5.56 NATO is the most popular intermediate, bottlenecked rifle cartridge in the country. It’s prevalent both as a service and sporting cartridge. Most modern rifles and carbines are chambered for it, so there is a wide variety of suppressor options that work with rifles chambered in this caliber. Here are five suppressors you might want to consider if you are thinking about putting a can on your 5.56 NATO rifle.
Dead Air Lazarus Six (MSRP: $1,059)
Although the Dead Air Lazarus Six is technically bored out to a 6mm diameter to accommodate cartridges like Hornady’s 6 mm ARC, the Lazarus Six belongs to the 5.56 NATO tactical-use-case category. Launched in 2024, this hard-use suppressor remains one of Dead Air’s flagship tactical carbine products. As a modern suppressor, it includes its patented Triskelion 3-D low back-pressure baffle pattern and gas management system. Lazarus Six silencers are manufactured from Haynes 282, a state-of-art, nickel-based super alloy that’s used for industrial applications in the air and space industry. Haynes 282 withstands exposure to high and direct heat. It’s typically incorporated into turbines and exhaust manifolds due to its long-term wear resistance to thermal degradation. And what is a hard-use tactical rifle suppressor but a specialized exhaust system?
Wilson Combat Silent Bandit (MSRP: $1,119.95)
Named after Bill Wilson’s dog, Bandit, the new Wilson Combat Silent Bandit is another state of the art modern 3-D printed and lightweight titanium-based rifle suppressor. Even though Wilson Combat offers the Silent Bandit to suit different and relevant bore-diameters, it certainly includes a 5.56 NATO / .233 Rem rifle-rated version. In addition to a titanium-based baffle arrangement, Silent Bandit suppressors are divided over 5 or 6 baffle-stack versions, with the former being slightly more compact and more lightweight than the latter. On the other hand, the 6-stack versions, though longer, offer additional muzzle blast mitigation and sound reduction.
Silencer Central Banish Speed K (MSRP: $999)
The winner of 2024 Shooting Illustrated Golden Bullseye Award, the Silencer Central Banish Speed K is a compact or “K” size general-purpose suppressor. The Banish Speed K is also Silencer Central’s lightest and most compact model, with its overall length coming in at less than 4 inches. The Banish Speed K is manufactured with Inconel, a nickel-chromium based super alloy. Many high-end suppressor manufactures use Inconel because it is so durable and resistant. The Banish Speed K’s shorter overall profile allows most tactical 5.56 NATO carbines to retain their easy-handling characteristics by not adding too much weight or undue length to the muzzle of the firearm.
Otter Creek Labs Polonium K (MSRP: $540)
Otter Creek Labs has been solidifying its name and reputation for offering affordably priced suppressors that work rather well. The Otter Creek Labs Polonium K 5.56 is a traditional “K” suppressor manufactured from H900 heat-treated, 17-4 stainless steel and CNC machined/built into a CNC tubeless arrangement. Like the Dead Air Lazarus 6, the Otter Creek Labs Polonium K also has a 6 mm bore, and can be used with .243-inch diameter projectiles, but it’s primarily intended to shine as a 5.56 NATO suppressor. Polonium K suppressors use a more traditional baffle stack and as a result are subject to higher back pressures and less flow-through. That being said, this technology is not only proven, but tried and true. It also keeps prices more accessible and affordable.
Surefire SOCOM556 RC3 (MSRP: $1,799)
Launched in 2024, the Surefire SOCOM556 RC3 is the successor to the popular Surefire RC2 5.56 NATO suppressor. Compared to its predecessor, the RC3 has a flow-through baffle stack design which reduces back pressure and toxic gas exposure by up to 60 percent. Due to Surefire’s popularity in tactical circles, the newer RC3 is still backward compatible with Surefire’s muzzle mounting systems used previously such as Surefire SOCOM FastAttach parts. The Surefire RC3 also incorporates high-strength Inconel superalloy into its construction, like the Banish Speed K mentioned above. Finally, Surefire guarantees that the SOCOM556 RC3 can completely eliminate muzzle flash.
