So you want to buy a suppressor...

Before I start this post, I want to make this disclaimer clear:

Disclaimer!!! I am not a lawyer, nor do I play one on TV, the following is not legal advice nor is it intended to be, I strive to have the most accurate information possible however if you want/need legal advice you should contact an attorney who is well versed in the 2A/NFA world.

Also, a quick side note, I’ll refer to suppressors as silencers and cans as well as suppressors.
So, without further ado…



         So you're a firearm owner and you want to take the next step, you want to shoot without disturbing everything in three mile radius, you want a suppressor.

Suppressors are legal in the following 42 states *Check your local laws, check your laws for hunting with a suppressor as well.
AL, AK, AZ, AR, CO, CT, FL, GA, ID, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MI, MN, MS, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NM, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY.

If you're in one of the 42 states you can proceed with the process.
First, you need to decide if you want to purchase as an individual or a trust.

If you purchase as an individual ONLY YOU CAN HAVE ACCESS TO THE SUPPRESSOR, if you are not at home but your suppressor is your family members cannot know the code to the safe in which it is stored, and you cannot leave it "loose" in the house if other people will have access to it.
If you are close enough to "be in control" of the suppressor then other people can use the suppressor, such as at a range, or if it's on your home defense weapon and your wife uses it while you're next to her.

If you purchase via a trust you can list responsible persons other than yourself (listed as the Grantor/Trustee) who are allowed to have possession of the suppressor.
Most trusts allow you to easily add and remove trustees.

With a trust you can also appoint a successor so if you die and the other trustees are removed or die any items in the trust will legally go to the successor without having to pay additional transfer fees.

$200 Tax stamp

The buying process:

The buying process really isn’t that different than buying a firearm, it just has a longer wait and an extra step. Decide what you want, who you're buying from (I personally recommend Silencershop), and then begin the purchasing process.
When you purchase your suppressor you will have to submit Fingerprints, a passport size photo, and complete your information on a form (ATF Form 5320.4, commonly called Form 4), pay a $200 tax to the Federal Government , and then wait.
The ATF wait time varies, currently it is 8-12 months.

After the form comes back approved you will pick up your suppressor from the dealer, fill out a form 4473 (standard form when you buy a firearm from an FFL) and the transfer is complete.

Just so we're clear, there is no "class 3 license", you simply pay a $200 tax for EACH regulated item (I.E. Suppressor, Short barreled rifle, short barreled shotgun).
And contrary to popular belief the ATF CANNOT simply force entry into your home without a warrant to check on your item. They can however show up and request to check on the item.

There is a “maintenance” required on the paperwork side of owning suppressors, if you move or change addresses you must notify the ATF of the change of address via form 5320.20, and it’s a great idea to have miniature and/or digital copies of your approved form 4 with the suppressor as you’re using/transporting the suppressor.

For additional information I highly recommend watching this video from the NFA Review Channel

Choosing a suppressor.

         First when choosing a suppressor you must decide on what you want to suppress, large bore (.338 or .46 caliber), 7.62 rifle (usually up to 300 Win Mag rated), 5.56 rifle, rimfire (usually .22 Mag rated, can be rated up to 5.7x28, or in the case of the Griffin Micro Optimus, up to 5.56), pistol calibers (usually rated for 9mm or .45) and lastly (and least common) shotgun.



7.62 Rifle cans

          Generally the second purchase as a suppressor, (rimfire is generally the first) caliber ratings vary but generally at least .308 rated and usually rated up to 300 Win Mag, can be used on pretty much any caliber smaller than .30 cal, it gives great versatility for rifle use.
Generally they are between 7-10 inches in length, weigh between 15 and 22 ounces, and diameter can be from 1" to 1.7"
Most cans are full auto rated, manufacturers will state the rating/firing schedule on their website.
Typical cost $650-$900+ tax stamp

