The Top 3 Reasons to Suppress a Shotgun
Travis Pike
For a long time, shotgun suppressors weren’t viable for massive public release. They had serious design issues in dealing with the shot that a shotgun fires and were often regulated to slug use. There were some examples historically, but the size, cost, and limitations didn’t make them viable.
SilencerCo changed all that with the release of the Salvo 12 shotgun suppressor. This innovative shotgun suppressor gave users a modular suppressor option that could fire birdshot and buckshot.
Shotgun enthusiasts like myself were no longer stuck with thunder sticks. The Salvo 12’s design makes it incredibly appealing to shotgun enthusiasts. Its unique shape, for example, allows the shooter to cling close to the stock and use low-mounted red dots and ghost ring sights with ease.
Truly, shotgun suppressors are incredible devices and offer some major benefits. Here’s a look at the top three advantages shotgun suppressors.
1. Sound Suppression
This one is a bit of a duh, right? Of course, a suppressor’s main job is to reduce the sound of the weapon being fired. In its longest configuration, the Salvo 12 can reduce the sound of a shotgun down to hearing-safe levels of noise, specifically under 140 dBs. In shorter configurations, it still cuts a ton of noise and protects your hearing.
Anyone with a shotgun can benefit from less noise, but there are two particular types of shooters who will heavily benefit from less noise.
Home Defense
The first is the home defender. Home defense doesn’t give you time to grab your ear protection to respond to a threat.
The key word in home defender is home. A gun fired inside a building will destroy your hearing, and not only will it have long-term effects, but short-term tactical effects. Firing a gun indoors can shake you physiologically and interrupt your OODA loop, which affects your internal decision-making capabilities.
Hunting
The second type of shotgunner that will benefit from a shotgun suppressor is the hunter.
Wearing hearing protection makes it tough to hear game. A suppressed shotgun allows you to engage your chosen prey without sacrificing your ability to detect them. This is especially handy if you are doing a high-volume hunt like birds, squirrels, or other small game.
2. Reduce the Recoil of 12 Gauge
Shotgun suppressors significantly reduce 12 gauge recoil, specifically a 12 gauge with buckshot. Reduced recoil allows for faster and more accurate follow-up shots. Who doesn’t want to shoot fast?
The shotgun most certainly recoils more than your average semi-auto intermediate caliber rifle. It can be bad enough to leave a nice bruise on the shoulder, especially when you start throwing 3.5-inch goose loads.
A suppressor uses what’s essentially a series of chambers to slow down and cool the hot gas following your projectile. This hot gas hits the sides of the baffles and can actually create a force that can create forward motion. That forward motion has to contend with the rearward motion of recoil. The forward motion isn’t enough to eliminate recoil, but it can substantially reduce recoil.
From plinkers to hardcore hunters, practical shotgun users will certainly appreciate the benefits that a shotgun suppressor offers.
3. Eliminate Muzzle Blast
Shotguns are powerful tools, unleashing a significant amount of force upon firing. When the shot exits the barrel, it’s accompanied by a substantial release of gas. Additionally, there’s often a muzzle flash caused by residual burning powder as it exits the barrel. This combination of noise and blast is commonly called muzzle blast.
Muzzle blast is a necessary evil with an unsuppressed shotgun. Shooting a shotgun within a duck or deer blind, or inside a home can be a brutal experience. The combination of noise and the miniature explosion coming out of the barrel creates pressure, throwing burning gas everywhere. In low-light situations, the muzzle blast can have a negative effect on your vision.
Toss the Salvo 12 on your shotgun, and you can essentially eliminate the perceived effects of that muzzle blast. There may still be some muzzle flash, but it is very unlikely to be perceived by the shooter.
This elimination of muzzle blast can create a more comfortable shooting experience for you, your fellow hunters in the blind, and even at the range.
Shotgun Suppressors: Enhancing Safety and Performance
The shotgun was ignored as a suppressible platform for too long, but the Salvo 12 changed that entirely.
Shotguns, like all firearms, can greatly benefit from being suppressed. It makes what’s typically a rough platform a lot calmer, more enjoyable to shoot, and, most importantly, easier to shoot.
