Best sound suppressor (silencer) for Glock 19?

[fizassist]

Originally posted under General Glocking:

Hi folks,

I'm brand new here, so forgive my impertinence in asking (what should not be) a sensitive question in my first post. Forgive me also for this preamble:

I do not need replies from people who think it’s illegal to own a suppressor.
I do not need replies from people who think it’s wrong to legally own a suppressor.
I do not need replies from people who think it’s pointless to own a suppressor, even if it’s not morally wrong.

Why do I not need these three points addressed? Because banning (or severely restricting, like the US) sound suppressors is government-mandated noise pollution. Nobody would even dream about driving a car around without a muffler; they would be ticketed and taken off the street immediately. Suppressors are hearing protection, plain & simple. Except they’re not selfish hearing protection like muffs or plugs; they benefits everyone. Using them is the polite thing to do; there’s too much noise in the world as it is.

I can’t stand to see pro-gun people throw common sense out the window and scorn suppressors. I don’t need to hear that kink of divisive crap; we hoplophiles need to stick together. If I get these kind of BS responses to my first thread, I’ll take my Glocks and go home. ;)

Stepping down from soapbox, asking question:

I know that the Glock isn’t the best gun to suppress because it’s sensitive to extra weight on the barrel when cycling. But darn it, I love my little black babies. :) So I’m on a quest to find the best possible suppressor for my Glock 19. (If it works on my 26 also, I’d be thrilled.) After all, if I’m going to blow ~$500 for the can and $200 for the tax and have to wait for 6 months while the paperwork clears, I want to make a good choice.

My requirements are:

>30 dB Noise Reduction Rating (dry)
Reliable semiautomatic function with 147 or 158 grain subsonic ammunition

I’ve looked at the following options:

Gemtech (http://www.gem-tech.com) Vortex-9 ($600) 30db
Not sure if this will let the Glock cycle.
Gemtech SOS-9 ($550) 28db
This is lightweight enough to let the Glock cycle.

AWC (http://www.awcsystech.com) Abraxas + recoil regulator ($600 + $250)
Should let the Glock cycle, but it’s darned expensive!

T.L. Guns (http://www.tlguns.com) Tac 9 ($450)

Tac Ord (http://www.tac-ord.com) MS-DP9 ($500) 31db
Allows cycling?

I would really like to hear from anyone who has experience with these cans or any others on a Glock. Thanks in advance for any input!

[UZIFORME]

You must decide first if you want the most compact wet type silencer which will only remain quietest for a few shots before rewetting. If so these can be had from Gemtec or AAC. If you want a larger dry can with recoil regulator I suggest SWR Joe Gadini. He boasts some pretty high db reduction numbers. The recoil regulator is going to add around 1-1/2" in length and will increase felt recoil/flip, but it's the only way to reliably get the Glock to cycle with a larger dry design can.

Forget AWC they have not designed anything new in 10yrs and are behind the times.

[fizassist]

Originally posted by UZIFORME
You must decide first if you want the most compact wet type silencer which will only remain quietest for a few shots before rewetting. If so these can be had from Gemtec or AAC. If you want a larger dry can with recoil regulator I suggest SWR Joe Gadini. He boasts some pretty high db reduction numbers. The recoil regulator is going to add around 1-1/2" in length and will increase felt recoil/flip, but it's the only way to reliably get the Glock to cycle with a larger dry design can.

Forget AWC they have not designed anything new in 10yrs and are behind the times.

Hi UZIFORME,

Thanks for the reply! I'd definitely prefer a can that gives good dry performance. I see that SWR quotes 40dB for their GSG-9; you're saying that's dry? Wow. Of couse, for $750, I would expect "Wow". ;) They also have a GS9-K2, which quotes the same NRR but is smaller. It says "LE/Military sales only". Do you know if that is a decision by the manufacturer or a legal requirement?

Thanks again. - fizassist

[Germanasian]

If is is LEO/Military only, it most likely uses "wipes".

I would most likely go for the SWR Omega and pay the extra $$$. Wetting your can every couple of mags is a pain in the neck.

I second the "AWC sucks" motion.