5.56 rifle cans

         These cans are smaller than 7.62 cans, the smallest surefire cans are as small as 4" in length but the standard size cans are 6-8" in length, and weigh 12-18 ounces, diameter is typically 1.2-1.5".
Generally rated for 5.56 MM and designed to be run on the AR platform, most of the cans over 15 Ounces will be full auto rated.
Typically cost $600-$700+ tax stamp

Rimfire cans

The smallest, lightest, and cheapest version of the addiction, typically 1" in diameter, 3" to 7" in length, typically direct thread attachment, as light as 3 ounces, but average weight is about 6 ounces. Typically user serviceable so they can be taken apart and cleaned by the user, which is important with use on .22 LR because it's a very dirty round.
Average cost $300-$400 + tax stamp

Pistol cans

         Generally these are 9mm or .45, .45 cans will shoot 9mm, .40, and .45 as well as other pistol calibers smaller than .45. 9mm cans typically are rated for 9mm and subsonic 300 BLK, some 9mm cans are rated for 300 BLK supersonic as well as 9mm. length is typically 6-8", and typically weigh 8-15 ounces.


And then we get to the "oddball" cans

Griffin Armament Optimus
https://www.griffinarmament.com/optimus-silencer/



Griffin Armament Bushwhacker .46

https://www.griffinarmament.com/bushwhacker-46-universal-sound-suppressor/


Silencerco hybrid
https://silencerco.com/silencers/hybrid/

And the silencerco Salvo 12 which is for 12 gauge shotguns.

https://silencerco.com/salvo-12

Smith and Wesson M&P with Griffin Optimus using a booster assembly

Mounting Systems



          A suppressor is only as good as it is attached to your host firearm, a quality mount system will give you Point of impact (POI) repeatability despite mounting and unmounting the suppressor.


Direct thread
         The lightest and only method that is standardized across ALL manufacturers, generally used on budget or precision suppressors, it has a tendency to walk (loosen) with use.

Quick attach
         There are several versions of this, most notably the AAC ratchet system which is riddled with issues, Griffin armament has a system that has a fork that drops behind a muzzle device, I haven't heard much about this system and it's been around for a while, so it must work decently well.

Taper mount
         Not a true quick attach system, while it has a more aggressive thread pitch than direct thread it's still typically several full turns until the suppressor is mounted, it has a shoulder on the muzzle device and a corresponding taper inside the suppressor, it has very high repeatability for POI (point of impact) shift for suppressed/unsuppressed use, the only one I have experience with is from Griffin Armament and I like it, it's a solid system.

3 Lug
         Typically used for fixed barrel 9mm's (I.E. 9mm carbine), MP5 clones, Griffin Armament also has a 3 lug system for .40/10mm as well as one for their (now discontinued) .22 suppressor.

Piston/Neilson device
         Used on most pistol cans, the piston assembly, also called the Neilson device, is necessary for use with browning tilt-barrel designs, it allows the suppressor to move forward as the gas behind the bullet expands, essentially making the suppressor weightless so it doesn't bind the system.

Fixed barrel spacer         A fixed barrel spacer is a ring that goes inside the piston assembly that allows use of a piston with a fixed barrel design, they're inexpensive (~$30) and are a great way to allow use of your pistol suppressor on a 9mm carbine without a lot of hassle.

Griffin Armament Optimus setup to accept a taper mount muzzle device

What to expect with a suppressor

Pistol Calibers

9MM
         I only have experience with 9mm in pistol calibers but this was my impression.
With subsonic ammo, shooting the Griffin Optimus with both my M&P 40 (with a 9mm silencerco barrel) and Polymer 80 glock 19 build, absolutely hearing safe, shooting at a stump 20 yards away the action of the pistol and bullet impact are about as loud as a handclap.
We were shooting about 5 yards away from a house in which a 2 year old was napping, he was not disturbed, his mom inside the house could barely hear us shooting.

Supersonic is a god bit louder, I have only shot a few rounds of supersonic so I'm going to wait to post about that.

*Note, you will get a "sprong" sound from the spring in the booster when you drop the slide from the locked open position.

