Silencer. Suppressor. Muffler. Moderator. Can. All words to describe the same thing – one of the most misunderstood tools in existence. Within the gun world, there’s a tremendous amount of debate surrounding what they should be called. However, unlike clips and magazines, where they really are two different things, all sides have a leg to stand on when it comes to the name of these devices.

That’s because when they were invented around the turn of the twentieth century, the original inventor called them silencers. Federal law mirrors that, defining them as a “firearm silencer” or “firearm muffler.” My non-profit, the American Suppressor Association (ASA), chooses to call them suppressors because it’s the most accurate description of what they actually do. In England, they’re called moderators. Colloquially, we just call them cans. Feel free to call them whatever you want, but know this: the only difference between a silencer, a suppressor, a muffler, a moderator, and a can is word choice.

Hollywood

When you hear the word silencer, what’s your first thought? If you’ve never heard a suppressed gunshot in real life, I’d wager that in your mind’s eye many of you see (and hear) a small cylindrical device that renders gunshots completely inaudible. After all, that’s how suppressed gunfire is portrayed in the movies.

So, is Hollywood’s portrayal of suppressors accurate? No. Absolutely not. Not even close.

On average, suppressors reduce the signature of a gunshot between 20 to 35 decibels (dB), roughly the same attenuation as earplugs or earmuffs. Even the quietest suppressed gunshots are as loud or louder than a jackhammer striking concrete. Would you trust anyone who told you that a jackhammer is too quiet to hear? I think not.

A concept that many people don’t grasp is that seeing suppressors in a James Bond film doesn’t make them an expert on the topic. In the same vein, watching Jurassic Park doesn’t make someone a paleontologist. Like the dinosaurs found on Isla Nublar, the noise, or more accurately the lack thereof, that suppressed gunfire makes in movies is pure unadulterated fiction. It is designed to sell a story, not illustrate reality.

Hollywood exists to entertain. Their depiction of silenced gunfire, which is entirely fabricated in sound effects labs, is excusable because it is just a tool to help them tell their tales. Hollywood is unencumbered by the burden of truth; our political policy is not. At least, it shouldn’t be.

That said, Hollywood is not entirely to blame for the cavernous disconnect between the public perception of what suppressors can and cannot do. In some ways, silencers are a victim of their own initial marketing success. To understand why, we must first learn about their origins.

Invention of Silencers

The term silencer was coined by Hiram Percy Maxim, the man who patented the “Silent Firearm” in 1909. A prolific inventor, Maxim was born into a family of men whose creations changed the course of history. His father, Sir Hiram Stevens Maxim, invented the Maxim machine gun, and his uncle, Hudson Maxim, was an early inventor of smokeless gunpowder.

In Hiram Percy Maxim’s own words, “[t]he Maxim Silencer was developed to meet my personal desire to enjoy target practice without creating a disturbance. I have always loved to shoot, but I never thoroughly enjoyed it when I knew that the noise was annoying other people. It occurred to me one day that there was no need for the noise. Why not do away with it and shoot quietly.”

Maxim spent nearly two years working on prototypes before developing a concept that was able to significantly reduce the noise of a gunshot. Upon inventing the first commercially viable firearm suppressor, he incorporated the Maxim Silent Firearms Company in New York City, New York, in a building across the street from New York City Hall.

Marketing Magic

The business’s third catalogue, titled Maxim Silencers, promised customers the opportunity to shoot “without noise,” claiming that “[t]he Maxim Silencer annuls entirely the report of discharge.” Although the pamphlet goes on to state that the silencer “does not make shooting absolutely noiseless, for, of course, slight sounds can be heard,” the damage was already done. Maxim’s initial assertions serve as the genesis of the myths and misconceptions that haunt suppressors to this day.  

Subsequent advertisements further solidified the notion that Maxim’s tool actually silenced firearms. For years, they echoed the claim that customers would be able to “shoot without noise” because the Maxim silencer “absolutely stops all the noise of the report.”

Contrary to Maxim’s claims, as well as popular belief, no tool will ever be able to make a gunshot silent. Outside of the context of shooting, nothing will even be able to make them quiet. Guns are simply too loud.

How it Works

When a gun is fired, a controlled explosion of gunpowder propels the bullet through the barrel. Once the bullet exits the barrel, these hot gases are rapidly released into the atmosphere. The result is the muzzle blast, one of several primary noise sources associated with a gunshot. This is also the only noise source that suppressors abate.

Suppressors work by trapping and disrupting these gases, allowing them to slowly dissipate. It’s the exact same science behind automobile mufflers, which should come as no surprise considering the muffler was another of Maxim’s early inventions. Interestingly, in the United Kingdom, mufflers on motorcycles are called silencers and silencers as we know them are called moderators.

In 1913, the Maxim Silent Firearms Company was consolidated into the Maxim Silencer Company, an offshoot business based in Hartford, Connecticut that Maxim formed to focus on his similar inventions: automobile, maritime, and industrial mufflers. Although they no longer make firearm suppressors, the Maxim Silencer Company still exists today.

Hearing Protection

So why does anyone need a suppressor? In two words: hearing protection.

We all know that guns are loud, but did you know that any exposure to unsuppressed gunshots without adequate hearing protection can instantly cause permanent hearing damage?

Sound pressure levels (SPL) are measured on a logarithmic scale, meaning that they increase in a nonlinear fashion. Every 3 dB increase doubles the sound pressure level; every 10 dB increase raises the SPL by a factor of 10. This means that 3 dB is twice as loud as 0 dB, the lowest threshold of human hearing. 10 dB is 10 times more intense, and 20 dB is 100 times more powerful. The following table illustrates the relationship between dB levels and the logarithmic scale:

Decibel Levels:          0   3   6   9   12   15   18    21    24     27     30      (+3)

Logarithmic Scale:   1   2   4   8   16   32   64   128  256  512  1024  (x2)

Other examples of commonly used logarithmic scales include the Richter scale for measuring earthquake intensity, and units used to measure the data storage capacity of computers.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) established recommended exposure limits (REL) for occupational noise exposure in 1998. Per the NIOSH REL, workers can safely expose their ears to 85 A-weighted decibels (dB[A]) for an eight-hour time-weighted average in a given day. The REL utilizes the equal-energy rule, so “for every 3-dB increase in noise level, the allowable exposure time is reduced by half.  For example, if the exposure level increases to 88 dB(A), workers should only be exposed for four hours. Alternatively, for every 3-dB decrease in noise level, the allowable exposure time is doubled, as shown in the table below.”

Average Sound Exposure Levels Needed to Reach the Maximum Allowable Daily Dose of 100%

The Prescription for Hearing Safety

According to Dr. Michael Stewart, Professor of Audiology at Central Michigan University, “[t]he level of impulse noise generated by almost all firearms exceeds the 140 dB peak SPL limit recommended by OSHA and NIOSH.” For this very reason, he goes on to state that “it is not surprising that recreational firearm noise exposure is one of the leading causes of NIHL [Noise Induced Hearing Loss] in American today.”

In 2011, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) was commissioned to assess the level of noise exposure for federal government agents at an outdoor shooting range in California. The scientists assigned to the study found that “the only potentially effective noise control method to reduce students’ or instructors’ noise exposure from gunfire is through the use of noise suppressors that can be attached to the end of the gun barrel. However, some states do not permit civilians to use suppressors on firearms.”

Getting the Message Out

The CDC wrote their study the same year that we formed the American Suppressor Association. At the time, there were 285,000 legally obtained suppressors in circulation in the 39 states where they were legal to own. A mere 22 of these states allowed their use while hunting. In our minds, that wasn’t good enough.

Today, in large part because of our work, over 2,664,000 suppressors are owned by law-abiding citizens in the 42 states that now allow suppressor ownership. Hunters in 40 states are now allowed to use suppressors to help protect their hearing in the field.

The fact is suppressors should be used in conjunction with earplugs and earmuffs, not in lieu of. After all, suppressors don’t eliminate the noise; they reduce it to safer levels. The fact that a sound level equal to a jackhammer is somehow safer illustrates just how loud guns really are. We don’t tell people to stop wearing seatbelts if their car has airbags. The same principle applies to suppressors: the best way to protect your hearing is by using a suppressor while wearing traditional hearing protection devices.

This is why the National Hearing Conservation Association’s Task Force on Prevention of Noise-Induced Hearing Loss from Firearm Noise wrote in March, 2017 that “using firearms equipped with suppressors” is one of “several strategies [that] can be employed to reduce the risk of acquiring NIHL and associated tinnitus from firearm noise exposure.”

Now that you know the facts, it’s up to you to decide what you want to call them. Like Kleenex and Band-Aid, will you go the name brand route, calling them silencers because that’s what Maxim called them? Or are you the tissue and bandage type who will choose to call them suppressors? For us at ASA, it makes no difference what you choose, so long as you know that they are an effective tool to help mitigate hearing damage.

Knox Williams is the President and Executive Director of the American Suppressor Association.

No, this is not about fighter jets, bombers or anything else that pilots fly. It’s about air guns. Air guns exemplify the oldest pneumatic technology. The word “pneumatic” is a derivative of the Greek word pneuma meaning “wind, breath” and characterizes a class of firearms that employ pressurized air or gas (like CO₂) as the propellant instead of gunpowder. Many believe air guns are little more than underpowered toys, like the Daisy Red Rider BB gun; the kind many enjoyed as kids. But that couldn’t be further from fact. Air guns come in a variety of bore chamberings and are comparable to the accuracy and lethality of big bore cartridge-firing guns. Air rifles are very capable of killing most big game and have even been used as assault rifles in combat.

Girardoni Air Rifle

Historians generally recognize the 1580 timeframe as the time the modern air gun was introduced. These early, underpowered designs weren’t bested until 1779 when Italian inventor Bartolomeo Girardoni designed a multiple shot, breech-loading, pre-charged pneumatic (PCP) air rifle with an effective range of 150 yards. The Girandoni air rifle was an immediate success. These air rifles were pre-charged using a stand pump to pressurize a club-shaped air reservoir that acted as the gun’s buttstock.

In service for about a decade-and-a-half (circa 1780-1715), the Girandoni air rifle outrivaled the black powder muzzle loading firearms of the same period. Its reliability was one of the primary reasons. Unlike both matchlock and flintlock muskets, the Girandoni rifle could be reliably fired in rain and wet environments. Moreover, it could be reloaded and discharged ten, or more, times faster than muzzle-loading guns. When fired, its report was a much quieter, and it had no muzzle flash or smoke producing black powder propellent that compromised the shooter’s location.

Approximating an infantry musket’s size and weight of the same era, the Girardoni air rifle weighed nearly 10 pounds and was about 4 feet long. The rifle’s design used a removable club-shaped air reservoir as its butt stock. Chambered to fire .51 caliber lead balls, its spring-fed, tubular magazine had a 22- round capacity which a skilled shooter could accurately fire off in about thirty seconds, according to historical accounts. Purportedly, a shot from this air gun could penetrate an inch of wood at a hundred paces, about 120 yards, which made it lethal against human flesh.

