I first heard of Q Suppressors in late 2016 just prior to the 2017 SHOT Show. During the SHOT Show week, I was invited to a party Q was hosting to introduce the shooting world to their lineup of suppressors. The rooftop party featured loud music, a zipline hundreds of feet in the air, an epic view of the Las Vegas skyline and a look at some of their new silencer offerings. However, it wasn’t until recently that I’ve had the opportunity to actually test one of their suppressors. I opted for the .30-caliber Q Half Nelson.
Headquartered in New Hampshire, Q founder Kevin Brittingham and his crew embrace new designs to bring silencer enthusiasts top-notch, effective units. Calling upon his prior influence at Sig and AAC, Brittingham strives to offer the pinnacle of suppression in all classes. Plus, they come up with some cool and funny names for their suppressors: Trash Panda and Thunder Chicken to name a couple.
The Half Nelson is constructed from 100-percent titanium and comes in a compact 6.85-inch length with a 1¾-inch diameter. The titanium build not only gives it tremendous strength, but keeps the weight at a light 12.2 ounces. Both the compact size and weight make it a great suppressor for a hunting rifle, which is typically carrying extra weight from a variable-power scope. It uses a 5/8”-24 direct thread to securely hook up with the rifle. The Half Nelson Is also full-auto rated and is caliber rated from .223 Rem. on up to the .300 Win. Mag.
During my review, I was shooting Federal’s new long-range hunting ammo: Edge TLR in 175-grain .308. I shot nice groups unsuppressed, but I was amazed at how my group size shrunk so dramatically once I secured the Half Nelson to the Remington Model 700 rifle I was shooting. Not only did my groups shrink, but the quick-punch recoil from the .308 turned into a smooth, elongated push while going suppressed. This no doubt helps a shooter obtain better accuracy, too. I went into this review with the mindset of a hunter and the compact can and lightweight titanium really felt good on this rifle. It didn’t add cumbersome length to the barrel and the weight was hardly noticeable. From sound reduction to more enjoyable recoil to smaller groups, I’m a fan of the Q Half Nelson. And, SilencerShop.com has the Half Nelson priced at $800, which is a great price for a full-titanium build.
The author’s group sizes while shooting a Remington Model 700 chambered in .308 with and without the Q Half Nelson suppressor.