[HKevolution]

Anybody know the web sites of SWR and AWC. Why does the AWC suck, just old technology? Any thoughts on AAC products?

[fizassist]

Originally posted by HKevolution
Anybody know the web sites of SWR and AWC. Why does the AWC suck, just old technology? Any thoughts on AAC products?

AWC in original post, SWR is www.swrmfg.com (http://www.swrmfg.com)

[emmagee]

The SWR GS9-K2 is available in very limited quantities to the civilian market and I am a distributor for these. If anyone is interested in one, please drop me an email.

It is NOT a wiped can.

Steave Wayman
Texas Class III Dealer

[JoeDBob]

I think the Gemtech SOS is .40 & .45 only. Any Gemtech with the linear decoupler will cycle flawlessly, and the company stands solidly behind its products. Good people. Mine are beautifully made and cycle 100% reliably. Phil Dater & company are among the very best there is.

AWC has had some very serious customer support problems. There was a big stink about it over on subguns.com a while back. I know some of the people involved. Their recoil regulator is in my opinion inferior to the Gemtech device. More maintenance required. I sold mine because of those customer service problems, and I won't buy another one. Lynn has always been very nice dealing with me personally, but I didn't like the way things went with the problems the other folks were having. And I don't want to take a chance on having similar problems if I ever need service after the sale.

T.L. Guns, nice stuff, recently went to CNC machining. Reliability of cycling is not assured, even with reduced power recoil spring. On some Glocks it will cycle reliably, on others, it won't. Friend of mine had to wait a year to get a replacement for a .223 suppressor of theirs that had an internal meltdown. Their 10/22 and 77/22 rifles are very quiet.

AAC - I have no personal experience with them, but feedback has been very positive. They are on my list of possible future purchases.

I have no experience with Tac Ord, not even second hand information.

The quietest thing you can lay your hands on to my knowledge is the SWR series of cans. I have one of the very first GSG-9 Glock cans. With good ammo and good shooting conditions, you can hear the slide ping as it slams back and closes during cycling. Cycling is 100%, Joe licenses the same linear decoupler that Gemtech uses, and it's a nice piece of work. Low maintenance, reliable. The GSG-9 K2 that Steave Wayman mentions is an improved version of the can I have, smaller, lighter, quieter. Worth every penny. I want one. Real bad. Joe Gaddini stands behind his products, the craftsmanship is excellent, and he's one heck of a nice guy. I don't know Mr. Wayman except by reputation, and it's excellent. If you want the most reliable, quietest can around, the K2 is your only choice. I recommend Special K 147 grain 9mm ammuntion from Alabama Ammo as the quietest full power Glock fodder I know.

Whatever you decide on, try to have the barrel threaded by the suppressor manufacturer if possible. For a Glock 19, I would recommend a Barsto barrel. Expensive, but from personal experience, worth it.

Experienced advice, and worth everything it cost you. ;)

[BJSM16]

I have fired my friend's AAC Evolution-9 and it is an awesome piece of equipment. The Evolution-9 has a recoil regulator built into the can. I compared it to his UZI and MP-5 with a Gemtech supperessor and it was noticeably quieter. The recoil from his glock with the Evolution was noticeably more than his H&K with the Evolution mounted to it. I think the decible level reduction from the Evolution is 40 db dry. It is a dry/wet can. I believe the wet decible reduction is up to 45 db. The can retails for $595 I think. I am waiting for them to finish R&D on the Evolution-40 so I can pick one up. Good luck. Brandon.

[sven]

So, how loud is it to hear a Glock fired through one of these? It's hard for me to translate the dBs to a subjective understanding of 'quietness'.

Thanks,

-s

[BJSM16]

It was a littl more quiet than my crossman air rifle. It was awesome. The only thing other than the sound of the gas was the slide moving back and forth. Brandon.

[emmagee]

There isn't a 9mm can on the market anywhere at any price the will do 45 dB reduction, wet or dry, and only one that will hit 40 dB, and that is the SWR GS9-K2, which is a dry can. The 40 dB has been unattainable until now. Sure, my opinion is biased, but the GS9-K2 is the best 9mm can on the market. If you question my statement that nothing else will do 40 dB WET or DRY, ask Al Paulson or Matt Smith, both noted writers which have no affiliation with SWR or any otehr suppressor mfg.

