Griffin Armament Suppressors: Full Lineup, History & Buying Guide
Griffin Armament suppressors are built in-house in Watertown, Wisconsin, by a veteran-owned company founded in 2005 by brothers Austin and Evan Green.
Last updated: October 16, 2026 · Originally published October 5, 2026
Update, October 10, 2026: On October 9, ATF stopped requiring a Form 4, federal registration or a tax stamp for suppressors, SBRs, SBSs and AOWs, for everyone nationwide. State law still applies. How buying a suppressor works now.
If you’ve spent any time comparing suppressor brands, you’ve likely run into Griffin Armament’s name attached to an unusually wide catalog of mounting systems and a reputation for engineering-first thinking. The company doesn’t just build one universal can and call it done — it has spent two decades developing proprietary interfaces like DUAL-LOK and GATE-LOK, pushed early into 3D-printed suppressor cores, and built a rimfire-to-.300-caliber lineup that spans nearly every shooting discipline. For buyers weighing where to spend an NFA tax stamp (now a $0 stamp), understanding what actually makes Griffin different — and which model fits a given host gun — matters more than marketing copy.
Who Is Griffin Armament?
Griffin Armament was founded in 2005 by brothers Austin and Evan Green, both Army-sniper-qualified veterans who served in Operation Iraqi Freedom. According to the company, the two built the business without outside investment, working the machine shop in shifts while the other deployed overseas — a founding story the brand credits with shaping its “Engineered Silence” identity today. Griffin describes itself as the oldest privately-owned suppressor manufacturer in the United States, and the hearing damage the Greens sustained in combat is part of why the company has stayed focused on suppressor design rather than diversifying broadly into unrelated product categories.
The company is headquartered and manufactures in-house in Watertown, Wisconsin, where it recently completed a 40,000-square-foot facility expansion. Griffin now employs close to 100 people and produces more than 900 unique products across suppressors, muzzle devices, firearms, and accessories, supplying civilian, law enforcement, and government buyers. The brand has staked out several suppressor-industry firsts, including tubeless suppressor construction, modular-length pistol cans, integral tri-lug mounts, and — notably — a public demonstration of a 3D-printed suppressor back in 2009, well before additive manufacturing became a mainstream production method for the category. More recently, Griffin developed Nickel 625X, a proprietary nickel alloy engineered specifically for suppressor baffles and cores, which it uses in its current generation of 3D-printed cans.
2026: The NFA Tax Stamp Change Is Reshaping Who Buys Suppressors
Suppressor demand across the entire industry has surged since the 2025 federal tax law effectively zeroed out the $200 NFA transfer tax on suppressors. Per the National Shooting Sports Foundation, more than 845,000 suppressor applications were filed through May 2026 alone, NFA background checks jumped 177% year-over-year in June 2026, and the national suppressor registry grew from roughly 285,000 units in 2010 to over 6.3 million by mid-2026. Faster ATF eForm processing — often just days instead of months — has removed much of the friction that used to keep casual shooters out of the market.
That surge matters for brand research specifically because manufacturers like Griffin are expanding capacity and releasing new models faster than in past years. Griffin unveiled the Optimus 6 — its first 3D-printed production suppressor — at SHOT Show 2025, alongside a new 9mm AR-platform carbine concept, and followed with a MOD 4 update to its Revolution pistol-caliber line. First-time buyers entering the market now have more current-generation Griffin options to evaluate than at almost any point in the company’s history.