Because of its favorable attributes, the Austrian army issued the Girardoni M1780 repeating air rifle to its soldiers for use in the Napoleonic Wars, but the M1780 had a relatively short military lifespan because it had some material flaws. For example, the metallurgy of the period was barely compatible with the demands of the M1780 design – the gun was difficult, and therefore expensive, to manufacture. The gun’s air reservoirs were made from hammered sheet iron, not steel, which was then formed into a club-shaped tank with riveted seams and sealed by brazing. Because of these antiquated construction methods and materials, the air reservoir tanks were somewhat brittle and prone to internal rust, fracturing and air leaks, which rendered the gun inoperable.

Even though the detachable air reservoir was capable of propelling approximately 30 shots, it took about 1,500 strokes using a stand pump to adequately pressurize it to its 800 PSI working pressure. A wagon-mounted pump was later used to make filling the reservoirs easier and faster, but that added to the guns logistic support requirements.

As gunpowder propellants evolved, along with metallic cased cartridge cases and the rifles that fired them, gunpowder utility ultimately proved superior, replacing the Girardoni M1780 repeating air rifle for military use around the 1815 timeframe. Nevertheless, the Girardoni air rifle did enjoy one of its most famous historical associations in the early 1800s garnered through its successful use by the Lewis and Clark Expedition while exploring and mapping the western part of North America.

“Air rifles are very capable of killing most big game and have even been used as assault rifles in combat.”

Lewis and Clark

The Lewis and Clark Expedition carried a variant of the Girardoni repeating air rifle that was chambered in .46 caliber and had a rifled bore diameter of .452. Mounted on the side of the barrel, its spring-fed tubular magazine had a capacity of 22 lead balls. Like the M1780, the gun’s butt stock served as the air reservoir which had a working pressure of 800 psi. The rifle had a firing rate of 22 aimed shots per minute, allowing it to outperform any muzzle loading rifle of the period.

As a means to achieve respect and awe from the Native American tribes they encountered, Lewis and Clark performed air rifle demonstrations that strutted the gun’s accuracy and lethality. Since no Native American had ever seen a rifle that required no gunpowder and fired without flash or smoke, it was perceived as something mysterious with great spiritual power. This intimidating image served the expedition well. They were afforded safe passage throughout and never fired the gun in anger.

“The Lewis and Clark Expedition carried a variant of the Girardoni repeating air rifle that was chambered in .46 caliber…”

Japanese Air Rifles

In 1819, Japanese inventor Kunitomo Ikkansai, invented a powerful air rifle designed for military battle which he named Kiho. He based his design on “Fuho” (the study of Western technology), after studying a toy air gun’s design introduced from Holland to Dejima, at the Dutch trading post in Nagasaki. Ikkansai went on to write “Kihoki,” an instruction manual for the gun’s use and maintenance, and later developed a 20-shot repeating version of Kiho. This opened the air rifle door to Asia and proliferated both its manufacturing and sporting applications beyond military use.

The Rise of Daisy

By the 1880s, air rifles had been around for years, but they were still not mass-produced and that’s when American, William F. Markham, stepped up to the plate. In 1886, the Markham Air Rifle Company located in Plymouth, Michigan, marketed the first mass produced wooden air gun model called the Challenger. It was an instant success because it was affordable and available.

This got the attention of Clarence Hamilton, Markham’s main competitor, and owner of the Plymouth Air Rifle Company, who in late 1887 offered a more expensive, but better quality, all-metal BB gun, which he named the Daisy BB Gun. In 1888, Markham responded with the Chicago model which he followed two years later with the King model. As a means to sell his air guns to an even wider market, Markham also made a deal with Sears to offer his Chicago model at a cost of 73 cents in the Sears & Roebuck catalog. And the BB gun marketing wars began.

In 1895 Hamilton changed the name of his Plymouth Air Rifle Company to the Daisy Manufacturing Company, indelibly branding the Daisy BB gun forevermore. After decades of passionate competition, Daisy purchased the Markham Air Rifle Company in 1916. In 1928 Daisy changed the name of the Markham company to the King Air Rifle Company and continued manufacturing the King air rifle until 1935. In the early 1940s, the King Air Rifle Company terminated operation completely, resulting from the manufacturing demands levied upon the company by World War II. By the 1950s other manufacturers joined the wildly expanding air gun market and the rest is history.

“…the detachable air reservoir’s was capable of propelling approximately 30 shots, it took about 1,500 strokes using a stand pump to adequately pressurize it…”

Operation

Like cartridge-firing guns, air guns have common nomenclature. Most common to all air guns is their powerplant. The powerplant provides the gas pressure needed to propel the projectile. Air gun powerplants fall into three categories. The spring-piston is the most common and least sophisticated of the three. It utilizes the elastic energy (potential) stored in a spring to propel a piston encased in a cylinder that compresses the air in its path. Next is pneumatic, which is probably the most sophisticated (and powerful) powerplant of the three and uses rechargeable, internally stored, high-pressure air in a tubular flask mounted beneath the gun barrel, or a pressure vessel (bottle) that is designed to fit as a part of the gun’s buttstock. Last is compressed gas. This powerplant uses an external source of pressurized gas, such as CO₂ cylinders, that are inserted into the powerplant and discarded when empty.

Spring-Piston Powerplant

Air gun powerplants operate very differently from any cartridge-firing weapon. Let’s begin with the simplest one. A spring-piston air gun (also referred to as a spring gun or “springer”) operates by means of a spring-loaded piston pump assembly contained within a compression chamber (cylinder) that is not part of, but usually mounted beneath the gun barrel or the receiver. Most spring-piston guns are single-shot breechloaders. However, several manufacturers, such as Beeman, Umarex, Gamo, and Hatsan, offer multiple-shot repeaters with magazine feeders.

In order to fire a spring-piston gun, the shooter must manually cock the gun by actuating a lever connected to the pump assembly. This motion pulls the pump piston rearward against a spring until the rear of the piston engages the trigger sear. At the same time, it serves to compress the piston’s mainspring storing the potential energy required for its forward compression stroke. These powerplants typically use a grease-lubricated (to reduce friction and dampen vibration) steel coil mainspring to power the piston forward.

The gun is fired by pulling the trigger like any other gun. The difference is the trigger sear releases the compressed mainspring instead of a hammer or a firing pin. This allows it to discharge its stored potential energy, which pushes the piston forward, compressing the air inside the pump’s cylinder. The pump’s air outlet is located at the pump’s forward end directly behind the pellet, which is seated in the barrel chamber. As the piston snaps forward, compressing the air contained in its path, the air pressure quickly increases. Once air pressure achieves the pounds per square inch necessary to overcome the static friction created by the pellet held in the breech end of the gun barrel, the pellet is propelled forward by an expanding column of high-pressure air. This entire mechanical firing process takes place in a fraction of a second.

“…gas spring systems can remain cocked and ready for extended periods of time without spring fatigue or temperature concerns.”

Dieseling

Air guns involve more fluid physics and aerodynamics than one might expect. The air, when rapidly compressed, undergoes a thermodynamic phenomenon known as adiabatic heating. During compression, the air inside the compression chamber precipitously climbs to several hundred degrees. This phenomenon can cause “dieseling” if flammable petroleum-based lubricants are used in the compression chamber.

Since the air gun’s compression stroke works much like a piston stroke in a diesel engine, lubricants can be ignited by the compression heat and add an unpredictable energy thrust. This can result in something as little as a puff of combustion smoke from the muzzle to critical damage to the gun’s internal rubber O-rings that seal the pressure chamber. Although not recommended by any air gun manufacturer, dieseling can intentionally be made to occur to increase power. Coating the pellet with a petroleum-based lubricant or petroleum jelly will take you down that road. Just beware of the consequences.

Pellet Velocity and Stability

Many spring-piston guns, especially the small bore “magnum” guns, can generate pellet muzzle velocities that exceed the speed of sound. Spring-piston guns have a practical upper velocity limit of 1125.33 fps. While this might sound appealing, and some air gun manufacturers brag about it as a marketing ploy (the Gamo Whisper model, for example), these higher velocities result in unstable pellet flight and loss of accuracy. Unstable pellet flight results from the extreme aerodynamic buffeting from the turbulence that occurs as the pellet approaches and surpasses transonic speed, which is 1125.33 fps. It happens a second time as the pellet encounters aerodynamic drag, decelerates and passes back through the sound barrier. This transonic sequence serves to destabilize the pellet’s flight and accuracy suffers, especially at longer ranges.

As a rule of thumb, drag and pellet-wake turbulence rapidly increases as the pellet exceeds the speed of sound. In high-powered air guns, these phenomena can be effectively mitigated by using heavier grain pellets, which lowers velocities and keeps them subsonic. Using a heavier pellet will also reduce the gun’s sonic report which can easily be mistaken for the report of a powder-actuated gun’s discharge. Many shooters seek a balance in the 600–1,000 fps range, which balances power (velocity) and in-flight pellet stability (accuracy).

Spring-Piston Cocking Systems

Many spring-piston guns are hard to cock. The effort required for the manual cocking stroke is typically related to the designed power of the gun, e.g., higher muzzle velocities require a stiffer spring and thus, more cocking effort. Spring guns are typically cocked by one of the following mechanisms:

Break-barrel – This design works much like a break action firearm. The barrel is hinged at its junction with the receiver. The gun is cocked by pulling the barrel downward to a stop which exposes the barrel breech for loading. In this design, the barrel serves as the cocking lever.

Fixed-barrel – In this design the barrel is fixed to the receiver. The cocking is accomplished with a separate cocking lever that is commonly an under-barrel pump action or under-receiver lever action. There are also side-lever cocking designs with the cocking levers located to the side (usually the right side) of the receiver. There are over-lever cocking designs, too, that have the cocking levers located above the barrel. They are cocked by pulling the lever upwards and are mostly used in air pistols. Recently, some manufacturers have offered motorized cocking that’s powered by an electric motor with a rechargeable battery. These are primarily offered on fully automatic BB-firing machineguns. Yes, they’re great plinking fun, but otherwise useless.

Recoil in spring-piston guns, especially high-powered (magnum) models, is a physics issue that involves the inertia of propelling a mass forward and stopping its travel suddenly. Recoil results as the mainspring pushes the piston mass forward, creating an equal and opposite reaction – recoil. But it’s a different kind of felt recoil than is experienced in cartridge firearms; and for most, it takes some abstract adjustment. The reason is that the spring recoil is felt before the pellet leaves the barrel. Spring gun recoil has a sharp forward component that drives the gun downward. This results from the piston mass hitting the front end of the pump chamber during the forward compression stroke, as the spring fully decompresses. This recoil might best be described as brisk double-jerking movements that can be severe enough to damage scopes that aren’t rated for spring gun dynamics.

In addition, as the spring reaches its forward stop and the pellet discharges the gun, both torquing and unpredictable collateral transverse vibrations are felt in many designs. These two dynamics can cause a shooter’s accuracy to suffer even when it’s anticipated. Fortunately, there is a fix. Air gun shooters have found that these dynamics can be mitigated by adding features like close-fitting spring guides or by aftermarket tuning done by competent air gunsmiths who specialize in air gun modifications.

A common fix, for example, is coating the compression spring with a viscous silicone grease to dampen its vibration. Some shooters have also found that by loosening their grip on the gun, the gun will vibrate in a more consistent fashion. Additionally, to make the gun less grip-sensitive, some manufacturers offer a floating receiver design that allows the action and barrel to freely slide over the stock. This solution seems to work for some shooters but not for all. It’s akin to handloading a variety of loads until you find the right load that works for your gun.

