The Most Interesting Suppressors of SHOT Show

With the disappearance of the $200 tax stamp required for each and every silencer/suppressor purchase, public interest in “cans” has never been higher.  If we can ever do away with the unconstitutional NFA, sales will explode, but as it is right now it seems easier to name the companies at SHOT who aren’t now making suppressors than the ones who are.  There were dozens of companies (at least) displaying their cans, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the number was actually in the triple digits.  There’s no way to cover them all, so here’s a short list of some of the most interesting ones on display.

PTR SD

PTR has been around for thirty years or so, but two years ago they jumped into the suppressor market and things just haven’t been the same.  Their 3D-printed titanium suppressors use PIP (purposely induced porosity) in their baffles and are some of the quietest on the market.  Their Vent 2, meant for 9mms, is one of if not the quietest 9mm suppressor on the market, which is incredible for its size and weight.  

PTR first became known for selling HK-pattern roller-lock guns, clones of the HK MP5, HK 91, etc. Their suppressors are selling so well they now dwarf their guns sales, but their neatest product is a combination of the two.  At the show PTR was showing off their new and improved version of the iconic HP MP5SD, the SDM-B, which should be available soon.  

They’ve had a version of this for a while, the SDM-A with their Vent 2 suppressor, but the SDM-B is a more purpose-built imitation of and improvement over HK’s legendary integrally-suppressed MP5SD.  The original HK MP5SD has a vented 4.5-inch barrel inside a long suppressor that was designed to slow down standard 9mm ammo to subsonic velocities.  But it wasn’t without its issues—the HK suppressor got very dirty, and they just drilled holes in the barrel wherever, and that sometimes damaged the rifling.

PTR’s SDM-B is a suppressed SBR.  It comes with a collapsible stock and has a 6-inch barrel with oblong ports that go into the grooves of the rifling so they don’t touch or damage the passing bullet.  It uses a two-stage/two-part Vent SDM suppressor.  The gases vent into the “pre-suppressor”, which slows them down, and from there they flow into the Vent SDM suppressor itself, with PTR’s patented PIP baffles.  I was told that the gun is significantly quieter than their SDM-A tipped with their Vent 2 can, which meant it will likely be the quietest 9mm package on the market.  Other than an M-LOK aluminum handguard replacing the SD’s original round polymer handguard it looks just like an HK MP5SD, and with the addition of an FRT it might perform as fast as one as well.  It ain’t cheap, with an MSRP of $4438, but I suspect they will sell every one they make.

Lyman Sonicore

Lyman’s suppressors perhaps got the most attention at the show simply because of their price, which is what the pros would call “a game changer”.  If you’ve never heard of Lyman they have been in business for almost 140 years making firearm accessories—perhaps the most famous is the Lyman tang sight for lever guns, but they make tools, reloading components, cleaning kits, etc.

Lyman is introducing four lines of Sonicore suppressors—the Skarv (.22 Long Rifle), the Valor 9 (9mm), the Rekkr (.223/.308), and the Paradox (.223/.308).  These suppressors use some old-school European design—the rimfire and 9mm suppressors are aluminum, although the threaded mount on the Valor 9 is stainless steel.  The Valor 9 has a built-in booster for use on pistols.  With the rifle cans, the Rekkr is a bit more heavy-duty than the Paradox, and in both of them there are 303 stainless steel baffle inserts, and a steel insert to thread onto your barrel, but the rest of the suppressor is 6026-T9 aluminum.  The Rekkr and Paradox are direct thread, and either in out-front configuration or an over-the-barrel design.

So what’s the big deal with these suppressors?  The price.  The Skarv will have an MSRP of $199.  All the other suppressors have an MSRP of $299. And no, that’s not a typo, and I didn’t misplace a 0 or move a decimal point.

EchoCore Suppressors

EchoCore is a brand new company as of 2025, but it was founded by someone who came over from Brugger & Thomet USA, so he knows the business, and he had some ideas of his own on suppressors.  His ideas seem to be smart, as the EchoCore suppressors (the Sector 5.56 Full-Size and Sector 5.56 Compact) placed 1st and 2nd in the 5.56 at the 2025 Suppressor Summit (based on sound reduction at the shooter’s ear).  Which is incredible, considering their size.

The EchoCore Sector 5.56 suppressors are 3D-printed, use helix baffles, and are low back pressure, HUB-compatible, with a vented (non-removable) endcap.  I suspect the Compact will be the more popular choice—it is constructed of Inconel, 5.11-inches long, and weighs 12.9-ounces, and like the Full-size model can also be used with 6 ARC.  

EchoCore also offers two different .30 suppressors (one Inconel, one titanium) and the Radius 360, a titanium modular suppressor that will work on everything from .22 up to 9mm.

The EchoCore suppressors have texturing on the outside that resembles the lines on a topographical map, which looks good but also makes them easy to spot in a crowded field.  MSRPs are $1049-$1099.  These suppressors are available exclusively through Silencer Shop.

LayerX Suppression

LayerX is a new company, but founded by veterans in the industry, and a true League of Nations.  And in full disclosure I know two of the three guys who founded the company—I used to compete at USPSA matches against Ming when he shot for on the Leapers team, which is a company of Taiwanese origin that is based local to me in Michigan.  He left and started his own machine shop, which (among other things) has been manufacturing OEM products for various big-name suppressor companies.  Xavier is a native Parisian who runs a robotic additive manufacturing (3D metal printing) company in the Detroit area, an avid local competitor at USPSA matches, and he was my French-language technical advisor for two of my novels (Fire and Bone and The Ghosts of Xicotepec).  Josh I’d never met before, but he is a 10-year veteran of AAC from back in the Honey Badger days when they were the cutting edge of suppressors, and a native of Alabama.  Taiwan, Paris, and Alabama, talk about dueling accents…

Layer X started with their Strake 9, a 3D-printed titanium suppressor purpose-built for 9mm PCCs/large frame 9mm pistols (like 9mm ARs and MP5 clones) and it’s one of the quietest 9mm cans on the market. It also works great on 300 BLK guns, and weighs just 8.5-ounces and is 6.5-inches long.  It’s full-auto rated, with an MSRP of $849.

At the show they were displaying their new 5.56 can, the Raster 5K, which should be available by March.  It’s available in direct-thread or HUB-compatible, with an integral endcap designed to eliminate flash.  Josh said he went through 12 iterations of the end cap before he got to this final version.  This is a company to keep your eye on.

Dead Air Nomad 

Dead Air is one of the big name in the industry, and they have a number of new introductions this year, but what caught my eye was their new Nomad Ti (titanium) OTB.  OTB stands for Over-The-Barrel, and this suppressor comes back several inches over the barrel, past the threaded muzzle.  OTB or “reflex” suppressors are nothing new, in fact they’re a bit old-school, but they seem to be making a comeback.  It’s a way to increase the volume of your suppressor without increasing the length.  B&T had on display a 3D-printed titanium OTB attachment which screws onto the HUB mount at the back of some of their cans which was interesting.

The .30 Nomad OTB only adds a little weight, but increases performance (sound reduction) when compared to the standard Nomad while not increasing the length.  However, OTB suppressors have a weakness.  Suppressors are incredible heat sinks—all those hot expanding gases shooting out of the muzzle heat the suppressor, and that hot suppressor in turn heats up the gun quicker.  If it’s an OTB suppressor it heats the barrel up that much faster, so they don’t recommend them for semi-auto guns, only hunting/bolt guns where you’re only going to be firing a few shots.  MSRP is $1049.

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