I have never really been interested in a suppressor until recently. I have been seeing a lot of them recently at my local gun club (St. Louis Benchrest Club) and I am surprised at how effective they are. I am looking into getting one and looking for a local place to purchase one that will help me make an informative decision on which one to get and make it a smooth purchase. I have never purchased an NFA item before so this will be new to me. Can anyone recommend someone in the St. Louis area? I'm from Troy, Mo, about an hour northwest of St. Louis.
Good place to purchase suppressor in St. Louis area?
- Thread starter 6.5grendel
- Start date
Jdne5b
Gold $$ Contributor
Hop onto Silencer Shop. Look for their local dealers. I think it's Eagle Armory in O'fallon and Osage County in Wright City plus a few others. If the dealer has a Kiosk, that greatly simplifies the process. I would stop by any of these places and ask the best process. If they have what you want in stock then even better. Or you can buy online through silencer shop and transfer to them.
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Have you asked some of the one's you see, at the club, where they bought theirs and asked them questions re: the one they have ? Good place to start.
Schippergreg
Silver $$ Contributor
I’ve purchased through eagle Armory. There is also ultimate defense in St. Peter’s.
farmerjohn
Gold $$ Contributor
Great advice! Also there's a lot of dealers and manuafactures who will furnish the whole package for the permit and if you are not going to go the corporate route, it's a lot easier to let them help you, I know from experience... John
I purchased through Silencer shop and had shipped to Eagle Armory in O'fallon.
Both were great to deal with and transfer went smoothly
No I have not done that yet but I do plan on it. I haven't saw anyone with one since I have decided to look into getting one. I plan on talking to several people and hopefully get to see a few in action to get a better idea of what I want to go with. I stopped by Osage this evening and plan on stopping by Eagle Armory tomorrow. Thank you everyone for the advice.
First, great decision to get a can. I barely like to shoot anymore without one. In fact, when I look at guns at a shop or on a rack, if it isn't threaded I'm not interested.
Second, Silencer Shop makes it easy, but their prices are just OK. I have found better prices and gone away from SS more than I have used them, and that's after driving three hours to use their kiosk and get into their system. I'm not saying anything bad about them, just that the prices aren't the best (nor the worst) and that they tend to be sold out of a lot of the more desirable cans.
A lot of places are sold out of the more desirable cans right now, but they can still be found.
What kind of shooting are you wanting to do? I'm sure the crowd here can steer you in a good direction. I have 13 of them myself and I'm always waiting on the next one or two to clear.
Second, Silencer Shop makes it easy, but their prices are just OK. I have found better prices and gone away from SS more than I have used them, and that's after driving three hours to use their kiosk and get into their system. I'm not saying anything bad about them, just that the prices aren't the best (nor the worst) and that they tend to be sold out of a lot of the more desirable cans.
A lot of places are sold out of the more desirable cans right now, but they can still be found.
What kind of shooting are you wanting to do? I'm sure the crowd here can steer you in a good direction. I have 13 of them myself and I'm always waiting on the next one or two to clear.
Thank you for the advice. Most of the shooting I will be doing will be at the range. Will probably also use it for hunting. At the range it will be used for shooting from 100 to 600 yds mostly. I would like to be able to use it on 2 bolt actions (260 Rem and 6Br) and a 6.5 Grendel AR. There will not be any rapid fire or mag dumps. Even the AR is fired pretty slow shooting steel and paper out to 600yds. I would like to have a quick attatch system unless it will have a negative effect on accuracy. I'm not sure whether to go with a 30 Cal or 6.5 Cal. I would like to go with a 30 Cal in case I ever want to use it on something larger, unless it would be less effective on the smaller calibers. The most important things for me would be good sound suppression, no loss of accuracy, and least amount of POI change. Any suggestions? Thanks for any help.
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Well, I will address the accuracy requirement first. I have seven different brands of suppressor right now and another one in the queue. Every single one of them allows the rifle to shoot at least as well as it does without a can, and most shoot slightly better. I would say that it's easier to shoot accurately with a can because you aren't being effected by the concussive blast nearly as much as shooting without a can.
Point of impact shift is going to be an effect of having just about any can on a rifle. The effect can be fairly minimal though, and it should be consistent. I would say the best that I have is about a half inch straight down, and it's the same every time. You can set up your software to have an offset for shooting with the can and one without and then it's super easy. To be honest though, I never shoot without a can anymore. When I first started getting suppressors, I did do a lot of testing of this with several different systems and found most to be fairly repeatable. Some of them extremely repeatable.