Another point that should be made is one of the reasons this can is available only in limited numbers is because of rampant technology theft in the suppressor business. In fact, Joe at SWR, almost did not release this outside of military channels for this very reason, and it's quite possible future designs from SWR and other suppressor mfgs. will never hit the civilain market for this very reason.

Without going into details or naming names, there is one suppressor mfg. in this thread that has not invested any time or money in R&D and simply copies what others design; it is theft of intellectual property, nothing more, nothing less. While I always like to promote what I sell, and do not generally put down another mfg's. product, this case is the exception. That being said, I urge anyone considering a suppressor of any sort NOT to patronize this firm, it's simply a matter of ethics. If anyone is curious as to whom I am referring to, simply do about 15 minutes of research on the web, or ask most anyone in the Class III world and you'll know who I am referring to. BTW, if you want a good .40 can, once again the SWR offering is the way to go, if for no other reason, than on sound reduction alone.

[fizassist]

Hi folks; I want to thank you so much for all the input. It's great to hear from people with first hand experience, especially on a high-dollar item.

So far, I'm leaning toward the SWR GS9-K2 because it is the clear winner as far a recommendations go. I've talked with Joe Gaddini on the phone, and he was very helpful and friendly! He says that he is looking at a baffle modification that he hopes will push the noise reduction beyond 40 dB dry! I just haven't decided on putting down the extra few hundred for the GS9-K2 over the GSG9-K, which is a little larger and has slightly less sound reduction. Definitely need to look at my budget.

Thanks again!

[UZIFORME]

No Text sorry

[Team-G]

Check out www.advanced-armament.com as well. They have several designed for Glocks. I have a 10/22 with integral silencer (looks like a bull barrel). Very quiet.

[ProGlock]

For those of you who have more knowledge/experience than I with the GSG9-K or GS9-K2, do these allow the use of hollow point ammo?

[JoeDBob]

Yes, they do. I have never fired anything but hollowpoints through my GSG9. The bullets never touch anything in the suppressor, so the use of hollowpoints is not a problem. I fire quite a bit of 147 grain Speer Glod Dot through mine, and a couple of weeks ago, went through a few hundred 135 grain Federal HydraShocks.

[Aerosmith]

Just to insert here for a moment if I could....

what are the restrictions/requirements for legal purchase of suppressors? I was under the impression that they were illegal - obviously I was wrong, and I wondering how I could acquire one myself. Thanks for any information.

-Nathan Fossett

[UZIFORME]

Nathan the basics are at the federal level if you can legally own a firearm you can own any of the regulated NFA weapons Machineguns, Silencers, Short Barreled rifles or shotguns, Destructive Devices, Any Other Weapons. You must be 21 yrs of age, submit a set of fingerprints and photo on the ATF registration form pay a 1 time $200 tax or $5 for AOW and wait for a background check by the FBI before you can take possesion of or modify an existing firearm.

At the state/local leves laws may be tighter or follow the federal. Most states allow some things. Some states allow them all. You must first live in a NFA friendly state. Then you must be able to get a Chief Law Enforcement Officer signature on the form. It is totally up to them so sign the form or not and ATF will not process without it. The process stops there if your Top Cop will not sign for you.

Follow the link to my homepage and goto Related Info links. Read the FAQ links to get the general idea and find a list of friendly states.

http://www.cableone.net/uziforme/index.htm

[Aerosmith]

hrm, no class 3 eh..?

Also, I live in Illinois, that bastard of a state.... I'm thinking it's a no-go for me eh? not a firearms friendly state, let alone NFA Firearms. I don't think they allow class 3 stuff at all do they?

-NrF

[fizassist]

Update: I finally decided to go for the SWR GS9-K2 from Steave. Despite a lot of leg work, I was unable to get a CLEO sign-off. So...$125 and 1 week later I have my own Ohio Limited Liability Corporation. :cool: The experience has left me less than enamored with the local Chief of Police & Sheriff. I mailed Steave the check on Monday, and I'm waiting anxiously for the Form 4 from the Ohio dealer doing the transfer. (I realize that I'll be waiting anxiously for a while... ;) ) I also fired off a check to Joe Gaddini at SWR for a threaded KKM G19 bbl.

