// Independent suppressor sound testing
Professionally engineered
weaponeering.
High-fidelity sound signature testing for the Title II firearm industry. The Suppression Rating™ tells you what is actually hearing safe, from real gunshot analysis with zero manufacturer influence.
Basic Suppression Ratings always free · Full reviews for members
Teleios Manufacturing
T-Rex ArmsPowder Outlet Mag Group
Diligent Defense
Summit Armory
FM Products
Legion AthleticsTeleios ManufacturingT-Rex ArmsPowder Outlet Mag GroupDiligent DefenseSummit ArmoryFM ProductsLegion Athletics53 corporate supporters
// The Silencer Sound Standard™
The commercial industry standard
Eight components, from foundational acoustics to the maps and rankings you actually use. Built on measured gunshots, not marketing.
Foundations
Scope, definitions, and the questions the standard exists to answer.
Real Gunshot Analysis
Empirical measurement of actual gunshots, not theoretical models or estimates.
Physiological Effects
How suppressed and unsuppressed shots actually affect human hearing.
Test Methods & Results
The repeatable procedure and the raw acoustic results it produces.
The Rating System
How measured data becomes the Suppression Rating™ you can compare.
Sound Signature Reviews
Full per-configuration reviews of a silencer on a real host and cartridge.
Hearing Damage Level
Translating the signature into a clear hearing-safety verdict for your use.
Hazard Maps
PEW-SOFT™ free-field blast-hazard maps of the space around the shooter.
// Sound Signature Reviews™
Every silencer, on real hosts
Each review pairs a measured Suppression Rating™ with a PEW-SOFT™ free-field hazard map, on the exact host and cartridge that matter. New deliverables drop constantly, alongside the Jay Situation podcast.
- Dead Air Lazarus 6 · 10.3-in MK18 · 5.56
- Otter Creek Labs Universe-36 · MK18 · .308 bolt · MP5
- CAT ST / AKB (AI NANO) · 14.5-in M4 · SR-25
- Magco Arms EDS-30L · 20-in .308 bolt
- AAC 762-SDN-6 · 14.5-in SR-25 · 300BLK
- JK Armament PRO-KOR 556K · 10.3-in MK18
Click the panel to open the full gallery →
SSS.6.225Dead Air Lazarus 6 01/07
// PEW Science Rankings
Sort silencers by what you run
The Suppression Rating™ simplifies the science into one comparable number. Overall performance is judged across nine parameters:
| Silencer | Host / cartridge | Record № | Suppression Rating™ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dead Air Lazarus 6 | 10.3-in MK18 · 5.56 | SSS.6.225 | Members |
| Otter Creek Labs Universe-36 | MK18 · .308 bolt · MP5 | SSS.6.223 | Members |
| CAT ST / AKB (AI NANO) | 14.5-in M4 · SR-25 | SSS.6.217 | Members |
| Magco Arms EDS-30L | 20-in .308 bolt | SSS.6.219 | Members |
| AAC 762-SDN-6 | 14.5-in SR-25 · 300BLK | SSS.6.220 | Members |
| JK Armament PRO-KOR 556K | 10.3-in MK18 | SSS.6.222 | Members |
| Resilient Suppressors Pulvik | 7.62×39 · AK | SSS.6.224 | Members |
Basic Suppression Ratings are always free. Full ratings, hazard maps, and the sortable comparison tool are in the member reviews.
// How every review is built
From gunshot to Suppression Rating
The same repeatable method on every silencer. No shortcuts, no estimates.
Acquire the hardware
The silencer, host weapon, and ammunition are sourced and documented for the exact configuration under test.
Real gunshot analysis
Live fire is captured on calibrated, high-fidelity instrumentation, the actual pressure signature, not a model.
PEW-SOFT™ analysis
The signature becomes a Suppression Rating™ and a free-field blast-hazard map of the space around the shooter.
Publish the review
The full Sound Signature Review goes live for members, alongside a Jay Situation podcast breakdown.
// Independent by design
Nobody buys their way onto this chart.
The value of a Suppression Rating™ is only as good as its independence. So the rule at PEW Science is simple and absolute: no silencer manufacturer or third party has influenced or controlled anything published on this website. The findings come from measured gunshots and a documented, trademarked standard, so every silencer is judged the same way, on the data alone.
That independence is funded by members, not sponsors. Basic Suppression Ratings stay free; membership unlocks the full reviews, the hazard maps, and the sortable comparison tool.
- Zero manufacturer or third-party influence
- Empirical gunshot analysis, never estimates
- One repeatable method on every silencer
- Basic Suppression Ratings always free
// Join PEW Science
Membership
Basic
$7.95 / mo
Only 26¢ a day · 5% off annual
- Member-exclusive Sound Signature Reviews
- Silencer comparison chart, length & weight filters
- Member deals page
- Reduced advertising
Professional
$9.95 / mo
Only 33¢ a day · 10% off annual
- Everything in Basic
- Priority email technical support
- Input on test-plan development
- Enhanced organizational support
Advanced
$99.95 / mo
Contributor / corporate use
- Everything in Professional
- Custom testing requests
- Development input on standards & software
- Required for manufacturers & dealers
Annual memberships available at a discount. Advanced is the required tier for manufacturers, dealers, distributors, and organizations.
// The Jay Situation Podcast
The science, out loud.
Every batch of deliverables ships with a podcast episode: the intro, the technical discussion, and the story behind the numbers.
Nearly 300 episodes deep on the engineering of suppressor sound, new gear, and the standard itself, in plain language for members and the curious alike.
Test with the standard.
Manufacturers, dealers, and media: submit a silencer for an independent Sound Signature Review.