If you are considering investing in a pistol suppressor, you are likely looking at what Silencerco has to offer. Their product line includes two families of centerfire pistol suppressors, the Octane and the Osprey. To get a good comparison between the two, I decided to shoot each one on two Heckler & Koch .45 caliber pistols. Each host pistol had upgraded sights, with my HK USP Tactical .45 sporting adjustable night sights and Jason’s HK45 Tactical with an LED adjustable Trijicon RMR (RM06) on an HK pistol mount.
Choosing which one would be best for you can be a challenge. Each suppressor has its distinct advantages over the other. For me, the Octane 45 made the most sense, and Jason chose the Osprey for his applications.
Right off the bat, the Osprey seems to have some obvious advantages. It’s quieter, ½ inch shorter and an ounce lighter than the Octane and, with most pistols, you won’t need raised sights to see over it.
On the other hand, the Octane is more versatile, being able to shoot all the same calibers as the Osprey in addition to .22LR. It can also be taken apart and cleaned, a must for any suppressor used with rimfire ammunition – and extra peace of mind for those who like to put the extra effort in to keep their weapons clean.
Some of the pros and cons to these suppressors are fairly subjective. The Osprey can be used with factory sights on most guns but I prefer to have a larger gap between the top of the suppressor and the front sight post, and with the factory sights of the USP Tactical or the aftermarket night sights I put on, I can get that even on the Octane. I also prefer the traditional appearance of the Octane. Not having a .22 suppressor at the moment, the Octane is a good foster until I get one of Silencerco’s rimfire options.
I shot both suppressors on both guns to see if any perceived noise difference can be heard. A study by Boston University found that the smallest decibel that a human can detect is 1db. When shooting .45 there is a 0.7 decibel advantage for the Osprey so what I heard between it and my Octane was not differentiable. The figures for the .40 and .9mm, however, favor the Osprey in a way that should be noticeable. Future tests with those to come. The Osprey is 2 decibels quieter with .40 and 5.2 decibels quieter with 9mm, according to the Silencerco website. That is mostly due to the larger internal volume of the Osprey.
When shooting the .45 pistols, I did notice my groups were tighter compared to shooting unsuppressed. This was true for both suppressors. That lead me to analyze the balance of the pistols and recoil profile of the pistols with the suppressors on. Without the excessive noise of the pistols, combined with the suppressors’ seeming effect to tame the felt recoil from the extra weight and piston system, the pistols were easier and much more relaxing to shoot as well.
