The BANISH 30-V2 is a fantastic multi-caliber, lightweight suppressor that you can take apart and clean yourself. It takes all the great things established by the original BANISH 30 and takes everything to a new level of performance and features.
The 100% titanium 30-V2 is an adaptable .30 caliber suppressor capable of handling anything from a .17 HMR up to a .300 WBY. Being modular, the full-length configuration is 8.17 inches long with 11 baffles and weighs 12.4 ounces. For a lighter, more compact profile the tube extension can be removed reducing the length down to 6.4 inches, the weight to 9.5 ounces, and retaining eight baffles. The BANISH 30-V2 offers a maximum average decibel reduction of 34.5dB, tested using a .308-caliber rifle.
WHAT WE LIKE:
User-serviceable
Can be used with a wide variety of calibers
All titanium construction means lightweight
What our customers say:
"It was recommended by Travis. I got approved quickly and the process was easy. i mean before it was dreadful, but SC and their team made it fast and easy. The performance was unlike any other silencer I had purchased before. Everyone at the range will be impressed. I must purchase with a cover, too. It makes a world of a difference. This can is well worth the money." - Moe
Whether you want a hunting or a tactical suppressor, there are some great options that also are a bit easier on the budget. While there are less expensive options out there, for a .30-caliber, all-around suppressor, we really like the Nosler SR-30K ALTI. For less than $730, you get a silencer that is made from titanium and aluminum. It is short at just 5.834-inches long and weighs in at just 7.2 ounces. We picked a .30 caliber because it gives you the most flexibility, being able to shoot anything from a .17 HMR up to many of the .30-caliber cartridges.
Nosler is an interesting company. They are widely known for their excellent bullet designs and they followed that with a line of incredible rifles. It made sense for them to break into suppressors, and of course, they are doing a great job with them, too.
What we like:
Compact size
Nosler quality
Great price
What our customers say:
"Short, light and reasonable ear protection for those one or 2 shots while hunting. Wear ear pro at the range, but decent trade off especially since there are usually other shooters at the range necessitating ear pro anyway!" - Brian D.
2025 will likely be known as the year BANISH changed the game when it comes to 9mm suppressors. The company came out strong with the BANISH 9K, and if you're in the market for an ultra light, compact 9mm suppressor - you should buy one. Then BANISH hit again with the BANISH 9, a full-size silencer that just may be the quietest 9mm suppressor on the market. I can say this - it is the quietest one I've shot.
BANISH really nailed it with the BANISH Micro Booster™. The Micro Booster piston keeps the pistol cycling with the suppressor attached, something that is commonly needed with many pistol suppressors. What is cool about the BANISH Booster is the size of it. It is extremely compact and very little weight and length to the BANISH 9. When you add in that the BANISH 9 uses a MicroHUB mount, too, you can see why this is a can that does extremely well when compared to other brands.
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.
What we like about it:
Self-serviceable
Lightweight
Very high quality
What customers say:
"I couldn't be happier with this silencer. It is better than I expected." - Anthony B.
We are pretty fond of just how versatile the BANISH 46-V2 is. It is a big-caliber 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.
Made of titanium, the extremely durable Banish 46-V2 is lightweight at just 15.3 oz. It is only 8 inches long and 1.59 inches in diameter, making it a very compact suppressor for big-caliber rifles. Don’t let the smaller size fool you, as the BANISH 46-V2 offers a 30-decibel reduction in sound output.
Like other BANISH suppressors, the 46-V2 is a user-serviceable suppressor that is easily disassembled for cleaning. Being made of titanium, you can easily clean the baffles in a tumbler, ultrasonic cleaner, or by hand with a brush and solvent, making it simple to keep operating at peak performance. Reassembly is just as easy, thanks to the keyed and indexed baffles. This guarantees that each one will line up perfectly with the others. The BANISH 46-V2 was designed to be the perfect all-in-one suppressor, making it a great choice for shooters looking to buy just one silencer to use on multiple firearms.
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 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
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
The biggest issue with shotgun suppressors is form versus function. Many current models work ok, but aren't truly great options. Look for that to change very soon. There is a reason we don't have one on this list, but we will be adding one very soon that I think you'll really like.
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).
Rimfire - Most rimfire suppressors are made of lightweight materials and work with any rimfire-caliber firearm. Check the specific suppressor model you are interested in, too, as some work with select centerfire cartridges, too.
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.
Frequently asked questions
When it comes to picking out a suppressor, what makes one worthy of being on a list of the best?
In all honesty, the two names are interchangeable. When Hiram P. Maxim invented the silencer in 1902, he named it the "Maxim Silencer." That name stuck and is still carried on today, even though it is kind of a misnomer. As we all know silencers don't actually silence, they suppress the sound. Both names are accurate for the same basic product.
Not really. The term Hollywood Quiet is kind of a running joke in the firearms world as they like to make it seem as though a firearm can be completely silenced. You can get close with some .22 sub-sonic ammunition and a full-size rimfire suppressor, but the whole notion that a firearm can be completely silenced is movie magic.
There are a few things to consider when buying a silencer. First is usage. How will you be using it? Is it for hunting? Target Shooting? Competition? What firearms will you be using it for? Be sure the silencer you are looking at will work with the caliber of firearms you will use it on. Also look at quality and user serviceability. Know going into the purchase how much maintenance is required and what you have to do to perform that maintenance.
If you use it correctly and maintain it properly, any decent silencer should last the lifetime of your firearms. It is something that can be passed on through generations and should never wear out. That's why silencer companies, like BANISH, Dead Air, and so on, use premium materials for construction.
The main reason to use a suppressor is the hearing protection factor. Any sound above 140 decibels can cause permanent hearing damage. most firearms are well above that level, roughly in the 150-180 decibel range. Any worthy suppressor brings that level well below the hearing damage threshold. Learn more about how silencers help protect your hearing here.
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!
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.