Rifle Calibers

.308

         Shot out of a Savage FCP-SR (bolt gun, 20" barrel) with the full size Optimus configuration, 150 grain Remington Core Lokt ammo (definitely supersonic) shooting at dirt about 80 yards out, I would say it was about as loud as unsuppressed .22LR, I would still throw in ear plugs for plinking but for hunting it's comfortable.

6.8 SPC

        With a 16" barrel, AR platform, 90 grain soft point ammo, supersonic, full size Optimus configuration. It's a little bit quieter than the .308, but I would treat it the same (Ear plugs, fine for hunting, etcetera).

5.56

         With an 11.5" barrel shooting Wolf and reloads, 55 grain, supersonic, full size Optimus configuration, .30 cal endcap. quieter than unsuppressed .22, more supersonic crack than anything else, I would still wear earplugs for a range day but I shot a 30 round mag without earplugs and had no discomfort.


Rimfire suppressors

.22LR
          Subsonics are stupid quiet out of my Griffin Checkmate QD, host weapon either a S&W Victory .22 or Marlin XT-22 (bolt gun) shooting a steel plate at 80 yards with the rifle you hear the trigger springs, the striker falling, and then the "ting" of the bullet hitting steel.
The pistol is slightly louder due to the shorter barrel as well as the semi-auto action (the action makes the most difference) but it is still very quiet, if you had an air compressor running you wouldn't hear either configuration fire.

Supersonic
         With supersonics you hear the supersonic crack and that's about it, I would still consider it quiet, I would shoot all day without hearing protection with supersonics.


Shotgun suppressors

I have no experience with shotgun suppressors.



Side effects of suppressors.

Heat: the suppressor will heat up pretty quickly, particularly rifle calibers.

Carbon: particularly with .22LR and also the AR platform
With .22 you will have a lot of carbon blown back into the recoil assembly (on semi-autos) and you will need to clean your semi-auto pistol/rifle every 500-700 rounds to keep it functioning reliably.
On the AR platform you will have blowback around the charging handle, with a mag dump you will have some gas in your eyes, also the top of your magazines will be black from carbon dropping into them.

Backpressure: your semi-autos will most likely need a slightly heavier buffer or adjustable gas block to keep from damaging brass on extraction and ejection.



FAQ

Q. If I want to buy a permanently attached suppressor do I still need to file the form 4 and pay the tax stamp?

A. Yes, any device that makes a firearm quieter is considered a suppressor and must have an approved form 4 (to buy from a manufacturer) or form 1 (application to build one yourself).

Q. If I permanently attach a suppressor to a rifle with a barrel length of less than 16" is it still considered a short barrel rifle?

A. With the suppressor permanently attached is the length from the face of the bolt (measured with the bolt closed) to the muzzle of the suppressor less than 16"? If so, yes, it is still an SBR and you would need a tax stamp for the suppressor and one for the SBR.

Q. I'm a machinist and can build my own suppressor, is it legal to do so?

A. Yes, it is legal to manufacture a suppressor for yourself as long as you file a form 1 with the ATF, submit photograph and fingerprints, and pay the tax stamp, once you receive the approved form 1 (with tax stamp) then you may start building your suppressor.

Transporting your suppressors/SBRs/SBSs/ Destructive devices.

I pulled this info from Esilencers.com
https://www.esilencers.com/process-transporting-nfa-item-across-state-lines/

Have you ever wondered whether you could take an NFA item with you out of state? Or maybe you did know the answer but did not know what you had to do to be able to legally do so. Or maybe you were moving to another NFA friendly state but did not know the process to properly relocate your NFA items.

In this blog we go over the process and some tips on how to legally transport an NFA item across state lines.

First off, know the laws regarding NFA items in the state you will be going to. There are a few states out there where certain or all NFA items are not legal. You will first need to Google “NFA laws by state” to see whether it’s lawful to possess or own NFA items.

Note: Just because it might be legal to own a certain NFA item in a state does not necessarily mean you can own or possess every NFA item.

The process:

First off, as long as its legal to own or possess a Suppressor in the state you are traveling to, then you will NOT have to get permission from the ATF to transport your Suppressors to that state.

