Did you know that the use of suppressors is now legal in 42 states? The exceptions are Hawaii, California, Illinois, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Rhode Island and Massachusetts. And in the 42 states where suppressors are legal, they are allowed for hunting in all but two (Connecticut and Vermont). Not really silencers as they are commonly referred to, suppressors simply dampen the sound a firearm makes at the shot. Just like a friend once told me that The Weather Channel is the old folks’ MTV, suppressors are really the hearing protection of the 21st century sportsman.
Begun in 2016, Silent Legion is a relatively new player in the suppressor market, but one with some unique ideas on how its products should be both manufactured and sold. On a recent hunting trip to Montana where we shot Remington rifles with Silent Legion suppressors affixed, company CEO Ed Schoppman — a friend for years — filled me in.
“Silent Legion is a veteran-owned business dedicated to premium suppressors that exceed the performance demands of uncompromising shooters,” says Schoppman, a veteran of eight years in the U.S. Army who retired as an E-5. “Our vision was borne in no small part out of my frustrations with some of the other companies I had worked with in the past. There, when you purchased a product, you often had to then buy additional accessories to get the thing up to speed."
At Silent Legion, the company's vision is, whatever you need to make this product work is what you’ll get in the box. No surprises, one price and you’re ready to go.
"My second big frustration was service to both the dealer and the consumer," says Schoppman. "We promise to meet all a dealer’s needs, such as creating custom sales program, or putting together special products, whatever it takes for the dealer. With the consumer, we take a lot of pride in our flexibility in our manufacturing. We can make a custom product on reasonably short notice that meets your needs."
Silent Legion is a company that's committed to making suppressors mainstream, and more available to law-abiding citizens. They also offer an unconditional lifetime warranty.
"As long as you don’t drill holes in it, if something’s wrong we’ll repair or replace, no questions asked,” says Schoppman.
One example of including all the accessories and tools needed as part of your suppressor purchase is the company’s Multi-Cal system. The system comes complete with everything to shoot suppressed on a 5.56mm, 300 BLK or a 7.63 NATO (.308) firearm, and any caliber in between, providing the option of either direct-thread or quick-detach mounts.
In addition, there are several other quick-detach and direct-thread suppressor models for everything from rimfire to .338 Lapua Magnum, some with the suppressor retention system and others with removable cores. Silent Legion also offers several handgun suppressors that are slim, lightweight and offer amazing sound reduction.
Something that may not mean much to the average consumer: the Silent Legion suppressor line is manufactured at a state-of-the-art, 25,000 sq. ft., ISO 9001-certified facility owned by the highly-accomplished suppressor pioneer Greg Latka. ISO 9001 is the international standard that specifies requirements for a quality management system (QMS). Organizations use the standard to demonstrate the ability to consistently provide products and services that meet customer and regulatory requirements. Being ISO 9001 certified is a rarity in the suppressor industry. “Greg has been manufacturing suppressors since 1985 with an unwavering focus on manufacturing consistency and quality control, making this facility an ideal location for the production of Silent Legion suppressors,” Schoppman said.
My first real experience hunting with suppressors came more than a decade ago, on a plains game hunt in South Africa. There it is not uncommon to find professional hunters with a suppressed rifle or two that clients can use. I was amazed at how the sound of a shot was reduced, and at how accuracy was unaffected. In the years since then and now, I’ve used suppressors off and on a little bit, and each time found that accuracy was never compromised.
On my 2018 Montana mule deer and elk hunt, I shot a Remington Model 700 Gen 2 rifle affixed with a Silent Legion SL-30 direct thread suppressor topped with an EOTech 5-25x50 Vudu scope loaded with Barnes VOR-TX ammunition. Accuracy was outstanding — several three-shot groups at 100 yards measuring right at ½-inch — and I was able to make two one-shot kills at moderate ranges.
“Suppressors are the future of shooting and hunting,” Schoppman said. “There are no real downside to using them, and a ton of upside. Once you shoot with a suppressor, it will be hard to go back to shooting without one.”
This is a hard statement to disagree with. For more information, visit www.silentlegion.com.
