SSS.6.165 - Off Grid Suppressors Trident Ti and the Savage Model 10 PC .308
/Off Grid Suppressors Trident Ti on a Savage Model 10 .308 with 20-in Barrel
The Trident Ti is a 30 caliber centerfire rifle silencer from Off Grid Suppressors (Off Grid), intended to suppress many cartridges with projectiles appropriately sized to travel through the bore. It has a 1.5-inch diameter and is 8 inches long. The proximal end of the silencer is threaded 5/8-24 tpi for direct-thread mounting only. The silencer is 3D printed from a titanium alloy, and weighs 8.8 ounces, as tested. The silencer is also available in a 3D-printed Inconel alloy model, with an increased weight of approximately 16 ounces. The Trident models can be obtained from Off Grid Suppressors and Silencer Central.
PEW Science is an independent private testing laboratory and also hosts the world’s only independent public suppressed small arms research cooperative. Testing, data analysis, and reporting is generated with funding provided by PEW Science members. Any test data that is generated with any portion of private funding contains this disclosure. The testing and analysis production for this Sound Signature Review was funded in part by PEW Science Project PEW-OG-089-001-24. Therefore, data pertaining to the Trident Ti in this Sound Signature Review is published with the express written permission of Rough Rider Technology.
This review contains single test results using the Off Grid Suppressors Trident Ti on the Savage Model 10 Precision Carbine rifle, chambered in .308WIN with a 20-inch barrel. Federal XM80 149gr ammunition was used in the tests.
Section 6.165.1 contains the Off Grid Suppressors Trident Ti test results and analysis.
Section 6.165.2 contains back pressure and Suppression Rating comparisons with selected .30 rifle silencers possessing a PEW Science Back Pressure Metric, Ω [Pa-1] in Omega Zones 5 and below. An updated Ω metric chart for the full suite of publicly evaluated .30 rifle silencers is also provided in this section. Further information about the Ω metric and Omega Zones can be obtained in PEW Science Research Supplement 6.40 (Public Article).
- Section 6.165.3 contains the review summary and PEW Science laboratory staff technical opinions.
Summary: When paired with the Savage M10 20” .308 and fired with Federal XM80, the Off Grid Suppressors Trident Ti achieved a Suppression Rating™ of 41.4 in PEW Science testing.
As with all weapon systems, the user is encouraged to examine both muzzle and ear Suppression Ratings.
Relative Suppression Rating Performance is Summarized in SSS.7 - PEW Science Rankings
6.165.1 Off Grid Suppressors Trident Ti Sound Signature Test Results
A summary of the principal Silencer Sound Standard performance metrics of the Off Grid Suppressors Trident Ti is shown in Table 1. The data acquired 1.0 m (39.4 in) left of the muzzle is available for viewing to all. This is a members-only review and includes pressure and impulse waveforms measured at the shooter’s ear. PEW Science thanks you for your support; further testing, research, and development of PEW-SOFT and the Silencer Sound Standard is made possible by members like you!
Table 1. Off Grid Suppressors Trident Ti Sound Metric Summary
6.165.1.1 SOUND SIGNATURES AT THE MUZZLE
Real sound pressure histories acquired with PEW-SOFT™ are shown below. The waveforms are not averaged, decimated, or filtered. The data acquisition rate used in all PEW Science testing is 1.0 MS/s (1 MHz). The peaks, shape, and time phasing (when the peaks occur in relation to absolute time and to each other) of these raw waveforms are the most accurate of any firearm silencer testing publicly available. PEW-SOFT data is acquired by PEW Science independent testing; the recognized industry leader in silencer sound research. For more information, please consult the Silencer Sound Standard.
The primary sound signature pressure histories for all 5 shots with the Trident Ti are shown in Figure 1a. The sound signatures of Shot 1, Shot 2, and Shot 3 are shown in Figure 1b, in early time. The real sound impulse (momentum transfer potential) histories from the same 5-shot test are shown in Figure 2a. In Figure 2b, a shorter timescale is shown comparing the impulse of Shot 1 to that of Shot 2 and Shot 3.
