Silencers are really gaining traction these days, but there’s still a bit of a barrier to entry for quiet newbies. Cans are expensive, and the processing time for the ATF paperwork is enough to keep most people from even trying. One of the nifty trends of the last couple years is the idea of a modular silencer — buy one silencer, pay one tax stamp, and suppress as many guns as possible. Both Jeremy S. and I have the Liberty Mystic-X for this specific reason. SilencerCo launched their Omega with a similar concept, but only designed for rifle calibers with no pistol mounting options or cleaning for rimfire cartridges. Even AAC is trying to get into the game. For my money though, Griffin Armament looks like they’ve got a winner on their hands in this space.

GAOPT-2

One serialized tube. One registered part. With that one Griffin Armament Optimus silencer, you get everything from a direct thread .22lr rifle silencer to a 9mm handgun (with Neilsen device) and even a .300 Win Mag rated can. Oh, and it comes apart for cleaning. Even the Mystic-X is only rated through 5.56 NATO (.308 NATO if you count subsonic ammo only), so this is definitely a huge step in the right direction.

The price is a step in the right direction, too. The can is listed with an MSRP of $1,095, which puts it within spitting distance of the less versatile AAC 762-SDN-6 and $5 cheaper than the SilencerCo Omega (which only works on centerfire rifle cartridges). It looks like they’re right in the sweet spot when it comes to pricing, but they’ve got everyone beat when it comes to versatility.

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53 COMMENTS

    • That’s what I thought when the omega came out because I bought a Saker less than a month before. Can’t have too many cans.

    • I feel your pain. I just bought a Griffin Armament Recce 7 (30 Cal), Revoultion 45 (45 ACP), and a Checkmate (22 LR). If I had known this was coming I would have waited. Oh well, maybe next time.

      • It won’t work on .40 or .45(so don’t feel bad about your .45 can). And I’m not sure, but I think your .22 checkmate is smaller. As far as feeling like the Omega was a bad choice…the Omega can do full auto on calibers that the Optimus can’t….and having full auto capability means a lot with fun toys like Slidefire stocks. The Omega as a dedicated rifle can, and buying a small dedicated pistol can is a good way to go(at least that’s my justification for buying an Omega last month-lol).

  2. OK, this is a pretty amazing step in firearms. Now I just need the super sized version for .338 LM and .50 BMG

  3. Looks pretty sweet, I just wish they came out with this a year ago, before I bought .22/.45/7.62 cans

  4. On these newer multi-caliber cans, don’t you still end up with a lot of excess volume if you’re shooting a magnum-rated suppressor on a rimfire or pistol caliber? Or do the new ones allow you to shorten up the baffle stack or something to shed the weight and size when you don’t need it?

    • Did you watch the video? Looks like it has mounting modules that can be changed out spending on use. The full powered rifle module looks like it adds a significant amount of length that won’t be attached when running it on pistol and rim fire configurations. From the shots of them running it on a glock it looks to be no bigger than the fullsize pistol silencers out there.

      This looks pretty slick, the one thing that kept me from buying a Mystic X back when that was released was not being able to run it on full power .308win sized cartridges. This really is the “one can for any host” (**assuming you only have 30cal/9mm or smaller hosts)

      • Just watched it now (didn’t before). Looks like they did indeed eliminate all those concerns. Funny the ATF would grant permission to increase volume, etc., considering that each wiper in an old school silencer is considered to be a silencer on its own when you go to replace them. Not complaining – looking like some common-sense progress is being made, both in the technology and the regulation of such (now, just remove silencers from the NFA entirely, and we’ll be making real progress…)

  5. Jack of all trades, master of none.
    9.4″, 18.5 oz for rifle use – heavy and long.
    Not full auto rated for supersonic rounds.

    Still a novel idea and great for the occasional plinker, but not going on the battle rifle for SHTF.

