Silencer Saturday 403: Is Modularity Worthwhile?

Good afternoon, everyone, and welcome back to TFB’s Silencer Saturday, brought to you by Yankee Hill Machine, manufacturers of the new YHM R45 Multi-Host Suppressor. This week, we are taking a closer look at modularity. Is it really as much of a benefit as the marketing materials suggest?

Silencer Saturday @ TFB:

• Silencer Saturday #402: Suppressor Impact On Machine Gun Rate Of Fire
• Silencer Saturday #401: RXD Suppressors Hands-On: What Ruger Got Right
• Silencer Saturday #400: Silencer Shop Foundation
• Silencer Saturday #399: Dead Air's RXD Line - First Look at the Ruger Collaboration
• Silencer Saturday #398: Brownells BRN-180 Gen 3

Why Modularity?

It seems like every product in the world of guns wants to be modular. Whether it is a handgun with a fire control unit like the P320, the gone-but-not-forgotten ACR with the caliber swap kits that never materialized, or holsters that can change between all kinds of carry, companies seem to be obsessed with modularity. Despite these features, the consumer seems not to use them very often. Caliber swapping a modular gun usually costs almost as much as just buying another gun. Or, on less expensive items like holsters, buying all of the parts and pieces to swap a holster into various setups costs as much as simply buying another holster.

There are some clear reasons why manufacturers want to make items modular. Rather than maintaining a lengthy list of SKUs, they can sell one primary item and various accessories. In the context of a firearm, they can sell the more profitable accessories without the regulatory burden and expense of selling the actual serialized firearm. And, when a potential purchaser is comparing options, the idea of modularity can be an edge over non-modular items for the simple knowledge that the modular product can change to meet future needs.

Modular Silencers?

Within the realm of silencers, the modular options break down into two main groups: models that have some adaptability and fully modular designs. Most centerfire rifle silencer designs now have the ability to change mounting systems or end caps. Back in the old days (not actually, this was within the last ten years), centerfire rifle suppressors were welded up at both ends, and you were just stuck with the mounting system that came from the factory.

Pistol silencers have had interchangeable mounting threads for many years, with pistons threaded in many patterns for use on different guns. Pistol silencers also tend to have booster systems for use on tilting barrels as are commonly found on centerfire handguns. There are also various systems for blocking the travel of a piston to make it a fixed mount, ot replacing the piston with a separate non-moving threaded piece for use on fixed-barrel guns.

Rimfire silencers typically have the least modularity in their designs. 1/2x28 thread mounting is ubiquitous, and there are few variations from that standard. A few designs incorporate “ wipes” or disposable material that acts as the baffle, but most use monocore or traditional baffle stacks. There are a few modular options, like the SilencerCo Switchback and Q Erector which offer many length options as baffles are added or removed.

Full Modularity

Aside from “light” modularity, some silencers are marketed as being a one-and-done, multi-caliber solution. Suppressors like the Dead Air Primal or SilencerCo Omega 36M fall in this category. Taking the Primal as an example, it has a .46-caliber listed bore diameter. This is large enough to accommodate the vast majority of cartridges from .45-70 on down. The Omega 36M is another design with a lot of modularity, including a removable front baffle section. The .36-caliber bore can handle rifle cartridges like .35 Whelen or 9mm, but also pull duty on applications like the .338 Lapua, or more common choices like .308 or 5.56mm.

These suppressors can accept a large range of mounting options. From direct thread mounts to quick detach systems and even pistol booster assemblies, all options are on the table. Just pick the mount(s) that match up with your use cases.

There is one great risk with modular silencer designs: with great adaptability comes great risk of putting too large a round through too small an endcap. Conversely, oversized muzzle openings allow more sound to escape than is necessary. In many cases it is not that noticeable, but it is a performance compromise. Moving to a more appropriate end cap tightens up the gap and keeps things quieter, but woe be to the shooter that changes the barrel fittings to move from a 9mm to a .45-70 but forgets to also change the end cap. Hopefully this only destroys the end cap without requiring a full trip back to the manufacturer for repairs!

Is It A Selling Point?

Some buyers, particularly those who are new to the world of silencers, see that a certain can is totally modular and get so excited that they forget all other considerations. But there are a few other points the potential buyer should consider. Though mounts, length, and end caps can change, it gets very expensive to buy all of those mounting systems! You also have to keep track of all of those parts, and have the appropriate pieces and tools present any time you want to switch things up.

Fully modular silencers can also be larger or heavier than dedicated caliber options matched to the host gun. Does a .45 ACP handgun need as much internal volume as a suppressor designed to handle .458 Winchester Magnum at the top end? Probably not. Will it work? Yes, but it will not be optimal.

Some potential buyers also think they will reconfigure their silencer during a shooting trip, moving it from gun to gun to gun in sequence. My experience has been different. I seldom reconfigure a silencer during a range trip unless it is necessary for review purposes. The process of waiting for the silencer to cool off enough to handle, then changing parts around before moving on to the next application simply wastes too much time. Parts also tend to get stuck at the least opportune times!

I much prefer setting up the silencers at home before heading to the range if at all possible. Range time is too limited to waste it on playing Mr. Potato Head with silencer parts and fittings. This lines up with my general advice to customers on modular silencers: if you plan to make changes periodically in a controlled environment, and are only asking the silencer to move between decently comparable platforms, a modular silencer can give you more options. If you plan on swapping through parts and pieces on a regular basis it will result in frustration, and ultimately buying several suppressors to cover those bases.

Conclusion

Modularity is not a bad feature. Particularly if you live in a place that is restrictive on silencer ownership like the United States, covering more bases with one suppressor can be very convenient. Where modular silencers fail to live up to the hype is in owning just one suppressor to cover all of your guns. It will not work that way in practice, and much range time will be wasted on trying to adapt that one silencer between a wide range of host guns. That one silencer may also have compromised performance on certain guns because it is not optimized for one type of use.

Where modular silencers shine is in keeping your options open. If you want a silencer that will spend hunting season in a short, direct-thread configuration, but spends the rest of the year as a full-size, QD can on a semiauto, one suppressor can cover both of those uses well. It will not be as nice as having a dedicated suppressor for each gun, but finances rule out that luxury for most people. With realistic expectations, a modular suppressor is much like a folding multitool. It will not offer the same performance as a full toolbox, but it can do many jobs well enough to get by, and having one available when you need it can make all the difference.

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