Ballistic’s Best 2025 Suppressors

Once the arena of operators and tactical nerds with a budget, suppressors are now mainstream. With that, the number of companies making suppressors has exploded. There are suppressors for every flavor of gun under the sun, and it can be challenging to choose the right one. To help you in that process, we have taken suppressors from the three main categories – rimfire, centerfire, and .30 cal., and tested them.  We put them head-to-head to decide which suppressor would win the coveted Ballistics Best Suppressors of 2025.

Ballistics Best Suppressors Testing

Before we dive into the battle, let’s look at the process. The testing parameters are provided to us by the Ballistic Magazine staff and are pretty straightforward. Each category covered something that people in the suppressor market look for. The scale ranged from 0 to 5, with the opening point at 3. That means every suppressor came in as a three and gained or lost points as the evaluation progressed.

Advertisement — Continue Reading Below

On the surface, this testing is straightforward. Simply evaluate each suppressor in detail, shoot it, and assign a score. Ultimately, the individual scores would be tallied, and a winner would emerge. As the saying goes, however, that looks great on paper but is difficult to apply to the real world. All these suppressors were great; going into this, we knew we would need to be militant about the fine details and the can’s performance. In fact, only a few points separated the first three places. With that laid out, let’s look at this year’s contenders in alphabetical order.

Ballistic’s Best Suppressor Categories and Contenders

Rimfire Suppressors

Heresy Design Resonance 22 

The Resonance 22 from Heresy Design delivers industry-leading sound suppression, ultralight handling, and easy maintenance. Engineered for all rimfire calibers and Subsonic 5.7mm ammunition, it’s built to perform while miniThe Resonance 22 from Heresy Design delivers industry-leading sound suppression, ultralight handling, and easy maintenance. Engineered for all rimfire calibers and Subsonic 5.7mm ammunition, it’s built to perform while minimizing blowback and residue for a cleaner shooting experience. The Resonance 22 delivers industry-leading sound suppression, ultralight handling, and easy maintenance. Engineered for all rimfire calibers and Subsonic 5.7mm ammunition, it’s built to perform while minimizing blowback and residue for a cleaner shooting experience.

Advertisement — Continue Reading Below

• Highest Evaluators Score: 32
• Lowest Evaluators Score: 29
• Highest Average Category Score: OA Size 3.67
• Lowest Average Category Score: Dispersion 3.00

Total Score: 30.33

Dead Air RXD22Ti

Dead Air Silencers and Ruger Firearms are two of the most respected names in the shooting sports industry. These great brands came together to offer an entirely new and exciting product line: RXD Suppressors. Dead Air developed this line of performance-driven suppressors and accessories to complement Ruger’s innovative firearms designs. RXD products are not reskins – they represent a new standard for suppressor design, performance, and maintainability.

Advertisement — Continue Reading Below

This innovative suppressor is comprised of a Titanium tube, a 3D-printed, PVD-coated, single-piece Triskelion core, a titanium retaining cap, and an all-new XRF muzzle brake, designed to enhance performance and capture lead.

• Highest Evaluators Score: 33
• Lowest Evaluators Score: 32
• Highest Average Category Score: Aesthetics 4.00
• Lowest Average Category Score: OA Size 3.00

Total Score: 32.00

Advertisement — Continue Reading Below

SilencerCo Switchback 22

The Switchback 22 is a modular, lightweight suppressor with unmatched sound reduction. The Switchback offers three lengths and four configurations. The baffles’ orientation optimizes sound performance for pistols out of the box. HoThe Switchback 22 is a modular, lightweight suppressor with unmatched sound reduction. The Switchback offers three lengths and four configurations. The baffles’ orientation optimizes sound performance for pistols out of the box. However, when the baffles’ orientation is flipped, the Switchback 22 becomes optimized for rifles. It’s also user-serviceable, so shooters can keep it clean and functional for years to come.

The Switchback 22 is rated for .22 LR, .22 WMR, .22 Hornet, .17 HMR, .17 WSM, and 5.7×28 mm. It is full-auto-rated for all of these calibers and compatible with Delta Adapters. 

