PTR's 3D-Printed Titanium Suppressor Gets Its First Range Test

TFB's Silencer Saturday series has a first look at the PTR Vent 1, a 3D-printed titanium suppressor that's been drawing attention since it was announced, and the design is unlike anything else on the market.

Key points

• Printed porosity: The Vent 1 uses additive manufacturing with a process called purposely induced porosity (PIP), building internal structures with varying porosity to control gas flow, something TFB notes would be impossible to machine conventionally.
• Specs: The can weighs 12.3 ounces, measures 8.7 inches long and 1.75 inches in diameter, and carries an MSRP of $1,499.
• Maintenance matters: PTR's manual calls for light cleaning every 1,500 rounds and a deep clean every 5,000, using an ultrasonic cleaner and CAT 206 solution to keep the porous passages clear.
• Early range time: TFB mounted the Vent 1 on a PTR91 threaded 5/8x24, firing Fiocchi .308 in wet, cold conditions. The bolt cycled normally, though one round stuck in the chamber, which the author attributes to unfamiliar ammo and fouling rather than the suppressor itself.
• Less sparking: As a new titanium can, it showed some sparking but noticeably less than another new titanium suppressor tested alongside it.

Quick take

This is explicitly a first look, not a verdict. TFB plans further testing with ammo known to run well in that PTR91, plus trials on harder-to-suppress guns like a Brownells BRN10. Worth watching for the follow-up before drawing conclusions on performance or reliability.

Read the full story: thefirearmblog.com