Sound of Silence - Almost. Finally, a Suppressor for My Hunting Rifle - a PWS BDE762-TI

Rarely have I been accused of being an “early adopter.” I shy away from the first model year of any new vehicle, always look for computers and electronics with chips and components that are proven dependable, and confidently stay away from investment voodoo products like cryptocurrency and the like. Plus, I’m cheap, or at least frugal, always living under my means.

For years, I’ve watched as friends and associates knocked down their shooting decibels, protected their hearing, and reduced recoil by adding suppressors to their rifles. I even sat down at the bench and popped off a couple of rounds, trying out new "cans," and generally getting a sense of the experience. But I wasn’t a fan of the exorbitant wait times, the intrusive bureaucracy and the hefty government fees associated with getting a suppressor. That all changed this year. Now, buying a suppressor for a hunting rifle or any firearm is easy-peasy. And the fees are gone. The $200 federal tax stamp for firearm suppressors was eliminated on Jan. 1, 2026, under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (signed July 4, 2025), which reduced the tax to $0. Purchasers still need to fill out the requisite forms (like buying a gun) and pass the state background check, but everything is so much easier and less expensive than before.

A few months ago, I got my first suppressor. There are so many new models available and the innovation in terms of construction is mind-blowing. New designs are reducing the weight of the add-ons. Adding weight and length to rifles is a common worry among people considering a suppressor. I picked up my suppressor at Green Top Sporting Goods and Firearms Manager Mike Norman noted how the tax and regulatory relief made them increasingly popular, with surging demand. He added that some people are opting for shorter barrels or having existing barrels cut and threaded to compensate for weight and length concerns. As my shooting enthusiast friend Thomas Burke observes, shortening those barrels comes at the price of reduced bullet velocity. Thomas says he'll stick to his (unadorned) guns.

Shooters curious about the silencer experience can rent suppressors at Green Top’s Shooting Range. This solves some of the mystery and lets customers try before buying.

So, what did I get? Well, I used social media to ask for the opinions of knowledgeable friends. I received several great recommendations, with longtime industry friend Nate Treadaway suggesting I try one of innovative models made by Primary Weapons Systems (or “PWS”) in Boise, Idaho. The company designs and manufactures tactical and sporting rifles and accessories.

Nate explained that the BDE762-TI Suppressor is built of titanium and crafted using “additive manufacturing" (aka 3D printing). In terms of tech specs, the titanium is Grade 5 6AL-4V. It is touted as lighter and stronger than traditionally machined TI. With excellent corrosion resistance, it’s being used in high-stress applications, including new commercial airliners, undersea vehicles and equipment, medical prostheses, and even some new Apple I-phones.

This suppressor is in 7.62 caliber, but I Iearned that I can use it on multiple rifles with its direct thread 5/8-24” mount. This covers me across rifles ranging from my 6.5 PRC up to my Benelli and Bergara .300 Win. Mag. options. It’s pressure-rated for those .300s as long as the barrels are longer than 20 inches. “Longer is good with magnum calibers,” Treadaway said, “mostly because super short barrels cause higher pressure on the suppressor.” The unit is also “hub compatible” with a universal 1.375x24 TPI pattern, meaning you can use it with suppressor mounts.

If length and weight is a concern, one neat thing about this suppressor is its modular design. You can run it in a long or short configuration, removing up to 4 sections of baffles. While this shortens the length and slightly reduces weight, it also affects the noise reduction rating. The short configuration is 6.5 inches long and weighs 12.7 ounces. The long (full) configuration is 8.2 inches and weighs 17.4 ounces. The baffle sections are taper threaded to prevent carbon locking and loosening.

According to PWS, the BDE®762-TI was evaluated to be hearing safe – less than 140dB, per OSHA standards. The testing involved industry standard firearms using factory ammunition with the end cap was installed directly to the main baffle stack. The company points out that the actual sound will depend on your ammunition type, barrel length, environmental conditions (I’m guessing wind, ambient temperatures, etc.) and more. I know from years of collaborating with Army noise specialists that noise can be a complicated thing – with its own energy. PWS advises measuring whether the shortest configuration is hearing safe with your specific rifle and ammo combos. If not, add more baffles or use additional hearing protection.

