Q has released their new stainless steel .30 caliber silencers, the SPEAKEASY and BLIND TIGER, but don’t stop reading there, or you’ll miss out on details that remind us why this New Hampshire firearms manufacturer is one of the most unique companies in the firearms industry.
You see, behind the abrasive swagger of Q CEO Kevin Brittingham is a team of dedicated individuals whose creativity he has been unleashing since 2016, spreading innovation through a deep sense of pride in their work.
But the story doesn’t begin in 2016. Kevin started selling guns when he was in high school, before getting bitten by the silencer bug and opening up his own shop. In 1994, at the age of 19, Kevin established Advanced Armament Corporation (AAC), growing to become one of the largest silencer manufacturers in the U.S. while supplying some of America’s most high-speed military operators. Kevin eventually sold AAC to Remington in 2009, and subsequently spent some years developing silencers for SIG Sauer, where his distaste for conformity and willingness to take risks in the name of innovation ultimately caught up with him, causing his exit, along with a number of SIG’s best and brightest.
For the firearms community, this culminated in what we know today as Q, a company that prides itself on outside-the-box thinking, well-thought-out reasoning when it comes to product development, and challenging the status quo. Having had his own creativity chained in the past, Kevin knew this wasn’t the way, and as a habitual collector of talent, he has fostered a working environment at Q that encourages and rewards inventiveness and imagination, with a heaping spoonful of audacity, a raw sense of humor, and the most outrageous product monikers in circulation.
So why the history lesson for a silencer review? I didn’t want to shoot the SPEAKEASY and BLIND TIGER and simply give you my opinion. Instead, I thought it would be informative to take a deeper dive, including getting into the manufacturing and testing of these latest silencers, providing you with the same inside look that Q was generous enough to give me by making engineers available to answer my questions and let me peek into the science behind the SPEAKEASY and BLIND TIGER.
The Last Five Yards
Q has always been a company that believes in going the last five yards, and while many might appreciate the outcome of that endeavor, it is still commonplace to find confusion and frustration when it comes to the cost of that seemingly short journey. But what comes next is a story of how Q engineers identified a manufacturing process from outside the firearms industry that enables them to produce silencers that are stronger, quieter, and produce less flash signature at a lower cost. I have your attention now, don’t I?
The process is known as Deep Draw Stamping, and the use of 17-7 stainless steel with its increased ductility makes it possible to cold work and displace the material before relaxing the grain structure and restoring ductility by annealing it and hitting it again six more times. Why is this important? The process creates a thinner baffle geometry within the silencer, leaving more room for internal volume, the principal factor in sound suppression.
This is why Q uses a semi-automated laser welding system to assemble the THUNDER CHICKEN, trash PANDA, jumbo SHRIMP, SHORT CHOP, PORQ CHOP, and most recent SOUTHPAW. With the outer portion of the baffles now making up the silencer’s overall diameter, valuable space is freed up internally, enabling hot, high-pressure gases to cool and expand, which is how silencers reduce the audible report from a gunshot.
Aside from this cleverness, however, there is not much out there that can be done to increase internal volume without increasing the size and weight of a silencer, until now. Taking a closer look at the titanium THUNDER CHICKEN and trash PANDA, it is reasonable to consider the SPEAKEASY and BLIND TIGER their stainless steel counterparts, and comparing the silencers, I began to understand the benefits of Deep Draw Stamping.
| Silencer | Diameter | Length | Weight |
| SPEAKEASY | 1.75” | 8.5” | 16 ounces |
| THUNDER CHICKEN | 1.75” | 8.125” | 14.7 ounces |
| BLIND TIGER | 1.75” | 7” | 12.5 ounces |
| trash PANDA | 1.75” | 6.91” | 11.8 ounces |
As you can see, the SPEAKEASY and BLIND TIGER are just slightly longer than their titanium brethren, and yet the weight difference, considering the switch to stainless steel, is unexpectedly negligible. This is quite remarkable, explaining the lower cost of material and scrap rate when working with stainless steel, while demonstrating how the thinner internal geometry eliminates the physical burden and inherently busy point of impact shift that comes with carrying a boat anchor on the end of your rifle. The stainless steel construction of the SPEAKEASY and BLIND TIGER also causes a significant reduction in sparking and flash compared to titanium, and provides better durability under extreme heat, where titanium can become brittle. Additionally, the open floor plan inside is what makes the SPEAKEASY the quietest silencer Q could design without sacrificing efficiency, while the BLIND TIGER exhibits superb sound performance as it prioritizes agility in the field.
Like all Q silencers, the bore of the SPEAKEASY and BLIND TIGER is finished using a specialized process known as Wire EDM, where a thin, electrically charged wire is used to cut through conductive materials. This is especially useful when machining tight tolerances, and it is how Q achieves perfect concentricity and minimizes runout between its silencers and taper mounts. The final step involves a salt bath nitride finish called Melonite, which penetrates the 17-7 stainless steel and increases surface hardness by acting as a heat treatment.
Will it hold up?
