“One and done.” This simple phrase has become synonymous with everything from a single, heavy drink at a local tavern to the fast track through college basketball. The overall idea is to hit your goal in as little time as possible and with minimal investment. Being that suppressors tend to dip from both of these pails around our house, we apply this term to any can that is capable of muffling our entire collection. For years, this was always the Banish 46, as its extensive volume was enough to contain and control the blast from cartridges as large as .338 Lapua, with a core that could accommodate any projectile .46 inch in diameter or smaller. However, one can indeed have too much of a good thing, as a sizable muzzle device will alter the balance of any given firearm, and excess volume can have a negative impact on first-round impacts. Understanding that these points are critical to hunters, Silencer Central has updated its quintessential multi-caliber suppressor to a slender V2 version, and I was fortunate enough to obtain one of the first samples.
The Banish 46-V2 tips the scale at 15.3 ounces, nearly 7 ounces less than the original Banish 46, representing a weight savings of approximately 67 percent. It achieves this by retaining one of our favorite features of the V1: titanium alloy construction. With the exception of the single blast baffle, this suppressor is built entirely of this featherweight material. Although light, titanium alloy has a higher strength-to-weight ratio than steel, making it one of the best choices for high-powered cartridges. The blast baffle is made of steel, as this material handles long periods of heat better, thus giving us a can built from the perfect combination of components.
A suppressor’s weight and length are going to play the largest role on the impact a muzzle device will have on your shooting, mainly due to their effect on sound suppression (the longer the suppressor, the more sound suppression it should provide, in theory) and barrel harmonics. While there is no way to tell how exactly this change in harmonics will affect your rifle’s accuracy other than to attach a can and find out, assuming the best-case scenario, most shooters conclude that a suppressor’s added length actually improves accuracy, and the extra weight always alters the balance point. Of course, there is such a thing as having too much of either.
In its full configuration, the 46-V1 was 10-inches long, which increases a 16-inch barrel by more than 50 percent. Screwing it onto a 24- or 26-inch barrel brings the noise level down about 31 decibels, but essentially turns your rifle into a javelin. In a treestand or off a bipod, you can get away with that; however, if you plan on trekking through the woods with something this long prepare to hit every overhanging branch between you and your destination, and Lord help you if you had ambitions of pulling that into a ground blind. The Banish 46-V2 hits the tape at 8 inches with a diameter of just 1.6 inches. This provides enough space for effective suppression, about 30 decibels, while tightening up the package to a more manageable length. It might not seem like much, but bringing the balance point 2 inches closer makes a significant difference.
Silencer Central popularized the “industry standard” ⅝×24 TPI hub, which allows owners to mount their suppressor to nearly any threaded muzzle. The Banish 46-V2 ships with a ⅝x24 TPI adapter installed, but it can be removed and replaced with a different size adaptor if needed. At the time of this writing, Silencer Central offers eight replacement options that virtually cover every pitch imaginable. These, too, are constructed of titanium and finished with the same black Cerakote as the suppressor and end cap.
I prepared for testing by mounting my 46-V2 to a Rossi R95 Trapper chambered in .45-70 Government. As the muzzle is also threaded in ⅝x24 TPI, this was as simple as screwing it on hand tight. As this rifle wears a shortened 16.5-inch barrel, the smaller can complements it nicely. I also grabbed Hornady’s new subsonic load for this chambering.
After setting up my chronograph, I removed the suppressor and determined a baseline velocity of 890 fps. Contrary to my prediction, screwing on the can reduced my velocity by 6 fps, which, as this is within the standard deviation of this load, is utterly negligible. As I let the suppressor cool, I measured the point of impact shift to be approximately 2 inches low and left 4; that would still put you on a deer, but it’s best to zero with the can attached before hitting the woods. My cold-bore performance was impressive, as it was only 2.75 inches below the other nine shots and barely exhibited any “first-round pop.” This is due to the baffle-stack composition that more efficiently handles air than the conventional mono-core design. Overall sound suppression was outstanding. Not only was I able to maintain comfort without any ear protection, but firing the gun barely disturbed the conversation at the range!
I ended the day with some offhand shooting on steel targets, which was exceptionally enjoyable. Being able to clearly hear my hits, as well as the resounding thud of my misses, was quite the experience. As predicted, maintaining a level muzzle and spotting impacts through the scope was far less troublesome thanks to the reduced size of this suppressor, and standing 5 feet 7 inches tall (with boots on), I found the combination fit me rather well.
Like its predecessor, the Banish 46-V2 is completely user-serviceable, which means you can completely disassemble it by yourself using the included tools. Silencer Central recommends cleaning it every 50-100 rounds as that is a surefire way to stave off carbon lock. The 12 baffles are keyed and, with the exception of the blast baffle, are interchangeable within the stack. The outer tube typically doesn’t need more than a wipe with solvent, so plan on spending the majority of your time on the baffles themselves. These can be cleaned with gun cleaning solution and brushes or dropped into a vibratory tumbler or ultrasonic cleaner. I have found the latter two options to be the simplest, as I can clean the rifle while either machine is running.
Adding the Silencer Central Banish 46-V2 to my gun cabinet turned out to be one of the best decisions that I’ve made. I like the idea of throwing one suppressor into my pack that can suppress nearly every rifle I have on the firing line. Adding a handful of varying thread adapters to my kit hammers the idea home and makes attaching a can at the range as easy as slipping on a pair of earmuffs. While I don’t shoot hoops or stay out late drinking anymore, I still appreciate the concept of “one and done” and am ecstatic that products like these help us to apply this idea to NFA items.
Technical Specifications
- Type: multi-caliber suppressor
- Caliber Range: .223 – .460
- Material: Titanium, 17-4 stainless-steel blast baffle
- Attachment System: direct thread, ⅝x24" TPI, alternative thread adaptors available
- Self-Service: yes
- Number of Baffles: 12
- Weight: 15.3 ozs.
- Length: 8"
- Diameter: 1.6"
- Finish: black Cerakote
- Decibel Reduction: 30 dBs
- Full Auto Rated: limited
- MSRP: $1,299; banishsuppressors.com
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