THE BACK STORY

After searching for a suppressor that would work for a wide range of uses, we began to  question why there wasn’t a suppressor that performed excellent for all our shooting needs. Why did we need one suppressor for long-range precision shooting, but another for tactical rifles? What we discovered is that most suppressors are designed for a very specific use, and  frequently for only one type of host weapon. Companies spend millions of dollars optimizing it for one type of use, and are satisfied when they come to their targeted outcome, such as a specific number of decibels for sound reduction or decreased back gassing. With this said, we started R&D to answer the question of, “what are the relationships between these elements and how do we control them?” In our R&D we utilized very sophisticated sound equipment that takes 50,000 samples per second, high speed film, recoil test equipment, high performance computers (HPC) to model forces, advanced dynamic simulations, and a whole lot of ammunition. We collected data and developed algorithms to understand the interdependent relationships of these elements. This was accomplished with the physics, engineering, and audiology departments of a very reputable private university (which will be named at a later date).

Sound

Understanding the effects of sound to humans is crucially important in designing a suppressor.  In the past, most believed that it was just the loudness of sound that made the biggest difference. However, advancements in science have provided a better understanding of the effects of sound. Sounds can be not only annoying, but have a far greater impact on the human psyche than was previously understood.  Not only does a sound’s volume affect a person, but certain sound wave lengths affect humans in devastating ways. It is important to understand how certain sound wavelengths affect humans, and how they activate different parts of the brain. (We will not go any further in the sound/brain relationship for proprietary reasons.) The industry has traditionally used Decibels (dBs) to measure sound. This method only tells a small part of the story, in fact it can be very misleading for both sound intensity and  its effects on humans. We do capture the Decibels, but more importantly we measure the pressure intensities and sound wave Hertz. Understanding these elements and how they affect the human ear and the human psyche is crucial in developing a suppressor that gives the best possible outcomes.

MISSION SILENCERS gives the highest priority to the best outcomes on humans based on scientific proof, not on satisfying arbitrary sound-measuring techniques that do not fully take into account the total effects on the individual. The best way to understand the difference is to test them on your firearms and let your ears tell you how they feel about them.

Recoil

Recoil can be a big deterrent to shooting large caliber rifles. Understanding the relationship between  sound, back gassing and recoil allows us to optimize recoil reduction as part of this system (Sound, Back gassing, Recoil (SBR)). This optimization has many positive effects such as  increased accuracy, repeatability, endurance, and the list goes on.

Back Gassing

There is a lot to unpack with this topic, too much for a manual, so we will start with the basics.  Gas-operated guns operate by using the gasses in the system to cycle the bolt. Typically, when a suppressor is put on the end of a barrel, the pressured gasses are slowed and kept in the system for a longer time. During the additional time additional gas flows through the gas system and back out of the ejection port. From our studies, traditional suppressors increase the gasses coming out of the ejection port by 3 times (or more) the amount of a weapon with no suppressor, and increase the bolt velocity in excess of 40%. In contrast, the Tactical Balance (TB) decreases the typical back gassing by up to 80% and has an increase in bolt velocity of only 5%. There are many advantages to this balance. One advantage is that on most host weapons, no adjustments are needed when you use the TB silencer, unlike traditional silencers.

There are many potential problems caused by too much back gassing and increased bolt velocity: Too much gas flowing back through the ejection port can cause discomfort to the shooter as the gasses get into the shooter eyes; increased gasses carry additional toxins in the air that the shooter is breathing, including lead, which can increase blood/lead content; increased debris in your operating system can cause reliability issues, and the list goes on. Increased bolt velocity can also cause a host of problems. Now with this said, a moderate increase in bolt velocity is not a bad thing and can have some advantages. This is one reason that militaries typically over-gas their firearms. But a drastic increase that is caused by most suppressors can have significant negative effects. When analyzing bolt velocity it is important to understand three elements to get the whole picture: the bolt retraction time, the bolt dwell time, and the bolt closure time. In most cases we have found that suppressors cause what many call “Bolt bump.” This is caused when the bolt of the gun is pushed back with so much speed and force that it overcomes the bolt springs and rams into the rubber pad. This actually increases cycle times but can cause a host of problems. Some of these problems cause failures in the system, and some can be very dangerous to the operator.

For the discussed reasons, MISSION SILENCERS has made it a priority to optimize back gassing — a part of our optimization package. We have developed a patent-pending process that we call “Pressure Equalizing Technology (PET)” which equalizes the pressures instantly in a suppressor and dramatically decreases back gassing of a gun. In a traditional suppressor, the gas enters at a high pressure and as it moves through the baffles and fills the entire suppressor the pressure is progressively decreased.  This process takes about  ten milliseconds more time to extract the gasses.  During this time the high pressure travels back through the gas tube and increases the gasses flowing to the operating system.  This causes increased gasses in the shooter’s face, increased bolt velocity, and increased sound to the shooter’s ear.  By using PET we equalize the pressure so quickly that the backgassing is dramatically decreased. 

PRODUCT FEATURES

• 3D-printed titanium nested mono-core. Printed by Direct Metal Laser Sintering.

• Multi-functional. Changing the front end cap converts the silencer from simply a pressure equalizing silencer to one that equalizes the pressure and releases it, which aids in decreasing back gassing when using a gas-operated gun.

• 13/8” 24 TPI. This connection allows for the most versatile adaptor selections, from direct thread, quick disconnects, precision adaptors and a host of other options.

•Multi-purpose end cap.  The vented end cap provides gas release. If desired the end cap can be removed for a greater reduction in backgassing.