20 years ago, we saw more silencers in movies than anywhere else. That was back when people still thought a gun with a silencer made laser sounds. I used to joke about the “laser quiet” guns on TV. But a lot of things have changed in 20 years, and silencer development and popularity are among them.
It’s hard to visit a gun range today without seeing a silencer on someone’s firearm. There is a lot of speculation as to what has caused silencers to become more popular, but we aren’t here to debate that today.
We are here to look at the Velos LBP 762 from SilencerCo. As the title suggests, this silencer is made for 30 caliber rifles and works with a lot of other rounds as well. The Velos LBP doesn’t make laser sounds when it’s used, but it sure does make your rifle a lot quieter. Especially when used with sub-sonic ammunition.
The Benefits of Using a Silencer
Most people want a silencer because of the noise reduction, which is a great reason to want one, because your hearing is important. But a silencer also comes with other benefits when shooting both handguns and rifles.
Protect Your Hearing
Firearms are loud. While people in the movies run around shooting with no hearing protection, this doesn’t work in real life. An unsuppressed rifle can produce a muzzle blast well over 140 decibels (dB). This level of noise can cause immediate and permanent hearing damage.
I work in law enforcement, and during one training event, I watched a video of an officer who opened fire on a suspect from inside his car. He didn’t have time to get out and needed to return fire immediately.
After the incident was over, you could see blood coming out of the officer’s ears as he attempted to tell responding officers what happened. He had permanent hearing problems and even balance issues for a long time after the shooting.
A good suppressor with the right ammo will typically reduce the sound by 20 to 35 decibels. While this reduction doesn’t make the shot completely silent, it can lower the sound to a more manageable level.
Reduce Recoil and Muzzle Flash
A silencer works by trapping and cooling the rapidly expanding gases that follow the bullet. This process also significantly reduces felt recoil. Less recoil means you can stay on target better during follow-up shots. I’ve never really thought the recoil on any AR-15 was that bad. But when you have a silencer attached, the recoil is significantly less.
Another great feature of a silencer is that it virtually eliminates muzzle flash. This is a great benefit when shooting in low-light conditions, as it helps preserve your night vision.
Minimize Noise Disturbance
Whether you are hunting or shooting at a private range, noise is a constant concern. Just because something is legal doesn’t mean it’s polite. For those who have neighbors within earshot of your property, constant shooting may start to bother them. A silencer can often reduce the sound footprint enough that they may not even notice any noise from a distance.
When you look at it this way, using a silencer is the polite thing to do.
SilencerCo VELOS LBP 762
Because silencers are growing in popularity, a lot more companies are beginning to manufacture them. This gives us a lot more options, but it also means we must be more diligent in searching for quality products. SilencerCo has been manufacturing silencers for a long time, and they have a reputation for making quality products.
One of the reasons I was drawn to the Velos LBP 762 is that it was designed to withstand heavy use. It combines advanced materials and a unique design that makes it effective and durable.
A lot of other silencers on the market have restrictions on barrel lengths and the type of ammo used. But if you are going to spend your hard-earned money on a silencer, you want a good one that will work without restrictions and hold up over time.
Construction and Durability
As I mentioned above, the heart of the Velos LBP 762 is its unique construction. SilencerCo uses additive manufacturing, also known as 3D printing, to create a seamless core. This core is made from Inconel 625, a superalloy known for its strength and resistance to extreme heat. It is fully welded to 17-4 Stainless Steel front and rear modules. Because it’s fully welded, the two-metal construction makes it incredibly tough and extends its life, even with heavy use.
Another feature that makes it durable is the patented Hoplon Blast Baffle. This baffle is specifically designed to deflect debris and reduce wear, making the suppressor full-auto rated.
The “LBP” in the name stands for Low Back Pressure. Traditional silencers can force gas back toward the shooter, leading to a “gas face” effect and increased fouling in the rifle. The Velos LBP uses proprietary technology to significantly reduce this back pressure.