“…spring recoil is felt before the pellet leaves the barrel. Spring gun recoil has a sharp forward component that drives the gun downward.”

Gas Spring Variant

Some newer generation air guns have replaced the mechanical coil spring with a gas spring (also referred to as a gas piston, gas strut, or nitro piston). For example, most all modern automobile strut-style suspensions use gas struts. A gas spring is basically a stand-alone tightly sealed piston pump with no gas outlets in its cylinder. Its factory-pressurized cylinder is filled with air or inert gas (nitrogen is a favorite to reduce compression heat) which effectively acts as a pneumatic accumulator. Cocking the gun’s piston further compresses the gas already captured inside the cylinder, storing its potential energy for later release to power the pellet. Higher precision is necessary to manufacture gas spring operating systems because they necessitate a sliding, low friction gas seal capable of withstanding high internal pressures when the gun is cocked.

The gas spring possesses some clear advantages over the traditional coil spring version. In cold climates gas springs perform more reliably than coil springs. As previously mentioned, metallic coil springs must be coated with lubricating grease. Cold serves to make viscous lubricants even thicker which often results in cold climate shooting reliability issues for coil spring systems. Conversely, gas spring systems can remain cocked and ready for extended periods of time without spring fatigue or temperature concerns. Additionally, gas springs characteristically have less lateral and longitudinal vibrations than coil springs and don’t experience twisting torque during their expansion stroke. This translates to smoother felt recoil, a faster lock time, the time between trigger pull and pellet discharge, and less grip-sensitivity issues for the shooter to contend with. The overall result is more consistent accuracy and all-climate reliability.

Pneumatic Pump Powerplant

Pneumatic pump air guns use an onboard, lever-operated air pump to pressurize an internal cylinder that acts as a reservoir. This reservoir provides the compressed air for each shot. Pump gun designs come in either single-stroke or multi-stroke versions. Single-stroke pneumatic air guns (also called “single-pump” air guns), employ a single cocking lever to mechanically compress the air. Traditionally, the single-pump system is mostly used in target rifles and pistols because the higher muzzle energy of a multi-stroke pumping system is unnecessary.

Multi-stroke pneumatic air guns, also called “multi-pump” air guns, attain their variable power levels using multiple pump strokes, usually five to eight pump strokes. Multi-stroke designs are mostly chambered for small bore pellets and are primarily used for intermediate- and long-range target shooting. While these air guns are commonly single shot, requiring approximately five to eight pump strokes per shot, there are some designs that store enough pressure for several consecutive shots. These designs usually require 10 to 20 pump strokes to accumulate a higher working pressure in their air reservoirs. Overcharging the reservoir’s maximum pressure limit on multi-stroke guns is always a safety concern so most are designed so their pump lever stops when the reservoir reaches its maximum safe operating pressure. As a rule of thumb, that limit is reached with approximately 20 to 30 pump strokes, depending upon the design.

Pre-Charged Pneumatic (PCP) Variant

As previously discussed, single-stroke and multi-stroke pump guns utilize an on-board hand pump to pressurize air that’s stored in an internal reservoir. Pre-charged pneumatic (PCP) air guns differ because they are filled from an external source using either a high-pressure air compressor, a manually operated high pressure stand pump, or by decanting air from a larger SCUBA-style, high pressure air cylinder. PCP air guns provide the most power and differ from all the other designs because they use pre-pressurized compressed air stored in an air cylinder to propel the projectile. A pressure regulator or orifice-style valve meters a measured volume for every shot.

Depending on the air release valve design, PCP air guns can be categorized into two types – unregulated and regulated. These designs employ either a mechanical or electronic regulator valve to meter air for each shot. In addition to compressed air, some of today’s custom-built PCP models use compressed nitrogen, liquid nitrogen, or helium, that provide higher operating pressures and better thermal stability. More on this in a moment.

The discharge cycle of a typical PCP air gun is straight forward. When the trigger is pulled, the hammer is released by the trigger sear and the hammer strikes a bash valve. Bash valves are also used on some fire extinguishers. These valves are uniquely designed so that once lifted off their seat, the pressure underneath the valve holds the valve open until the pressure significantly decreases. The valve then closes under spring tension and is held closed by its spring until the firing sequence is repeated. Accordingly, when the reservoir pressure is high, as with a fully charged reservoir, the bash valve opens less and closes faster than when the reservoir pressure is lower. This provides a more consistent flow of air volume past the valve with each shot and thus, a limited degree of self-regulation that’s necessary for consistent shot–to–shot pellet velocity. The design goal is to flatten the gun’s power curve between multiple shots as the reservoir’s air pressure diminishes.

Regulated PCP Designs

Regulated PCP rifle and pistol designs are the most efficient and incorporate a firing valve that is encased within a secondary (chamber) regulator body that is separate from the main air reservoir. The regulator maintains the pressure within this secondary chamber at a preset pressure until the main reservoir pressure drops below the preset pressure. This provides shot-to-shot air use efficiency and consistency for more shots per air fill than in an unregulated rifle design operating with the same air volume and pressure.

PCP guns initially cost more because of their level of sophistication and requirement for external high pressure charging methods. The remuneration, however, is superior performance over pump guns and significantly lower operating costs when compared to CO₂ cartridge guns. Additionally, by design, PCP guns experience no significant movement of a heavy mechanical piston assembly during the discharge cycle and that directly translates to lower recoil. Furthermore, PCP guns can shoot as many as 100 shots per air charge depending on the reservoir tank capacity. This has allowed the development of semi- and fully-automatic PCP air guns. The popularity of PCP guns continues to build because of their accuracy and ease of use. Like their cartridge-firing kin, many are equipped with telescopic or reflex sights.

PCP Gun Charging Systems

Early PCP guns, like the kind Lewis and Clark carried on their mapping expedition in the early 1800s, used stand pumps for charging. This type of charging was fraught with problems that involved both human and mechanical fatigue, temperature warping, and internal air chamber condensation. Modern stand pumps have built-in air filtration systems and multi-stage compression chambers that have overcome these early problems. Using SCUBA-quality air decanted from a diving cylinder or a modern high pressure air compressor provides clean, dry, high-pressure air necessary for a long gun life and reliability comparable to cartridge guns. Some top brands on the PCP market are Airforceairguns.com, Gamousa.com, and Beeman.com. Most of the top brands can be sourced online at Airgundepot.com. There is also a number of quality custom manufacturers that can be found with a simple Google search. Here are some to get you started: Mountainaircustomairguns.com, Babarkerairguns.com, and Quackenbushairguns.com.

Brocock Cartridge

There is a variation of the PCP design that deserves mention. These PCP designs use a self-contained metallic gas cartridge, called a Brocock cartridge. Unlike a traditional CO₂ cartridge, the Brocock cartridge is reusable/reloadable. Each cylindrical cartridge contains a pellet, a small, compressed air reservoir sufficient for one shot, and an axial bash valve designed to release the full contents of the reservoir once the base of the cartridge is struck by the gun’s hammer. The Brocock cartridge is no less than a gas filled cartridge that functions like a centerfire cartridge. This provides two clear advantages. First, because each cartridge is filled with an identical air charge and pellet, the Brocock cartridge provides shot consistency without rival. Secondly, air guns that use a Brocock cartridge are constructed with modern repeating or automatic magazine feed actions similar to those used on gunpowder cartridge firearms without risk of deforming the soft lead pellet contained in the Brocock cartridge. You can find more information on Brocock cartridge guns at pyramydair.com.

Compressed Gas Powerplant

Most commonly known as CO₂ guns, compressed gas guns are fundamentally pneumatic air guns, often having built-in pressure regulator valves, that utilize carbon dioxide prefilled, detachable cylinders as propellant. Some of the current, high-end models use larger cylinders of compressed nitrogen (N₂), which permit higher operating pressures and improved thermal stability.

CO₂ guns don’t require complex cocking or filling mechanisms like other pneumatic guns. They are generally more compact and are easily designed for repeated shots. There are numerous CO₂ replica revolvers and semi-automatic pistols on the market that use a disposable CO₂ gas cartridge called a “Powerlet” cartridge. These guns most commonly use 12-gram (0.42-ounce) Powerlet cartridges which are readily available at most sporting goods stores. Most CO₂ guns are relatively affordable to purchase and shoot. This makes them popular for training, target shooting and general plinking. They require little maintenance and enjoy a service life of decades.  

Airbows

Within the last several years airbows have gained popularity. Airbows are nothing more than an air gun that’s designed to shoot arrows instead of pellets. Airbow arrows closely resemble crossbow bolts. Airbow arrows uniquely have a hollow arrow shaft that is open in the rear where the nock on a conventional arrow would otherwise be located. A single arrow is loaded onto the gun by sliding the hollow arrow shaft rearwards over a small barrel whose outside diameter is slightly smaller than the arrow shaft’s inside diameter. This enveloping fit provides a gas seal without creating too much drag friction on the arrow when fired.

Pulling the trigger releases a shot of high-pressure air into the barrel which subsequently fills the arrow’s hollow shaft. This, in turn, propels the arrow forward at high velocity. The arrow follows the barrel on launch with the barrel acting as its guide. Typically, air bow arrows can reach velocities with precision accuracy that surpasses high-end crossbows. The airbow’s downside is that they’re expensive, their hollow shaft arrows are fragile and expensive to replace, and the system is maintenance intensive. A slightly misaligned or dented arrow shaft cannot be used again because of the tight tolerances necessary for it to slip over the barrel and create a gas seal. Airbows are fun if you have the money to burn, but think this one through before you make the purchase.

High-Pressure Air (HPA) System

The last pneumatic system to discuss is the High-Pressure Air (HPA) system. This system was originally designed to power paintball guns. Similar to PCP systems, it uses Powerlet interface-compatible diving cylinders filled with either liquid nitrogen or high pressure compressed air. As mentioned previously, liquid N₂ experiences little change in thermostability when it changes from liquid to gas. In turn, this moderates the variation in output pressure experienced with rapid firing cycles (paintball guns). While liquid N₂ operating physics may be better than compressed air, the Achilles heel of this system is its cost. HPA cylinders are expensive and filling them with liquid N₂is even more expensive. Liquid N₂ is stored at pressures usually in the 1,200 psi range. On the other hand, compressed air can be stored at pressures as high as 4,900 psi. Accordingly, while liquid N₂ may give you more shots per fill with a more even projectile muzzle velocity, high pressure air is most cost effective because air is readily available, and you can easily accomplish the fill yourself by decanting from a SCUBA bottle or by using an affordable high-pressure compressor designed just for that purpose.

Air Gun Ammunition

Air gun ammunition is abundant and readily available in a variety of design shapes and weights. There is no shortage of this ammunition type. The key when selecting what to buy is understanding that some shapes and weights work better than others in a rifled barrel for each peculiar air gun’s design and operating velocity. There are several factors that must be considered when making an ammunition selection.

Diabolo Pellet

The wasp-waisted diabolo pellet shape (bet you never heard that one before) is the most popular ammunition shape used in small bore rifled air guns, e.g., .177, .22 and .25 calibers. Its name describes its shape. It has two sections (like a wasp) consisting of a solid front portion called the head that serves to position the pellet’s center of mass forward and a hollow conical thin-walled rear portion called the skirt giving it a yo-yo shape (diabolo). When fired, the soft lead skirt is designed to expand from the air pressure behind it. When fully expanded, the skirt completely engages the rifled bore, providing a dynamic gas seal that maximizes pellet travel efficiency as it spins down the bore.

