Best 9mm Pistol Suppressor

[giggitygiggity]

I want to get a sound suppressor for a Sig P226 in 9mm. I've heard that the Sig P226 is the best host for a suppressor. Can anyone confirm this? Anyways, what is the best 9mm sound suppressor? I do not care as much about weight and size so much as I care about the sound signature or lack thereof. I am guessing that either the Silencerco Osprey or the AAC Tirant are the best choices, but I'd love to hear input from someone who has first-hand experience and knows more about these things than me. Also, recommendations for a threaded barrel are welcomed. Thanks.

 

[wally]

The factory threaded SIG P226 is probably your best bet, but I'd doubt any claims about "best host for a suppressor".

I've got an Osprey 45 I use on my FNP "Tactical" and its great, no problems shooting without hearing protection. I also use the can on my Glock 17L with a Lone Wolf barrel, its a bit louder (9mm is a much higer pressure round than .45ACP) but still fun to shoot without ear pro using my 147 gr subsonic reloads. The sonic crack from 115gr or 124 gr loads make them louder than I'm comfortable shooting without ear pro.

 

[rjrivero]

With 147gr 9mm, my Glock is as quiet to my ear as any other. However, the 9mm AR with a suppressor is "spooky" quiet.

 

[Telekinesis]

The Sig 226 is a great suppressor host. I don't know if it is the absolute quietest, but it is definitely one of the best.

The TiRant 9 and Osprey 9 are pretty much neck and neck, and are both at the top of their class right now. Personally I fall on the side of the TiRant because I prefer the cylindrical/symmetrical look as opposed to the asymmetrical design of the Osprey, but that's pretty much the only thing I base my opinion off of. They both meter within a few decibels of each other. I know people who are happy with both and I would be more than happy with either if I could just afford one

One thing to think about with threaded barrels is your thread pitch. The "standard" 9mm threading seems to be 1/2 x 28, but Sig factory barrels only come in 13.5 x 1 LH. They used to make a 1/2 x 28, but don't currently. This isn't too big of a deal if you only plan on suppressing this Sig, but if you ever want to suppress another pistol, you'll have to make sure you find the right threaded barrel, which may be more difficult if your suppressor is threaded in 13.5 x 1 LH. (You can also get different boosters from the suppressor manufacturer to work with different thread types which may be an easier option.)

I'm waiting on a suppressor right now that doesn't use a booster, so I'm stuck finding barrels for my guns in only one thread pitch (no ability to swap out a part to accept another threading), so I just thought I'd mention it. Its one of those things no one told me before I bought my can. Just a FYI, it is almost impossible to find a barrel in 1/2x28 for a Sig 228. The ones that are available go for around $300, and most of them are backlogged for several months...

Good barrel manufacturers seem to be Bar-Sto, Jarvis, and Storm Lake. If you decide on going with a 13.5x1 LH threading, the Sig factory threaded barrel is a very good choice as well.

 

[wally]

I prefer the cylindrical/symmetrical look as opposed to the asymmetrical design of the Osprey

I too prefer the symmetrical look, but seeing warnings about suppressors "shooting loose" and causing baffle strikes, I have to admint the asymmetrical design of the Osprey makes it obvious as soon as things come even a little loose.

Check out the available thread pitch options on the Silencerco website, you can use multiple guns by changing only the pistons assuming the calibers are compatible.

http://www.silencerco.com/store/index.php/accessories/osprey/osprey-pistons.html?options=cart

 

[Mike OTDP]

In 9mm, the Beretta 92 is reputed to be the most reliable host. Browning-type tilting barrel guns are harder to make work with a can because the suppressor must be lifted.

 

[giggitygiggity]

What do you mean that the suppressor must be lifted? I heard that the Sig P226 is the best because it stays locked up a fraction of a second longer than most other pistols and, as a result it is quieter when fired.

 

[Telekinesis]

He means that the suppressor must use a Neilson device/booster (though they can be avoided by using a very light/small can). There's nothing wrong with using a browning recoil system and a suppressor. With current suppressor and booster designs, there's not much difference in reliability.

 

[boricua9mm]

The Osprey, Octane HD and TiRant are all worth looking at, although at this point in time I would go with a SilencerCo/SWR offering rather than anything AAC. Too much drama going on over there and with Cerberus for my tastes, but YMMV. Since you're going to be married to this suppressor, having a takedown/user-serviceable feature makes more sense in the long run.

As for the host, my SIG (albeit a 239 and not a 226) seems a little bit quieter than my G19, but it really sprays a LOT MORE carbon and unburned powder back in my face while I'm shooting. The G19 has a little bit of backsplash, but nowhere even remotely as bad as the SIG. I attribute this to the lock time as well as the large ejector cutout in the back of the SIG slide. Both are using factory threaded barrels.

The comments about one platform being more reliable over another is a head-scratcher for me. I have around 700 suppressed rounds through the SIG and 700 suppressed rounds through the Glock. Both pistols have been 100% reliable suppressed thus far. I think it reliability is going to boil down to barrel lockup (factory vs. aftermarket / broken in vs. brand new) and the design of the booster/LID/Neilsen device. I don't think you'll have anything to worry about with SilencerCo/SWR and AAC in this regard.