Five silencers evaluated by PEW Science are included in this members-only Research Supplement to examine relative First Round Pop (FRP) and overall sound signature suppression performance characteristics. The five silencers were selected for their high average sound suppression performance at the muzzle or shooter’s ear on the standard PEW Science MK18 test host weapon system. All five silencers induce differing hearing damage risk to the shooter and bystanders on this weapon platform, on average.

This research supplement is intended to provide more information to PEW Science members with regard to specific sound signature characteristics of the tested configurations in the aforementioned reviews, and to help frame objective loudness comparisons between five silencer configurations exhibiting differing sound suppression performance on the MK18 weapon system. Both the FRP and average sound signature suppression regimes are examined. This supplement is part of ongoing PEW Science small arm weapon system sound signature research.