The following NFA items are the ones you will have to get permission first:

1.    SBR’s (Short Barrel Rifles)

2.    SBS’s (Short Barrel Shotguns)

3.    MachineGuns

4.    4.Destructive Devices

5.    AOW’s

There are two different ways to get permission to transport an NFA item across state lines:

First way- You can type up a letter requesting permission. The letter must include all necessary info which includes:

· Make, Model, Serial Number, length, caliber, and type of NFA item.

· Name of Trust or individual including address and the phone number the NFA Item belongs to.

· Date you will be transporting NFA item, and the date you will be returning to the original address.

· The address you are transporting from and to.

· Reason for transporting NFA item.

· The way of transporting i.e.: by car, plane, etc. And info on the carrier.

Note: If you are permanently moving the NFA item to the new location, you will need to state “this is permanent”, and include dates that the NFA item will be in transit.

Second way- The ATF has a Form(5320.20). Which is ‘Application to transport interstate or to temporarily export certain NFA firearms. This is the easiest way to request permission from the ATF. This form is set up in a very easy to follow format, and ask the same info that you need if your typing a letter. You will need to fill out numbers 1 thru 8, and 12-13 on the form. You will need two copies of this form sent to the ATF.

Note: If you submit a request stating that the new address will be temporarily, but decide to permanently keep the NFA item, or keep the NFA item passed the return date at the new location, you will need to submit a new form/letter to the ATF.

Note: Google is the easiest way to get access to this form. In the search engine, type ‘ATF form 5320.20 PDF. This will bring up this form. You should mail, email, or fax two copies of either the official forms or letter.

Note: You will need to keep a copy of the approved form/letter in the carrier that you are transporting the NFA item in. It’s also wise to paper clip a copy of the approved form/letter with your Form 4.

Mailing address: Attention: NFA Branch, 244 Needy Road, Martinsburg, WV 25405

Fax number: 304-616-4501

Email: NFAFax@atf.gov

If you have any further questions about this process, feel free to contact us at info@esilencers.com!

As always if you guys have any feedback or questions leave them in the comments.

Griffin Armament Optimus 9 Review

The box

This is the Griffin Armament Optimus 9 Silencer, I purchased it July 2017 through silencershop and received it from my dealer, Hansohn Brothers, March of 2018. The Optimus is my second suppressor and first centerfire suppressor, I purchased it after several months of research and comparing it to other options on the market at the time.

What's in the box

I decided to purchase the Optimus because I wanted a versatile can to use on my 9mm handguns and 9mm AR upper receiver, my 5.56 and 6.8 SPC AR’s, as well as my .308 bolt gun. The Silencerco Hybrid .46 was another option, but I didn’t care for the fact that the length wasn’t modular, and I prefer the taper mount system. So far with almost 2 years of use I have been very happy with my decision, I still want to get dedicated rifle and pistol cans because as I’ll mention later it’s not easy to switch configurations at the range.

A comparison of the Minimalist blast shield, taper mount extension, and the main body.

Now that we have the have covered my reasoning behind purchasing this suppressor lets go over what comes in the box, included in the box are the suppressor, rifle blast baffle, rifle extension, 5/8x24 minimalist muzzle brake, 1/2x28 Piston Assembly, 9mm and .22 cal endcaps, Rubber multi-tool, Griffin Armorers wrench, and a baffle pusher tool.

 

Baffle pusher tool

Griffin Armorers Wrench

Side 1 of the rubber multi tool

Side 2 of the rubber multi tool

And last but not least, the 9mm and .22 endcaps

A quick breakdown:

Caliber(s): 9mm/.30 cal up to 300 Win Mag

Mount: Taper mount and Piston assembly included, 3 lug, A2 and direct thread options available.