Rather than letting customers answer that question, Q takes it upon themselves, subjecting the silencers to a punishingly brutal testing schedule designed to push the limits before placing the finished product into the hands of the end user.
In the case of the SPEAKEASY and BLIND TIGER, engineers spent nearly sixteen months testing various configurations, including the number of baffles and their spacing, to determine which provided the best overall performance and efficiency. Having found the answers they were looking for, Q took the next logical step in the process and tried to destroy their new baby.
Alright, there’s a little hyperbole in the word “destroy,” but that’s what comes to mind when I think of a heat cycle test of 1440 rounds with temperatures reaching 1000 degrees. The SPEAKEASY and BLIND TIGER also went through long-duration heat testing, enduring high temperatures for a prolonged period without the oppertunity to cool down. Throughout these tests, however, both silencers demonstrated durability without degradation of sound performance.
The Q SPEAKEASY and BLIND TIGER are rated for use with .300 Winchester Magnum at a minimum barrel length of 16”, while there are no barrel restrictions when used with .308 Winchester or 300BLK. Both silencers are available now, with MSRP for the SPEAKEASY set at $850, and $800 for the BLIND TIGER.
According to Q, these new stainless steel suppressors are not meant to replace their titanium counterparts, but instead provide additional value and options for hunters and shooters seeking optimal performance. Speaking of performance, it’s hard to talk about silencers without getting into their mounting system, a feature-packed muzzle break known affectionately as the CHERRY BOMB. This unique-looking device features 360-degree circumferential ports, eliminating the need to time it by installing shims. But it isn’t about looks and convenience alone, as the CHERRY BOMB’s taper mount helps maintain concentric alignment while providing the friction necessary to keep your silencer from backing off its threads during heavy use.
Last, but definitely not least, you can’t spend more than three decades in the silencer business without gaining an understanding that suppressors are wear items with a replacement lifecycle. That’s why Q designed the CHERRY BOMB to behave as a sacrificial baffle, taking the brunt of the initial blast and significantly prolonging internal erosion, providing increased longevity and sustained performance.
A Tiny Bolt Action
What better way to review the SPEAKEASY and BLIND TIGER than to take them to the range with a Q Honey Badger, Fix, and Mini Fix? I started things off with the Mini Fix and SPEAKEASY, the idea being that a bolt action 300BLK with an 8” barrel made the most sense with sound reduction as the priority.
Q was kind enough to send me their new AUS Direct Mount by Reptilia, which bolts directly to the receiver and continues the pattern of weight reduction and seamless aesthetics while providing a rigid optics mount. With my Primary Arms PLxC 1-8×24 ready to go, I began the day with some Fiocchi Range Dynamics 220gr Subsonic ammunition at 25 yards. The average velocity with this ammo was 895.12fps, and 5-shot groups kept to a minimum, but how did the SPEAKEASY sound? Well, it was excessively quiet, if that’s a thing.
I know because I didn’t wear any form of hearing protection throughout this review, which is going to seem a bit crazy here pretty soon.
I’m going to take a moment to encourage people to always wear hearing protection when shooting, whether you’re suppressed or not.
Growing up without suppressors and putting as many rounds down range as I have, not to mention the many other obnoxiously loud activities that always found their way into my repertoire, my hearing damage and tinnitus have become irritating aspects of everyday life, so in the name of curiosity and occupational hazard, do as I say and not as I do.
Although I was delighted with this configuration, I had to try the BLIND TIGER as well. I was pleasantly surprised by the lack of shift in my point of impact, which was so minimal that it could have been the man behind the trigger.
I did notice my average velocity creep down a little, at 873.3fps, and while I could hear a slight difference in audible report, the BLIND TIGER was far from making me head back to the truck for my earplugs. So far, so great, but I’m sticking to subsonic rounds and maximum suppression on this one, and 1.5” in overall length is an easy sacrifice on a platform this short.
With the SPEAKEASY back in action, I ran some 220gr BTHP from HOP Munitions, my current favorite subsonic 300BLK ammunition. With an average velocity of 1000.4fps in the Mini Fix, performance was precisely what I’ve come to expect, not just from this load, but from everything I’ve tried from HOP.
Having gone back and forth between suppressors and swapped ammo types, I thought I might see a little shift in point of impact, but I was wrong. Curious, I shot a few more rounds from the Fiocchi batch and found my point of impact remained the same. I’ll credit this to the consistency of Q’s taper mount system.
Before setting the Mini Fix aside, I wanted to run some 220gr POLY rounds that my good friends at HOP Munitions sent over. These ran great as well, at an average of 948.6fps, with a slight impact shift to the left. I really like this ammunition and am likely to run it as an affordable and safe training round.
The Icon
It was Honey Badger time, and I had been looking forward to it. I went into this test already knowing I was going to strap a SPEAKEASY to the rifle for life. My thinking is that I would be likely to shoot both supersonic and subsonic ammunition through it, and that I would prioritize maximum suppression on a firearm that pulls bedside duty. I shot the Honey Badger with an unmagnified Aimpoint T2 on a Unity Riser.