Once the pellet leaves the gun and is in flight, the spinning pellet undergoes aerodynamic influences. The expanded skirt exerts a stabilizing rearward pull (aerodynamic drag) behind the spinning pellet’s center of mass located at its wasp-like head. Think of it like a badminton shuttlecock. This drag-to-weight ratio produces a phenomenon known as drag stabilization, which also serves to reduce the yawing effect created by the pellet’s spin; hence, better accuracy. The downside to the diabolo shape is that its ballistic coefficient (drag-to-weight ratio) suffers and, as a result, its energy dissipates quickly.

Diabolo pellets are usually made from lead, tin, and even steel for special application. They are manufactured in a wide range of weights and nose shapes that include polymer tips, wad cutter/flat tops, cupped/pitted tips, hollow points, pointed and round nose.

Slug Pellets

Big bore air guns, found on many PCP chamberings, mostly use a cylindro-conoidal shape lead bullet, also called a “slug pellet”. Don’t let the preternatural name throw you off. This shape is not new. It’s fundamentally the same shape as the minie ball-shaped bullets used in Civil War rifles and is still used in modern muzzle loading rifles. These lead bullets have a convex cone-like nose end, somewhat resembling a rocket’s nose cone, and a cylindrical rear body.

This particular bullet shape can be traced back to Captain John Norton of the British 34th Regiment, who invented it in 1832 as a more accurate replacement for the round ball used in muzzle loading rifles. Norton’s soft lead round nose bullet had a hollow base, so when fired, the thin concavity wall (skirt) expanded outwards and sealed the bore diameter. Clearly, Norton didn’t design this shape using a modern understanding of aerodynamics and drag coefficients. Rather, through trial and error, it worked the best.

Now fast-forward to today’s cylindro-conoidal shape lead bullet and consider what we have learned about its aerodynamics. Its inflight nose pressure drag is essentially zero for all nose shapes as long as its velocity remains below the speed of sound. Remember, today’s PCP gun’s sweet spot velocity ranges between 800 to 1,000 fps – that’s sub-sonic. The major bullet drag factor is friction drag, which is largely dependent upon the wetted area (which is the bullet’s wall area), the surface smoothness of that area, and the presence of any discontinuities in the wall shape. Therefore, the factors influencing a projectiles flight performance from its pressure drag are the general shape of the bullets, its fineness ratio, and its bluffness ratio.

In subsonic bullet designs, a short, blunt, smooth elliptical shape works best. That’s why modern handgun cartridge bullets are shaped this way. If the gun fires a bullet into the transonic region, the effect of nose shape on drag abruptly becomes highly significant as the pressure drag on its surface increases dramatically.

In bullet aerodynamics, the fineness ratio is the ratio of the bullet’s body length to its maximum diameter. Bullet shapes that are short and wide have a low fineness ratio. Bullets that are long and narrow have a high fineness ratio. Hence, the long and narrow diameter bullet shapes designed for supersonic speeds, like those used in modern high power cartridge rifles, generally have high fineness ratios.

At critical Mach speeds close to the speed of sound (critical Mach is the speed at which sonic flow is first achieved somewhere on the bullet’s surface), one of the primary forms of drag is skin friction. As the name implies, this type of drag is caused by the interaction of the airflow over the bullet’s body. To minimize this drag, the bullet shape is designed to minimize the exposed skin area, or “wetted surface.” This is usually achieved by using a slightly tapered body. That said, a fully rifled quality barrel for spin stabilization in flight is required. The teachable moment from all this is buy an air gun with a quality rifled barrel and only use quality pellets.

BB Shot

The BB gun was invented in 1886 and was designed to shoot lead BB diameter birdshot – the same used in shotgun shells because it was readily available and cheap to shoot. As a result of the popularity of Daisy’s line of BB air guns, BB shot became the universal air gun ammunition. BBs are small steel, or lead balls, manufactured in .177-inch diameter (4.5 mm), with a copper or zinc coating to prevent rust or oxidation. BBs can be acceptably accurate at short distances when fired from smoothbore barrels used in modern BB gun designs. A little-known fact: Lead #3 buckshot can be used instead of pellets in .25 caliber air guns – save some money and try it. Using steel .177 diameter (4.5 mm) BBs in air rifles with .177 diameter rifled barrels should never be attempted because they will jam in the bore. Conversely, the softer lead BBs can be used in rifled barrels, so it’s important to know the ammunition you’re shooting.

Air Gun Darts

Shooting air gun darts became popular in the 18th and 19th centuries for indoor parlor shooting because they could be easily located after firing and reused. Still manufactured today, several different types of air gun darts are available. Just like steel BBs, and for the same reason, darts should not be used in air guns with rifled bores or in spring-powered air guns. 

Popular Air Gun Calibers

Today’s air guns are manufactured in a variety of calibers. Here are some examples of the more popular calibers:

• .177 (4.5 mm/BB) is the most common air gun caliber. It’s used in international 10-meter target shooting competition in both rifle and pistol events. It’s great for plinking and can be used to hunt small varmints.
• .22 (5.5 mm/5.6 mm) is effective when hunting small game and for general target and plinking use.
• .25 (6.35 mm) was the largest commonly available air gun caliber for most of the last century. It carries slightly more energy than the .22 and is ideal for hunting small game.
• .30 (7.62 mm) is currently the largest caliber available for non-PCP air rifles and is a favored PCP air rifle caliber. It’s hard hitting and can be used to hunt most North American big game.

 This is where PCP air rifles rule the market. The major PCP calibers are:

• .357 (9mm) is a favored PCP air rifle chambering because it is lethal against nearly all big game and possesses excellent ballistic characteristics comparable to cartridge-firing rifles. Go ahead – make my day.
• .45 (11.43 mm) caliber is another popular PCP air rifle chambering. This caliber bullet carries abundant down-range energy and can be counted on to put almost any large game animal down. A wide range of lead bullet weights and shapes are available.
• .50 (12.7 mm) caliber air rifles are no less than awesome with abundant energy and pure knockdown power. The heavy lead bullet limits the accurate range to 150 yards or less and you’ll get to shoot many fewer shots per reservoir fill, but many large-bore air rifle shooters relish this caliber and would never consider anything less.
• .58 (14.5 mm) caliber is akin to its muzzle loading black powder cousin with similar ballistics, range, and accuracy. If you enjoy recoil, this is your caliber of choice.
• If you believe bigger is better then perhaps a super large bore custom air rifle is for you. Custom air rifles have been built in 20 mm (0.79″) and even an obstreperous .87 (22.1 mm) caliber; proving imagination is the limit for manhood. There is little objective performance data available on these mammoths, other than the bragging rights the owners dearly pay to claim.

In summation, many of today’s air guns are comparable to their cartridge-firing cousins. They are as accurate, as powerful and as capable. Plus, there are no ammunition shortages when it comes to air guns – air is plentiful and lead shot, tire weights or lead scrap can easily be melted and cast into bullets. Air power is a solid choice.

Originally educated as an engineer, a maker of industrial equipment, Rostislav could create the necessary detailed vacuum forms. Following in his grandfather’s footsteps, he also had an extensive background in confectioneries. Following his engineering career, he later headed an advertising department of an instrument manufacturer, which provided publishing and advertising expertise. He worked as a video operator at a TV station for a while. After that, six years as a wedding photographer and videographer prompted an interest in competitive shooting for stress relief. That shooting hobby brought him to his chocolate-making experiment, which has turned into a steady business. “Gunsmith Chocolatier” was formalized around 2015, with the English-language web portal en.militarychocolate.com.

After the initial set of bars with bas reliefs of handguns was enthusiastically received, Ikonnikoff created numerous designs featuring rifles, military aircraft and tanks. He then made life-size recreations of cartridges, modern and historic handguns, and even an F-1 “pineapple” hand grenade. In addition to various military and police models, the chef’s favorite CZ-75 SP01 Shadow is represented. For greater realism, 3D recreations are hand-painted with food dyes. Typically, his painted chocolates are perceived as more realistic adult gifts, while his unpainted bars are bought for kids. Chocolate cartridges are liked equally well by all ages: Rostislav’s nephews, for instance, await his visits eagerly for the tasty “ammo” he dispenses.

Unlike many decorative sweets, Military Chocolate uses only the best ingredients. The chocolate formula used contains just three ingredients: ground cocoa beans, cocoa butter, and sugar. The taste is incredible, with the richness of dark chocolate without the bitterness.

Each design had its own unique challenge. For example, the thin barrel of the chocolate “broomhandle” Mauser C96 seldom survived postal or parcel service attentions intact. While all chocolate pistols are carefully packed into structurally substantial, multi-layered cardboard boxes and cushioned with paper straw, the abuses inflicted by postal workers remain a threat. Shipping anything to hot climates is also challenging. For states like Arizona, these edible masterpieces are a seasonal item.

While the United States and Russia are his top markets; China and Japan also generate a lot of sales. In Asia, people generally order exotic models. In the US and Russia, more popular are chocolate guns with which the purchasers are more familiar, like the Makarov, AK74 and the Beretta M9. In Russia, the T34 tank chocolate bar holds the sales top spot. Many of Ikonnikoff’s customers use his candy pistols, magazines and ammunition for decorating special occasion cakes. Since the tasty “weapons” aren’t cheap, they are often purchased by police and intelligence agencies as rewards for their employees.

“In Russia, gun culture isn’t well established” said Ikonnikoff, “people in general are afraid of personal weapons and instinctively fear this theme. Once we offered the [T34] tank and the [IL2 Shturmovik] aircraft, the public reaction improved.”

Everyone loved those, but Facebook and other advertising venues received numerous complaints about Rostislav’s product promotions, the chocolate grenade getting the most reactions of revulsion. Fortunately, equally enthusiastic responses proved numerous enough to sustain the business. Covid lockdown and the attendant breakdown of shipping affected mainly the E.U. and Japan business, but the situation has improved.

The degree of detail and accuracy in the confections is impressive. Alas, the time required by the business cut into Ikonnikoff’s range time. His twice-a-week shooting regimen had to take a back seat to creating designs, molding forms, packaging, and promotions. In addition to chocolate, Rostislav offers a professional grade vacuum press of his own design for pressing chocolate and other thermoplastic materials. He’s steadily expanding his arsenal: his latest project is adding the classic M16 and the M1911A1, mainly for the US market.

In 1915, the Italian Army became the first to adopt a submachine gun, with the twin-barrelled 9mm Villar Perosa, designed the previous year by Col. Abiel Revelli and produced by RIV Officine di Villar Perosa, a small subsidiary of the larger, well-known FIAT factory in Turin. The Villar Perosa (contemporaneously referred to as the Revelli, FIAT, or O.V.P.) consisted of two tubular receivers affixed adjacent to one another, taking two 25-round magazines in overhead feeds, fired from a pair of spade grips fitted to the rear of the gun. It was designed to be fired from a mount – originally a twin-legged shield or a tripod, but later a bipod – as a crew-served light support weapon, with a gunner and three ammunition carriers. Therefore, the Villar Perosa was not really a “submachine gun” as we understand the term today, but nevertheless it coined the equivalent Italian term, “pistola mitragliatrice.”