Caliber rating: 300 Win mag in full length configuration, .308 in mid length and A2 configuration, and 556 and 9mm in the pistol length configuration

Diameter: 1.375”

Length: 9.4”/8.4”/ 7.9”/6.6”

Weight (oz): 17.6/17.4/15.7/13.5

Full length----^    A2^      ^Minimalist blast shield and the last is pistol configuration

MSRP: $1,095, I got it from SilencerShop for $899, plus a $1 to donation to ASA and $205 for the tax stamp.

The Griffin Optimus in the mid-length configuration

             I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect the first time I used it, on the 40-minute drive home from the dealer I called my cousin and asked if he wanted to help me break it in and he agreed. When we got to his parents’ property that we used as our range we took it out of the box, dissected how it worked, glanced at the manual and configuration page, and then promptly assembled it to the rifle configuration and installed it onto my 12.5” SBR AR15. I had already purchased a 1/2x28 Minimalist brake and installed it on my rifle prior to the form 4 being approved so it was ready to be used as soon as the suppressor was in my hands. I put the first 5 rounds through the rifle, and I was blown away that I could shoot a 12.5” 556 rifle without earplugs and not have ringing in my ears. I quickly put the other 25 rounds through the rifle and stood in amazement that I could still hear normally.

12.5" AR with the Optimus in the full-length configuration

              Next up was installing the Optimus on my Savage Model 10 FCP-SR chambered in .308 Winchester, I installed the included 5/8x24 minimalist brake and then put the suppressor on and my cousin got to fire the first few rounds, the longer barrel made the larger caliber even easier on the ears than the short AR. The sonic crack was more noticeable with the .308 but I believe that is because there is less noise from the muzzle. I would probably still wear earplugs while shooting just because I want to protect my ears the best I can but for hunting use I see absolutely no need for hearing protection other than the silencer.

Savage Model 10 FCP-SR with the Optimus in full size configuration

Link to video of the Optimus being used on the .308 

And lastly, we have we have the caliber that I use the least with a suppressor, 9mm. I had a 9mm threaded barrel for my M&P 40 so I got some 9mm magazines and installed the barrel and suppressor. With subsonic ammo it sounds like a handclap, however with supersonic ammo it is quite a bit louder, it’s loud enough that shooting a 17 round magazine will make my ears ring, however I think it may be because of the action. Overall, it’s still fairly quiet as we shot a few magazines of both subs and supers behind the house and didn’t wake up a sleeping 3 year old that was 15 yards away in the house.  I also use it on a 4.5” barrel 9mm AR upper, I find it’s a little bit quieter than the M&P even though the barrel lengths are very similar.

S&W M&P with a Holosun HS507C and Optimus with booster

AR9 with the Optimus and fixed barrel spacer.

Final thoughts: Overall, after almost 2 years of use I’m very happy with the purchase, total cost ended up being about $1,350 with the tax stamp, additional Minimalist brake, the minimalist blast shield and the fixed barrel spacer which is used for the 9mm AR. It’s a great “do all” suppressor, I can use it on all my guns except shotguns and handguns larger than 9mm, and it was much cheaper than buying both a rifle suppressor and pistol suppressor. I do wish that the minimalist blast shield came with in the box instead of the full-length blast shield. There are 2 major downsides to this suppressor, the first is switching configurations, particularly from pistol to rifle, is extremely difficult if the parts aren’t ambient temperature. The second downside is that even with the minimalist blast shield it’s still almost 8” in length, about .3” longer than a dedicated .30 cal can from Griffin Armament. It lives on the 12.5” SBR pictured above in the mid-length configuration and the setup stays at my bedside for the bumps in the night, eventually I’d like to get a more compact suppressor but I’m in no rush as the Optimus 9 paired with my Griffin Armament Checkmate QD covers all of my needs quite easily even if I still have a few wants left.

Fenix RC05 flashlight, a great choice for EDC

This is the Fenix RC05, it’s a small flashlight designed to be carried every day. I’ve owned this light since 06/05/2017 and it has served me well. I carried this light daily and it got used daily. The MSRP on this light is $55 and the street price is typically around that mark.

              Before we dive into the specs I’ll go over pros and cons of this light.