• Highest Evaluators Score: 32
• Lowest Evaluators Score: 33
• Highest Average Category Score: Weight 4.00
• Lowest Average Category Score: Price 3.00

Total Score: 30.67

Advertisement — Continue Reading Below

Nosler SR22-Ti

The Nosler SR-22Ti is a premium suppressor engineered for all .22 caliber platforms, including 5.56mm rifles. Constructed entirely from titanium, it offers exceptional durability while maintaining a lightweight profile at 12.8 ounces. Measuring 7.533 inches in length and 1.740 inches in diameter, the SR-22Ti effectively reduces noise, protecting your hearing and minimizing disturbance to game during hunting. Its modular design allows for easy disassembly, facilitating maintenance and cleaning. The suppressor features a 1/2×28 thread pitch, ensuring compatibility with a wide range of firearms.

• Highest Evaluators Score: 28
• Lowest Evaluators Score: 24
• Highest Average Category Score: Dispersion 3.67
• Lowest Average Category Score: Aesthetics 2.33

Total Score: 26.33

Advertisement — Continue Reading Below

Centerfire Suppressors

Dead Air Sierra 5   

The Sierra 5 is full-auto-rated with no barrel-length restrictions. Love or hate the knurling, it’s function over form, directly inline with their goal when developing the Sierra 5.

Built for professional use, it offers the perfect balance of overall sound and flash suppression while maintaining a compact footprint and minimal weight. By utilizing HUB-compatible (1.375-24″) mounting adapters, it can be configured to the end user’s specific needs and is available out of the box with either a KeyMo or Xeno mounting system.

Featuring the proven winning combination of welded Cobalt 6 baffles wrapped in a stainless outer tube, Sierra 5 is the last 5.56 suppressor you’ll need.

• Highest Evaluators Score: 30
• Lowest Evaluators Score: 28
• Highest Average Category Score: Recoil 3.67
• Lowest Average Category Score: Price 3.67

Total Score: 30.00

PTR VENT 3

This 5.56 suppressor revolutionizes sound suppression with its innovative, purposely induced porosity, complemented by titanium. This dynamic duo ensures the VENT 3 leads in lightness, strength, and efficiency in heat dissipation and back-pressure reduction, providing a quieter, more reliable shooting experience.

Featuring a pioneering 3D-printed, monolithic body-to-core structure, the VENT 3 sets a new standard in suppressor durability and thermal resistance. Its advanced PIP technology allows for precise calibration of strength, density, and thermal properties, offering unparalleled control over gas expansion. The result is a suppressor that redefines the industry’s benchmarks.

• Highest Evaluators Score: 31
• Lowest Evaluators Score: 28
• Highest Average Category Score: Recoil 3.67
• Lowest Average Category Score: Price 3.00

Total Score: 29.00

Silencer Central BANISH 223

Designed for smaller, centerfire calibers used by predator hunters and target shooters, the BANISH 223 will fit all rifles with a .224 or smaller bore, including rimfire rifles.  The AR-15 has quickly become one of the most popular rifles on the market, and the BANISH 223 suppressor is optimized to run on that platform as well, not just traditional bolt-action hunting and target rifles.

As an added perk, it’s even rated for limited full-auto fire.

With a sound reduction of 34 decibels, the reduced report provided by the BANISH 223’s expansion tube and seven baffles will not only protect your hearing but also the hearing of anyone shooting around you, and it will help keep the sound from spooking other animals.

The BANISH 223 is a direct-thread silencer that mounts on conventional 1/2×28 threads. Made of lightweight titanium, this 7″ suppressor weighs a mere 11.4 ounces.

• Highest Evaluators Score: 30
• Lowest Evaluators Score: 29
• Highest Average Category Score: Weight 3.67
• Lowest Average Category Score: OA Size 3.00

Total Score: 29.33

SilencerCo Velos LBP

The Velos LBP uses low-back-pressure technology to reduce overall blowback while maintaining impressive sound suppression. The Velos LBP is constructed of a 3D-printed Inconel 625 core, fully welded to 17-4 stainless steel front and rear modules, making this product unlike anything else on the market. It is also full-auto rated and the most durable suppressor SilencerCo has ever made. Options include the Velos LBP 5.56, Velos 5.56 K, and Velos LBP 7.62. 

The Velos LBP 5.56 and 5.56 K suppressors are dedicated to .223 REM / 5.56 NATO calibers, while the Velos LBP 7.62 accommodates calibers up to .30 caliber. All are compatible with SilencerCo’s Charlie accessories and have no barrel length restrictions.