    • For those of us who don’t operate with transferable machine guns and don’t care if a can is 5 db quieter than this one, it fills the void nicely with only one tax stamp. I only own one suppressor and the reason I only own one is because of the price of the stamp. I can get 1k rounds of 9mm and practice with the cost of the NFA tax. This suppressor and others that will be coming out like it, are a game changer for people like me.

      • Everyone should care if a can is 5db quieter than another. The entire freaking point of a can is to reduce as much sound as possible. That’s like buying a sports car and saying you don’t care if it’s slower than a Yaris as long as it’s cheap.

        Also if you can afford enough guns that you need a can that supports that many calibers, you can afford extra cans. You can’t have 10 guns with 10 calibers then whine that you can’t afford more cans, you just didn’t prioritize it.

        Also, a tax stamp is 200 bucks. Where are you getting decent 9mm after tax/shipping for 200 bucks?

        • It’s not a matter of not prioritizing for some people. Tax stamps add up fast, and 200.00 a pop is a big deal to some people. I have 17 different cans, but way more host weapons. Most of mine get swapped between rifles, and pistols on a regular basis. The only one I don’t swap around, is the Cyclops(50BMG).

        • I care about a significant reduction in volume. I’m not as concerned about the final 5 dB of reduction as I am about everything that came before it.

        • “Also if you can afford enough guns that you need a can that supports that many calibers, you can afford extra cans.”

          Actually, no I fucking can’t.

        • Honest question: are you mentally challenged? Like, have you had part of your brain removed, or were born with a congenital birth defect or mental disability? “That’s like buying a sports car and saying you don’t care if it’s slower than a Yaris as long as it’s cheap.” Thats got to be the most asinine analogy I’ve ever come across. Something more equivalent would be someone saying shopping for a sports car opted to not spend an extra $50,000 for the super lightweight carbon fiber race package that deletes the radio, AC and adjustable seats, because the extra 5 mph of top speed or .1 sec reduction in 0-60 didnt matter to them as much as saving money and having a car that was much more versatile.

          I’m so glad we have idiots like you on this site to tell us all how we should be spending our own money. You should run for political office, you certainly have the pre-requisite inflated sense of self and low IQ.

        • I thought you were being a bit harsh at first…but you followed with a very good point. If someone can afford all those different calibers, a $200 stamp isn’t much to gripe about…so well said-

    • Steaming pile of marketing, and never being too stupid for the average American.

      If it isn’t custom made to the caliber, load, and projectile it’s garbage. It’s a universal muffler that’ll work on your 9K RPM Fiat 1500, and your big-block Chebby equally as well. Next, we’ll introduce you to a leprechaun..

      It’s nonsense, and complete and utter crap. That no one ever calls them on this is disgraceful. There’s a reason tremendous computing power and actuarial science are deployed on intakes and exhausts – fluid dynamics that work is not for the ham-fisted. Yet for some reason you let scientific basics slide on these pathetic wankers.

      If you wish to successfully attenuate the sonic wave generated by a projectile, you must design a can specific to the caliber, charge, and projectile shape. Anything less is as advanced as the adapters for screwing an oil filter onto you muzzle, and likely little more effective.

      Quit falling for BS.

      • You suppressor snobs need to chill out. Not everybody has the same objectives as you. Remember–mission defines the gear. The minimum requirement of the average suppressor purchaser is that the product significantly reduces the blast and noise of the gun firing, so that if there is ever a need to fire the gun without hearing protection (i.e. use the gun in the real world) ear damage and sensory impact is greatly reduced.

        Any design, including the oil filter setup, can probably accomplish that mission. Let’s call that 80% success. If you want to pursue the last 20% of performance and pay for it feel free, but don’t trash the great majority on limited budgets who are served quite nicely by the 80% threshold.

        • Mike, I think you missed my point. This one-size-fits-all pair of shoes is over $1K, and will likely do very little more than an oil filter adapter.