Fig 1a. Off Grid Suppressors Trident Ti Bolt Action Rifle Muzzle Sound Pressure Signature
Fig 1b. Off Grid Suppressors Trident Ti Bolt Action Rifle Muzzle Sound Pressure Signature, Short Time Window
Figure 2a. Off Grid Suppressors Trident Ti Bolt Action Rifle Muzzle Sound Impulse Signature
Figure 2b. Off Grid Suppressors Trident Ti Bolt Action Rifle Muzzle Sound Impulse Signature, Short Time Window
The Off Grid family of silencers consists of monolithic 3D printed direct thread models, most of which incorporate internal geometry indicative of modern hybrid technology. Hybrid silencers combine elements of conventional baffle designs with high flow rate geometries such as those implemented in HUXWRX Flow-Through technologies, and others. The performance of several different hybrid silencer technologies is examined in Member Research Supplement 6.124.
The Trident Ti possesses a ported conventional blast baffle which feeds a relatively complex toroidal spiral internal structure, terminating with additional distal vents. In contrast to Flow-Through technology, the blast propagation from the distal end of a silencer possessing a hybrid technology may possess different characteristics, even if it possesses distal venting ancillary to the bore. In a gross sense, this is due to a lower flow rate facilitated by early time blast load reflections and subsequent stagnation. The Off Grid Trident Ti demonstrates the following characteristics shown in the above test data, consistent with this hybrid design flow rate reduction:
Relatively longer blowdown duration (Fig. 1a).
Lack of decoupled ground reflection, consistent with (1).
Relatively short initial positive phase blast load duration with coincident rarefaction (Fig. 1b).
Blast pressures reach maxima later in time, post-initial jetting (Fig. 1b).
Relatively longer duration rise to maximum positive phase blast impulse (Fig. 2a).
The reader is encouraged to compare and contrast the behavior of the HUXWRX FLOW 762 Ti (6.113) and the Off Grid Trident Ti, described above. The differences in gross behavior provide an excellent example of Flow-Through vs. hybrid design performance.
PEW Science Research Note 1: The Off Grid Trident Ti produces a noticeable, but not severe, relative first-round-pop (FRP) intensity to bystanders on the tested weapon system. Besides somewhat lower FRP severity, there are other performance benefits that can be realized through the implementation of hybrid technologies, over that of pure Flow-Through. For example, when gross system flow rate is elevated above certain levels, suppression performance may suffer; lower input blast pressures and durations may not induce the same turbulence and subsequent heat transfer mechanisms. This results in lower subsonic suppression performance, as shown in the subsonic ammunition test data and analysis of the HUXWRX HX-QD 762 (6.45). HUXWRX addresses this type of performance deficiency with subsonic ammunition by modifying their Flow-Through technology to a hybrid technology implementation in the HUXWRX CASH 9K (6.97). The performance of such technologies is well studied in the Silencer Sound Standard research pedigree, in multiple combustion regimes.
PEW Science Research Note 2: Another benefit of hybrid technology use over that of Flow-Through can be a higher degree of bystander risk reduction, facilitated through blast momentum throttle observed in (5). With a slightly elevated Omega Metric (6.40), a silencer may produce less intense blast load reflections off of nearby surfaces (e.g. berms, trees, vehicles, or structures). The Off Grid Trident Ti possesses a higher Omega Metric than the HUXWRX FLOW 762 Ti due to early-time blast load impulse accumulation being reduced only through porting of its conventionally-shaped blast baffle; it is only after blast load clearing through the ports is complete that its low back pressure technology is utilized. Furthermore, the additional distal venting in the Trident Ti has significantly less flow area than that implemented in the FLOW series. Note the impulse accumulation stall that occurs at approximately 30.7 ms in Figure 2b. Typical blowdown does not initiate until later, as noted in the figure.
