We started calling silencers “suppressors” primarily because it was more descriptively accurate. Silencers don’t really silence anything—guns are too loud for that to be possible. Even just manually cycling the action on most rifles will produce a decent amount of noise, though usually hearing-safe.
But to every rule there is an exception, and in this case, .300 AAC Blackout is one of them. The .300 Blackout cartridge was designed with suppressed performance as one of its primary goals, and it delivers on that front admirably. To take full advantage, though, you’ll need the best suppressor.
Why .300 Blackout?
We single out .300 Blackout specifically because it is one of the few rounds that was engineered with rifle suppressors in mind. Most common cartridges, such as .308, 5.56, and 7.62×39, were developed before suppressors had become commonplace, and no real thought was paid to how they might perform in combination with one.
.300 Blackout is different. By utilizing .30 caliber bullets in what is essentially a necked-up 5.56 case, the .300 Blackout can easily achieve subsonic velocities while maintaining a respectable amount of muzzle and terminal energy. This makes it practical for a wide range of applications, even when suppressed and subsonic.
Additionally, because it shares many of its case dimensions with 5.56×45, it’s extremely easy to adapt an AR-15 or other 5.56 rifle to fire .300 Blackout—in most cases, all that’s required is a barrel swap. This makes it much more approachable than other specialized calibers which may require a full upper or entirely new rifle.
Lastly, because .300 Blackout operates at relatively low pressures with subsonic loads, it can utilize several different pistol suppressors, substantially increasing the already broad array of suppressors available for .30 caliber cartridges.
The sum of these qualities is a round that is able to deliver acceptable amounts of terminal energy on target while still maintaining an incredibly low sound signature, all without requiring an excessive upfront investment. For those still curious about this specialized round, we go into more depth in our Beginner’s Guide to .300 Blackout.
An Overview of Suppressors
For those unfamiliar, a suppressor is a relatively simple device that dampens the sound of a gunshot by containing the escaping gases at the muzzle and allowing them to cool before exiting. Technically, the legal term is silencer or gun muffler, but both suppressor and silencer are commonly used outside legal environments.
Suppressors can be made of steel, titanium, or other materials like Inconel. They range from tiny, pillbox-sized rimfire suppressors all the way up to massive magnum silencers designed for precision rifles as large as .50 BMG. Some models, sometimes referred to as multical suppressors, can even handle a huge range of different calibers, including both handgun and rifle rounds.
While purchasing a suppressor can be slightly more complicated than buying a firearm, owing to the increased level of regulation around NFA items, the effort is well worth it. Muffling the report of your firearm can help mitigate or prevent hearing loss, as well as reduce or eliminate flinch response, limit noise pollution, and make your shooting experience more comfortable overall.
Additionally, a silencer can be a very useful tool when training new users, as the reduced muzzle blast can help reduce flinch response and make it easier for novices to manage recoil.
Best Suppressors for .300 Blackout
Which suppressor is best for your .300 Blackout rifle will depend heavily on what precisely you want to do with it. As always, mission dictates gear. Below, we’ll take a look at some of the most popular suppressors for various .300 Blackout applications.
Quietest .300 Blackout Suppressors
One of the most common applications for .300 Blackout is, naturally, to achieve the quietest shot possible without resorting to a rimfire rifle. To do that, you’ll need a phenomenally quiet suppressor; luckily, there are many available for the caliber.
Maximum sound suppression means maximum size as well, though. You won’t find any compact suppressors in this category, so if you truly want to minimize noise, you’ll have to be willing to make that tradeoff.
The platform you are suppressing will have a substantial impact as well—no matter how efficient your suppressor is, cycling a semi-automatic rifle will generate a certain amount of noise. For the quietest shot possible, you’ll need to consider a manually-actuated firearm, such as a bolt-action rifle.
Diligent Defence Enticer LTi
The Enticer series from Diligent Defense has long been lauded as one of the quietest suppressors in its class. The L model is their largest size, offering the maximum internal capacity for suppression, with the “Ti” suffix denoting its titanium construction.
This combination of size and titanium construction creates an extremely quiet suppressor that won’t overburden your rifle with weight. While titanium does have some tradeoffs, most notably a lack of full-auto compatibility, those are mitigated by our use case.
