SilencerCo – Best Suppressors for Pistols in 2023
SilencerCo – Best Suppressors for Pistols in 2023
Travis Pike
When it comes time to choose a suppressor, you have many options and many things to consider. We could write a book on the details you have to consider, but today we are going to look at a few of the best pistol suppressors. Although that doesn’t mean we will just talk handguns. Let’s dive in and dissect the best silencers for the most popular handgun calibers.
1. Best .22LR Pistol Suppressor - Switchback 22
The Little .22LR is one of the best rounds to suppress. It’s cheap, widely available, and already fairly quiet compared to other center-fire cartridges. Plus, subsonic ammo is nearly as common as supersonic.
The problem is, it’s dirty ammo. So, which suppressor deals best with filthy rimfire ammo? The Switchback 22. It’s a user-serviceable can that can be broken down to clean the filth left behind by rimfire ammo.
Best yet, it’s modular. Since .22LR handguns range from as small as pocket pistols to bigger than duty pistols, you can find the right balance and length for your specific guns and suppressor needs. The Switchback is perfect for high volume shooting, so you can blast away without worry.
2. Best .380 ACP Suppressor — Omega 9K
When you get into the market for .380 ACP — also called .380 Auto — you are likely looking at small, blowback-operated handguns that are great suppressor hosts. Blowback-operated handguns do not require a Nielsen device, so you can directly attach the gun to the barrel without reliability issues.
A blowback-operated .380 ACP handgun equipped with an Omega 9K makes for a light and handy shooting little gun. Sure, it’s for a 9mm, but the .380 bullet diameter is 9mm, so no problems there. The suppressor will help tame some of that blowback recoil while rendering the gun exceptionally quiet. The Omega 9K isn’t too heavy or obnoxious to lose the gun’s small size and easy handling capabilities. It’s perfect for LARPing as James Bond, and it’s tough to beat the feeling of direct threading a can to a handgun.
3. Best 9mm Suppressor — Omega 36M
We can’t ignore the fact that 9mm is a caliber that finds itself in handguns as much as it finds itself in rifles these days. When trying to pick a can that works well with both, it’s often easy to end up scratching your head. With that in mind, either the Omega 36M or Omega 9k would be tough to beat, and the choice between the two depends on weight factors.
The Omega 36M is rated for a wide variety of calibers, including the famed 9mm, and the design and modular nature make it natural on both rifles and pistols. It’s modular enough to customize the length of the can from 4.9 to 6.85 inches to make it super quiet, with rifles and subguns to pistol length for easy balance and handling. The Omega 36M is super tough and is fully auto-rated for 5.56 caliber guns with 10-inch barrels. It’s going to eat up what little power the 9mm has and can toss through it.
The Omega 9K is also an excellent option and may offer more bang for the buck, depending on your needs. Though not modular, the Omega 9K is only 4.56 inches long and offers a lightweight and compact balance for handguns.
4. Best .38 Special and .357 Magnum Suppressor - Hybrid 46M
You’ll need a pistol suppressor for a .38 Special, but as you and I know, suppressing revolvers takes a bit more work. More commonly, revolver rounds are suppressed on lever action guns. That begs the question, what’s the purpose? The purpose is lever guns in both rifle and pistol-style handguns, often referred to as a Mare’s Leg. Lever guns are great suppressor hosts. .38 Special is a fairly easy caliber to suppress, with lots of subsonic loadings commonly available. One of the most popular lever action calibers is .357 Magnum, which means the gun can also shoot .38 Special.
The Hybrid 46M is a natural option for this type of weapon. First, it’s rated to handle powerful magnum cartridges, some that are way more powerful than the .357 Magnum. At the same time, it’s a modular can that allows you to customize the length and make it work for your rifle. The Hybrid 46M also allows for an appropriately sized end cap to help maximize suppression.
The Hybrid 46M is perfect for a lever gun, and the combination of a lever gun, a suppressor, and a .38 Special subsonic load makes for one quiet shooting blaster. Yet, if you need magnum power, it’s on hand.
5. Best 10mm and .40 S&W Silencer — Octane 45
The 10mm and the 40 S&W have a lot in common. S&W designed the 40 S&W off of the reduced recoil 10mm loads popular with the FBI. Both rounds use an identical projectile and the biggest difference in velocity. There are subsonic loads available for both the 40 S&W and 10mm. Now both rounds are fairly hot, with 10mm approaching 41 Magnum levels. They need a robust and well-made suppressor.
That’s where the Octane 45 comes in. Sure, it’s designed for a .45, but the can is tough enough to take the power of 10mm without sneezing. It’s big, tough, and strong. It’s a can capable enough to eat up the .300 Blackout subsonic loads. It will shrug off the full-powered 10mm and 40 S&W loads without issue. The user-serviceable design makes it capable of being used with the hard cast lead loads that are popular bear medicine with the 10mm. The Octane takes no prisoners, and the high-velocity loads for the .40 S&W and 10mm are no joke.
5. Best .45 ACP Silencer — Osprey 45
The .45 ACP is a big heavy round that throws a mighty wide and hefty 230-grain projectile in its most common loadings. That big 230-grain .45 ACP round is naturally subsonic, and it’s a quiet option. While 45 ACP carbines exist, it’s much more common in pistols.
The Osprey 45 is a full-sized suppressor and one of SilencerCo’s quietest offerings. The design is unique and uses a flat top with the majority of the suppressor’s bulk below the barrel. This allows you to use the sights of the pistol without the need for suppressor height sights.
The Osprey’s easy index feature is as easy as the press of a button. It works perfectly on .45 ACP classics like the 1911 and guns like the Glock 21.
6. Best Silencer for Rifle Caliber Pistols —Hybrid 46M
Suppressors are a blessing for hunters, and there is a segment of hunters addicted to taking game with guns like the Thomspon Center Encore. Guns like the Encore are perfect for suppression, and honestly, they are much easier to use when suppressed since rifle calibers in handguns aren’t exactly tame recoil-wise. The Hybrid 46M is a nice modular option for all your rifle-caliber pistol needs.
Since the Hydrbid 46M is modular, you can change the size to ensure you always have the best balance possible. It’s also a big bore suppressor that can handle powerful cartridges like the .44 Magnum and even the .45-70. If you’ve never fired one of these massive pistols, it’s crazy how loud and brutal they can be. A suppressor makes life much easier when shooting these massive hand cannons.
Suppress It!
What are the best pistol suppressors? You have to take some factors into consideration. Caliber is easily the most important factor, so make sure your suppressor matches your caliber. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t look beyond the suppressor’s caliber to decide if it’s the best option for the job. You should also consider the platform, suppression needs, and ammo choices. Hopefully, we’ve made it a little easier for you by taking a look at the more popular calibers on the market.
