It wasn’t all that long ago when only the gun geeks owned suppressors. You might have seen one on occasion at the range, but they weren’t very popular. More than anything else, it was probably the 300 Blackout cartridge, introduced a little over a decade ago, that really sparked interest in suppressors. Now suppressors are one of the most popular firearms accessories sold. With companies like Silencer Central making the purchase of a suppressor easier, so it can be shipped right to your door, and with the passage of the Big Beautiful Bill, which eliminates the $200 NFA tax on suppressors, there’s never been a better time to buy. Of course, there are a lot of silencers out there, and I’ve picked five of the best. There’s something here for every rifle, no matter what you’re hunting.
Best Overall Suppressor: Silencer Central Backcountry
Best Suppressor for Magnum Rifles: Banish MeatEater
Best 0.35 Caliber Suppressor: Wilson Combat Silent Bandit
Best Big Bore/Multi-Cal Suppressor: Silencer Central Banish 46-V2
Best 22 Rifle Suppressor: Q El Camino
Best Overall Suppressor: Silencer Central Backcountry
Specs
Manufacturer: Silencer Central
Model: Banish Backcountry
Length: 5.50 inches
Diameter: 1.60 inches
Weight: 7.80 ounces
Attachment: Industry standard hub mount
Maximum Caliber: 0.308-caliber
Price: $1099.00
Pros
Lightweight
Compact
Six colors to choose from
Cons
Not serviceable
The last thing a hunter wants to do is make his rifle substantially heavier just so it will be quieter. Also, when you add weight to the muzzle of a rifle, it drastically changes the rifle’s balance point. Most modern suppressors make hunting rifles quieter, so that makes size and weight a primary consideration, and you won’t find a lighter 0.30 caliber suppressor than the titanium Backcountry. Not only does it weigh only 7.8 ounces, but it’s only 5.5 inches long and suitable for every cartridge from the 223 Remington all the way up to the ear-splitting 300 Remington Ultra Magnum.
The Backcountry utilizes the industry standard hub mount, which simplifies attachment to various thread pitches. I frequently use the Backcountry when reviewing rifles, and I’ve hunted with it extensively on various rifles. My oldest daughter will not hunt without it on her 308 Winchester. Of all the suppressors I’ve tried, the Backcountry will alter the weight and handling characteristics of your rifle the least, and it is available with a Cerakote finish in six colors.
Best Suppressor for Magnum Rifles: Banish MeatEater
Specs
Manufacturer: Banish
Model: MeatEater
Length: 5.85 inches
Diameter: 1.73 inches
Weight: 10.30 ounces
Attachment: Industry standard hub mount
Maximum Caliber: 0.308-caliber
Price: $1299.00
Pros
Light and Compact
Integral anchor brake
Cons
0.30 caliber or less
Silencer Central collaborated with the MeatEater Crew to develop this 0.30-caliber suppressor, which is rated to handle everything up to the 300 Remington Ultra Magnum. It comes with an interchangeable muzzle cap for either 6.5mm (0.264 caliber) or 0.30 caliber, it’s less than six inches long, uses the industry standard hub mount, you can take it apart for cleaning, and it has an integral anchor brake you can turn on or off that will reduce recoil up to 40 percent.
I’m not a fan of the MeatEater hunting show, and I don’t choose products based on branding or celebrity affiliation. So, don’t assume the popularity of MeatEater or Steven Rinella swayed me. I’ve used this suppressor extensively while reviewing rifles, and I also hunted with it attached to a 7mm Backcountry rifle in Africa. This suppressor works, and the integral anchor brake substantially tamed the recoil of that 80,000 psi cartridge out of a five and a half pound rifle. On a non-magnum rifle, I’d want a lighter suppressor, but for a fire-breathing boomer, I think the MeatEater is one of the best options out there.
Best 0.35 Caliber Suppressor: Wilson Combat Silent Bandit
Specs
Manufacturer: Wilson Combat
Model: Silent Bandit
Length: 5.76 or 6.41 inches
Diameter: 1.75 inches
Weight: 12.1 or 13.3 ounces
Attachment: 1 3/8-24 UN-2A hub mount or Wilson Combat Quell K-Mount Interface 5/8x24
Maximum Caliber: 0.358-caliber
Price: $1199.95
Pros
Small and light for caliber
Quell-K Mount compatible
Also available in 0.22, 0.277, and .308 calibers
Cons
Cannot completely disassemble
Suppressors designed for calibers larger than 0.30 are bigger because of the larger bullets. When it comes to hunting rifles, most are 0.30 caliber or less, or they are 0.375 caliber or larger. If you’re shooting a 0.35 caliber rifle like the 350 Legend, 358 Winchester, or 35 Whelen, you fall in that sort of no man’s land where there’s not a lot to choose from, or you must go with a larger and heavier suppressor than you really need. The titanium Silent Bandit suppressor from Wilson Combat is ideal for 0.35 and smaller caliber rifles, as the six-baffle version is only 6.41 inches long and weighs 13.3 ounces. There is also a five-baffle version that measures only 5.76 inches in length and weighs 12.1 ounces. It’s larger than most 0.30-caliber cans, but makes an ideal one-suppressor solution for the guy who has a 0.35-caliber rifle but wants to use the same suppressor for rifles of a smaller caliber. It is also a great match to a rifle chambered in 338 Federal. The Silent Bandit attaches via a 1 3/8-24 UN-2A hub mount or Wilson Combat’s Quell K-Mount that allows you to swap the silencer between multiple rifles also fitted with a Quell K-Mount.