          Attenuating sound waves is science, and there isn’t a single can manufacturer out there actually doing any science beyond throwing it up against the wall to see what sticks. True, that can be science, but far better tools are available, and nobody knows/bothers to use them. It’s still all smoke, mirrors, and marketing BS at this point.

          What bothers me is that no one is calling them on this very fundamental shortcoming. Reviewers are still just excited about playing with the toys, not that the toys suck compared to what they should be.

          • Griffin isn’t some garage newbie operation–they have a brand to protect. I’m sure they’ve put some thought and research into the product. It’s not that hard to contain expanding gasses. Is it as ideal as a purposefully designed caliber-specific product? Probably not, but the percentage of people who would notice or care enough to make it worth spending more money is small.

      • First, you gotta say this can is a bit smaller than an oil filter. Also, not everyone can afford $10,000 in cans…some people need to buy food, a car, pay the mortgage, ect. For someone that doesn’t have $10k, but can save up a grand for one suppressor to fit their 3 handguns+2 rifles, this is ideal. It does a great job of db reduction in the Military Arms Channel youtube review. I’m guessing you’re a high roller who owns $20,000 in state of the art silencers…that’s great…good job….but for the 99% of the rest of us(I know we’re peons to you elite folk…lol)…one damn good suppressor to fit all our guns is a fantastic idea-

    • “All suppressors are multi caliber. ”

      Run some 9mm through a .22lr rimfire can like the Sparrow and tell me how well that works.

      Geeze.

    • Any can that can do more than one caliber, one load, and one projectile is a joke can, and not worthy of any merit, let alone press.

        • That’s right, one muffler for an F350 and a Peterbuilt. Works just as well. Ugh. As challenging as that may be in Texas, do try to learn some science. It’ll make your life better.

        • Where can I find one of those magical, made for one load suppressors? I shoot 30cal 168gr SGKs, and 175gr SMKs subsonic, so I guess I’ll need 2? And another for my 300 Win Mag pushing 200gr A Frames. Shit, this is going to get expensive.

    • Sales volume. Ruger sells shit tons of guns every year, which is what enables them to be so cheap. Griffin is not selling shit tons of cans, so they cannot be that cheap.

      Also the Ruger American is nothing new. It’s a centuries old design just slightly tweaked to their liking, a lot of modern cans are far more recently developed and cost more to develop than yet another bolt gun.

      And let’s face it, the Ruger American just isn’t very nice. It’s is entry level, basic and mediocre. That’s like saying there is no reason for a Ferrari engine to cost more than an entire Camry. If all you want is a Camry, that would be true, but different people want different things from their products.

      • My EDC is an LCR in .357. I have fired thousands of rounds through it including Buffalo Bore 180gr. +P hardcast. Not one misfire, ever. My Redhawk .44 mag is one of only a few pistols recommended for firing Garrett Hammerhead rounds. I have fired many thousands of rounds through that gun as well, including Hammerheads, with ONE misfire. That was one of my hand loads, so my fault. Rugers are incredibly durable and reliable. Not the best looking gun, but that does not matter to those of use who value function over form. I would not call performance like this “mediocre”. YMMV.

  9. Subpar performance on some calibers, too heavy for others. This will be the first of many cans for most buyers. It’s an excellent marketing ploy, because everyone knows you can’t stop at one. 😉

  10. I have one of their Revolution 9 cans, and it’s excellent. A part of the tube and some baffles can be removed to shorten the overall length, with a minimal decrease in sound reduction. I also use it for subsonic blackout with great results. If you’re in the market for a pistol can, check it out.

  11. I’m waiting on stamps for two cans – a 7.62 and a .45 ACP. My original plan was to move them from gun to gun as needed, but I’m already starting to question the wisdom of that. I’m going to need a bunch of pistons (Nielson devices, whatever) to fit my varied pistol threads (13.5x1LH, 1/2×28, 1/2×36, and .578×28) and a bunch of muzzle devices to fit my varied rifles (5/8×24, 1/2×28, 14x1LH).