The Villar Perosa did enjoy some success during World War I, with around 15,000 units produced and fielded extensively by the Italians in their war against Austria-Hungary, who even fielded their own copy in 9x23mm, known as the “Sturmpistole.” However, the physical limitations of the Villar Perosa prevented it from fulfilling its full potential as an assault weapon. This was soon to change as the weapon would be adapted into a shoulder-fired infantry carbine.

In December 1916, the Italian Army oversaw tests of a new weapon, based on the Villar Perosa. This was the FIAT submachine gun, designed again by Col. Revelli collaboratively with FIAT of Turin and RIV-OVP of Pinerolo. The gun consisted of a single, largely unmodified Villar Perosa receiver, mounted onto a wooden stock with a conventional trigger and three-position fire selector switch, thus creating one of the very first conventional submachine guns in history. Further tests of the FIAT submachine gun took place in January 1917 and the Italian Army became invested in this new concept. A requirement for a new weapon of this type was declared and several industrial firms were commissioned to develop and submit similar prototypes for comparative trials. The three main firms participating in this competition were FIAT (whose prototype has been described), Ansaldo, and Beretta – companies who were already involved in the manufacture of the Villar Perosa to varying degrees. Submissions from SIAI Savoia and the Aviazione Navale were also reportedly developed, as well as a design by Capt. Amerigo Cei-Rigotti, however the records concerning these models are few and far between.

Pietro Beretta entrusted the design of his company’s submission to Tullio Marengoni. Although often described as young when he began work on the Beretta carbine, Marengoni was in fact 36 years old in 1918 and had already been working at the firm for practically all of his adult life. He rose to prominence in the firm almost entirely through his connections – he was a childhood friend of Pietro Beretta’s nephew, and had no formal training as an engineer. But despite his lack of qualifications, Marengoni proved himself nothing short of a self-taught prodigy in the field of gunmaking and was probably the most exceptional designer ever employed by Beretta.

In designing the Beretta Model 1918 carbine, Marengoni demonstrated his technical efficiency by making extensive use of components from existing weapons. Not only was the receiver taken from the Villar Perosa, but the furniture was lifted from the obsolete Vetterli rifle, as is especially evident from the distinctive trigger guard. In most models, the fore-end was only half-stocked, with the partially exposed barrel mounting a folding spike bayonet, of the type used on the Carcano M91 carbine. The bayonet swivel, situated underneath the muzzle, was built with a locking switch. On rarer examples of the Model 1918, the fore-end was fully stocked with no integral bayonet, but instead had a mount, taken from the Carcano M91TS carbine, for a detachable bayonet. Marengoni’s intuitive recycling of components from the Vetterli, Carcano, and Villar Perosa resulted in a weapon which employed relatively few original parts of its own, lessening the production time considerably.

A key misconception about the Beretta Model 1918 is that it was a submachine gun. It may come as a surprise to some readers that this is not the case, despite it having been long described as such by experts like Nelson & Lockhoven. In fact, the standard Model 1918 carbine was a self-loading carbine, with only semi-automatic capability. Twin-trigger models with automatic capability were made, but only in small numbers on a very limited basis; these models were not made by Beretta, but by Manifattura Italiana d’Armi (M.I.D.A.) of Brescia. Experimental models with fire selector devices were also tried, including a particularly unusual model with a piston-like buffer connected to the bolt handle. However, the typical, single-trigger version that is most commonly depicted was not capable of automatic fire.

In the Model 1918, as with the Villar Perosa, a delayed blowback action was employed in which the bolt guide was interrupted by a 45-degee cam at the forward-most point of the cocking slot. This forced a rotation of the bolt before it blew back, creating – in theory – a delay in the style of the Blish lock used in the Thompson gun. The reality is, much like the Blish lock, the delay was negligible and had no appreciable effect on automatic fire. Since the standard model Revelli-Beretta fired in semi-automatic only, there was no particular advantage gleaned from this system; regardless, the Villar Perosa’s action was retained with little modification.

The magazine feed of the Villar Perosa was also basically unchanged, taking the same 25-round mags from an overhead position, although the magazine catch was of Beretta’s own design. Due to the placement of the magazine, the sights were offset to the right side of the receiver, much like the later Owen gun. Villar Perosa magazines were designed with a windowed slit on the rear side, allowing the user to easily check their remaining rounds; especially useful considering the rear of the magazine would always be in view of the firer. The downward-facing ejection of the Villar Perosa was retained, although now encased within a distinctive rectangular chute. Variances could also be found in the pattern of buttstock; most were built with straight-hand stock, but some other examples feature a rounded pommel grip.

Although the Beretta Model 1918 is usually stated to have been chambered in 9mm Glisenti, the then-standard Italian pistol cartridge, this is actually only half-true. Both the Villar Perosa and the Beretta were designed to fire a special variant of the Glisenti cartridge with a higher load than the standard version that was used in pistols. This modified cartridge, now extremely rare, fired at a velocity roughly equivalent to the German 9x19mm Parabellum cartridge. Consequently, the Beretta may fail to discharge when loaded with the standard Glisenti pistol cartridge. The Glisenti and Parabellum rounds are, however, so dimensionally similar that it is possible to load and discharge the Beretta with 9mm Parabellum – however it should be stressed that it is not actually designed to fire this cartridge.

The FIAT, Ansaldo, and Beretta prototypes – referred to as “moschetti automatici,” or “automatic muskets” – underwent trials in 1918. While small quantities of the FIAT and Ansaldo guns, which were both selective-fire submachine guns, were apparently issued on the front for field tests, it was the Beretta gun formally taken into service by the Italian Army that year. It received the official designation “Moschetto Automatico Revelli-Beretta”, with Col. Revelli receiving a shared credit in the nomenclature presumably because the gun was operating on the Villar Perosa action, which was protected under his patent.

In September 1918, Beretta secured the patent for the Model 1918 and subsequently received confirmation from the Italian army that they would immediately receive 5,000 Villar Perosa submachine guns to be converted into 10,000 Revelli-Beretta carbines. Production commenced in these last few months of the war, but was prematurely cancelled at the end of November, a matter of weeks after the signing of the armistice. The end of the conflict meant the requirement for the Revelli-Beretta carbine practically disappeared overnight, and it’s estimated that only about half of the agreed 10,000 weapons were actually assembled and delivered to the army. These guns were distributed at a limited rate of 18 units per battalion, specifically issued to the best marksmen of a given company, and while some Revelli-Berettas may have seen active use during the climatic Italian offensive at Vittorio Veneto at the end of October, it is a point of contention as to whether the gun was ever used in combat in 1918.

the Villar Perosa was not really a “submachine gun” as we understand the term today, but nevertheless it coined the equivalent Italian term, “pistola mitragliatrice.

Almost immediately after the end of the Great War, the Revelli-Beretta’s performance came under scrutiny. These concerns were not so much levelled at the gun itself, but rather the entire concept of pistol-caliber automatic carbines and submachine guns. The Revelli-Beretta and Ansaldo guns were subjected to renewed tests and it was decided that they would be replaced by a new intermediate-caliber, selective-fire carbine that could fulfil both the roll of the submachine gun and the infantry rifle. In 1922, the state arsenal at Brescia actually developed a modified version of the Revelli-Beretta in the intermediate cartridge, with automatic fire capability and a reworked clip-feed system taken from the FIAT-Revelli machine gun. But this prototype, and the intermediate carbine project as a whole, soon floundered and had been completely defunded by 1928.

In 1930, Beretta developed a new version of the Model 1918 carbine known as the Model 1918/30. On a technical level, the Model 1918/30 had little in common with the original Revelli-Beretta, with the method of operation completely revamped. The Villar Perosa action was entirely eliminated and replaced with a closed-bolt system of Beretta’s own design. It featured a new type of bolt with a separate spring-loaded firing pin that was retracted by a ring-shaped piece protruding from the rear end of the receiver (hence the gun was nicknamed “Il Siringone”, or “The Syringe.”) The magazine feed was relocated to the underside of the receiver, freeing up the weapon’s line-of-sight, and new proprietary straight box magazines were used instead of the old Villar Perosa magazines. All aspects of the design that were derived from Abiel Revelli – who had passed away the previous year – were now gone, and his credit was removed from the gun’s nomenclature, with it simply being known now as the “Moschetto Automatico Beretta.”

Most Model 1918/30s were produced by manually converting existing Model 1918s, which can perhaps go some way as to explaining why there are so few surviving original Revelli-Beretta carbines. The Model 1918/30 was sold in quantity to the Italian police, particularly the Forestry Corps, and also achieved export sales to Argentina where it was adopted by their federal police. It was produced under license in Argentina by HAFDASA, and also served as the basis for several designs by Halcon in the 1940s.

In spite of the new Model 1918/30 variant, Italian military requirement for the Revelli-Beretta carbine had long since passed by the 1930s and it was considered obsolete. The Italian Army sold these guns as surplus to Saudi Arabia and Ethiopia; in the latter instance, they were issued to Haile Selassie’s personal guard, the Kebur Zabagna, and, ironically, used against the Italians when they invaded Ethiopia 1935 to 1936. A direct consequence of this is that, after the swift collapse of the Ethiopian army, the Italians re-captured stocks of these old weapons and pressed them into service yet again. Reportedly these guns were still in use when the British arrived in North Africa in 1940, as the far superior Beretta Model 38 would not come into general issue until 1941. However, the majority of Revelli-Berettas that saw use during World War II were likely lost amidst the collapse of the Italian forces in Ethiopia; by 1942, the Italian board of ordnance reported that there were only 60 still left in service, effectively ending issue of this antiquated weapon for good.

The legacy of the Revelli- Beretta carbine is a quiet one, as it has historically been overshadowed by the more impactful Bergmann M.P.18,I submachine gun adopted by the Germans at the end of World War I. However it did have some influence on certain post-war SMG projects, such as the Netsch carbine, developed in Czechoslovakia in 1919, and the STA submachine gun briefly adopted by the French Army in 1924. More importantly, the Revelli-Beretta was the first step in the development of Tullio Marengoni’s subsequent submachine guns, leading up to the excellent Beretta Model 38 series. Today, original 1918 Beretta carbines are exceedingly rare, usually only found in museums; the later Model 1918/30 variant is somewhat more numerous, with some examples having made it to the American civilian market. As recently as March last year, the Italian gun dealer Nuova Jager reported they would be importing and restoring a batch of original Beretta carbines – both 1918 and 1918/30 models – from Ethiopia, where they had been sitting in storage for many decades.

KURCHEVSKY

A rather early attempt to create a defensive weapon against armored vehicles was a recoilless rifle developed by Leonid Vasilyevich Kurchevsky in 37mm (1.45-inch) caliber. The weapon was a very unusual design even at that time. Above the barrel is a tubular magazine for up to 3 cartridges, which is loaded from the rear. To reload the weapon, the operator pushes the charging handle forward. The front cartridge falls out of the tubular magazine into a catch tray in front of the muzzle. When the charging handle is pulled back, a charging rod attached to it pushes the cartridge into the barrel as far as it will go.