Originally posted by emmagee
The SWR GS9-K2 is available in very limited quantities to the civilian market and I am a distributor for these. If anyone is interested in one, please drop me an email.

It is NOT a wiped can.

Steave Wayman
Texas Class III Dealer

[Glockdude1]

Go with the gemtech........

[ProGlock]

hey fizassist - glad to hear things ended up working out for you.

Btw, will the GS9-K2 fit well with a G26? Yeah it'd probably look a littler weird, but I'm just assuming that all you'll need is the proper threaded barrel.

[ProGlock]

Update: I have also begun the GS9-K2 purchase.

FYI, the model that is being made available to civilians is actually slightly different than the one for the feds/military. The military required that their GS9-K2 be salt-water proof, while the civilian version is not. That is apparently the ONLY difference between them.

So that probably gives you an idea of what it is being used for by the feds. :cool:

[fizassist]

Originally posted by ProGlock
Update: I have also begun the GS9-K2 purchase.


Cool! Let me know when you get yours. This is my first can, and I'm waiting patiently [well, not really ;)] for my Form 4 from the local dealer. I'll definitely put some pictures up at least when I get it. Maybe MPEGS if I get real industrious.


FYI, the model that is being made available to civilians is actually slightly different than the one for the feds/military. The military required that their GS9-K2 be salt-water proof, while the civilian version is not. That is apparently the ONLY difference between them.

So that probably gives you an idea of what it is being used for by the feds. :cool: [/B]

For well-armed barnacle scraping crews? ;)


Btw, will the GS9-K2 fit well with a G26? Yeah it'd probably look a littler weird, but I'm just assuming that all you'll need is the proper threaded barrel.


I wondered about this myself. I even wondered if it would work with the G19 barrel, but I figure that's way too much torque on the barrel, even with the recoil decoupler. I'm going to ask Joe Gaddini before I try anything that might damage this thing. :)

[amphibian]

I know this thread is old but I figured you guys should have your SWR cans by now and was wondering what I could expect. Is it really that quiet?
I already have a Gemtech can for SMG use.
I have two SWR cans in transfer to me now. 1 is a GS9K2 for my Glock 19 and I have a GSG40 (Joe only made 10 of these) for my Glock 23.
I was wondering if there is any point of impact change when you have the can on and off.
I got threaded KKM barrels as per Joe's recommendation.
It looks like the sights are going to occluded by the can so I plan on putting a Docter sight on my slide.
Thanks in advance!!

[fizassist]

Originally posted by amphibian
I know this thread is old but I figured you guys should have your SWR cans by now...

Yeah, I figured that, too. It's been over 14 months since I plunked down almost a months salary for this thing. This is the transfer from hell.

[ProGlock]

Damn, fizz, you still haven't gotten that K2?? That totally blows. Next time, call up SWR directly, pay them the money, then ship it to local FFL then transfer from FFL.

You don't know what you're missing with this baby...er, well maybe you do ;f

[amphibian]

Wow, I can't believe that... well maybe I can. My first transfer took a year but that was because the dealer was a scumbag.

Like ProGlock said, I ordered my cans direct and my dealer has the cans now. I looked at them but really have no desire to shoot them till they are transferred to me.

[RenegadeGlocker]

Originally posted by fizassist
Yeah, I figured that, too. It's been over 14 months since I plunked down almost a months salary for this thing. This is the transfer from hell.

You are not alone. I ordered a GS9-K2, and a HEMS in April. HEMS went F3/F4, and has been in my hands for 1 month now. Still waiting (5 months) for the GS9-K2 to get into Texas on F3...

[John@JCDLESales]

Check on the lefthand side for the examiner that handles the first letter of your last name. In the case of a Form 3 Dealer To Dealer check for the first letter of the 1st dealer transfering the item.

Hope you don't have my examiner Diane Lawrence. The ratings are also explained along with telephone numbers that you might have to use.

John McCaw
FFL/SOT2

http://www.triplebreakproducts.com/FAQ/nfa_examiners.htm