Despite the lack of magnification and my aging eyesight, 5-shot groups were off to a flattering start. Once again, the SPEAKEASY went to work reducing the rifle’s report to a level I was more than comfortable with, the action being the loudest aspect of the experience. The combination of Fiocchi 220gr and the Honey Badger’s 7” barrel averaged 836.5fps.
I had a magazine’s worth of Ammo Inc. 110gr supersonic ammunition available, so I stepped out onto the range, figured out my zero offset, and rang some steel. Supers were considerably louder, but my ears, which are still susceptible to being rung themselves, burned through the magazine without incident or any noticeable discomfort. This was not the furthest I’d push it on the outing, but thus far, I was thrilled with the performance of both silencers.
Going back to subsonic ammunition, HOP Munitions 220gr BTHP performed just as well on the Honey Badger with an average velocity of 979fps and five shots making one nice ragged hole. The 220gr POLY rounds sailed through this portion of the review at an average of 939.5fps as I put three shots through the same hole while throwing a pair out of what I’m content to blame on pure excitement.
Long Boy
Moving to the Q Fix with its 16” barrel chambered in .308 Winchester, I was excited to try out some HOP Munitions 190gr Subsonic BTHP. My instinct on the Fix was to run the BLIND TIGER to keep the weight up front to a minimum, and being a longer barrel, I suspected it would be enough to tame both subsonic and supersonic rounds without disturbing the already well-balanced platform.
The HOP subsonic rounds were lights out accurate at 50 yards with the help of an NX8 2.5-20×50 F1 that Nightforce was kind enough to provide for the review, and I have to admit the Dark Earth finish on the optic combined with the finish on the Fix and Reptilia AUS Direct Mount just feels right. The BLIND TIGER suppressed the 190gr subs to a very comfortable sound signature while the setup provided an average velocity of 1106.5fps, achieving maximum terminal performance downrange while remaining just under the sound barrier.
The beauty of this setup is its versatility, because the BLIND TIGER worked equally well, relatively speaking, with some Hornady Match 168gr ammunition I took out for the review. These supersonic loads ran an average of 2498.6fps and impacted high and to the left of my subsonic zero, so I used the top right corner of the box below as my point of aim.
How loud was it? The 16” Fix with the BLIND TIGER and full power ammunition was noticeably louder, as one might expect, especially since there isn’t much that can be done about the supersonic crack. But the BLIND TIGER took the edge off enough that the experience was both very tolerable and confirmed to me that this was my setup for the Fix.
I still had to try the SPEAKEASY on the Fix to satisfy my curiosity, and found myself thinking that the difference, while noticeable, was not enough to overrule my initial instinct to keep the rifle as short and with as little weight as possible up front. For this application, I found the BLIND TIGER to be a perfect solution, even with the Hornady Match. Interestingly enough, I did see a slight velocity difference again between the two silencers, with the SPEAKEASY running a little faster at an average of 2510fps.
Final Thoughts
Do you really need me to tell you I was impressed at this point? I was. The Q SPEAKEASY and BLIND TIGER delivered as promised, and although this is a silencer review, I’ll say that the Fix, Mini Fix, and Honey Badger spoiled me on the range. Everything ran flawlessly. Not well, but flawlessly. Would I recommend the SPEAKEASY and BLIND TIGER? Absolutely. But which one should you buy? Well, that’s up to you, but you’ve heard the old gun guy opinion on this dilemma. Buy them both if you can’t decide. That’s what I’d do.
I’m also a firm believer in the taper mount at this point, and although I am not likely to shoot the CHERRY BOMB without a suppressor, I am a fan of it being there as a sacrificial baffle. I also found myself reaching for the silencers from time to time to see if they had backed off at all since I am more accustomed to QD-style systems, but neither suppressor moved until I wanted them to on any of the CHERRY BOMB equipped rifles.
This has been one of the most fun reviews I have ever been involved with, and I’m looking forward to everything Q from here on out. On a side note, I was able to spend some time shooting the 8.6BLK Q Boombox at SHOT Show this year, and that’s a whole other level of innovation that I can’t wait to put my hands on again.
Having worked for firearms manufacturers before becoming a writer, I am also impressed with Q’s company culture, as staff in multiple departments were open with me about the freedom they had to be as creative as they could be, while easily being able to get the support they needed from Kevin every step of the way.
I’ve never met Kevin Brittingham, but anyone who learns lessons in life and pays the benefit of those lessons forward to those who work for them is someone worth knowing, especially if he’s your boss. I only bring this up because I am sure it plays a big role in the outcome of every product released, and that was evident to me throughout this review.
Thank you to everyone at Q who took the time to share technical information for this article and the gear for this review.
If you’re a silencer junkie like me, or planning on becoming one as tax stamps plunge to free-ninety-free, let me know what you think of the SPEAKEASY and BLIND TIGER, if you’re a fan of the taper mount, and any other thoughts in the comments below.
For all things Q, please visit liveqordie.com.
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