Titanium suppressors are particularly susceptible to damage by heat, and so cannot handle the same demanded firing schedules as their steel counterparts. .300 Blackout, though, particularly in its subsonic loadings, generates relatively little heat per shot. Unless you plan on doing repeated and frequent mag dumps through your suppressor or are one of the fortunate few who own a transferable machinegun, you’re not likely to run into issues.
The DDC Enticer LTi comes with a direct thread adapter installed but features HUB threading to allow users to convert it to the mounting system of their choice.
Q Thunder Chicken
Like the Enticer LTi, the Thunder Chicken from Q is a full-sized (and then some) fully titanium suppressor. Unlike many other titanium suppressors, the Thunder Chicken imposes no minimum barrel lengths for .300 Blackout, making it a viable option even for ultra-short firearms like the Sig MCX Rattler.
It’s among the quietest suppressors in its class for .300 Blackout and weighs in at a scant 14.7 ounces, despite being over 8 inches long. It utilizes Q’s innovative QD system for attachment, which is compatible with the Q Cherry Bomb and certain other muzzle devices.
Q silencers are well-known for their taper mount system, which helps discourage carbon lock, making it easier to remove your suppressor even after a long range session, but also ensuring it stays fully seated until removed. Should the suppressor ever become difficult to remove, though, it has wrench flats machined into both the front and rear.
CGS Hyperion QD 7.62
Another exceptionally quiet 7.62 suppressor, the CGS Hyperion is a cutting edge can that’s capable of silencing everything from .300 Blackout all the way to .300 Remington Ultra Magnum. At 9.5” long and 1.75” in diameter, it’s one of the largest .30 caliber suppressors on the market, but all that internal capacity makes for a truly quiet experience.
The Hyperion is crafted from titanium using direct metal laser sintering, a form of additive manufacturing. While there are a few differences, DMLS is very similar to 3D printing, but uses metal as a medium rather than polymer. This type of manufacturing allows companies like CGS to create baffle and tube designs that wouldn’t be possible with traditional machining or welding, achieving higher levels of both suppression and resiliency.
A flagship product from one of the preeminent suppressor manufacturers, the CGA Hyperion certainly commands a premium, but delivers an extremely high degree of performance in exchange.
Best Low Back-Pressure .300 Blackout Suppressors
Low back-pressure suppressors utilize special baffle designs that allow the gas to pass through the suppressor rather than get trapped in it. This reduces the amount of gas that is forced backward into the action of the firearm, thereby ameliorating back pressure. This is perfect for firearms that are difficult to tune.
These types of suppressors also tend to have lower perceived noise levels at the user’s ear, as well as reduced gas and noise emitted from the ejection port. The tradeoff is that they may be more expensive than traditional designs, and often are not as quiet as traditional silencers.
Huxwrx Flow 7.62 Ti
Huxwrx is one of the best-known names in low back-pressure suppressors. The Flow 7.62 Ti is their flagship .30 caliber model, utilizing full-titanium construction and additive manufacturing to create baffle designs that would be impossible with traditional methods.
Weighing in at only 11.8 ounces, this featherweight suppressor is perfect for those looking to keep their rifle light. Titanium does have a tendency to spark, though, so it may not be the best choice for those intent on running night vision.
The Flow 7.62 Ti utilizes Huxwrx’s proprietary QD mounting system, but the suppressor is available with a muzzle brake or flash hider included as part of a package for those that do not already have a muzzle device. We typically prefer muzzle brakes as suppressor mounts for their function as a sacrificial baffle, but they can be somewhat harder to install if you don’t know how to time a muzzle device.
Silencerco Velos LBP 7.62
New from Silencerco for 2024, the Velos LBP 7.62 is an innovative can that combines a 3D-printed Inconel baffle stack with a welded stainless steel tube. The result is an incredibly durable suppressor that is full-auto-rated and has no barrel length restrictions., while still providing low back-pressure functionality.
The Velos utilizes Silencerco’s ASR mounting ecosystem. It’s an established and well-developed platform with a wide variety of muzzle device options ranging from simple three-prong flash hiders to single- and multi-port brakes. The ASR system also integrates a locking collar to ensure your suppressor stays securely attached during long courses of fire.
