Designed for efficiency, handgun silencers minimize weight while still containing the pressures that a handgun round produces. Frequently in the class of silencers, you can select a larger caliber and cover smaller calibers - for example, in most cases a .45ACP silencer will work fine with a 9mm handgun - with only the expense of a little added weight.

Semi-automatic silencers are frequently designed with what's known as a piston. Because the action cycles (and in some pistols, the barrel may actually float freely during this time), a mechanism to take some of the stress off of the threaded connection between the barrel and silencer is required.