Breaking: Ruger, Inc debuts silencer!

[Ironman]

The new Ruger Silent-SR™ pronounced "silencer" is the first suppressor to debut from a publicly traded American firearm company. This innovative suppressor spent over a year in production and logged well over a quarter a million rds in R&D.

The unique baffle design (pics available in older posts on my FB page) are a radical new take on what you can achieve with casting. The "pushed cone" looks as if the metal was heated to a melting point and then pushed and cooled. The baffles are a cast stainless steel. The result is a very unique and efficient baffle design that exhibited very little to no FRP.

The design has already picked up some rather risque nicknames when I leaked the pics earlier this week after I stumbled on the 2016 Ruger product catalog. They uploaded prior to SHOT and though nobody would notice.
Besides the rather comical nicknames I think we can all agree that Ruger has stepped into uncharted territory and if nothing else just helped the NFA community gain the support it needs to gain momentum in favorable legislation and public acceptance.

I have a feeling it's going to be more than just a political game here. I'm betting Ruger will become a contender in the current suppressor market. As you can see from this video, their suppressor works great and has factory tested metered averages of 114.7dB on the SR22, 115.0dB on the 10/22 takedown, and 113.3dB on the Ruger American in .22lr.

I hope this is not the only can we see from Ruger or other manufactures for that matter. It would be great to see others step in and join the movement. The more the merrier!

I will be filming the review for the Silent-SR™ tomorrow and will have the video edited and uploaded to my Full30.com channel around the official launch during SHOT Show 2016. So make sure to subscribe and follow on here and Instagram!
-NFA Review

 

[Sam1911]

Oh holy cow. A "big 3" manufacturer -- AND RUGER, at that!!! -- jumps into the NFA pool with both feet!

I am so VERY happy. I don't know how many times I've said now that we live in amazing times, but I can say it again here for sure.

We live in a GREAT time for RKBA and the shooting world.

Fabulous!

 

[Midwest]

THANKS for posting this!
.

 

[yugorpk]

Sweet. Bill Rigger is ROLLING in his grave !

 

[greyling22]

saw the recently. looks intriguing. I'm curious to see how easy it is to get those rough surfaces on the castings clean. I wish they could have set the msrp lower though. It's in the same ballpark as the deadair mask, which I like the looks/features of better.

http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2016/01/08/ruger-enters-silencer-market-silent-sr/

".....It is also strong and light, utilizing a titanium tube, aluminum rear cap, and stainless steel threaded mount, baffles and front cap....."

 

[Ryanxia]

Is the significance of this just because a long time major manufacturer realizes the market for suppressors? Or just cool for people who like Ruger?

 

[Ironman]

Street price should be around $360 IIRC

 

[Telekinesis]

Is the significance of this just because a long time major manufacturer realizes the market for suppressors? Or just cool for people who like Ruger?

If you look at suppressor manufacturers, almost none of them are large firearm manufacturers too. Sig is the only other mainstream firearm manufacturer i can think of off the top of my head that also makes suppressors. It points to suppressors becoming mainstream, especially in that Ruger can now use it's dealer network and advertising ability to push their suppressor (and essentially all suppressors) if they want to.

I seem to recall one firearm manufacturer (might even have been Ruger) who did a hunting commercial to advertise for their guns. Imagine if instead of hunting, Ruger were to run a commercial showing a kid learning how to shoot with a 10/22 and a suppressor. Think about how many "casual gun guys" (aka "fuds") would go from thinking that suppressors were horrible to thinking that they might be a nice addition to their range bag.

Also Bill Ruger (former owner/deceased) is infamous for repeating the whole "no one needs more than 10 rounds" line in interviews for the media during the push for the 1994 AWB. The idea that they're now manufacturing and marketing "super quiet assassin suppressors" goes to show just how much they've changed in the last 20 years.

 

[Sam1911]

The significance to me, Ryanxia, is that we finally have a major, big-time American gun maker -- one that specializes pretty much exclusively in "civilian" arms, no less -- acknowledging that there are SO many gun buyers out there interested in something other than "sporting" weapons that it will be profitable for them to make NFA items!

We've long held the conventional wisdom to be that only small-time makers could turn enough profit on SBRs, SBSs, Silencers, and the like to make it worth their while because VERY few American civilian buyers were willing to jump through the NFA paperwork hoops, pay an extra $200, wait 6 months or a year for approval, just to buy one. It was just too small potatoes.

Do you realize how many silencers Ruger has to believe they're going to sell in order to invest in this? It is A LOT.

And that just puts a big old "DEAD" stamp on the idea that Americans are interested in hunting guns and "safe," "sporting" arms. When Ruger, who advertises that they make "Arms for Responsible Citizens," is selling NFA weapons, the world has CHANGED.

 

[Ryanxia]

Excellent points. Thanks guys.

 

[Spats McGee]

And that just puts a big old "DEAD" stamp on the idea that Americans are interested in hunting guns and "safe," "sporting" arms. When Ruger, who advertises that they make "Arms for Responsible Citizens," is selling NFA weapons, the world has CHANGED.

^^^This.

Ruger has built a solid reputation as the builder of "everyman" firearms: rugged, reliable, moderately-priced. When THAT's the company that comes out with a suppressor, it speaks VOLUMES.