Pros: It’s small (Tube of chap stick sized), it’s bright, it has magnetic charging as well as a magnetic tail cap, it’s waterproof, the pocket clip is reversable and it’s also usable as a hat clip.

Cons: the magnetic charge port attracts lots of small metal particles, the user interface isn’t the best for simple use.

Now for the technical specifications, the length is 3.7”, diameter is .7” and it weighs 1.3 oz without the battery.

It has 4 brightness settings across 5 modes, Low is 5 lumens with a 40 hour runtime, Medium is 50 Lumens with a 6 hour runtime, High is 150 Lumens with a 2 Hr runtime, and Turbo is 300 lumens with a 55 minute run time, and the Strobe feature is the same brightness as turbo. One thing to note Is after 5 minutes of runtime on Turbo the light will automatically (For purposes of heat) switch to High mode.

It uses a single 14500 Rechargeable battery, and, in a pinch, you can use a AA battery but you will lose the feature or recharging as well as Turbo mode.

The spill beam angle is 76 degrees and the spot beam angle is 15 degrees, so it’s a fairly narrow beam but it gives good distance for a small light, the advertised beam distance on Turbo is 295 ft which is quite impressive, although I didn’t measure it I believe this is an accurate claim from Fenix.

             As for the user interface that I mentioned in the cons list, this light is operated entirely by a single side switch, with a long press (about 1 second) you turn the light on or off, once the light is on you tap the switch to switch brightness levels, with a 2 second long press you activate strobe, and when the light is off you activate the lockout mode with a double click of the switch, to deactivate the lockout you double click the switch again. It’s not a very bad system, in my opinion, but everyone who used the light would either give it back to me on, loosen the head to turn it off, or ask how to turn it off.

              The other thing that I mentioned in the cons list was the magnetic charge port collects metal particles quickly and easily, it’s not that big of a deal but I made it a habit to run my thumb over the charge dock to make sure there wasn’t excess material before I would put it on charge, the only times that I really had to clean it was after projects that included grinding or rolling around on the shop floor.

             

              After approximately 2 years and 6 months of owning the light and using it daily I started to see the first signs of failure a few weeks ago, when I turn on the light I have an intermittent issue of the light turning off once the switch is released, I believe it is the switch failing so I have contacted Fenix about repairing it, Fenix does have a 5 year warranty and I expect this will be covered, whether it is or is not I will update this post in the near future. With all that said the switch failure gave me a reason to switch lights so I have purchased an Olight and will write a review in the future on that light, the Fenix will no longer be carried every day but will likely remain in my collection or given to a family member. Also, you may notice in the photos that the Aluminum body has taken some damage over the years, it has held up very well as I haven’t treated it gently, it has been used as a hammer more than a few times as well as gone skittering across concrete several times.

             

Overall I believe this is a great light for a light or intermediate duty user, if you're an intermediate user make sure you charge it nightly but it will perform very well for almost all everyday tasks, if you need a light for your job this shouldn’t be your primary light, you will be frustrated by the short runtime if you use it for multiple 20-30 minute intervals throughout the day.

An Introduction

Hello everyone! I'm Jake and this is my blog.

I'm a former reserve police officer, dog owner, firearms enthusiast, heavy equipment operator and a little bit of a geek so most of my posts will be reviews of  gear/tools used for those jobs and my everyday life.

I will be honest with my reviews, I will be as thorough as I can with my reviews but I'm human and I'm bound to forget something or misstate a fact, if you catch a mistake comment and I'll fix it. Most of my reviews will be long term (6 months of use or longer) because as a consumer I'm always interested in long term durability, there are other reviewers who get the latest and greatest and then pop out a review after a week or less of hands on time with the product, and while they're great for some people (I enjoy them simply for the opportunity to learn) people like myself are very budget consious and are trying to strike the right balance between up front cost and longevity of the product, and I want my reviews to be for those people.

I have a list of items that I would like to write reviews for and will slowly get them posted as I make time for them but I can't promise reviews on a schedule.

Anyway, if y'all have any questions put them in the comments and I'll respond to them.

Jake