• Highest Evaluators Score: 31
• Lowest Evaluators Score: 30
• Highest Average Category Score: Perceived Sound 3.67
• Lowest Average Category Score: Price 3.00

Total Score: 30.66

30 Cal Suppressors

Dead Air RXD 30Ti 

The RXD30Ti combines the two industry-leading, patented baffle technologies, Triskelion and Nomad, delivering an ultralight suppressor with integrated porting to drastically reduce felt recoil. The RXD30Ti was specifically designed for small- to large-game hunting and precision rifle shooting. It ships with the new Direct Thread Brake Mount and RXD flash-hiding front cap, which help reduce blast baffle erosion and muzzle flash, respectively.

• Highest Evaluators Score: 32
• Lowest Evaluators Score: 28
• Highest Average Category Score: Dispersion 3.67
• Lowest Average Category Score: Price 3.00

Total Score: 29.66

Kovix T1-300-8

The Kovix T1-300-8 is an 8-inch, full-magnum-rated rifle suppressor from the Timberline Series, designed for shooters seeking a lightweight, durable option. It is constructed from 100% titanium using laser welds, prioritizing strength while keeping weight to a minimum. The suppressor is rated for .308 WIN, .300 WIN MAG, and .300 RUM, and has no barrel length restrictions. Kovix offers this suppressor in both 8-inch and 6-inch versions.

• Highest Evaluators Score: 29
• Lowest Evaluators Score: 28
• Highest Average Category Score: Recoil 3.33
• Lowest Average Category Score: Price 2.67

Total Score: 28.66

PTR Vent 1

Designed for 7.62x51mm caliber firearms, the VENT 1 utilizes the groundbreaking Purposely Induced Porosity (PIP) technology. This patented approach delivers performance unmatched by traditional designs. The VENT 1 is crafted through precise 3D printing, and the titanium build offers a robust, monolithic form. This ensures enhanced structural strength and superior heat dissipation, crucial for full-auto use. The PIP technology refines material properties for unmatched sound suppression and reduced back pressure.

• Highest Evaluators Score: 31
• Lowest Evaluators Score: 28
• Highest Average Category Score: Perceived Sound 3.67
• Lowest Average Category Score: POI Shift 3.00

Total Score: 29.98

Silent Steel USA Streamer

The Silent Steel USA Streamer is a next-generation FLOW-IQ technology suppressor, purpose-built to reduce gas blowback while maintaining exceptional sound suppression. Its innovative design directs gas forward, improving shooter comfort, especially on semi-automatic platforms and reducing wear on critical components. Lightweight, modular, and easy to clean, the Streamer combines rugged performance with advanced engineering, making it the ideal suppressor for modern tactical and recreational shooters alike.

• Highest Evaluators Score: 30
• Lowest Evaluators Score: 28
• Highest Average Category Score: OA Size 3.67
• Lowest Average Category Score: Price 2.33

Total Score: 29.00

Crunching Numbers

The testing was thorough and complete. Each evaluator took a great deal of time to test each can in detail to form their opinion. Each evaluator clearly favored certain suppressors, but the organizers kept scoring private and discussed little among themselves. When the last piece of brass hit the ground, we all knew the fun was over. It was time to crunch numbers and discover who would win each category.

The Winners  

At the end of the day, we selected three winners. The scoring came down to the wire—a testament to the high quality of all the suppressors we gathered. Now, I present the winners of the Ballistics Best Suppressors for 2025.

Rimfire – Dead Air RXD 22 Ti

Centerfire – SilencerCo Velos LBP

30 Cal – PTR Vent 1

Overall Thoughts & Observations  

I want to thank all of the companies that sent suppressors for this project. Each one performed well, and I would recommend any of them to shooters looking for a good suppressor.

WHY OUR ARTICLES/REVIEWS DO NOT HAVE AFFILIATE LINKS

Affiliate links create a financial incentive for writers to promote certain products, which can lead to biased recommendations. This blurs the line between genuine advice and marketing, reducing trust in the content.

The post Ballistic’s Best 2025 Suppressors appeared first on Athlon Outdoors Exclusive Firearm Updates, Reviews & News.