Sound suppression, in general, is going to be a product of the volume of the can. The material that the can is made out of and it's thickness can change the tone quite a bit however. But on a meter, a can with 12.5cu.in. of volume will meter very close to another can with the same volume. Materials can definitely change the user experience though. In general, 17-4 stainless with a reasonable material thickness has a very mellow sound and will usually be considered quieter, even if the meter is saying it's the same. I have two fully titanium cans, and they are very light and repeatable, but the tone isn't as pleasant as the heavier 17-4 cans. Opinions vary on this, but not a lot of it is honest. There is strong brand loyalty among a lot of suppressor owners and sometimes, they aren't even honest with themselves.
I agree that a good system for attaching the can to the rifle makes things a lot more pleasant. Direct thread works ok, and a lot of people swear by that. I personally know that flat tapers don't stay tight very well, and would prefer something that will stay tight, as well as make it easier to put the can on and take it off and be repeatable every time. Just about every company uses some version of a tapered mount to accomplish this. I prefer the Griffin Armament system of taper mount, although I can't find any fault with the Thunder Beast or Rugged system either. I wasn't a big fan of the Silencer Co ASR system and I switched my Omega over to running the Griffin Plan "A", so that it would fit the same brakes that most of my other cans would. The reason I like the Griffin version is because they have a ton of options in thread pitch and brake or flash hider design, and they are nearly always in stock. The prices are better comparatively as well. All the brakes I have gotten from them having been high quality turnings and finished nicely with a qpq nitrid.
The choice of mounting system is actually a pretty big decision in picking a can, because it's inefficient and not cost effective to run multiple systems once you get more silencers. Luckily, a lot of manufacturers have settled on a standard thread of 1.375x24 for the breech end of their cans, so you can use your system of choice in a lot of different brands of cans these days.
As far as the muzzle aperture being 30cal or smaller, it's not much of a detriment to run the larger one. There will be a minimal, but measurable difference in a can made for a 6.5 and a 30, when shooting a 6.5CM. I feel that generally, it's a fair trade to be able to use that can on anything up to 300WinMag or sometimes even more powerful. 223 cans are definitely noticeably quieter on a 223, than a 30cal can though. Somewhere in the neighborhood of 3-4db. Sometimes that is made up for by the larger volume of the 30cal can. I would advise, if you're planning on only getting one, then get a 30.
One other feature that I would consider is whether you want a can that is user serviceable or not. Meaning, that the can comes apart and can easily be cleaned to return it to factory new levels of cleanliness. Even non-user serviceable cans may be cleaned, it's just going to take a bit longer, and it will probably never get as clean. At least that is what my bore scope has shown me. If you are considering shooting rimfire in this can, I would weigh this feature a lot more heavily. If rimfire isn't a consideration, then either choice is fine.
After saying all that, I think the biggest factor to consider when buying a can, is the quality of the company that made it. A lifetime warranty from a company that's going to be in business for 2 years, isn't worth much. This is a lifetime purchase, so pick a company that you feel will be there to help you if you have an issue. I've never had an issue that needed to be fixed, but I've had questions and the ability to get someone on the phone is a plus for me. I've had non-work acquaintances that made careless mistakes with their cans and needed the companies to help them make it right again. There are glowing reports out there from a bunch of the better known brands. I don't want to tell you what you should buy, but I will say that it's getting more difficult to pick a bad one. There are a few names to stay away from, and they are mostly companies that used to be very good, but got bought out and then customer service and innovation went south. In no particular order, take a look at the product offerings from SiCo, TBAC, Griffin Armament, Rugged, Dead Air and believe it or not YHM.
If you have more specific questions, don't hesitate to ask. Sorry for allowing this to get so long. It only took about 5 minutes to write. I gotta quit drinking coffee after lunch time!
Point of impact shift is going to be an effect of having just about any can on a rifle. The effect can be fairly minimal though, and it should be consistent. I would say the best that I have is about a half inch straight down, and it's the same every time. You can set up your software to have an offset for shooting with the can and one without and then it's super easy. To be honest though, I never shoot without a can anymore. When I first started getting suppressors, I did do a lot of testing of this with several different systems and found most to be fairly repeatable. Some of them extremely repeatable.