    That’s well over $1000 in pistons, muzzle devices, and possible thread adapters. The rifles aren’t so bad–as long as I can find the right mount/adapter in all of the thread pitches I need–but the pistols will be a pain in the ass. Changing a piston on a hot can will be no fun whatsoever.

    TL;DR: Having a few cans is going to be more convenient than just one and may well be worth the additional $$$.

  12. What is the size on that can? It looks far to small to be really useful on larger calibers. Being rated for a caliber and being able to provide actually decent suppression of it are not the same thing.

    • Looks like 1.375″ to me. Plenty “fat”, if the baffle stack is designed right. I have a Harvester(1.375″), and a Cyclone(1.5″), and can’t tell the difference between them at the ear.

  13. More important than their prohibitive price is the price you have to pay with your freedoms to have one. Unannounced visits by the dreaded BATFE goons.
    TTAG recently had an article from a suppressor owner who was visited by a predictably aggressive fed thug wanting to see his silencer. Love to have one, but until the “visitation” requirement is changed I’ll never bother with one of them.

    • That was a cop, under some very different circumstances. I would bet quite a large amount of money that most people never have to worry about that. That Hearing Safety Act is in congress still. Call your reps and tell them to vote accordingly.

    • There is now also a Senate Bill as well: S. 2236: Hearing Protection Act of 2015

      Given this I decided to watch its progress as well. I found out that one of my state senators is on the committee that it was referred to. Unfortunately both of my state senators are Ds. So I found this little article from Daily KOS: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/11/5/405370/- Definitely worth referring typical Dems to; if they are really committed antis nothing will help, but for the party line followers, coming from a “trusted” source could help to see the light.

      • Thanks for posting that link. That article has just the right amount of bull shit and whining about social injustice. Something like that might just seep through a dem senator’s head.

  16. I have two Anschutz 22 LR rifles; one is a hunter model 1416D bolt action and the other is a M1913 Super Match 3 position rifle. Without suppressor, the make such small noise to the point that there is absolutely no need to wear ear protection (if you are shooting by yourself). I shoot match subsonic ammo at about 1050 to 1100 FPS depending on the load but most brands loads are at 1080 FPS or a bit less and super accurate to 100 yards. Even with standard speed ammo the noise is negligible. The need for a suppressor is unwarranted for 22 LR rifles and a waste of money. However, for higher calibers like the .308, 7 mm their use is justifiable and for military or tactical situations is a necessity as well as hunting near populated areas or for use in shooting ranges also located near urban areas.

    • Man, you couldn’t be more wrong. Hi-vel 22 long rifle is greater than 140 dBs. Most people aren’t plinking with match grade ammo. Sure, you still get the sonic crack, but muzzle dBs are reduced to “hearing safe” levels. All my 22s are suppressed, and will always be. Nothing puts a smile on your face like hearing action noise, and not much else.

    • “I shoot very expensive and uncommon rifles for a very specific and niche purpose using niche specialty ammo, and find no need for a suppressor. Therefore there is no need for anyone to use a suppressor”.

      Man, thanks for letting us know how wrong we’ve all been shooting all along.

  17. 22 silencer = 400 dollars, 9mm silencer = 600 dollars, 308 silencer = 800 dollars 3 stamps = 600 dollars. Total = 2400 I’m going off street prices here… assuming the Optimus sells around 950 +200 (stamp)= 1150

    2400-1150 = 1250 dollars savings…. yeah I’ll call that a deal.

  18. Have to say this is pretty cool. Too bad the only threaded barrel for pistol I have right now is for 45ACP and the only rifle is the 5.56. Still, it would be nice to shoot the AR without the acompanying volume. Sucks that I’ll still have to get two cans.

  19. I want to know what this thing weighs.

    Chances are that if it can take a .300 win mag, its massively overweight for a .22 silencer or even a 9mm can.

    Don

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