The cartridge was not fired directly. Rather, a feeding device was attached to the barrel to hold a strip of ten primers. When the trigger is pulled, the firing pin strikes the primer, whose flame shoots through a hole in the chamber behind the cartridge. The heat ignites a small black powder charge attached to the base of the cartridge, which in turn ignites the cartridge’s propellant charge. Part of the gas pressure escapes to the rear via a nozzle at the barrel end, thereby significantly reducing recoil forces. However, a safety range of up to 25 meters (27 yards) behind the weapon had to be observed, otherwise painful burns could result. Firing was therefore also carried out from a height-adjustable tripod.

The 37mm armor-piercing bullet weighed 600 grams and also contained a filling of 9 grams of explosive. There was no metal casing. Instead, the projectile sat on a small bag made of woven fabric, which contained the low-smoke propellant powder (190 grams) and at the end of which the black powder charge was placed. When fired, it resulted in a muzzle velocity of 525 m/s (574 yd/s) and an effective range of up to 500 meters (545 yard). Aiming was done via a magnifying telescopic sight.

Adopted in 1932, serial production began immediately. In practice, however, Kurchevsky’s weapon proved to be dangerous. Carelessness or defects easily led to accidents. In addition, the design was complicated and prone to failure. The penetration performance of only 25mm (1in) of steel at 100 meters (109 yards) soon proved to be insufficient. Production ended as early as the end of the 1930s and the weapon was taken out of service.

Kurchevsky designed a variety of primarily recoilless weapons during his career, from rifles to artillery. He also tried his hand at vehicles, boats, and even a glider. Unfortunately, he failed to achieve great success. Most of the weapons had serious defects and were not suitable for wartime use. In June 1937, Kurchevsky was arrested in the course of a purge in the Red Army, charged with creating unfit weapons, and sentenced to death on November 25, 1937.

After the failure of Kurchevsky’s recoilless weapon, the Army tested other experimental weapons in 1936 in smaller calibers between 20mm (0.8-inch) and 25mm (1-inch). But most of them were far too heavy for flexible use by the infantry. In the further series of tests from 1936 to 1938, weapons with even smaller calibers from 12.7mm (0.5-inch) were then allowed to participate. Even if none of these weapons was adopted in the end, it was at least possible to agree on the future cartridge.

The small arms research and testing facility NIPSVO in Shchurovo had developed a powerful cartridge in 14.5x114mm caliber. Its lead bullet contained a hardened steel core and was covered by a metal jacket. With a muzzle energy of over 30kJ, it was almost three times as powerful as German or Polish cartridges. However, the case contained impressive 30.9 grams of propellant powder.

RUKAVISHNIKOV

In November 1938, the GAU Artillery Committee laid down the requirements for a new portable anti-tank rifle. The caliber now had to be 14.5mm (0.58-inch). Of the sample weapons submitted, the rifle made by N.V. Rukavishnikov performed best. The weapon was a semi-automatic gas operated rifle with a rotating-bolt and cartridge fed from a 5-round magazine inserted on the left side. A massive muzzle brake and padded shoulder rest provided tolerable recoil forces for the operator. The scale of the sight extended to 1.000 meters (1,090 yards).

In firing tests, the weapon achieved a penetration rate of 20mm (0.8-inch) at 500m (545 yards) under optimum conditions. An experienced crew managed a firing rate of about 15 rounds per minute. After this satisfactory test, the committee proposed the weapon for adoption on October 7, 1939 as the “14.5 mm PTR 39” (Protiwotankovoje Ruschjo / Tank Rifle). After the production of 50 pieces for a small troop trial, another 15,000 pieces were to be produced initially from 1940 onwards after the establishment of serial production in the Instrument Factory No. 2 “K. O. Kirkisch” in Kowrow. The goal was to equip each infantry division with 60 anti-tank rifles.

But it did not come to that. For one thing, the introduction of the weapon was somewhat premature, because during further testing, the powerful cartridge repeatedly caused malfunctions and extraction problems. This could certainly have been solved. But on the other hand, Russian intelligence also made a fatal mistake: they estimated the armor thickness of German tanks for a future war at 60mm (2.4 inches) to 80mm (3.1 inches)! This sobering information led the GAU Artillery Committee to abandon all efforts to develop a portable anti-tank rifle for the infantry. From then on, the focus was on anti-tank cannons.

When the Wehrmacht invaded the Soviet Union in June 1941, the surprise was great. The tanks were far less heavily armored than had been assumed. In its need, the Red Army scraped together everything it could get its hands on for use on the front. Among them were numerous experimental and small-series weapons and Polish captured specimens. A possible series production of Rukavishnikov’s weapon was also examined once again, but in view of the chaotic circumstances in this early phase of the war, the plan was discarded. Even Rukavishnikov’s simplified single-loader model did not go into production.

SHOLOKHOV

The shortage of anti-tank rifles in the early stages of the war could not be solved in a hurry. There was a lack of models suitable for combat use and engineered for mass production. Engineer V.N. Sholokhov therefore proposed in July 1941 that the German Mauser tank rifle from World War I be copied – but for a cartridge in 12.7x108mm caliber. In the early 1930s, tests had been carried out with it in Tula.

The gun was very simple to manufacture, without complicated mechanics. Deviating from the German model, Sholokhov added a muzzle brake and padding for the shoulder rest. The sight had three settings for 200, 400 and 600 meters (218, 436, 654 yards). This was very optimistic, as its performance left a lot to be desired. The early B-32 armor-piercing incendiary projectile with a hardened steel core did little to harm German tanks. The improved BS-41 bullet with a tungsten core penetrated 15mm (0.6-inch) of steel at 400m (436 yards). In action, of course, this was far too little.

Nevertheless, series production of the weapon began in July 1941. The need was simply too great. The workshops of the Moscow Technical University “Nikolai E. Bauman” (MSTU) and the experimental design bureau OKB-16, also in Moscow, which was otherwise mainly engaged in the development of automatic cannons for aircraft, were chosen as production sites.

The production quantity of a few hundred pieces was nevertheless no more than a drop in the bucket. The weapons were used in the defense of Moscow from the fall of 1941. After the successful course of the battle and the retreat of the German units in the spring of 1942, Sholokhov’s anti-tank gun disappeared into the arsenals or was handed over to partisans for disruptive actions. Incidentally, between 1941 and 1944, the Soviet Union received about 3,200 British Mark I anti-tank guns and 1.5 million rounds from Great Britain under the Lend-Lease agreement.

Technical data (model Kurchevsky):

• Caliber: 37 mm                        
• Length: 200 cm (78.7 inches)
• Length of barrel: 125 cm (49.2 inches)
• Weight (with tripod): 32 kg (70.5 pounds)
• Magazine capacity: 3 rounds                      

Technical data (model Rukavishnikov):

• Caliber: 14.5×114 mm               
• Length: 198 cm (77.9 inches)
• Length of barrel: 118 cm (46.5 inches)
• Weight (empty): 17.75 kg (39 pounds)
• Magazine capacity: 5 rounds                      

Technical data (model Sholokhov):

• Caliber: 12,7×108 mm              
• Length: 179.5 cm (70.7 inches)
• Length of barrel: 100 cm (39.4 inches)
• Weight (empty): 16.6 kg (36.6 pounds)
• Magazine capacity: single loader

A*B Arms Polymer Picatinny Rails – M-LOK.

The A*B Arms Polymer Picatinny Rails – M-LOK are designed and engineered for military, law enforcement, and firearms enthusiasts. Compact and lightweight, the A*B Arms Polymer Picatinny Rails – M-LOK come in a three-rail combo pack, along with the individual four, five and seven slot configurations. All rail packs include the appropriate M-LOK hardware.

These rails are designed and manufactured in the USA by a veteran-owned company and feature a proprietary formula of heat stabilized nylon reinforced with high strength fibers. Each set includes M-LOK manganese phosphate coated t-nuts and 10 x 24 – ½-inch flat top screws.

MSRP: $20

abarms.com

DRD TACTICAL

DRD Ambidextrous Safety Selectors

The DRD Ambidextrous Safety Selectors are visual improvements over the standard. They offer improvements such as ambidextrous manipulation and are AR-15 and AR-10 compatible. The Safety Selectors come in two styles: Traditional, which offers one short and one long lever, while the Tactical has ribbed anti-slip levers. Additionally, the positive lock dovetail design ensures the product won’t loosen once installed. A pin-punch is also included for disassembly purposes.

MSRP: $59.99

drdtactical.com

MEOPTA

Optika5 2-10×42 PA Riflescope with Side Parallax Adjustment

The new Optika5 2-10×42 PA riflescope with side parallax adjustment from 10 yards to infinity delivers image focus at close ranges – a feature rimfire and air rifle enthusiasts will appreciate – and gives hunters and target shooters the ability to dial in the focus at longer ranges.Engineered to withstand heavy recoil, this newest addition to the Optika5 series is also designed for superb performance on centerfire, muzzleloader, and slug guns – making it an excellent choice for hunting a variety of species from varmints to big game.

The Optika5 2-10×42 PA features a 1-inch main tube, 5x zoom, zero-reset turrets, and advanced lens coatings for true color representation and unsurpassed. Meopta’s proprietary MeoBright lens coating delivers maximum light transmission per lens surface while suppressing reflection and glare. Meopta’s MeoDrop hydrophobic lens coating repels water and makes it easy to wipe off grease, skin oils, and dirt.

Capped hunting turrets are made of rubber-armored metal for the perfect combination of durability and functionality. The rear-facing magnification display allows for easy viewing of the power setting from behind the scope, and the zoom ring comes with a throw lever for quick adjustment of the power setting in the field or on the range. Windage and elevation adjustments are ¼ MOA. Two second focal plane reticles are available – Z-Plex or Z-Plus.

MSRP: $349.99

meoptasportsoptics.com

DRD TACTICAL

ARES Rifle Retention System

The DRD Tactical ARES is an Adaptive Retention System for rifles. This locking retention system is simple to operate and ensures rifles stay secure while offering an ergonomic, easy release. The ARES reduces fatigue and strain by spreading of the rifle’s weight across armor carriers or tactical vests while reducing undesirable movement allowed by slings. The product installs easily on any MOLLE system carrier and is compatible with AR rifle platforms and a wide variety of firearms with QD sling attachment points. Additionally, an integrated adapter ($24.99) is available separately as an upgrade to the end plate.

“We’re excited to be able to offer accessories which allow our customers to customize and optimize their firearms. We offer a premium brand and now we’re also able to offer the premium furniture and accessories to match,” said CEO Larry Williams. Williams continued, “It’s rewarding to be able to dive headfirst into projects like this which allow us to leverage our capabilities while enhancing the experience for our customers.”

MSRP: $124.99

drdtactical.com

APEX TACTICAL

Failure Resistant Extractors

Apex Tactical Specialties released two new models of its Failure Resistant Extractors, one for the SIG P320 that covers 9mm, .40 S&W and .357 SIG, and one for the slim Glock models G43, G43X and G48.

The Apex Failure Resistant Extractors are designed with a more robust extractor claw and improved geometry to produce a more durable extractor that delivers consistent extraction and a uniform ejection pattern. It’s machined from a billet of heat-treated stainless steel and the critical engagement surface features Apex’s custom extractor hook geometry. The extractors are black Melonite finished for enhanced durability.

MSRP: $59.95

apextactical.com

WARCAT TACTICAL

Appendix IWB Holster

Warcat Tactical, a new name in the firearms accessories and tactical gear market, launched its brand with the debut of the new Warcat Tactical Appendix Carry Holster. Designed with a minimalist approach and aiming for peak performance, Warcat Tactical has created a thinner, lighter, and stronger holster than the industry standard Kydex holsters currently available.

