Looking for a silent pew? You’ve come to the right place.
The wide world of the NFA encompasses the most fun guns and accessories.
If you are willing to brave forms, fingerprints, $200 bucks, and a wait time best described as horrid – then you can access some of the coolest toys around!
The NFA is a giant paperwork and tax mess that makes freedom tough to enjoy…so you want to make sure you’re spending that money and time on a tool that is truly quality.
Suppressing the good ole 9mm AND .45 ACP is easy and there’s plenty of options out there.
By the end you’ll know the best suppressor for your handgun, PCC, or sub-gun.
Summary of Our Top Picks
Editor's PickDirect thread multi-caliber can that's light and modular for rimfire through .45 ACP.
Durable Multical OptionDurable steel suppressor that's modular and direct threaded.
Low Axis SuppressorSealed suppressor that doesn't require higher sights or a red dot.
Table of Contents
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Best 9mm and .45 ACP Suppressors
1. Silencer Central Banish 45
Looking for a suppressor that will handle rimfire through .45 ACP?
Silencer Central’s Banish 45 might be the perfect solution if you have a couple handguns that need suppression and you don’t have loads of cash to pay for multiple tax stamps and silencers.
Did I mention it’s titanium for super lightweight, easy to clean, and also modular? You can unscrew the last two inches for something even more compact.
Plus you get to utilize Silencer Central’s easy setup where they send you things like fingerprint cards so you never have to step foot in an FFL.
Need some barrel threading? They’ll do it professionally for $99 along with a free NFA gun trust, EZ-Pay layaway, and direct shipping to your door once it’s all done.
Enough about that…here is the Banish 45 in action on the 9mm M18 with its short configuration:
And now in its even more quiet long configuration:
A good ~10dB difference so you can make the call on if you want it quieter or shorter.
Manufacturer Specs (Banish 45):
- Decibel Rating: 36 dB reduction
- Rating: Rimfire to .45 ACP
- Weight: 9.6 oz (6.7″) or 11 oz (8.6″)
- Diameter: 1.375″
- Length: 6.7″or 8.6″
- Construction: Titanium and Aluminum
- Mount: direct thread
Check out our full review and video right here.
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
-
25% off all OAKLEY products - OAKLEY25
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What’s your take on the Banish 45?
And now…it’s been featured in our review of the Kalashnikov KP-9 (9mm AK). We ran around 3000 rounds through the suppressor without cleaning on the KP-9 and other 9mm in one week.
Video here:
2. Rugged Obsidian 45
Want a super durable steel that can take anything a handgun can throw at it? Check out the Rugged Obsidian 45.
You can unscrew the top cap to make it shorter. Plus…even in the short mode it still sounds pretty good.
And since pistols are dirtier…it’s a good perk that you can take it apart to clean.
It also takes SilencerCo Alpha mounts so it’s super modular.
There’s also caliber specific endcaps but we have found negligible effects of having the correct one if you’re sizing down.
See it in action with its 9mm version that has a pronounced pop on first shot:
And .45 ACP version:
Manufacturer Specs (Rugged Obsidian 45):
- Decibel Rating: 129.3dB for .45 in full config; 123.7dB for 9mm in full config
- Rating: belt-fed pistol up to .45 ACP; rifle calibers up to .300 BLK, .350 Legend, & .450 Bushmaster
- Weight: 10.7 oz (6.8″) or 12.8 oz (8.6″)
- Diameter: 1.37″
- Length: 8.6″or 6.8″
- Construction: Stainless Steel and Aluminum
- Mount: direct thread
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
-
25% off all OAKLEY products - OAKLEY25
Copied! Visit Merchant
3. CGS Mod-9
The CGS Mod-9 has an initial steel booster and one steel baffle…with the rest aluminum.
You won’t be going full-auto for long periods of time but it will take anything a regular handgun can do. We recommend pausing a little after the equivalent of 60 rounds for it to cool down.
However, that steel in the back gives it a great balance on most handguns. And the little extra weight in the back helps mitigate the more pronounced *cachunks* (first round pop) of shooting with suppressors.
Another cool thing? It’s good for rimfire rounds and also breaks down for easy cleaning.
See it now:
Manufacturer Specs CGS Mod-9):
- Rating: rimfire to .300 BLK Subsonic
- Weight: 10 oz
- Diameter: 1.37″
- Length: 7.7″
- Construction: Stainless Steel and Aluminum
- Mount: direct thread
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
-
25% off all OAKLEY products - OAKLEY25
Copied! Visit Merchant
Want to go shorter? Check out the CGS Mod-9 SK model.
4. SilencerCo Osprey 45
No pistol suppressor list is complete without the SilencerCo Osprey series.
Today we have the Osprey 45 with its iconic rectangular shape which keeps it under the front sights…negating the need for suppressor height irons or switching to red dots.
It is a sealed can but it will likely outlast your guns. But because you can’t crack it open to clean it…don’t shoot rimfire through it since they are so dirty.
For it’s size it’s also very quiet.
See how cool it is in real life:
Manufacturer Specs (SilencerCo Osprey 45):
- Decibel Rating: 128.6 dB for .45; 125.2dB for 9mm
- Rating: 9mm to .45 ACP including .300 BLK
- Weight: 11.1 oz
- Diameter: 1.30″ x “1.75”
- Length: 8.06
- Construction: Stainless Steel and Aluminum
- Mount: direct thread
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
-
25% off all OAKLEY products - OAKLEY25
Copied! Visit Merchant
Check out the other Osprey models such as the Osprey 9, 9K, and 45K.