Best Affordable .300 Blackout Suppressors
At the end of the day, any can on the end of your rifle is better than the one still sitting behind the glass at your local gun store. Not everyone can afford the finest gear on the market, but even the most economical of suppressors is a huge improvement over a bare muzzle device. These next few suppressors will tame your rifle’s muzzle blast without leaving an oversized hole in your bank account.
Otter Creek Polonium 30
While younger than some of the other companies on our list, Otter Creek is rapidly building a name for itself. Their tough but affordable suppressors offer exceptional performance for the money and tend to punch well above their weight class.
The Polonium 30 is their standard .30 caliber suppressor, constructed from stainless steel using a fully welded, tubeless design. It has no barrel restrictions for .300 Blackout and is rated for full-auto fire. Despite the full steel construction, the Polonium 30 still manages to weigh only 13.5 ounces, even at just under 6 inches in length.
While it ships with a direct thread adapter installed, the Polonium 30 features HUB threading for your choice of mount adapter.
Aero Precision Lahar 30
Aero Precision is one of the best-known names in AR-15 manufacturing, and for good reason. Their rifles and components are frequently touted as having one of the best price-to-performance ratios on the market, and their line of suppressors is no different.
Like the Polonium, the Lahar 30 features full steel construction. The Lahar, though, offers interchangeable end caps, which is a nice touch for those who want to be able to use their suppressor on other calibers as well. The Lahar is also available in a variety of sizes, including a compact model at just 5.1″ long and an L model at 7.7″
The Lahar 30 series of suppressors all feature HUB threading and come with a direct thread adapter preinstalled.
Best .300 Blackout Pistol Suppressors
Most rifle calibers are too high-pressure to operate safely in a pistol suppressor, but .300 Blackout is the exception, at least in certain suppressors. Pistol suppressors tend to be smaller and lighter than rifle models, so these are a great option for users who want a compact, lightweight package.
Silencerco Omega 9K
Another Silencerco product, the Omega 9k is one of their most popular handgun suppressors. A simple, no-frills suppressor, the Omega 9k prioritizes durability over extraneous features. Its fully welded stainless steel construction can handle both super and subsonic .300 Blackout, even with a full-auto firing schedule.
The Omega 9k is both the smallest and lightest suppressor on our list but still manages respectable noise reduction for its size. Because it is primarily a pistol suppressor, though, it uses Silencerco’s Alpha mount thread pattern, and so to use it effectively on a .300 Blackout firearm, users will need to purchase either an adapter or a compatible muzzle device.
YHM R9
The R9 from Yankee Hill Machine may be designed for use with 9mm firearms, but don’t let that fool you; it’s one of the most versatile suppressors we’ve encountered, capable of suppressing everything from 9mm to .308 Winchester, albeit with certain barrel length limitations.
The R9 features stainless steel construction and HUB threading, allowing for the use of a wide range of muzzle devices and adapters, but it can also accept YHM’s booster assembly for use on a handgun.
At 5.2″ and only 9.5 ounces, it’s an extremely lightweight option for .300 Blackout, but still durable enough for limited full auto use on barrels as short as 7.5″.
Honorable Mention: The Surefire SOCOM300 SPS
The Surefire SOCOM 300 SPS doesn’t really fit into any of the above categories. It’s not the quietest suppressor on the market, or the cheapest, nor is it low back pressure. Nevertheless, it’s one of the most popular .300 Blackout suppressors on the market, and that’s not by accident.
What makes the SOCOM300 excellent isn’t any one single facet of it’s performance, but instead the way it brings multiple facets together. For many users, it’s the perfect balance between suppression, size, and price point, all while being one of the most ruggedly durable options currently on the market.
Surefire silencers are popular with police and military users because they’ve built a reputation for nigh-invincibility. The durability offers a rarely-matched level of confidence that their suppressor can handle just about anything they can throw at it, and for many customers, that’s well worth the premium.
Combined the convenient balance of size and suppression, that reliability makes the SOCOM300 a compelling choice for a .300 Blackout suppressor.
Conclusion
.300 Blackout is one of the most pleasant and effective calibers to shoot suppressed. Designed from the start for use with silencers, it’s capable of being reduced down to hearing-safe noise levels while still maintaining a healthy level of terminal effectiveness.
With the right suppressor, there are few cartridges as fun or practical as .300 Blackout.