Sound suppression, in general, is going to be a product of the volume of the can. The material that the can is made out of and it's thickness can change the tone quite a bit however. But on a meter, a can with 12.5cu.in. of volume will meter very close to another can with the same volume. Materials can definitely change the user experience though. In general, 17-4 stainless with a reasonable material thickness has a very mellow sound and will usually be considered quieter, even if the meter is saying it's the same. I have two fully titanium cans, and they are very light and repeatable, but the tone isn't as pleasant as the heavier 17-4 cans. Opinions vary on this, but not a lot of it is honest. There is strong brand loyalty among a lot of suppressor owners and sometimes, they aren't even honest with themselves.
I agree that a good system for attaching the can to the rifle makes things a lot more pleasant. Direct thread works ok, and a lot of people swear by that. I personally know that flat tapers don't stay tight very well, and would prefer something that will stay tight, as well as make it easier to put the can on and take it off and be repeatable every time. Just about every company uses some version of a tapered mount to accomplish this. I prefer the Griffin Armament system of taper mount, although I can't find any fault with the Thunder Beast or Rugged system either. I wasn't a big fan of the Silencer Co ASR system and I switched my Omega over to running the Griffin Plan "A", so that it would fit the same brakes that most of my other cans would. The reason I like the Griffin version is because they have a ton of options in thread pitch and brake or flash hider design, and they are nearly always in stock. The prices are better comparatively as well. All the brakes I have gotten from them having been high quality turnings and finished nicely with a qpq nitrid.
The choice of mounting system is actually a pretty big decision in picking a can, because it's inefficient and not cost effective to run multiple systems once you get more silencers. Luckily, a lot of manufacturers have settled on a standard thread of 1.375x24 for the breech end of their cans, so you can use your system of choice in a lot of different brands of cans these days.
As far as the muzzle aperture being 30cal or smaller, it's not much of a detriment to run the larger one. There will be a minimal, but measurable difference in a can made for a 6.5 and a 30, when shooting a 6.5CM. I feel that generally, it's a fair trade to be able to use that can on anything up to 300WinMag or sometimes even more powerful. 223 cans are definitely noticeably quieter on a 223, than a 30cal can though. Somewhere in the neighborhood of 3-4db. Sometimes that is made up for by the larger volume of the 30cal can. I would advise, if you're planning on only getting one, then get a 30.
One other feature that I would consider is whether you want a can that is user serviceable or not. Meaning, that the can comes apart and can easily be cleaned to return it to factory new levels of cleanliness. Even non-user serviceable cans may be cleaned, it's just going to take a bit longer, and it will probably never get as clean. At least that is what my bore scope has shown me. If you are considering shooting rimfire in this can, I would weigh this feature a lot more heavily. If rimfire isn't a consideration, then either choice is fine.
After saying all that, I think the biggest factor to consider when buying a can, is the quality of the company that made it. A lifetime warranty from a company that's going to be in business for 2 years, isn't worth much. This is a lifetime purchase, so pick a company that you feel will be there to help you if you have an issue. I've never had an issue that needed to be fixed, but I've had questions and the ability to get someone on the phone is a plus for me. I've had non-work acquaintances that made careless mistakes with their cans and needed the companies to help them make it right again. There are glowing reports out there from a bunch of the better known brands. I don't want to tell you what you should buy, but I will say that it's getting more difficult to pick a bad one. There are a few names to stay away from, and they are mostly companies that used to be very good, but got bought out and then customer service and innovation went south. In no particular order, take a look at the product offerings from SiCo, TBAC, Griffin Armament, Rugged, Dead Air and believe it or not YHM.
If you have more specific questions, don't hesitate to ask. Sorry for allowing this to get so long. It only took about 5 minutes to write. I gotta quit drinking coffee after lunch time!
@NWnewguy Thank you. That is the kind of info I'm looking for. After researching a lot I really wanted a TBAC but seems none around here can get them right now because they are sold out. Now I'm currently looking at Dead Air Sandman, Silencerco Omega, and possibly YHM. Not sure which YHM I would go with.
My process was to find a local FFL dealer that was licensed to sell a silencer. I spent some time with him to decide which silencer he recommended. All said and done, nice toy, not much value.
Ben
Ben
Silencer Central makes it about as painless(except for cost) as possible. They handle all the paperwork. Fingerprint kit is sent to you. Suppressor is sent to you. It's as easy as it can be. It isn't in St. Louis, but that really is irrelevant.
I ended up purchasing one yesterday after work from Eagle Armory. They were really helpful and had a Silencershop kiosk which made it a really simple process. Much easier than I thought it was going to be. I'm going back Monday to order one for 22lr. Now for the long wait. Thank you everyone for the help.