 

[MCMXI]

Guns & Ammo and Outdoor Hub did a feature on Ruger's Silent-SR last week. The more the merrier for sure, but the most interesting thing to me is the cast baffles. But in typical Ruger fashion it's longer, fatter and heavier than the competition.

http://www.gunsandammo.com/first-look/first-look-ruger-silent-sr-suppressor/

http://www.outdoorhub.com/news/2016/01/07/ruger-announces-new-silent-sr-22-caliber-suppressor/

Ruger has info on their website as well.

http://www.ruger.com/micros/silent-sr/index.html

 

[Old Fuff]

Well now! (snort) The New York Times will have something to say about this!

Next thing you know them ... ordinary people ... that live in fly-over-country will get the idea they can own guns that look like the kind that only the armed forces and police should have.

What if they start selling them at WalMart????

 

[greyling22]

It's actually almost exactly the same size and weight as the deadair mask and silencerco sparrow, and shorter and lighter than the spectre ii, which are 3 of the most recommended cans out there right now. And based on their promotional specs, it meters pretty well. If they can bring the price down closer to 300 they might have a real winner.

 

[R.W.Dale]

I will take mine in 9mm

 

[Swing]

Weeeeeell now. That is an interesting development.

 

[MCMXI]

It's actually almost exactly the same size and weight as the deadair mask and silencerco sparrow, and shorter and lighter than the spectre ii, which are 3 of the most recommended cans out there right now.

I own two of the AAC ELEMENT2 suppressors which have no first round pop, are super easy to clean and achieve a stated 41dB sound reduction. The Ruger is .13" longer, .06" fatter and 2.2 oz heavier ... and unproven. I've shot thousands of rounds through my ELEMENTS with no cleaning and they are incredibly quiet. Talking of DeadAir, I have two of their .308 cans on the way and am looking forward to seeing if their QD system is robust since AAC didn't quite manage to figure that part out.

 

[Ironman]

I own two of the AAC ELEMENT2 suppressors which have no first round pop, are super easy to clean and achieve a stated 41dB sound reduction. The Ruger is .13" longer, .06" fatter and 2.2 oz heavier ... and unproven. I've shot thousands of rounds through my ELEMENTS with no cleaning and they are incredibly quiet. Talking of DeadAir, I have two of their .308 cans on the way and am looking forward to seeing if their QD system is robust since AAC didn't quite manage to figure that part out.

I own over 40 cans and am still happy and looking forward to the day my Silent-SR comes in on a form3.

And since I have actual first hand live fire experience with this suppressor I can say it was a home run. Its a great can at a great price. Kudos to Ruger!

 

[grter]

Good it is about time suppressors became mainstream.

Hopefully the archaic superstitious legislation that forces all firearm owners to bear increased risk of severe hearing damage or face 10 years in prison will come to an end.

 

[MCMXI]

And since I have actual first hand live fire experience with this suppressor I can say it was a home run. Its a great can at a great price. Kudos to Ruger!

You're all dreaming if you think suppressors will become mainstream. It doesn't matter that Ruger is starting to get into the NFA business, the vast majority of shooters don't care enough to go through the trouble of obtaining them. I use supressors but don't obsess over them. They're a tool to me, nothing more. Suppressors are like firearms.... the fanatics own many, some own a few but most own none.

 

[Candyman87]

Wonder if threaded barrel 10/22's are following close behind?

 

[Ryanxia]

You're all dreaming if you think suppressors will become mainstream. It doesn't matter that Ruger is starting to get into the NFA business, the vast majority of shooters don't care enough to go through the trouble of obtaining them. I use supressors but don't obsess over them. They're a tool to me, nothing more. Suppressors are like firearms.... the fanatics own many, some own a few but most own none.

Actually, Americans have this tendency to defy authority, not saying breaking the law but if the government says, you CAN have this but we're going to make it tough because we don't want you to, then more and more people are like, 'then I want it.'

The biggest thing is that with the internet, people that don't hang around in social groups where they can learn how to jump through the hoops can now see step by step guides on the internet and watch youtube videos that explain everything for them. And the more people that have them at the range, the more other people want them. EVERYONE wants to be the cool guy.

 

[yugorpk]

Wonder if threaded barrel 10/22's are following close behind?

Old news.

http://www.ruger.com/products/1022Takedown/specSheets/11125.html

 

[MCMXI]

Ryanxia, I've worked for two major firearms companies over the past five years and have ongoing projects with other firearms companies and vendors who supply parts for the industry. The number of employees of those companies (totaling in the thousands) that own or want to own suppressors is way less than 1%. These are people in the industry who typically get huge discounts and yet they still don't make the effort to get into the NFA game. Like I said, mainstream suppressor ownership is a pipe dream until the ATF takes suppressors off the NFA list. Even then I know many, many shooters that have little to no interest in suppressors.

 

[R.W.Dale]

We are well on our way to suppressed EVERYTHING being the next big fad. The m4gery thing that took over from all things 1911 is already long in the tooth and I'm already seeing cans just about every time I go to the range, something you'd NEVER see even 2 years ago.

All my moderately "gun guy" co workers already have one except me.