Good suppressors for a 1911?

Dead set on it? maybe not. it would be a significant expenditure to get a new threaded barrel for it.

Maybe I should wait until I am in state and see if a new handgun with a factory threaded barrel makes more sense.
 
Moving to a free-er state, will at long last be able to play with suppressors. Wondering what is a good suppressor for a 1911?
It’s interesting that you want to silence a 1911. It’s not particularly common but it’s very hot at the moment. As with any pistol silencer the performance is heavily based on the host. The current testing shows pistols like the P30L and the P226 make the quietest hosts. Barrel length obviously plays a part but even the slightest delay in the action is a huge benefit to suppression. All of that said, there is a lot of thinking that a 1911 may make a very good host. I just sent a barrel to Tornado Tech to be threaded.

To address your question. Pistol silencers all sound pretty similar, the host makes a big difference. 45 suppresses well since the rounds are subsonic. For a pistol you want to consider weight, it impacts the balance of the gun in your hand and performance too. I’m a big fan of CGS silencers. The Nautilus 45 and Mod 9 are quiet and light. The Rugged Obsidian line is good and backed by an incredible warranty. You can buy a 45 bore silencer and use it on 9mm, there is surprisingly little loss in suppression and it gives you flexibility as you buy more silencers. In the silencer game we say the best time to buy a silencer was 6 months ago, the best time is now.

Do some research here, it’s the only objective data on silencer performance available. It’s light on pistols silencers as he started with bolt guns but there are a few.

 
It’s interesting that you want to silence a 1911. It’s not particularly common but it’s very hot at the moment. As with any pistol silencer the performance is heavily based on the host. The current testing shows pistols like the P30L and the P226 make the quietest hosts. Barrel length obviously plays a part but even the slightest delay in the action is a huge benefit to suppression. All of that said, there is a lot of thinking that a 1911 may make a very good host. I just sent a barrel to Tornado Tech to be threaded.

To address your question. Pistol silencers all sound pretty similar, the host makes a big difference. 45 suppresses well since the rounds are subsonic. For a pistol you want to consider weight, it impacts the balance of the gun in your hand and performance too. I’m a big fan of CGS silencers. The Nautilus 45 and Mod 9 are quiet and light. The Rugged Obsidian line is good and backed by an incredible warranty. You can buy a 45 bore silencer and use it on 9mm, there is surprisingly little loss in suppression and it gives you flexibility as you buy more silencers. In the silencer game we say the best time to buy a silencer was 6 months ago, the best time is now.

Do some research here, it’s the only objective data on silencer performance available. It’s light on pistols silencers as he started with bolt guns but there are a few.


Got any other website links you use for cans?
Now that life is less restrictive, its about time I start researching.
 
Got any other website links you use for cans?
Now that life is less restrictive, its about time I start researching.
Thats the only one I use because its truly objective, I know Jay well and he's not capable of being influenced. You can check out the reviews Silencer Shop does but your are only seeing peak dBs and that doesn't really tell you the story. Silencer Shop is also trying to sell you something like almost all other "reviews" on the internet, in the silencer business I don't trust anybody trying to sell me something. I'm still big on CGS, my subjective opinion is they are making the best silencers available right now but pistol silencers are a bit easier since it's easier to suppress a pistol round. In other words, they kind of bunch up on the suppression scale so you buy for things like weight, warranty and utility, like a modular silencer.
 
Brings back memories. An article way back in the now long gone "Machine Gun News" was about one of the authors who was testing pistol suppressors wet. He (supposedly) ran out of water and pissed into the can. He had to stop and hit the showers. Jack.
 
Thats the only one I use because its truly objective, I know Jay well and he's not capable of being influenced. You can check out the reviews Silencer Shop does but your are only seeing peak dBs and that doesn't really tell you the story. Silencer Shop is also trying to sell you something like almost all other "reviews" on the internet, in the silencer business I don't trust anybody trying to sell me something. I'm still big on CGS, my subjective opinion is they are making the best silencers available right now but pistol silencers are a bit easier since it's easier to suppress a pistol round. In other words, they kind of bunch up on the suppression scale so you buy for things like weight, warranty and utility, like a modular silencer.
It's too bad someone can't spectrum test cans. For example a can might have higher peak db but suppress high frequencies better than another which results in a different real world outcome in terms of noise or "feel" . I also bet the hearing damage risk isn't equal across all audible freq ranges, either....
 
It's too bad someone can't spectrum test cans. For example a can might have higher peak db but suppress high frequencies better than another which results in a different real world outcome in terms of noise or "feel" . I also bet the hearing damage risk isn't equal across all audible freq ranges, either....
That’s why I like Pew Science high fidelity testing, at least you get to see the entire waveform. It’s not perfect but it’s a huge advance over peak dBs.
 