Suppressor for Hunting Rifle - Stability Essential

So, what was my experience? The suppressor was mounted to my Mossberg Patriot rifle chambered in 6.5 PRC. This is the rifle I used to take a big whitetail in Kentucky and an impressive Columbian blacktail in California. It’s a solid shooter, with a 24-inch barrel. The full-length suppressor makes the length and weight at the muzzle noticeable. I don’t know if it would accompany me on any hunts involving a lot of hiking or climbing. For laid-back whitetail or hog hunting from a blind where you can get a stable rest, though, I think this setup is going to be - as my Army dad's generation might opine - the proverbial cat’s ass. I'll have to see how the added length affects my ability to maneuver and get on target.

The instructions for the suppressor call for using a torque wrench for attaching it to the rifle or when reinserting baffle sections. The thing is, I’m not the type to want to blow through several boxes of pricey ammunition at the range, especially for a gun I’m using just for hunting. Once I get it dialed in, I’m cool – whether that takes three rounds or 30 (rarely) rounds. I just used the tools PWS provides to hand tighten the components.

The Bench Test

Fortunately, Mike at Green Top mounted my Burris scope atop the rifle and expertly bore-sighted it. My first test shot at 25 yards had me within a couple of inches of the bullseye. Finalizing the zero at Burke’s backyard, 100-yard range, the first shot was just a few inches low and little right. Using the excellent MOA adjustments on the Burris optic, I cranked it up and in and the next three shots were sub-MOA and almost an inch high, which was perfect! Where I hunt, I now feel confident point-blanking (almost) any whitetail out to 200-plus yards with the Barnes VOR-TX ammunition I’m using. The 100-percent copper bullets weigh 127 grains. Zeroed at 1.5 inches high, the bullet’s trajectory shows a 6.6-inch drop at 300 yards. So, I’d hold just a couple of inches high at 300. The drop is 19.1 inches at 400 yards, but the retained energy downrange is still 1,424 foot pounds, plenty enough to wax a whitetail.

We were zeroing off a benchrest without any weight compensation to mitigate recoil. I was impressed at how lightly the rifle kicked. The PWS baffles minimize backpressure – lessen gas blowback. Ever cautious about protecting what little hearing I have left and not wanting to worsen my persistent tinnitus, I wore muffs for the first couple of shots. After the third shot, Thomas told me, “You don’t need those muffs. The noise is about as loud as a .22 short.” So, I took off the muffs for the last shot and was pleasantly amazed at the sound reduction. Oh, how I wish suppressors had been standard issue back in my younger, stupid days of shooting without hearing protection.

Final Thoughts

I’m really looking forward to getting this gun into the field next week in Virginia. I may, someday, try the suppressor with one of my .300s. Or maybe I’ll get another suppressor to add to my options. A lot of friends have several and, as noted earlier, the innovations in this field are impressive. I do like the PWS lifetime warranty against manufacturing and design defects. It’s fully transferable with no need for proof of purchase.

The removal of the $200 fee and the streamlined purchasing created a bow wave of demand, and many manufacturers have had a tough time keeping up. That’s why you see “out of stock” on many popular models. Business has been booming, as reported by Paul Erhardt in September in The Supplier Wire. “During a recent SilencerCo media event, company President Scott Clinger told industry media that suppressor sales have already hit 1 million units this year. And he expects the market to finish 2026 at roughly 2 million suppressors sold,” Erhardt wrote. “To put that into perspective, when SilencerCo entered the market in 2008 with its Sparrow rimfire suppressor, the entire country was processing roughly 11,000 Form 4s annually.”

Recent election developments create major concern – at least as I see it. If you want a suppressor, start looking and get into the queue if needed. I’d suggest not waiting to buy your next piece of hunting or self-defense equipment. The anti-gun crowd takes legislative power in January and incoming U.S. House Judiciary Committee leader Rep. Jamie Raskin, a Maryland liberal’s liberal, stated that universal gun registration will be a top priority for House Democrats in the upcoming Congress. Other restrictions are almost certain to be proposed – just look at the anti-gun bloodbath in Virginia after liberal takeover of all branches of government. Those efforts at the federal level will hopefully be stymied over the next two years, but who knows…after that the erosion of fundamental American rights is a distinct possibility.