As It relates to the physics of suppression, internal volume matters. Suppressor manufacturers face the perennial challenge of balancing size, weight and noise reduction.

Silencer Central Director of Engineering Lukas VanLaecken’s proudest achievements in suppressor design are the Banish Backcountry and Banish Speed K, two cans that prioritize small size over absolute sound suppression. As the name suggests, the Backcountry was designed for lightweight hunting. The Speed K, on the other hand, was built to be as small as possible while capable of withstanding high-­volume abuse.

“The idea for the Speed K came from the law enforcement community,” said VanLaecken. “Working alongside Federal Ammunition, we met with SWAT teams, highway patrol, and various police departments from all over the country. We took their input and designed the Speed K. The design intent was to create a suppressor that allows for maneuverability and minimizes blowback while also being hearing-safe. The Speed K is a short and maneuverable suppressor for taming AR platforms with barrels as short as 101/2 inches.”

The Speed K is only 4 inches in length yet 2 inches in diameter, maximizing internal volume. This unique suppressor is 3D-­printed from Inconel, a nickel-­chromium superalloy used in extreme environments. As a suppressor material, Inconel has just one drawback: It’s heavy.

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Silencer Central recently unveiled an upgrade that offers all the benefits of the Speed K, but in a lighter package: Banish Speed K Ti. According to VanLaecken, the only difference is the material.

“Besides the metal, the Speed Ks are identical in design,” said VanLaecken. “The advantage to Inconel is durability. During testing, we put more than 20,000 rounds through the Speed K and, internally, it looked new. The advantage of titanium is its weight. Whereas the Inconel Speed K weighs 14.1 ounces, our titanium version weighs just 8.6 ounces. That may not sound like much, but when it’s hanging on the end of a rifle, a reduction of 5.5 ounces is noticeable.”

Besides an increase in cost — $1,399 versus $1,199 — there aren’t any drawbacks.

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“The only concern with titanium as a suppressor material is temperature,” said VanLaecken. “To prevent internal erosion, the can shouldn’t get above 750 degrees. Is that an issue for most shooters? No. To achieve that temperature, you need to fire three magazines — about 90 rounds — as fast as you can pull the trigger.”

The Speed K Ti uses standard HUB mounts. Pressure-­wise, it can handle anything from rimfires to the large centerfires including the .22 Creedmoor. Because of its small size, the Speed K’s blast chamber has a series of fins.

“In a small suppressor, everything matters,” said VanLaecken. “The fins create six individual chambers that cause gas to flow in all directions, which aids in turbulence and helps sound reduction.”

The final two baffles of the Speed K are ported. In terms of sound suppression, the ports don’t help, but they minimize gas blowback, which is critical for the AR-­pattern firearms the Speed K was designed for.

“Gas in a shooter’s face is never healthy,” said VanLaecken. “The more you shoot, the more this matters. Porting in the final baffles allows some of the pressure to escape by using the controlled-­flow technology design. During testing, other suppressors on the market increase backpressure in an AR by 20 to 40 percent. That’s substantial. In comparison, the Speed K showed just a 5-­percent increase in backpressure.”

Despite the similarities, the Speed K Ti is slightly quieter than the Inconel version — almost 1 decibel quieter. Inconel and titanium have different densities and metal properties. The Banish Speed K pales in comparison to other suppressors if maximum sound suppression is the goal. 

“The Speed K Ti cuts noise to a hearing-­safe level,” said VanLaecken. “It prioritizes small size, low weight, and reduced backpressure. The Banish Speed K Ti is hard to beat.” — D. Faubion

Silencer Central Banish Speed K Ti

• Caliber: .223/5.56mm
• Mount: 1.375×24 (hub)
• Overall length: 4 in.
• Weight: 8.6 oz (w/o HUB mount)
• Diameter: 2 in.
• Materials: Titanium
• Finish: Cerakote, black
• MSRP: $1,399
• Manfacturer: Silencer Central, 866-­891-­4494, silencercentral.com