@BenPerfected That what I always thought I would see it as, a toy and not much value. I finally decided to go through with the purchase though and hope I don't feel the same after I finally get it. That will be a big disappointment. I'm hoping I really enjoy it.
@BenPerfected That what I always thought I would see it as, a toy and not much value. I finally decided to go through with the purchase though and hope I don't feel the same after I finally get it. That will be a big disappointment. I'm hoping I really enjoy it.
Very satisfied with service from SilencerShop on three suppressor purchases. I agree with the comments by @NWnewguy. In my case I didn’t like the SilencerCo ASR mounts and I used the KeyMo adapter from Dead Air to convert my Omega 300 suppressor to the Dead Air mount, but adapters can be pricey.
To Get Started Quicker - and have something in hand to play with while waiting for your 1st "Manuf Supressor" you have a choice for a Quickie Form 1 and Kit..
1. Order Mono Core Kit w/Correct Thread - Choose Available Diameter's - Choose Available Core Style - Choose Available Length (6" and 10" Most Common) - Order Drill Jig If Available - Order Correct Diameter McMaster Bit.
If you want to go MST Modular Steel Design for longer life and easier cleaning - hey those Kit's won't kill you unless you go Full Titanium.
Aluminum core OK for Subsonic On Low End - Steel Core for Supersonic - there are Select Titanium Kits in Mono or MST Available For Upscale.
2. Based On What You Have Ordered - E-File Form 1
3. In 30 days you will have Form 1 & Kit In Hand - Finish the kit - some choose to send finished kit out for Cryo or send out Aluminum Tube and Caps for Hard Coat Anodize (colors available_ - or if Steel MST you can send out for trick Titanium Anodizing - or just Ceracote the dang Tube/Caps if you want
4. Have Form 1 Tube Markings Lasered - that's available about everywhere nowadays
5. Another "advantage" on Kit/Form 1 is you get to set your own cleaning protocol - I have shot a lot of down-n-dirty rimfire - so from the start on my Form 1's internals I Clean-Bake/Heat-Dot5/Soak-Dry has kept my cores/cups/baffles on EZ Clean-Up Street
In six weeks you can be up with something Legal and if you have made good choices your Form 1 will be surprisingly presentable visually and audibly - pride-of-another-build - absolutely no shame walk done right
1. Order Mono Core Kit w/Correct Thread - Choose Available Diameter's - Choose Available Core Style - Choose Available Length (6" and 10" Most Common) - Order Drill Jig If Available - Order Correct Diameter McMaster Bit.
If you want to go MST Modular Steel Design for longer life and easier cleaning - hey those Kit's won't kill you unless you go Full Titanium.
Aluminum core OK for Subsonic On Low End - Steel Core for Supersonic - there are Select Titanium Kits in Mono or MST Available For Upscale.
2. Based On What You Have Ordered - E-File Form 1
3. In 30 days you will have Form 1 & Kit In Hand - Finish the kit - some choose to send finished kit out for Cryo or send out Aluminum Tube and Caps for Hard Coat Anodize (colors available_ - or if Steel MST you can send out for trick Titanium Anodizing - or just Ceracote the dang Tube/Caps if you want
4. Have Form 1 Tube Markings Lasered - that's available about everywhere nowadays
5. Another "advantage" on Kit/Form 1 is you get to set your own cleaning protocol - I have shot a lot of down-n-dirty rimfire - so from the start on my Form 1's internals I Clean-Bake/Heat-Dot5/Soak-Dry has kept my cores/cups/baffles on EZ Clean-Up Street
In six weeks you can be up with something Legal and if you have made good choices your Form 1 will be surprisingly presentable visually and audibly - pride-of-another-build - absolutely no shame walk done right
farmerjohn
Gold $$ Contributor
Hey, wait a minute here! Help out the uninformed and unwashed, farmers don't get out much! The way I'm reading this you can make your own can legally? What is this"form 1" thing you speak of? John....
Form 1 is the form you fill out if you are manufacturing your own suppressor or buying one of the kits they are selling now called solvent traps or filters. Quietbore is a popular brand of one of these kits. Form 4 is the form you fill out for purchasing an already manufactured suppressor. You still pay the $200 tax stamp either way you go. Getting the form 1 approved is much faster than the form 4. So yes you can legally make your own suppressor as long as you first fill out the Form 1, get it approved, and pay your tax stamp. There are videos online on how to fill out the Form 1 electronically.
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