Hybrid technologies are not necessarily always superior to Flow-Through designs. One benefit of true Flow-Through technology over the specific hybrid technology implemented in the Off Grid Trident Ti is the use of longer flow paths. This allows the HUXWRX FLOW 762 Ti to accomplishing similar suppression performance over a shorter length envelope. Different silencer technologies exhibit performance tradeoffs.
PEW Science Research Note 3: For its size and weight, the Off Grid Trident Ti exhibits significantly balanced performance between signature suppression and flow rate. Its muzzle Suppression Rating of 31.4 is relatively high for its Omega Zone. The gross suppression performance of the Trident Ti is higher than the aforementioned HUXWRX FLOW 762 Ti, and also higher than that of the Otter Creek Labs Polonium-30 (6.142), Silencer Central Banish 30 (6.74), SilencerCo Omega 300 (6.10), SilencerCo Harvester 300 (6.31), Dead Air Nomad-30 1st Gen (6.43), Dead Air Sandman-S (6.11), Rugged Radiant (6.12), Q Trash Panda (6.4), and others. The reader is encouraged to examine the bar chart in Figure 5 of this article, along with the comprehensive and sortable Rankings Table in Section 7 of the Standard.
Close to the weight of 8.8 ounces, only the Diligent Defense Enticer S-Ti (6.68) competes in performance with this silencer, albeit with higher back pressure. The Suppression Rating Parametric Visualization Tool in the Members Ranking Section may be used to filter for weight, length, and other parameters.
As typically indicated, first-round sound signatures always differ from subsequent shots, as the atmosphere within the silencer changes. The FRP phenomenon cannot always be shown by viewing only the peak sound pressure. This is one of the reasons why The Silencer Sound Standard requires examining multiple sound signature metrics. Ammunition consistency can play a role in the determination of FRP, however, the close examination of measured pressure and impulse waveforms typically excludes ammunition from the possible factors influencing true FRP, due to the relative consistency of most high quality factory ammunition.
PEW Science has made a concerted effort to characterize the FRP phenomenon with true physiological human inner-ear response analyses. Additional PEW Science Member Research Supplements containing this information are released periodically.
6.165.1.2 SOUND SIGNATURES AT SHOOTER’S EAR
Real sound pressure histories from the same 5-shot test of the Off Grid Suppressors Trident Ti acquired with PEW-SOFT at the shooter’s ear are shown below. Again, the waveforms are not averaged, decimated, or filtered. The data acquisition rate used in all PEW Science testing is 1.0 MS/s (1 MHz).
The primary sound signature pressure histories at the ear for all 5 shots are shown in Figure 3. The primary sound signature history is shown on the left. A zoomed-in timescale is displayed on the right, in the region of peak sound pressure for Shot 1, Shot 2, and Shot 3. The real sound impulse (momentum transfer potential) histories at the ear from the same 5-shot test are shown in Figure 4. Again, full and short timescales are shown.
Figure 3a. Off Grid Suppressors Trident Ti Bolt Action Rifle Ear Sound Pressure Signature
Figure 3b. Off Grid Suppressors Trident Ti Bolt Action Rifle Ear Sound Pressure Signature, Short Time Window
Figure 4a. Off Grid Suppressors Trident Ti Bolt Action Rifle Ear Sound Impulse Signature
Figure 4b. Off Grid Suppressors Trident Ti Bolt Action Rifle Ear Sound Impulse Signature, Short Time Window
At the operator’s head with the Trident Ti on this host weapon, there are some performance factors of note:
The relative FRP intensity is also noticeable to the shooter, as it is at the muzzle to bystanders, as previously noted. Severity differential is likely not to be severe with this barrel length.
Blast load accumulation plateau is again noted prior to primary blowdown.
Consistency is relatively high for a silencer in its flow rate class.
Operators may note relatively high performance for the silencer’s size and weight on this weapon system. The diameter of the Trident Ti is 1.5-inches; a departure from several modern silencers in the class. In higher flow rate designs, increased length can be of significant performance benefit due to the mechanism of action; the Trident Ti is 8 inches long. However, the silencer also has an integrated direct-thread mount.
