Suppressors

Sorcerers of Sound

SilencerCo changes shooters hearts and minds

Anger. Rage. It was near blasphemy! Many shooters reacted in strange ways when SilencerCo dropped the Salvo 12 shotgun suppressor on us in 2014. You would have thought the world was ending or that consumers were forced to adopt three-headed babies. I’m honest. I was one of them. I believe that back then if you had laid a Salvo 12 on the ground next to a more traditional suppressor, people might have just poked at it with a stick much like curious children around a rotting ’possum carcass.

Suppressors aren’t for everyone. Many will choose to ignore their benefits or avoid the work and expense involved with buying them all together. That’s fine; it’s a free country. So, who is the candidate for a shotgun suppressor? The obvious answer is, anyone who shoots shotguns frequently, such as skeet and trap shooters and hunters. Hunters typically don’t use hearing protection during their outings, and this is not a good decision. Yes, a suppressor will affect the weight and length of the weapon, and shotguns are already long. But a suppressor will help protect your precious hearing so that you can continue to hear the embellished hunting adventures of your buddies.

I’m not a shotgunner per se, but I like them for home defense. A well-placed blast from a 12 gauge can turn the fight in your favor — now. In a defensive scenario, your first focus is always keeping you and your family safe. As their protector, other thoughts, such as hearing damage, rank far down on the list of concerns. Should you discharge a shotgun indoors in close quarters, there is a good chance you’ll suffer permanent and irreparable damage to your hearing. Having a suppressor attached means less chance of auditory damage, something you’ll be happy for after you’ve survived the encounter.

SilencerCo Salvo 12

Caliber: 12 gauge
Length: 6-12 in.
Weight: 34.5 oz.
Dimensions: 2.21 in. x 2.96 in.
Noise Reduction: 136.8 dB
Material: Aluminum and stainless steel
User Configurable: Yes
MSRP: $1,400

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Beauty is in the eye …

Although it doesn’t look like any other brand of suppressor, if you are familiar with some other SilencerCo products, you can’t help but notice that externally, the Salvo looks like a larger version of its Osprey pistol suppressor.

Smooth rods guide the wad and shot through the Salvo. (Photo courtesy of “Shooting Times”)

The Osprey connects to the host weapon in a way that places the largest volume of the suppressor beneath the weapon. Because of this, the weapon’s stock sights remain unobstructed. Typically with pistol suppressors, raised suppressor sights need to be installed. Like pistols, shotgun sights are very close to the bore if not directly attached to the barrel, so obscuring the sights is very easy to do. The Salvo 12 is designed in the same manner as the Osprey. The largest portion of the suppressor hangs below the barrel, so there’s no change to the sight picture. It’s ingenious really, and allows for a lot of noise reduction. One of the biggest factors in sound reduction is the amount of internal volume of the suppressor. More room inside the suppressor means more space for gases and energy to be trapped, expanded and cooled. This is how noise levels are lowered. This is why you see suppressors that are fatter or longer than others. Typical suppressors are expanded circumferentially or longitudinally. SilencerCo decided to expand downwards.

The Salvo 12 attaches to your shotgun via the choke tube threads. You can purchase specially designed choke mounts to replace your standard chokes. Once you screw in the Salvo’s special choke mounts, simply attach the suppressor and tighten down a collar on the mount securing the suppressor. It’s straightforward. You can purchase different choke mounts from SilencerCo that are available in Improved Cylinder, Modified, Improved Modified and Full.

So how does the Salvo work? There are several smooth rods that run longitudinally within the unit. Think of it as a bore made of several thin rails as opposed to being a solid piece. These rods slip into guides that are cut into the baffles. When a shell is fired, the wad glides along the smooth rods, guiding the pellets and wad safely through its center. Slugs can be safely shot through the Salvo as well. Everything is secured by two longer, thicker rods that run through the center of the suppressor and attach to the end caps.

SilencerCo seems to be synonymous with modularity. The Salvo 12 is 12 inches long and is user-maintainable and customizable. It can be shortened in two-inch increments down to 6 inches, allowing the user to tailor the length and weight.

SilencerCo claims a 136.8 dB average noise rating at the muzzle for the 12-inch configuration. Keep in mind that internal volume is a major factor for adequate sound suppression, and every 2 inches that you shorten the Salvo lessens its sound reduction capabilities. SilencerCo suggests cleaning the Salvo every 1,000 rounds to rid it of built up of plastic debris and carbon fouling.

The Salvo’s internals consist of aluminum baffles and stainless steel rods. The baffles fit together in a tongue and groove-type fashion. Weight is 34½ ounces at 12 inches. SilencerCo states that recoil is noticeably reduced. This is definitely a plus for shotguns. Barrel length restrictions do apply. A 16-inch minimum is specified if you plan to shoot 3-inch magnums and 2¾-inch shells can be shot from a 10-inch barrel.

Disassembly of the Salvo is simple and straightforward. (Photo courtesy of “Shooting Times”)

We tested the Salvo on two types of shotguns. One is a Remington 1100 Competition Master modified years ago to shoot faster and with lighter loads for 3-Gun competition. It can be finicky. The other shotgun is a Nighthawk Custom Remington 870 pump action. It features a short barrel and is registered as a short barrel shotgun. Barrel length is 10½-inches, and fitted with Nighthawk Custom ghost ring sights and Nighthawk Custom camo-patterned Magpul furniture. This shotgun was built specifically for use with the Salvo 12.

Impressions

 

Trap shooting with the Salvo is pretty sweet. The reduced recoil combined with the reduced sound transforms the experience, especially for someone who rarely engages in such shooting. One of the amazing aspects of using a Salvo is the response it garners from others. I had the pleasure of taking the Salvo and Remington to a friend’s house. He and his family love shooting trap and are serious about it. They couldn’t stop shooting it, and I was surprised how well the Competition Master ran with the Salvo attached. We experienced only one malfunction that we believe was due to a shell that was loaded too light. On that note, with subsonic shells the sound performance is tops and even with hotter loads at velocities of 1,200 fps, people were shooting without hearing protection.

Adding the Salvo to the 1100 made the gun long. Really long. And it’s only an 18-inch barrel. The length seems to only be a matter of aesthetics, because even though there is a weight penalty, it vanishes when you’re working the clays. If you notice a change in your gun’s handling, I believe it will quickly be adapted to.

Attaching the Salvo to the short-barreled Nighthawk Custom was impressive. With the Salvo shortened to six inches, this combination makes for a well-balanced platform. I dare say near perfection. Total weight is 8.6 pounds, and the length is just beyond that of a 16-inch AR-15. It handles well to boot. The Nighthawk shot well with the Salvo attached and the sound and recoil reduction were welcomed.

To be blunt, I like the Salvo 12. I am very surprised by this though. It’s different in the best of ways. If you’ve seen it and drawn the conclusion that it’s not for you, I urge you to reconsider. Its design and usefulness rank high in the realm of practicality.