Suppressors

StingerWorx Suppressors

A new twist on suppressor modularity

Although there are several highly established players in the suppressor market, it’s still a relatively wide-open field. But competition is good for the customer. It’s refreshing to see a new company join the ranks, especially when it’s one that’s busting its ass to get to the top by analyzing, innovating and planning. Enter Idaho-based StingerWorx Manufacturing.

Suppressor was fortunate to get a firsthand look at what StingerWorx is creating. If the final products are as good as the concepts we laid eyes on, then these guys are going places.

Thirty-four-year-old David Adamson, a mechanical engineer and the owner of StingerWorx, is also the designer for the company. Adamson has had a cutting torch in his hand since he was 7 years old, so none of the fabrication involved with starting a suppressor line has caused him pause. According to Adamson, his inspiration came from war movies like “Full Metal Jacket.”

“I always liked guns and suppressors and knew I had to have one,” he said. “I always wanted to be able to shoot and do my own thing without bothering others or drawing attention to myself.” Adamson isn’t new to firearms, as he’s been providing machining services to the industry for six years, five of which were spent working on suppressor-related products.

New Approach

The Emperor breaks down into three main pieces. There is also an optional expansion chamber. (Photo courtesy of “Shooting Times”)

The focus of StingerWorx’s Emperor suppressor is modularity, but not just the ability to change out end caps. This is closer to complete suppressor modularity – several components of the suppressor can be replaced or modified. There are five major components of the Emperor: blast chamber, jam nut, baffle tube, rear cap and optional OBX (over-barrel expansion chamber).

The blast chamber is the core of the StingerWorx suppressor. Various pieces are added to this section and vary its configuration. The genius is in the 45-degree tapered cut on all of the pieces of the Emperor that fit together. The pieces join at these angles. The blast chamber is joined to the baffle stack and secured with the jam nut. This collar is all that holds it together. When threaded together, this puts the baffle tube under compression. It’s a strong design. All the sealing surfaces are made of the same material, so no issues crop up due to differently expanding materials as the suppressor heats up. Thread lock hasn’t been utilized to keep their prototypes together, but Adamson said that it will be used on production models.

StingerWorx Emperor Specs

Cartridge: 7.62
Weight: 13.1 oz (without.OBX)
OBX Weight:  3.8 oz. (will reduce another 1.5-3 dB)
Length:  8 in. 
Diameter:  1.75 in., 9 in. 
Materials: Titanium
Noise reduction: Over the 27 dB depending on the rifle system
Attachment Method: Thread-on
Finish: Cerakote
MRSP: $1,000
Manufacturer: StingerWorx

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“The baffle stack is captured on both sides of the tube, so it makes the baffle stack incredibly strong, as opposed to other cans where the durability is dependent on the weld between the last baffle and the tube,” Adamson said. “Which is where other cans generally fail. When things come loose, the baffle stack beats that weld until the point where everything comes out the end. Even a welded baffle stack, if only secured by the weld at the end of the tube, will suffer the same fate. The fact that the baffle stack itself is welded doesn’t translate into any stronger of a silencer.”

The blast baffle is titanium. Due to the design of the Emperor’s baffle, gas is forced through the center of the baffle like traditional designs, but it is also vented around the outside. This splits the load, allowing the titanium to work effectively in this role.

Forward of the blast chamber and blast baffle is a titanium baffle stack that is not welded together. Instead it’s threaded together and is still rated to .300 Win. Mag. Another benefit of this design is that if the customer wants to replace the baffles, it can be done for a nominal fee. But keep in mind that if you have any issues with your Emperor, there is a limited lifetime warranty.

Dual-Chamber Baffles

The baffles on the Emperor have helical grooves on the outside. These grooves create turbulence and manipulate pressure density. The baffles also have a dual-chamber design that moves gases on the outside and through the center of the baffles separately. Gases work their way back through the blast chamber and exit through the front end cap of the suppressor. Other gases move through the center of the baffles.

“Gases are expanding for a longer period in the Emperor suppressor,” Adamson said. “This smooths and slows the buildup of pressure. It also increases dwell time.”

Typically, a suppressor decreases dwell time, especially in an AR-type rifle. Pressures don’t get to fall off enough before the bolt unlocks and results in the inevitable blowback.

If you want improved performance from your Emperor, you can opt for the OBX. It’s basically a larger blast chamber and fits back over the barrel. It adds volume by expanding rearward as opposed to forward or to the side. It also features an outer and inner chamber for more volume, which equals more room for gases to expand and cool. This should result in better suppression – 1 to 3 decibels (dB), according to StingerWorx.

The OBX extends slightly rearward over the barrel. (Photo courtesy of “Shooting Times”)

Low Maintenance

All this modularity and there is no internal maintenance necessary on the Emperor. Other baffle types and strengths can be added to the system for full customization. For instance, if you are a precision shooter using 6.5 Creedmoor, you don’t need full titanium baffles that a 5.56-chambered firearm might. StingerWorks can insert aluminum baffles instead.

The internal complexity is matched by a beautiful external appearance. The Emperor is a good-looking suppressor. It’s aggressive, modern and sleek.

The Emperor comes with a waterproof, military-approved plastic case and all the tools you need to it attach and safely remove it from the firearm, including a blast chamber clamp.

(Photo courtesy of “Shooting Times”)

Testing

Since we were in Boise, Idaho, and NEMO Arms recently relocated to the area, we used one of their .308 rifles for testing. I’m always leery of shooting without hearing protection, even with “hearing safe” suppressors. The tones make the largest difference to my ears, more so than the actual volume. While I didn’t shoot without hearing protection, I stood behind another shooter to listen uninhibited. The tones the Emperor emitted were fairly deep and quite bearable. Even suppressed, the bullet creates quite a crack, and it helps when the suppressor can emit a lower tone.

Accuracy improved slightly with the Emperor onboard, and the most notable change was that four rounds were clustered tightly with a fifth-round flier. This could’ve been shooter induced. Point of impact shifted slightly to the left at 1 inch. What may be the most notable observation is that gas blowback was minimal, even as I shot left-?handed. In fact, I wasn’t disturbed by it at all.

Performance StingerWorx Emperor

POI Shift: Yes, .8 inches up, 2 inches right.
Accuracy is the average of three, five shot groups from 100 yards.

The StingerWorx Emperor brings a unique approach to suppression that is simple yet advanced. It’s got the technology, it’s got the looks and it’s got the performance. Time will determine the durability and the longevity of this non-welded suppressor.