PEW Science Research Note 4: The HUXWRX FLOW 762 Ti is shorter, with similar performance; but, the FLOW 762 Ti also has a significantly larger diameter (1.8 inches). Whereas the Flow-Through technology possesses overlapping toroidal spirals; the hybrid technology in the Trident Ti design places the paths in the main body. This highlights a significant difference between the two technologies and the two silencers.
PEW Science Research Note 5: It is likely that the performance of the Trident Ti near reflecting surfaces will be higher than that of the FLOW 762 Ti. However, it is also likely that the ejection port blast from a semiautomatic weapon system will be more severe with the Trident Ti than with the FLOW 762 Ti. This comparison is postulated to hold for untuned weapon systems in which unsuppressed weapon settings are not modified when a silencer is added. If the gas system or mechanical components of the weapon system are modified from their typical configuration, hybrid technology designs like the Trident Ti may be able to eclipse the operator hazard reduction of Flow-Through systems, at least with regard to blast overpressure hazards. Specific weapon system parameters and environment both heavily influence these potential performance differentials.
The reader may examine the overall performance spectrum in the PEW Science Rankings Section. At a weight of 8.8 ounces, only the Diligent Defense Enticer S-Ti competes in performance with this silencer in the weight class. The Suppression Rating Parametric Visualization tool, below the main chart, may be used to filter for weight.
As typical, the overall sound signature measured at the shooter’s ear possesses significantly less amplitude in both the pressure and impulse regimes than the signature measured at the muzzle (refer to Table 1). Furthermore, the application of both pressure and impulse at the shooter’s ear is delayed when compared to the pressure and impulse at the weapon muzzle. The combination of varying amplitude and rise time to peak amplitude influences the response of the human ear.
It is extremely important to note that muzzle signature influences the signature to the weapon operator. This is a test on a bolt-action rifle. Similar jetting phenomenon measured at the muzzle propagates toward the shooter. The standoff of the endcap to the shooter, as well as angle of incidence of the pressure (blast) waves, result in exponential decay of hearing damage risk when compared to personnel adjacent to the muzzle.
6.165.2 Relative Suppression Rating and Back Pressure Comparisons (.30 Rifle Silencers)
The Off Grid Trident Ti suppressor is intended to offer reduced back pressure when compared to some other designs. PEW Science has developed an empirical relation to quantify the back pressure (flow restriction) of silencers. Figure 5 and Figure 6 show supersonic suppression and back pressure comparisons between selected 7.62mm (30 caliber) rifle silencers shown in public PEW Science Sound Signature Reviews, as of the date of this review publication. The results shown in Figure 5 and Figure 6 are calculated from real test data acquired with PEW-SOFT. Please note the following:
The PEW Science Back Pressure Metric, Ω [Pa-1], may be generated for any silencer and suppressed weapon system using any suitable raw external overpressure signature data acquired 1.0 m left of the silencer end cap. PEW Science highly recommends data acquisition in accordance with The Silencer Sound Standard.
Omega Zones are presented in Table 2, below, which are intended to provide guidance to weapons developers, silencer designers, and end-users, with regard to flow restriction characteristics of different silencer designs. It is very important to note that silencers possessing a relatively high Ω can still provide functional use on weapon systems. Some weapon systems are more sensitive to Ω than others.
It is important to note that a silencer’s Omega Zone can shift when using a mounting scheme that differs from that used in the testing referenced in the published PEW Science Sound Signature Reviews. This phenomenon occurs due to some silencer mounting schemes significantly influencing flow restriction with some silencer designs.
The theoretical lower limit of flow restriction, or so-called "zero back pressure" would be represented by the unsupressed state, Ω = 0 [Pa-1].
PEW Science acknowledges that other dynamic events occur within a suppressed weapon system that can also influence weapon function. Therefore, PEW Science acknowledges that Ω is not the sole parameter one must consider for total supppressed weapon system operation. However, PEW Science postulates that the Ω metric influence can be significant. Note that weapon system influence is also a function of early-time wave propagation factors which may be measured inside the system, in close proximity to the muzzle orifice. These factors include the PEW Science Alpha parameter; a subject of internal research.