Using 3D modeling, precision injection molding, and specially blended polymers, Warcat Tactical holsters are made entirely in the USA for much less than competing brands. Warcat Tactical was born out of a necessity for a professional grade holster at an accessible price.

warcat.com

Adams Arms

AA19 Handgun

Adams Arms, industry leading pioneers of piston-driven AR platform firearms, announced the AA19, a performance-driven compact 9mm Luger handgun. The AA19 combines Adams Arms years of experience with handgun barrel and slide innovations with its mission of elevating firearm reliability and performance.  

“Adams Arms is known for its slides and barrels for custom handguns, and now we’ve brought all of our expertise into one complete pistol,” Steve Green, Adams Arms Vice President of Sales and Marketing said. “Our customers have been asking for an Adams Arms handgun for years, and now it is ready. The new AA19 incorporates design elements that refine its ergonomics and performance. Every detail on the new AA19 adds upgrades that maximize its potential for both EDC and competition.”

Specifications

• Enhanced front and rear cocking serrations
• •   Double undercut trigger guard
• •   Vickers Tactical Carry Trigger
• •   Ameriglo Defoor EDC sights
• •   Profiled and lightened slide
• •   Threaded 1:16in twist barrel
• •   Aggressive grip texturing
• •   1913 Picatinny rail
• •   Billet extractor
• •   OAL 7.6in
• •   Weight 1.26lbs.

The AA19 comes with two Magpul G19 magazines, a hardcase, and cable lock. The slide is cut for optics, and plates are plates available in all popular footprints, including the Trijicon RMR, Leupold Deltapoint, Shield RMS, Burris Fastfire 3, Vortex Venom/Viper, Vortex Razon, C-More STS. The gun is made in the USA and is backed by Adams.

MSRP: $999.99

adamsarms.net

Thor Raider

The THOR Raider represents a durable, compact and ultra-quiet suppressor for 5.56mm caliber firearms. The Raider is so effective Thor says it can be used safely and comfortably without hearing protection in confined areas. It is designed to be run on bolt rifles and

semi-auto AR platforms. This suppressor is an extremely strong and lightweight unit, constructed of 100% titanium.

• Caliber: 5.56
• Length: 6.7 in.
• Diameter: 1.560 in.
• Weight: 15.8 oz.
• Factory-Tested Sound Reduction: 25-35% (Depending on Ammunition)
• Materials: Titanium
• Finish: Black, Olive Drab, FDE
• MSRP: $715
• awcsilencers.com

AWC Silencers

Thor ThunderTrap

The AWC Silencers THOR Thundertrap is a shorter, lighter, and astonishingly quiet suppressor that celebrates the 5th generation of the Thundertrap. Delivering accuracy demanded by law enforcement snipers, the Thundertrap retains spent gases for a longer period causing the sound emitted to be a soft hiss rather than a pop. It is constructed for all centerfire, bolt and semi-auto rifles.

• Caliber: 5.56 | 6.5 | .308 | .338
• Length: 8.125 in.
• Diameter: 1.640 in.
• Weight: 1 lb. 3 oz.
• Factory-Tested Sound Reduction: 35-45%
• Finish: Black, Olive Drab, FDE
• MSRP: $815
• awcsilencers.com

Barrett Firearms

AM 338

Made of a lightweight, high strength Titanium alloy, which is 100% CNC machined and orbital welded to minimize weight without sacrificing durability. The AM suppressors are designed to quickly attach to a recoil-reducing Barrett muzzle brake, which offers high decibel reduction and other key factors such as accuracy, repeatable point of impact shift, and flash reduction—even in low light environments.

• Caliber: 338 and less
• Length: 9.9 in.
• Diameter: 1.8 in.
• Weight: 1.3 lbs
• Factory-Tested Sound Reduction: -23-28 dB
• Materials: Titanium Alloy
• Finish: Black
• MSRP: $1,530
• barrett.net

Barrett Firearms

QDL

Specifically engineered for the M107A1, Model 99, and Model 95, the QDL suppressor attaches to the rifle via proprietary recoil reducing muzzle brake while maintaining 100% function and reliability. The baffle stack features redundant 360-degree CNC welds to contain extreme pressures, while the suppressor’s dual-layered tube is constructed of high strength alloys to ensure both durability and safety in any condition.

• Caliber: 50 BMG
• Length: 14.8 in.
• Diameter: 2.5 in.
• Weight: 4.9 lbs
• Factory-Tested Sound Reduction: 23 dB
• Materials: 4130 Steel
• Finish: Black and Flat Dark Earth
• MSRP: $2,978
• barrett.net

B&T AG – Switzerland

RBS QDN SD-122812

Gas in the face may present health risks to the shooter. This issue was first addressed in 2013 when B&T produced a suppressor designed for the B&T MP9 machine pistol. The RBS suppressor significantly reduces the amount of gas exhausted from the ejection port. The RBS combine the following qualities: significant reduction of gas, minimal impact on rate of fire, similar flash reduction as a conventional suppressor, similar sound reduction as a conventional suppressor.

• Caliber: 5.56, .223
• Length: 6.6 in.
• Diameter: 1.9 in.
• Weight: 23.1 oz.
• Factory-Tested Sound Reduction: 22dB
• Materials: Inconel / Thermax
• Finish: Sandblasted
• MSRP: $1145
• Bt-ag.ch

B&T AG – Switzerland

RBS SQD SD-988206

The B&T RBS SQD – Reduced Back Pressure Suppressor is another member of the B&T family of suppressors that dramatically reduces the amount of gas directed at the face of the shooter. The rock-solid, 3-lug attaching system mounts the suppressor bayonet-style in one quick motion. To remove the suppressor, the operator only needs to press one lever and pull in the opposite direction. This ingenious system will not become loose even while firing full automatic.

• Caliber: 9mm
• Length: 7.6 in.
• Diameter: 1.6 in.
• Weight: 13.9 oz.
• Factory-Tested Sound Reduction: 30dB Reduction
• Materials: Aerospace Aluminum Alloy
• Finish: Anodized
• MSRP: $750
• Bt-ag.ch

Elite Iron

Asset

The new patented ASSET .30 caliber suppressor is all modular in design. Titanium, aluminum and 4140 heat treat construction gives the ASSET a rugged yet lightweight feel. It weighs in at 23.5 ounces, fully assembled, and with a brake. Removing the second stage, the weight is 16.5 ounces. Interchangeable butt sections allow for use on a multitude of different rifles from .223 to .300 WinMag. A true ASSET for every type of marksman and every shooting application. 

• Caliber: .30 Cal
• Length: 10.2 in.
• Diameter: 1.6 in.
• Weight: 23.5 oz.
• Factory-Tested Sound Reduction: Preliminary testing 27-30 dB (depending on caliber)
• Materials: Titanium, 7075 Aluminum and 4140 Heat treat
• Finish: Blasted
• MSRP: $1500
• eliteiron.com

Griffin Armament

Bushwhacker 46

The Bushwhacker 46 was designed to exceed end user desires for the best large bore (.46 caliber) universal suppressor on the market.

Engineered to be more compact, more durable, with higher performance, and more mounting options than any other, Griffin bills the Bushwhacker 46 as the class leader in the universal suppressor category. 100% user serviceability allows owners to completely take apart, clean, and maintain their suppressor to extend its life for years to come.

• Caliber: rifle calibers from .22 up to 45-70 Govt, Pistol calibers up to .45 ACP
• Length: 7.75 in.
• Diameter: 1.5 in.
• Weight: 15.8 oz-17.6 oz.
• Factory-Tested Sound Reduction: 30.8db .223 REM, 28.7db .450 BUSH, 33.6db .300 BLK
• Materials: H900 17-4 Stainless Steel
• Finish: Black Nitride
• MSRP: $999
• griffinarmament.com

Griffin Armament

Optimus 9

Years ago Griffin Armament introduced a market-changing product, the Optimus suppressor. This suppressor could be used on both a handgun, as well as a rifle, was modular for length, modular for mounting system, and was also user serviceable. The Optimus 9 provides multi-tool functionality with premium materials, workmanship, and application of technology. For end users looking for a universal suppressor that covers 90% of popular commercial cartridges, consider the Optimus 9 suppressor.

• Caliber: rifle calibers .22 Cal up to .300 Win Mag, Pistol calibers up to 9mm
• Length: 7.9 in. full configuration, 6.6 in. short configuration
• Diameter: 1.375 in.
• Weight: 15.7 oz. full configuration, 12 oz. short configuration
• Factory-Tested Sound Reduction: 20db 9mm, 32db .308 WIN
• Materials: H900 17-4 Stainless Steel
• Finish: Black Nitride
• MSRP (USD): $1,095
• griffinarmament.com

KGM Technologies

R556-QD

KGM Technologies’ R556-QD is a mission-driven, hard-use rifle suppressor. The R556-QD was developed for use on short barreled select-fire M4 weapon systems. By reducing sound, flash and recoil the R556-QD gives the operator a total signature reduction advantage. Featuring the KGM’s APEC Technology, the massive reduction in back pressure means reduced exposure to harmful gas particulates.

• Caliber: 5.56 NATO Full Auto Rated
• Length: 5.7 in.
• Diameter: 1.5 in.
• Weight: 14.7 oz.
• Factory-Tested Sound Reduction: 25+DB Reduction
• Materials: Inconel & Stainless Steal
• Finish: Cerakote
• MSRP: $850
• Kgm-tech.com

KGM Technologies

R30

KGM Technologies’ R30 is a titanium precision rifle suppressor. Coming in at an impressive size and weight for its caliber class, the R30 can handle any centerfire rifle caliber up to 300 Norma Magnum and 300 PRC. Featuring KGM’s APEC (Adjustable Port End Cap) technology, the end user can tune the systems recoil impulse to their personalized liking. A secondary benefit of the APEC is a reduction in back pressure on semi-auto rifle systems.

• Caliber: 30 Cal
• Length: 7.3 in.
• Diameter: 1.75 in.
• Weight: 10.1 oz.
• Factory-Tested Sound Reduction: 25+DB Reduction
• Materials: Grade 9 & Grade 5 Titanium
• Finish: Cerakote
• MSRP: $1,000
• Kgm-tech.com

SIG SAUER

SLX Suppressors

The SLX series of rifle suppressors feature the new Clutch-LOK QD mounting system which is easy to use, repeatable, and extremely durable. The internal multi-flow path within the SLX suppressors results in 70-80% less toxic gasses blowing back into the shooter’s face. The SLX series is a performance-based suppressor designed for use with supersonic ammunition and ideal for users focused on flash reduction and lower toxic fumes with excellent signature reduction.

• Caliber: 7.62, 5.56
• Length: 5.2 in. to 7.4 in.
• Diameter: 1.67 in.
• Weight: 12.6 oz. to 19.4 oz.
• Factory-Tested Sound Reduction:
• Materials: Inconel
• Finish: Cerakote
• MSRP: $1050
• sigsauer.com

SIG SAUER

SLH Suppressors

The SLH series of rifle suppressors also features the new Clutch-LOK QD mounting system, and an internal multi-flow path with a focus on sound reduction, while also reducing up to 50% of the toxic fumes venting through the ejection port. The SLH is optimized for sound reduction and is ideal for users that use both supersonic and subsonic ammunition.

