Dead Air Silencers

2015 looks like it's going to be a great year for suppressors. This year at SHOT Show a number of manufacturers displayed new and improved models, some newer companies were present, and suppressor (or ‘silencer', if you like–try not to get too caught up in it) sales are higher than ever. The reason for an increase in sales is up for debate, but my money is on the fact that, ‘Johnny-down-the-street in regular big Army' can occasionally be seen with one, as opposed to being solely in the realm of bad action movie assassins or Special Forces troops. Regardless of the reason, this boost has given the already-good American suppressor market a significant shift skyward. The quality level of your average suppressor is much higher today than in years passed.

One of the newer companies is Dead Air Silencers. This is no amateur home garage startup though–Dead Air was founded by Mike Pappas, formerly of SilencerCo.

I didn't get the opportunity to shoot them on SHOT Show media day (as I was at the Sig Sauer event) but all of my compatriots had good things to say about their performance (and none of us have calibrated ears anyway). It intrigued me enough that I made sure to stop by their booth during the week at SHOT.

Dead Air made the smart move of starting with multi-caliber suppressors. It's fairly common for US consumers to want the most out of each NFA purchase to avoid excessive taxes. The Sandman series (Short, Long, and Titanium) accommodates calibers from 5.56 to .300 Win Mag in a single device. Now, it doesn't take anything special to make a pretty tube, or as your mother would say, “it's what's on the inside that counts“. Each baffle in a Dead Air silencer is constructed of stellite for longevity and the entire core is welded.

Suppressor construction aside, it was the mounting system that made the largest impression on me. A large part of repeatability (that is, a constant shift when the suppressor is mounted or removed) is suppressor orientation. The Dead Air muzzle devices feature a key-like connection mechanism. Alignment between the muzzle device and the suppressor itself is the same every time, as it won't lock on any other way. This may sound confusing or complicated but I've included a video at the bottom of this article which demonstrates this nicely; it's very simple. I was able to ratchet the suppressor on and off with one hand on the SHOT Show floor. If that's still possible with a warm or dirty can remains to be seen.

I'm very much looking forward to getting some hands on with these. For more information, visit their homepage here, Facebook here, or Instagram here.