5. Dead Air Ghost 45M
We love the Dead Air Ghost 45M for its modularity.
Of course it can reduce it’s length and open up for cleaning.
But its last few baffle stacks are aluminum to reduce front weight. All the more abused parts are in the beginning so you’re still GTG for full-auto usage.
Plus there’s 3-lug adapters for your favorite MP5 clone.
Here it is in action:
Manufacturer Specs (Dead Air Ghost 45M):
- Rating: .22LR to .300 BLK Subsonic
- Weight: 9.6 oz (6.2″) or 12.0 oz (8.75″)
- Diameter: 1.375″
- Length: 8.75″or 6.2″
- Construction: Stainless Steel and Aluminum
- Mount: direct thread and adapters
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
-
25% off all OAKLEY products - OAKLEY25
Copied! Visit Merchant
Should You Go Multi-Cal?
The NFA (National Firearms Act) is annoying and encompasses a $200 tax stamp (which thankfully hasn’t changed since it started).
Plus it takes many months to actually process.
If you were thinking of a dedicated 9mm suppressor…you might want to rethink again.
You don’t want to hinder your future suppressing options because you only have a 9mm right now. With a multi-caliber suppressor you’ll be good to go from tiny rimfire all the way up to .45 ACP.
And some will even handle .300 BLK subsonic rounds.
And if you’re thinking of applying for the NFA without a gun trust…don’t. Definitely go with one. We use Capitol Armory’s $79 option that’s super easy and done from the comfort of your own couch.
Hearing Safe
Before we dive into some awesome silencers, let’s take a moment to talk “hearing safe.”
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health’s threshold for hearing safe is 140-decibels. Meaning, anything higher than that will damage your hearing.
An unsuppressed .22 LR measures about 145-decibels while a “normal gunshot” (we’re going to guess your average 9mm, .45 ACP, etc.) comes in around 165 to 170 decibels.
On the other hand, most average caliber suppressors cap out around the 130 to 140 decibels…scrapping below that hearing safe threshold. Though, .22 LR suppressors significantly reduce the volume to 115-decibels.
Why am I telling you all this?
Because a silencer doesn’t mean you shouldn’t also wear hearing pro. It just means that you might not need the heavy-duty pair you usually tote to the range.
We’re also including manufacturer specs for dBs. The real world numbers will vary on your gun and ammo…but it gives you a good idea of what is truly “hearing safe.”
Testing Procedures
We here at Pew Pew Tactical try to be as scientific (or at least as even) as possible. So we snagged a Larson Davis SoundTrack LxT-QPR sound level reader that’s rated for the sharp pops of gunfire.
We used a Sig Sauer M18 as the basis for 9mm testing. As well as Sellier & Bellot subsonic ammo. Here’s the baseline with supersonic:
And now subsonic which we used for the rest of the tests. Only around 3dB difference but that’s a lot in terms of pressure…plus you remove the supersonic crack when you go subsonic.
For .45 ACP we used a Nighthawk full-sized 1911 with 230gr ball ammo that’s naturally subsonic.
Keeping it Quiet
Suppressors are just fun. I fired my first suppressed pistol at SHOT many years ago and was hooked. I loved how the gun felt, how comfortable and quiet it was, and just how effective they are.
It’ll never be as quiet as movies make silencers out to be, but the reduction in noise, flash, and concussion makes shooting way more comfortable. The added reduced recoil and muzzle rise is also a nice touch.
Got a favorite, let us know in the comments! Ready to buy? Check out our Best Places to Buy Suppressors article. Also, make sure to check out our latest reviews on the Silencer Central Banish 30 and Banish 45.
8 Leave a Reply
The updates done supposedly for 2022 are not pertinent at all…these models are huge and bulky and outdated by 5+ years. Please update for real or kick back the date so people don’t click and waste their time!
There are quite a few grammatical, spelling errors, and then some ‘wtf was that supposed to say?’, moments as well in this article. Is there an editor (they’d have to be a really shitty editor if there is) or are you looking for one?
Because I enjoy reading (or trying to...) your articles and would love to help you present a much more clear, concise, comprehendible, and therefore more helpful product as well as presenting your organization and yourself as a much more professional and trustworthy source to your readers, colleagues, and critics.
Thanks for the feedback! We're working on updating older articles as we speak to bring them up to speed on current PPT standards. So, just hold tight. Thanks!
Is there a single recommended can that would work well with 9mm glock, sig MPX, and ar 15-22?
Pretty much any 9mm can that you can take apart to clean will be fine on a .22. If it has a modular mount, you can use a booster for 9mm pistols and rim fire, and a fixed mount on rim fire or 9mm PCC
What do you think of the XCaliber SeaFire Diamond 45ACP from The Silencer Store? Am looking for quality suppressor that won't break the bank. I am planning to add a 1/2X28 piston to it so I can also use it on my 9mm Springfield XDM with raised sights for home defense. What say you?
The CGS Kraken (called the mod 9 now) is one of the best 9mm fullsize handgun cans and it might be the quietest too.
It should be noted that Dead Air only makes limited runs of the Wolf since they replaced it with the Wolfman which is very similar to the Omega 9K in size but has the benefit of the extra removable baffles.