The system is engineered so that the baffles efficiently trap and cool the gas to reduce noise. But it also simultaneously vents a larger amount of gas forward. This results in a cleaner-running rifle and, of course, less blow-back in the shooter’s face.
Caliber Compatibility
The Velos LBP 762 will work with multiple calibers, which is nice when you want a silencer for more than one rifle. Because it’s a 30-caliber silencer, it will work with other popular calibers like:
- .223 REM / 5.56 NATO
- .300 Blackout
- .308 WIN
- 7.62×39
What attachment do you need to swap the silencer to different rifles?
For those who are new to silencers, one area of confusion often centers around attaching them to the rifle. Most silencers these days will have what is called a mounting interface. This part screws onto the back of the silencer and allows it to attach to the rifle via a compatible muzzle break or other part.
With the Velos LBP, you get SilencerCo’s Charlie ASR Mount. This mount has a larger opening (the hole in the back of the silencer) to allow for a muzzle break. For the rifle, you attach SilencerCo’s ASR flash hider to your rifle (you must remove the current flash hider before installing the new one). The ASR flash hider has threads on the outside of it that allow the Velos LBP to screw onto it.
A quick lock system is also incorporated into the ASR mount, making it easy to attach and keeping it locked in place. When you purchase the Velos LBP, you can select what thread pitch you need. Most 5.56 AR rifles will have a ½ x 28 muzzle thread. .300 blackout rifles have a 5/8 x 24 thread.
Order the thread size for the rifle you intend to use the silencer on. If you have another rifle you want to use the silencer on, simply order an additional ASR flash hider to install on that rifle.
So, if you have four rifles (as long as they are a compatible caliber) that all have the ASR flash hider, you can attach the Velos LBP silencer to them.
Velos LBP 762 Tech Specs
For those interested in the precise measurements and capabilities of the Velos LBP 762, here are the core specifications:
- Length: 6.4 inches
- Diameter: 1.73 inches
- Weight: 16.5 ounces
- Materials: 17-4 Stainless Steel and Inconel 625
- Caliber Rating: 30 Cal
- Full-Auto Rated: Yes
- Mount System: Charlie ASR Mount
Range Performance and Feel
I haven’t had my Velos LBP 762 for very long, but I’ve already put a ton of ammo through it. My favorite caliber to use with this silencer is a .300 Blackout with subsonic ammo. With this combination, I would compare the sound to that of a .22 rifle that is not suppressed.
For this review, AmmoToGo.com provided some 300 BLK ammo that was 200 grain, open-tip and subsonic (1060 fps).
At the range, I wanted to compare the Velos to a cheaper, budget-friendly silencer called the A-10 from AB Silencers.
I used both silencers on a .300 Blackout rifle with an 11.5 in barrel. The sound reduction was decent on both, but the Velos was a bit quieter. The most noticeable difference, however, wasn’t in the sound but the heat.
After firing a 30-round magazine, the A-10 was so hot I could start a fire with it. This isn’t abnormal, of course, as I was firing in rapid succession. But what caught my attention is that the Velos LBP wasn’t nearly as hot. It was uncomfortably hot to touch, but not so hot that it would burn me.
And of course, there was no muzzle flash at all coming from the Velos LBP. Because it was colder out, you could see some smoke, but that’s about it.
Reduced recoil
.300 BLK doesn’t really have a lot of kick to it anyway, but I could still feel a significant decrease in recoil. The little bit of a “kick” I did feel was directed back towards the shoulder, which made it easy to stay on target.
With all the benefits there are to using a silencer, I think the change in recoil is among the most valuable to me. Second would be the elimination of a muzzle flash, and third, the reduced sound.
Is it worth the money?
We have all heard the old saying, “You get what you pay for.” In today’s world, I’m not sure that is always true, but in this case, it’s dead on. My A-10 works great for a cheaper option, but when you compare it to the Velos LBP, there are noticeable differences.
I think the Velos LBP provides maximum sound reduction, recoil, and muzzle flash reduction while nearly eliminating gas blowback. For those who want a silencer that will hold up to extreme use, this is a perfect choice.