The Back Pressure Metric relations are most easily viewed on a logarithmic scale (See Figure 6).
Figure 5. Omega Back Pressure Metric And Suppression Rating Comparisons Of .308 Rifle Silencers Using PEW-SOFT Data and Analysis
As stated above, the PEW Science Back Pressure Metric is most easily viewed on a logarithmic scale. The metric is nonlinear; the shape of the trend in the data presented in Figure 6, below, illustrates the potential thresholds of extreme flow rate (approaching the unsuppressed state) and extreme flow restriction (approaching the trapping of the maximum amount of combustion byproducts in a system).
Figure 6. Omega Back Pressure Metric Comparisons Of .308 Rifle Silencers Using PEW-SOFT Data and Analysis
Omega characterizes silencer back pressure. It is important to note that back pressure is not blow back. The back pressure of a silencer is the flow restriction it introduces in a suppressed weapon system. The blow back phenomenon that can occur during the use of a suppressed weapon system is caused by the reciprocating system actuating too early relative to overpressure decay within the weapon system, resulting in exposure of excessive internal system overpressure to atmosphere. Some weapons may be tuned to function well with silencers in a high Omega Zone. Some weapons may require low-Omega silencers due to constraints in their operating system(s). Omega metric technical details can be found in PEW Science Public Research Supplement 6.40.
Table 2. PEW Science Back Pressure Metric Omega Zones And Suppressed Weapon System Functional Descriptions
As stated above, weapon system influence is a function of both Ω and early-time wave propagation factors which may be measured inside the system, in close proximity to the muzzle orifice. These factors include the PEW Science Alpha parameter; a subject of internal research. The Off Grid Trident Ti possesses some blast chamber venting which most likely influences both early time shock reflections near the muzzle and late time momentum accumulation. Due to the overall design of the Trident Ti, its Omega Metric is relatively low for its suppression performance.
The suppression performance of the Trident Ti on this platform, holistically, is higher than that of the Otter Creek Labs Polonium-30 (6.142), Silencer Central Banish 30 (6.74), SilencerCo Omega 300 (6.10), SilencerCo Harvester 300 (6.31), Dead Air Nomad-30 1st Gen (6.43), Dead Air Sandman-S (6.11), Rugged Radiant (6.12), Q Trash Panda (6.4), and others.
The performance of the Trident Ti is very similar to that of the HUXWRX FLOW 762 Ti (6.113) on this weapon system. However, The FLOW 762 Ti may provide a more favorable operator experience on reciprocating weapons. System parameters and operating environment play a significant role in this performance comparison.
PEW Science Research Note 6: Hybrid technologies continue to proliferate in the market; designs like the Surefire SOCOM556-RC3 (6.151), SilencerCo Velos (6.134), CAT WB (6.129), FOR Systems Monarch 7.62 (6.155), and others, are joined by silencers like those from Off Grid to balance suppression performance in multiple environments with higher flow rates to mitigate operator hazards.
PEW Science urges the reader not to misconstrue a low Omega metric with the mirroring of unsuppressed weapon function, nor a high Omega Metric with absolute use prohibition on semi-automatic systems. Each weapon system may experience varying sensitivity to different Omega Zones and users may exhibit varying preference for weapon system function and operability. The Zones are provided by PEW Science to assist the reader with determination of postulated applicability of silencer types, as some users may only have experience with certain silencers. The Omega Metric is one performance indicator; it allows overall flow rate phenomena to be categorized independently from sound signature suppression performance. Note that weapon system influence is also a function of early-time wave propagation factors which may be measured inside the system, in close proximity to the muzzle orifice.
PEW Science Research Note 7: The Off Grid Suppressors Trident Ti is a direct-thread-only model. If the user wishes to adapt the silencer to firearms possessing a different thread diameter and pitch than 5/8-24tpi, thread adapters may be used. Significant caution is urged for the use of such adapters, as bore concentricity and other dimensional variations may significantly influence system operation.
