Five new suppressors for the "year of the suppressor"

With the $200 NFA tax on suppressors gone, 2026 is shaping up as the year of the suppressor. Tactical Retailer reports ATF processed about 150,000 online applications on January 1 alone, and picks five new cans worth a look.

The short version

The tax was removed by the bill Congress passed last summer, though registration and paperwork remain. Citing the NSSF, the article says the January 1 volume compared with a typical day of about 2,500, and February saw more than 200,000 NFA checks, up 167% from a year earlier. NSSF's Mark Oliva called it proof of pent-up demand. The article urges hunters in particular to suppress to protect their hearing, noting 140 dB is the usual "ear-safe" threshold for impulse noise.

Its five picks span hunting rifles, ARs, pistol-caliber carbines and even a 20-gauge shotgun, with materials ranging from 3D-printed titanium to modular designs that come apart without tools.

Key points

• Dead Air Nomad Ti OTB: An over-the-barrel hunting can, 3D printed in titanium, that adds 4.6 inches to the rifle, weighs 10.5 ounces and is rated to .300 RUM.
• EOTECH DCBL series: EOTECH's first suppressors, in titanium with a vent-forward design, in 556, 762 and 9PCC models.
• SilencerCo Scythe Ti: SilencerCo's first all-titanium can, just over 6 ounces and under 6 inches, rated .223 to .300 RUM; not for full-auto.
• Silent Steel USA Compact Streamer: A 6.5 Creedmoor-rated, baffle-free turbine design that comes apart without tools.
• YHM Victra-20: A modular 20-gauge shotgun suppressor adjustable from 10 inches down to 4, rated at about 132 dB at the ear.

Bottom line

With the tax gone, the main costs left are the can and the wait. Whether you hunt with a magnum, run an AR or shoot a 20-gauge, there is now a purpose-built option, and hearing protection is the best reason to buy one.

Source: Tactical Retailer.