• Caliber: 7.62, 300BLK
• Length: 7.4 in. to 8.8 in.
• Diameter: 1.67 in.
• Weight: 8.8 oz. to 21.1 oz.
• Factory-Tested Sound Reduction:
• Materials: Inconel or Titanium
• Finish: Cerakote
• MSRP: $1050
• sigsauer.com

SRT Arms

Integrally suppressed Ruger MkIV

An SRT Arms integral suppressor assures hi-velocity ammo will run at subsonic speeds and is shorter and quieter than any muzzle-attached suppressor using similar ammunition. Accuracy is typically enhanced over the factory barrel as we use a tensioned barrel suppressor design. This integral suppressor is removable from the gun for service. NOTE: Customer must supply host pistol for conversion.

• Caliber: .22
• Length: 7.1 in.
• Diameter: 1 in.
• Weight: 34 oz.
• Factory-Tested Sound Reduction: 111-116 db absolute SPL depending on ammunition.
• Materials: Inconel or Titanium
• Finish: Bead blasted stainless, blue, or tan Cerakote finish
• MSRP: $725-$995
• srtarms.com

TacSol / Tactical Solutions

AERIS Micro Rimfire Suppressor

At 3.0 ounces and 3 inches in length, the Tactical Solutions’ AERIS is an economical multi-caliber, lightweight, user-serviceable, and compact suppressor.  It is constructed with titanium baffles and is the perfect platform for .22 long rifle, .17HM2, .17HMR, .17WSM, and .22WMR calibers. The AERIS has a 1-inch outside diameter, which compliments most barrel profiles, and can be threaded on any ½ x 28 threaded muzzle.

• Caliber: .22LR, .17HM2, .22WMR, .17HMR, & .17WSM
• Length: 3 in.
• Diameter: 1 in.
• Weight: 3 oz.
• Factory-Tested Sound Reduction: Pistol: 134.64 dB – Rifle:  118.02 dB
• Materials: Aluminum, Titanium, Stainless Steel
• Finish: Anodized Matte Black
• MSRP: $297
• tacticalsol.com

TacSol / Tactical Solutions

X-RING Takedown TSS Barrel

The X-RING TAKEDOWN TSS is an extremely quiet integrally suppressed barrel for the Ruger 10/22-style takedown receiver and the TacSol X-RING takedown receiver, which also includes takedown connecting hardware. At only 16.9 ounces the X-RING TAKEDOWN TSS barrel features a lightweight, accurate, and durable aluminum barrel, titanium sound suppression baffles, and stainless steel split tube for quick and easy cleaning.

• Caliber: .22 Long Rifle
• Length: Bore Length: 12.9 in. [ 16.75 in. overall ]
• Diameter: .920 in. / 1.00 in. at the muzzle
• Weight: 16.9 oz
• Factory-Tested Sound Reduction: 112.2 dB
• Materials: Aluminum, Titanium, Stainless Steel
• Finish: Anodized Matte Black
• MSRP: $635
• tacticalsol.com

Thunder Beast Arms Corp

Dominus-SR

The Dominus-SR is a true light-weight “go to war” suppressor and is perfect for 5.56 assault rifles and .30 caliber battle rifles, including SBR and full-auto variants. It retains the accuracy and repeatability TBAC is known for. It’s equally at home on a 0.25 MOA bolt rifle on the 1500-yard range as it is on a MK18 in the CQB house. Note that Thunder Beast does not list sound reduction in the spec chart below and instead lists the measured sound level because the unsuppressed starting point changes based on muzzle device used.

• Caliber: Up to .30 (.223 & 5.56 included)
• Length: 6.95 in.
• Diameter: 1.80 in.
• Weight: 12.5 oz.
• Factory-Tested Impulse Level: B&K PULSE data: 137 dB (milspec left/right) and 126 dB at shooters-ear on a 20-inch .308 
• Materials: Grade 5 titanium
• Finish: High temp Cerakote
• MSRP: $1495 (includes one mount)
• thunderbeastarms.com

Thunder Beast Arms Corp

338 ULTRA SR

The 338 ULTRA SR is TBAC’s high-performance .338 caliber suppressor. It offers class leading suppression levels for big magnums like .300 Norma and .338 Lapua Magnum, a light weight design, and our “SR” quick attach/detach mount that offers locking secondary retention in addition to absolute return to zero.  It was Accuracy International’s choice for the ASR submission rifle. Note that Thunder Beast does not list sound reduction in the spec chart below and instead lists the measured sound level because the unsuppressed starting point changes based on muzzle device used.

• Caliber: up to .338 cal
• Length: 11.0 in.
• Diameter: 1.775 in.
• Weight: 20.2 oz.
• Factory-Tested Sound Reduction: B&K PULSE data with .338 Lapua Magnum 135-138 dB at the muzzle, and 124-128 dB at the shooter’s ear
• Materials: Grade 5 titanium
• Finish: High temp Cerakote
• MSRP: $2195 (includes one mount)
• thunderbeastarms.com

Yankee Hill Machine

Phantom .22

The Phantom .22 provides superior sound reduction thanks to a newly designed baffle system. Features include a shielded, interlocking baffle stack made from heat-treated 17-4 stainless steel, a two-part outer assembly with an aluminum blast chamber, and a tube which houses the baffle stack. The rear of the blast chamber serves as the takedown tool for the muzzle cap. The Phantom .22 can handle rounds up to 5.7x28mm while only weighing four ounces.

• Caliber: 17HMR-5.7×28
• Length: 5.5 in.
• Diameter: 1.1 in.
• Weight: 4 oz.
• Factory-Tested Sound Reduction: 114 dB (9mm 4.25” barrel)
• Materials: Aluminum & Stainless Steel
• Finish: Hardcoat Anodized
• MSRP: $388
• YHM.net

Yankee Hill Machine

R9 9mm

When YHM set out to make the R9, the goal was a 9mm suppressor capable of handling high volumes of fire while able to run other calibers such as .300 BLK and .308 Win. Primarily focused on suppressing 9mm (specifically submachine guns and SBRs,) it was made at a budget-friendly price while maintaining the durability one expects from YHM. The R9 is capable of being used on a handgun in conjunction with our Nielsen booster assembly.

• Caliber: 17HMR-9mm /.308 Win
• Length: 5.2 in.
• Diameter: 1.562 in.
• Weight: 10.7 oz.
• Factory-Tested Sound Reduction: 123 dB (9mm 4.25” barrel)
• Materials: 17-4 Ph Stainless Steel
• Finish: Matte Black Cerakote
• MSRP: $494
• YHM.net

It’s been my honor to helm SAR as its Editor-in-Chief and Technical Editor from its first issue. SAR is a small, yet influential magazine. Our readers are real firearms enthusiasts, historians, scientists, end users, and manufacturers. It’s an eclectic worldwide group we serve. With the addition of Small Arms Defense Journal 13 years ago, we were able to expand our pallet of articles to better serve the international military community.

In many ways, this has been a family endeavor; Debbie, my wife, runs the companies and provides guidance. Our daughter, Megan, is the publisher overseeing Chipotle Publishing, which publishes all our magazines, and also service as the director of operations of Phoenix Defence. And my son, Kyle, runs the shipping and fulfillment department, as well as writing articles focusing on guns in cinema.  

Over the years, we’ve had a lot of talented people helping us bring this magazine to you, all of whom we remember and thank for their contributions. It’s always been our hope the articles we publish help to preserve the knowledge of the small arms community, and our online archive is an immense help in this mission.

The future is bright, we hope to continue bringing you SAR and SADJ for many years to come, and thanks for being with us!

SAR Volume 2, Number 3. This cover is of the late Jim Schatz dressed up and testing his favorite HK21E 7.62×51 belt-fed machine gun. Jim was still with Heckler & Koch in this photograph.

They’ve asked me to reminisce a bit about some of our older, weirder covers, so, here goes … Small Arms Review Volume 1, Number 1. We launched with a wing and a prayer. I went to a shoot, got a downrange of a flamethrower and took the pic for the cover. We put a stylized Phoenix on it, as well, and our symbol of the crossed M16A2 rifles.

SAR Volume 1, Number 4. The cover photo is an odd one, I took this picture over Vero Beach when Eugene Stoner died, and we put a Stoner 63A Bren configuration on it, heading up to the heavens.

SAR Volume 3, Number 1. Y2K? Y2 Worry? This was our answer to the year 2000 “Y2K” computer calendar panic- a nice Honda generator, one of my M134 miniguns, a scoped Galil ARM, an MP5-10mm, an M4, a suppressed .22-cali-ber rifle, and an M79 40mm grenade launcher. This is looking over the fields from our Maine hilltop farm.

SAR Volume 4, Number 1. At the old Soldier of Fortune convention, I was a regular on the firing line. Kent Lomont and I refused to wear uniforms of any kind, making Pete Kokalis go into conniption fits. I was on the line in around 1994 in my desert kit, and then again here, and Robert Young Pelton took video of me in uniform with the 1914 Lewis machine gun and labeled me as a mercenary in his TV show. Thanks a lot, Pelton.

SAR Volume 6, Number 3. Probably the most in-depth look at the British SA80/L85 bullpup service rifle ever published. We covered every aspect of the original and its upgrades, in clear photography.

SAR Volume 7, Number 7. One of our more famous issues –and the cover is pretty special. I was in Sweden working with Nammo and SAAB on items for various government agencies. At the time, there was a lot of interest among collectors in the Swedish AK5. I spent some time in Bosnia, among other places where the weapon was in use, so I decided to do a feature on this famous FNC variant.
The cover photo was taken near Möckeln Lake in Karlskoga, Sweden. Mart Pella, a Swed-ish soldier I’d met in Bosnia was now working in international sales for Nammo. Volunteer-ing for a photo session, he got into his old uniform, camo’d up, and we took the picture that would become the cover of this issue. Not only was he hiding in the only bush on the shore, but the picture was so dynamic that the Chinese reprinted the whole issue of SAR without permission in Chinese characters and handed out tens of thousands of copies. I was in Beijing, attending a military trade show, and saw this cover everywhere. I sought out the booth where they were giving away the bootlegged magazine and showed them my name in the masthead. The booth attendee ran and got their boss, who told me how honored she was to meet me. I tried to explain the concept of intellectual property rights to her, but she was so friendly that I just gave up.
We had a timely article on Iraqi land mines that was helpful to deployed troops in Iraq. Pete Kokalis went on one of his “I hate the M60” rants and Doc Ed Weitzman gave us a thorough parts comparison of British and U.S. Vickers machine guns. All in all, a thoroughly interesting issue!  

Small Arms Defense Journal Volume 12, Number 5. On the cover is a Khal Mohammadi rug from Kunduz, in northern Afghanistan. Khal Mohammad created this style when he lived in Afghanistan and it’s very popular. So, I took this from my collection and placed SOCOM’s newly adopted Mk22 Mod 0 ASR on it. Barrett asked me to test their rifle, so we put it through its paces for a 21-page feature. The multicaliber MK22 Mod 0 system runs in 7.62x51mm, .300 Norma Magnum, and .338 Norma Magnum. It’s probably the best long-range sniper rifle I’ve tested in the last 45 years. SOCOM and Barrett get accolades for this accomplishment!