Suppressor Back Pressure Testing

Below you’ll find the results of back pressure tests conducted on 16″ and 11.5″ AR15 rifles chambered in 5.56. Note that when we conduct the test of every suppressor on the same day to maintain a fair comparison of each suppressor. This way there are no significant environmental changes that would cause deviation in the results. To create our back pressure metric, we use the Riflespeed gas control in order to determine how much adjustment is required to reliably obtain last round bold hold open. Note that the “Delta” metric in the chart below is the difference between the last round hold open in the unsuppressed setting minus the Riflespeed gas setting for the listed suppressor. For example, if the unsuppressed setting for the 16″ rifle is 10 and the suppressed setting is 6, then the Delta would be 4. These results may vary based on your setup, but the numbers below give a baseline of what amount of back pressure to expect from each suppressor.

Don’t see a suppressor listed in our chart? We don’t own every suppressor but our list is quickly growing. We regularly reach out to suppressor companies, so if the suppressor you’re looking for isn’t on our list then that means: (1) We might have one one the way to us (2) The manufacturer hasn’t sent us product for testing (3) It might be a new product we haven’t heard of yet. Comment on our YouTube videos to suggest additional suppressor brands/models for testing.

Testing Parameters/Equipment

Barrel Lengths Tested: 16″ & 11.5″

Round Used: PMC XTAC 5.56 – 55gr

Adjustable Gas Block: Riflespeed Gas Controls

Back Pressure Test Results 16″ & 11.5″ AR15

Note: This chart is interactive, select the different data series to isolate specific metrics.

16″ AR15 Unsuppressed Riflespeed Setting: 11

11.5″ AR15 Unsuppressed Riflespeed Setting: 11

Results showing as “0” below indicate a barrel length restriction that we decided to obey, but that is not always the case.

DO NOT use this chart to determine barrel length restrictions or settings specific to your firearm, always follow manufacturer guidelines. We are not responsible for any poor choices on your part.