I own only one suppressor, and (by good luck) it’s made by a company that seems to have one of the best reputations in the industry and clearly makes their own products (they’ve performed two upgrades for me). That said, now I can only wonder about the frequent requests from people who want the least expensive (and therefore usually cheapest) cans they can find. I could see that, I suppose, if suppressors could be purchased like tent pegs at Walmart, but even the least expensive models aren’t inexpensive, and then there’s the huge issue of the whole NFA registration process.

As I say, it was just dumb luck that led me to buy the one I own, but considering what’s involved in purchasing and owning a suppressor, is it really a good idea in general to cheap out to the degree possible?

Curious about opinions.

Following.
Curious how much of it could be not knowing what you don't know type of situation.

I'd put myself a bit in that boat, as I know of a few brands but not enough to know which to consider above another.

I think as long as the company stands behind their stuff, one may not need drop a grand on a suppressor. Again, I say this as a guy with his first two cans in jail, so I can’t speak to the experience down the road, but I can at least speak to the decision process on this end of it.

I bought a Griffin, and an Otter Creek and paid $500 apiece on average. I’m confident those will work out fine. I’m going to get the ball rolling on an Ecco Machine Phoenix TM pretty soon. That’s a $400 pistol can, but it’s made by a machinist who fixes and rebuilds dead suppressors other companies made.

I’m sure I could’ve gone cheaper, but I took a careful look at the companies and how they supported the customer afterward and I let that be my guiding light. I guess we’ll see where the chips fall, hopefully sooner than the horror stories.

^ Thanks for some personal anecdotes. I'd always assumed you were probably looking at around $1k outside of the rimfire side.
But, my sum total experience is a rental HK45 at the local range & a friend of dad had a can on his 5.56 AR, so I'm a very newbie to it.

There’s no real need to drop a fortune on a solid can. I get emails from reputable manufacturers that run specials pretty frequently. That being said, I fall into the buy once / cry once crowd. There’s “economical” makers (YHM comes to mind) and there’s just “cheap” manufacturers (the defunct Huntertown Arms comes to mind). Suppressors have greater margins than firearms typically. I’d highly suggest trying to find a dealer like myself in your area. I always do my best to pass along a “good guy” discount.

There are plenty of good, inexpensive cans. I would always look at price as something of a bonus. The $200 stamp seems comparatively worse when it is on a cheap can (to me at least) and the difficulties with selling a can you don't like are factors to consider. It doesn't mean you shouldn't buy the cheapest thing but you should definitely examine and compare your options based on other criteria as well.

I say there’s nothing wrong with cheap. As long as it is free of manufactures defects and the company will stand behind it.

Let’s face it, we talk about longevity way more than we wear stuff out from use. “Hard Use” is a topic that has more to do with the perception of wanting “the best”, not actual hard use.

I’m really starting to believe that cheaper is not bad, particularly if the money saved is spent on ammo.

I do believe there's a difference between "hard use" and long term durability. The way I understand it, a "hard use" silencer will be able to chug through more extreme heat and pressure "cycles" than other silencers. I think a "hard use" silencer is a good thing, for folks who are shooting something like a 10.5" 5.56 in a "tactical" (or other high-fire-rate, semi or full auto) training and practice context. I have a Gemtech Halo and Trek-Ti that both have bores that are somewhat ragged. The Halo has also had a hairline crack in a weld repaired. I admittedly used that Halo on a Sig 553 quite a bit, which I am sure is below their recommended length. The point is a proper "hard use" can would have worn less; if at all.

I have voiced my favorable opinion of the YHM TurboK before. I don't know what their warranty/service is like, but I'd have no problem just beating the heck out of a can like that, and getting it refreshed as necessary. One thing to consider is the down-time during repairs though. It's also worth noting that, despite the bore wear I observe in the two aforementioned silencers, their performance isn't noticeably diminished. The crack would have presumably worsened, and potentially led to a catastrophic failure, but I was lucky enough to notice it during regular maintenance.

Another thing worth noting is you're not always paying more $ for more "hard use" capability. You're often paying it for less weight, a smaller size, or a preferred mount. Company A can make/sell a can for much less money than Company B, and still have the same "hard use" performance; it's just going to be much bigger and heavier, and likely have a less sophisticated/intricate mount (something like a Gemtech Halo collar).