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It's too bad someone can't spectrum test cans. For example a can might have higher peak db but suppress high frequencies better than another which results in a different real world outcome in terms of noise or "feel" . I also bet the hearing damage risk isn't equal across all audible freq ranges, either....
Oh. Good point. My understanding is that high frequencies are directional and low frequencies are not. Thus you can figure out where a high frequency sound came from. Not so much with the low ones.
 
It’s interesting that you want to silence a 1911. It’s not particularly common but it’s very hot at the moment. As with any pistol silencer the performance is heavily based on the host. The current testing shows pistols like the P30L and the P226 make the quietest hosts. Barrel length obviously plays a part but even the slightest delay in the action is a huge benefit to suppression. All of that said, there is a lot of thinking that a 1911 may make a very good host. I just sent a barrel to Tornado Tech to be threaded.

To address your question. Pistol silencers all sound pretty similar, the host makes a big difference. 45 suppresses well since the rounds are subsonic. For a pistol you want to consider weight, it impacts the balance of the gun in your hand and performance too. I’m a big fan of CGS silencers. The Nautilus 45 and Mod 9 are quiet and light. The Rugged Obsidian line is good and backed by an incredible warranty. You can buy a 45 bore silencer and use it on 9mm, there is surprisingly little loss in suppression and it gives you flexibility as you buy more silencers. In the silencer game we say the best time to buy a silencer was 6 months ago, the best time is now.

Do some research here, it’s the only objective data on silencer performance available. It’s light on pistols silencers as he started with bolt guns but there are a few.

Cool post. Clicked into this thread randomly and learned something.... Thank You.
Although, Im in MA and won't be suppressing anything .... Unless I have to relocate because someone says I have to Pfizer my kids.
 
Thats the only one I use because its truly objective, I know Jay well and he's not capable of being influenced. You can check out the reviews Silencer Shop does but your are only seeing peak dBs and that doesn't really tell you the story. Silencer Shop is also trying to sell you something like almost all other "reviews" on the internet, in the silencer business I don't trust anybody trying to sell me something. I'm still big on CGS, my subjective opinion is they are making the best silencers available right now but pistol silencers are a bit easier since it's easier to suppress a pistol round. In other words, they kind of bunch up on the suppression scale so you buy for things like weight, warranty and utility, like a modular silencer.

Read through the PEW science site a few times.
Info is helpful, but the firearms listed in testing (for what I'm looking for) are all either pistol or s.b.r's, like around 10" or so.
You seem to know quite a bit about the subject, so I'll ask you-

How much does barrel length play in suppressing? Not concerened about function or gas tube length or any of that, but how would supersonic 5.56 fare out of a 14.5-16" barrel compared to the results out of a 10 or 12"?
Would it be louder I guess is the question?
 
Read through the PEW science site a few times.
Info is helpful, but the firearms listed in testing (for what I'm looking for) are all either pistol or s.b.r's, like around 10" or so.
You seem to know quite a bit about the subject, so I'll ask you-

How much does barrel length play in suppressing? Not concerened about function or gas tube length or any of that, but how would supersonic 5.56 fare out of a 14.5-16" barrel compared to the results out of a 10 or 12"?
Would it be louder I guess is the question?
Barrel length will definitely affect suppression. Shorter will be louder, I can't really quantify it for you but it absolutely plays a role.
 
I would take a look at the Rugged Obsidian 45. I shot one but don’t own one. It’s a modular can that can be used in full length and get maximum suppression or it can be used in the shorter configuration that will save a little weight but sacrifice some noise.

Great warranty, customer service and a highly rated product.
 
As a side note, one of the best resources I’ve found for suppressor info is Arfcom.
Arfcom suppressor forum

It’s a very active forum with a wealth of great info. It’s a “tech” forum so there no bullshit like you see in GD.

There are industry people who post almost daily that include (I’m sure I’m missing a few)
Dead Air
Griffin Armament
YHM
Silencer Shop
Hanson Brothers
Capital Armory
Ecco Machine
Jay from Pew Science

They have all been very helpful and informative and do a good job of keeping it about the information and not about pushing and selling their own products.

There’s been plenty of threads involving the suppressor owners and dealers resolving issues and all parties posting every detail with pictures which Ir really interesting to see. Anything from baffle strikes to alignment issues to just random defects.

I chose my cans (Sandman S and Obsidian 9) based on not only merits of the cans and warranties but how the companies handle business and show professionalism.

Jay from pew science posts a good amount of his testing as well as his website.

NES is a good forum but it’s mostly MA so suppressors aren’t talked about much and when it is it’s a very limited number of people and info. No offense to everyone here, but it’s a party of 5 minds. I don’t speak from much experience at all, I’ve shot a few suppressors but my first two are still in jail.
 
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