Best Big Bore/Multi-Cal Suppressor: Silencer Central Banish 46-V2
Specs
Manufacturer: Silencer Central
Model: Banish 46-V2
Length: 8.00 inches
Diameter: 1.59 inches
Weight: 15.30 ounces
Attachment: Industry standard hub mount
Maximum Caliber: 0.460-caliber
Price: $1099.00
There’s no getting around the fact that big-bore cartridges require big suppressors. This is especially true when you get above 0.35 caliber and are dealing with powerful cartridges like the 338 Lapua Magnum or larger bores, such as the 375 H&H and 45-70 Government. The best silencer I’ve found to sort out the noise on these guns is the new Banish 46-V2. This is a titanium suppressor with a 17-4 stainless steel blast baffle, measuring only eight inches in length and weighing less than a pound.
This suppressor is also user serviceable; you can easily disassemble it and then clean the baffles with an ultrasonic cleaner, a tumbler, or by hand. It is also a practical option that is neither overly long nor heavy, especially if you can only afford one suppressor that you want to use on everything from your 223 Remington to your straightwall 450 Bushmaster. It might just be the perfect match for the newest Marlin 1895 Trapper with the Magpul stock in 45-70 Government. The Banish 46-V2 is available with a black or tan Cerakote finish.
Best 22 Rifle Suppressor: Q El Camino
Specs
Manufacturer: Q
Model: El Camino
Length: 5.95 inches
Diameter: 0.99 inch
Weight: 4.30 ounces
Attachment: 1/2x28 thread
Maximum Caliber: 0.22 Long Rifle
Price: $450.00
Pros
Lightweight
Easy to service and clean
Comes with thread spacer for extended barrel threads
Cons
A tad long for a 22 suppressor
When most hunters think of suppressors, they think of quieting centerfire rifles, but there are a lot of hunters who use a 22 Long Rifle, and with the right suppressor, it can be the quietest of all. The El Camino was the first suppressor out of a not-so-well-known New Hampshire company called Q, which also manufactures the Fix rifle. The same guy who founded Advanced Armament Corporation (AAC) started Q, and the Q El Camino is a user-serviceable seven-baffle 22 LR suppressor. This is important with a rimfire suppressor because rimfires generate a lot of carbon fouling at low pressures. However, the design of the El Camino appears to prevent carbon fouling from welding the baffles to the tube. Unlike with some rimfire suppressors, you won’t need special tools to disassemble or to press the baffles out of the El Camino. The El Camino is also very quiet. You should be able to set up in a big stand of hickory trees and continuously slay the squirrels.
Selecting a Suppressor
Selecting a suppressor is a bit more complicated than selecting a hunting rifle. This is partly because suppressors are new to many hunters, and many hunters don’t fully understand them. It’s also partly because there are few places where you can actually try a suppressor before you purchase one. And finally, because once you purchase a suppressor, it isn't as easy to sell or trade as a rifle is. If you can, talk with other shooters who use suppressors and try as many as you can before you buy.
One or More?
Many hunters will purchase a suppressor that they can use for all their rifles. This approach works, but large-caliber suppressors are heavy and do not perform as well on smaller-caliber rifles. If you are positive that you will only ever buy one suppressor, it’s still not a bad way to go. However, a better approach is probably to buy one suppressor that is perfectly suited to your most frequently used hunting rifle. After most hunters experience the reduced noise, reduced recoil, and how a suppressor spooks less game, they soon purchase another silencer for one of their other rifles, and before long, they end up with several.
Things to Consider
Most suppressors reduce gunshots to safe hearing levels, so other factors, like size and weight, are often what hunters consider most important. With a centerfire rifle, you are going to add at least about five inches to your rifle’s overall length and around eight ounces to its overall weight. And all this length and weight go on the end of the barrel. If you are a spot-and-stalk hunter who might often take snap shots, you’ll want the lightest suppressor you can get. If you hunt from a blind, you’ll want a short suppressor for maneuverability. And, if you hunt from a high seat and take long-range shots with a magnum rifle, recoil reduction might be your prime consideration.
The Future
With the elimination of the $200 NFA suppressor tax, manufacturers will sell more suppressors and this will fuel research and development. This means that suppressors are likely to become smaller, lighter, better, more versatile, and possibly even less expensive in the future. The Big Beautiful Bill also eliminated the $200 tax on short-barreled rifles (SBRs), so you can also expect to see more shorter-barreled suppressor-friendly rifles and maybe even new cartridges like the 8.6 Blackout, purposely designed to work with short barrels and suppressors.
