Wet vs Dry 22 Silencers

On June 3, 2007 I did tested three 22 silencers both wet and dry to determine the different sound levels given by each one.  I tested water, UltraQuiet Gel (Ultrasound Gel), and CCF Suppressor coolant.  I tested the AAC Prodigy, the TAC 67, and the SRT Comanche using the Browning Buckmark pistol with the Tactical Solutions 4 inch threaded barrel.  The ammunition used for the test was CCI Subsonics.

Testing Method

The tests were conducted using the B&K 2209 sound meter with a B&K 4136 microphone calibrated with the B&K 4220 Pistonphone.  All equipment has been certified and tested so that it can be traced back to the N.I.S.T standards.  The meter and weapon are also placed in accordance with Mil-Std 1474D protocol.  The testing protocol for this test was to fire the weapon 10 times suppressed dry, and then I added 1 type of medium and fired 10 shots wet.  These shots are shown in the chart.  I also wanted to determine how long each medium would last before the silencer started to return to the dry sound levels again.  This is also shown in the charts.  I added approximately 5 cc's of water (around a teaspoon) and for the UltraQuiet Gel and the CCF Suppressor Coolant, I added around 2-3cc's of those mediums (about 1/2 teaspoon). 

AAC Prodigy

AAC Prodigy Video

TAC 67

Tac 67 Video

SRT Comanche

SRT Comanche Video

Conclusions

Water performed well inside of the silencers.  Water is readily available, free and does a great job of cooling hot gases.  Water, as shown in the tests, stayed in the can longer than the other mediums.  This was under continuous shooting conditions.  I was reloading as fast as possible.  Water has it's shortcomings in that it can migrate out of the can as you move it around, and it also evaporates over a fairly short period of time, especially when it's hot outside or when the silencer gets shot and heated up.  UltraQuiet Gel sticks inside of a silencer for a very long period of time and does not fall, drain, or migrate out.  It can remain in the can for days or weeks, even in heat and remains inside AFTER you have shot a few rounds through it.  Since it coats the insides of the silencer and sticks well, the gases generally hit a larger, more even amount of gel as opposed to water that sits in the base of the can because of gravity.  This generally makes the tone of the suppressed shot more gentle to the ear because more of the interior tube is covered with gel.  CCF Suppressor Coolant performed poorly.  It smokes, stinks and didn't do a very good job at reducing the sound levels.  In the case of the SRT can it actually made the first round louder.  It is also interesting to note that the more efficient the silencer is at reducing the sound DRY, the less the mediums did to decrease the sound levels.  The extra reduction the medium provides DECREASES on silencers that are already fairly quiet. 

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