The user is encouraged to be mindful of the degree to which sound signature suppression, and resulting personnel hazards, can vary across designs. Small arm weapon system suppression performance is a spectrum. The PEW Science Suppression Rating and the Silencer Sound Standard help quantify this spectrum for end users and industry, objectively.
6.165.3 Review Summary: Off Grid Suppressors Trident Ti on a Savage Model 10 .308 with 20-in Barrel
When paired with the Savage M10 20” .308 and fired with Federal XM80, the Off Grid Suppressors Trident Ti achieved a Suppression Rating™ of 41.4 in PEW Science testing.
As with all weapon systems, the user is encouraged to examine both muzzle and ear Suppression Ratings.
PEW Science Laboratory Staff Opinion:
The Off Grid Suppressors Trident Ti is an extremely lightweight mid-size 30 caliber rifle silencer that demonstrates high suppression performance for its size and weight, with lower back pressure than conventional designs. The silencer is direct-thread-mount only, and is also smaller diameter than competing models. The silencer is 3D printed, and also available in a heavier Inconel model for use with more severe firing schedules.
The Off Grid family of silencers consists of monolithic 3D printed direct thread models, most of which incorporate internal geometry indicative of modern hybrid technology. Hybrid silencers combine elements of conventional baffle designs with high flow rate geometries such as those implemented in HUXWRX Flow-Through technologies, and others.
The Trident Ti possesses a ported conventional blast baffle which feeds a relatively complex toroidal spiral internal structure, terminating with additional distal vents. In contrast to Flow-Through technologies, the blast propagation from the distal end of a silencer possessing a hybrid technology may possess different characteristics, even if it possesses distal venting ancillary to the bore. In a gross sense, this is due to a lower flow rate facilitated by early time blast load reflections and subsequent stagnation. With a lower flow rate (slightly elevated Omega Metric), a silencer possessing hybrid technology may produce a less intense blast load reflections off of nearby surfaces (e.g. berms, trees, vehicles, or structures) than a strict Flow-Through silencer.
For its size and weight, the Off Grid Trident Ti exhibits significantly balanced performance between signature suppression and flow rate. Its muzzle Suppression Rating of 31.4 is relatively high for its Omega Zone. The gross suppression performance of the Trident Ti is higher than the HUXWRX FLOW 762 Ti, and also higher than that of the Otter Creek Labs Polonium-30, Silencer Central Banish 30, SilencerCo Omega 300, SilencerCo Harvester 300, Dead Air Nomad-30 1st Gen, Dead Air Sandman-S, Rugged Radiant, Q Trash Panda, and others. The reader is encouraged to examine the comprehensive and sortable Rankings Table in Section 7 of the Silencer Sound Standard.
The Off Grid Suppressors Trident Ti is a direct-thread-only model. If the user wishes to adapt the silencer to firearms possessing a different thread diameter and pitch than 5/8-24tpi, thread adapters may be used. Significant caution is urged for the use of such adapters, as bore concentricity and other dimensional variations may significantly influence system operation.
The silencer is also offered in an Inconel model; users requiring increased durability for aggressive firing schedules may find this attractive. PEW Science has not performed durability testing or evaluation of Off Grid silencers. The user is encouraged to contact the manufacturer for use guidance.
In this review, the Off Grid Suppressors Trident Ti performance metrics depend upon suppressing a supersonic centerfire rifle cartridge; no easy task. PEW Science encourages the reader to remain vigilant with regard to all supersonic centerfire rifle suppression claims. The gas volume and combustion products created by the firing of the supersonic .308WIN cartridge are significant; the measured pressure and impulse magnitudes, and their durations, illustrate this fact.
The hearing damage potential of supersonic centerfire rifle use is significant. PEW Science encourages the reader to consider the Suppression Rating when deciding on an appropriate silencer and host weapon combination for their desired use.