This message has been edited. Last edited by: KSGM,

quote:

Originally posted by jljones:
Let’s face it, we talk about longevity way more than we wear stuff out from use.

And that's something I've been thinking about lately. I'm not going to run enough ammo through any given can fast enough to honestly wear one out. I didn't need to spend $1,400 on a rifle can with sales tax and tax stamp to be able to enjoy suppressing a couple of my most-used rifles just so I could boast about intentionally shooting the can across the range once it gets carbon locked.

That said, they are wear items, and the quiet pews are more enjoyable and less damaging than the loud pews, so you might as well just use the damn things and make them all quieter, yeah?

This question begs a discussion of what are the tradeoffs in any suppressor purchase. Because like many purchases there are a bunch. Price is only one, sound suppression, weight, size, attachment options, etc. are others. So no matter what you are into the game for $200 and your transfer fees. But in the overall scheme of things suppressors are something that have been around for a century and at least for the mainstream ones not that hard to mfg. So what do you get for spending more money? For one you might get better more durable materials. Let's pick an example. Many of the very cheapest .22lr cans are made totally of aluminum. Once you have one of these you will really, really curse yourself as the best cleaning methods don't work on al. So you are trading a tiny price advantage for a lifetime of the suppressor cleaning routine that will totally suck. Let's pick another example. The lightest and most durable material for suppressors are way more expensive. So the cheapest ones are heavier and last shorter lives.
And lastly you have to consider most of these as an eco system. For example QD mounts and barrel ends and what not. The low end ones sometimes don't have the pistons, spacers, barrel options that you would consider normal to meet your needs. Doesn't matter if all you really want is just thread it onto your barrel with what it ships with but maybe your need change.
There are lots of really decent options at lower prices than the premium ones BUT I would never chase price as my key criteria...

quote:

Originally posted by hrcjon:
....I would never chase price as my key criteria...

Yep

The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten. Ben Franklin
Quality is remembered long after price is forgotten. Aldo Gucci

I see no reason to buy cheap guns, cheap gun accessories, or cheap ammo.

I just ordered my first suppressor after doing some research and recommendations from others. I was looking at dedicated 556 cans. I was between a $500 Yankee Hill T3 and a $1100 Huxwerk flow. I know two people who have been happy with the YH. The main benefit of the Huxwerk is the low back pressure. Is that backpressure worth 2x the cost? 2x the cost does not mean 2x the suppression or half the weight reduction, as both cans are pretty similar in stats.

I decided on the YH T3. I know I will shoot less than 1k rounds a year through this can. It will outlive me. As for the backpressure. I can just deal with it for the low round count or worst case I will get a Bootlegger adjustable BCG for $200 and still be a decent amount under the Huxwerk, not to mention gaining an spare BCG.

I usually don’t let price dictate my choice in cans, but I try to stay under $1000 for the price of the can alone. If there’s something I want that’s over the limit, I’ll try to wait of one of the many sales or promotions that pop up all of the time.

Just went cheap today. Prairie Tactical for rimfire. Is $300 cheap? I don’t know, but it’s about all I was willing to put into a .22 can that’s for sure.

Is it ever a good idea to buy the cheapest product available? If it is the only thing that you can possibly afford and you must have one, then maybe. Otherwise, and if your ass depends on it I would say a solid NO.

I will say it is usually not a good idea to always buy the most expensive model of what you are looking at just because it costs the most.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: vjb.knife1,

In my less-than-a-year studying this stuff, here's what drives the price of a suppressor up:

1. Brand name. You're going to pay more for a SIG than a Silencer Central.
2. Weight. A lighter can will cost more (generally) than a heavier can.
3. Manufacturing process. The newer 3-D printed cans generally cost more right now. The price may come down as the sunk costs are amortized.
4. Special features. Right now, low-flow-through cans are all the whiz-bang. Once it becomes commonplace, the price will come down.
5. The size of the company. Smaller companies need to compete on price with the bigger companies, as bigger companies have more advertising dollars to throw behind their product.

Am I missing anything?

If price is your main concern, then price is your main concern. If you really want a particular suppressor, you can always save up for one just like you do anything else. And while you're saving up, some new technology may be introduced that you really like and won't have already sunk money into a can that is "outdated", whatever that means. We are living in the new golden age of firearms, and there's a ton of innovation going on right now.