The Full Griffin Armament Lineup
| Category | Model | Caliber | Notable Feature |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rimfire | CHECKMATE-HD | .22 LR, rated to 5.7×28mm | CARBON-GARD tool-less baffle disassembly; EZ-LOK, direct thread, or CAM-LOK mounting |
| Rimfire | CHECKMATE-AM22 | .22 LR | Additive-manufactured (3D-printed) rimfire silencer |
| Rimfire | CHECKMATE-AM32 | .32 ACP | Additive-manufactured rimfire/pistol silencer |
| Rimfire | Optimus Micro | Rimfire | Compact taper-mount rimfire can |
| Pistol | Optimus 9 AM | 9mm | Additive-manufactured pistol silencer |
| Pistol | Optimus 45 AM | .45 ACP | Additive-manufactured pistol silencer |
| Pistol | Revolution 9 MOD 4 | 9mm (plus subsonic rifle rounds to .300 BLK, fixed mount only) | Tool-less full-size/K reconfiguration; EZ-LOK piston mount; full-auto rated |
| Pistol | Revolution 45 MOD 4 | .45 ACP (plus subsonic rifle rounds to .45-70, fixed mount only) | Tool-less full-size/K reconfiguration; EZ-LOK piston mount; full-auto rated |
| Rifle (Additive Manufactured) | Optimus 6 | 5.56mm / 6mm | Griffin’s first 3D-printed can; replaceable core keeps original serial; DUAL-LOK, Taper Mount, or HUB |
| Rifle (Additive Manufactured) | DUAL-LOK 5 / HUB DUAL-LOK 5 AM | 5.56mm | Nickel 625X printed core; DUAL-LOK or HUB mounting |
| Rifle (Additive Manufactured) | DUAL-LOK 7 / HUB DUAL-LOK 7 AM | .30 caliber | Nickel 625X printed core; DUAL-LOK or HUB mounting |
| Rifle (Additive Manufactured) | HRT-556 / HRT-5K AM | 5.56mm | Extreme low-backpressure design for gas guns; full-length and short (K) variants |
| Rifle (Additive Manufactured) | M4SD-3 / M4SD-K / M4SD-L AM | 5.56mm | GATE-LOK quick-detach, military-pattern mount |
| Rifle (Additive Manufactured) | Recce 5 / Recce 5K / Recce 7 AM | 5.56mm and .30 caliber | Taper-mount 3D-printed rifle cans |
| Rifle (Additive Manufactured) | EXPLORR .224 / EXPLORR .300 | 5.56mm and .30 caliber | Available in Taper Mount or HUB Utility Mount configurations |
| Rifle (Conventionally Manufactured) | DUAL-LOK 5 | 5.56mm | Machined DUAL-LOK rifle silencer |
| Rifle (Conventionally Manufactured) | Recce 5 / Recce 5K / Recce 7 | 5.56mm and .30 caliber | Machined taper-mount rifle silencers |
| Rifle (Conventionally Manufactured) | Optimus 7 | .30 caliber | Machined sibling to the Optimus 6; DUAL-LOK, Taper, or HUB mounting |
| Rifle (Conventionally Manufactured) | PRC-22 | 5.56mm | Compact precision-rifle-class silencer |
| Rifle (Conventionally Manufactured) | PRC-300 | 7.62mm | Compact precision-rifle-class silencer |
| Hunting | Sportsman Ultra Light HD .300 / .36 / .46 | .30 caliber up to .46-caliber-class rifles | Lightweight, HUB-mount silencers built specifically for hunting rifles |
| Multi-Caliber / Universal | Bushwhacker 36 | Rifle and pistol calibers up to roughly .35-caliber-class | ECO-FLOW baffle technology; EZ-LOK, HUB, or direct-thread via PLAN-A adapter |
| Multi-Caliber / Universal | Bushwhacker 46 | Rifle from .17 HMR up to .450 Bushmaster/.45-70 Gov; pistol up to .45 ACP | ECO-FLOW baffle technology; tool-less Ratchet-LOK end cap; EZ-LOK, HUB, and taper-mount interfaces |
Model availability and specs current as of publish date — always confirm the latest configuration and pricing directly with Griffin Armament or an authorized dealer before buying.
Notable Models Worth a Closer Look
Optimus 6 – Griffin’s First 3D-Printed Suppressor
Unveiled at SHOT Show 2025 after nearly three years of development, the Optimus 6 pairs a 3D-printed Nickel 625X core with a machined rear housing that carries the suppressor’s serial number. If a baffle strike damages the printed core, Griffin can service or replace it while the registered serial number stays intact — avoiding a re-registration through the NFA process. It’s rated for 5.56mm and 6mm, weighs between 15.2 and 17.2 ounces depending on mount, and is available in DUAL-LOK, Taper Mount, or HUB Utility Mount configurations, with an included Flash-Killer Quad-Tine end cap.
Revolution 9 & 45 MOD 4 – Modular Pistol-Caliber Cans
The MOD 4 generation of Griffin’s Revolution line lets shooters switch between full-size and short “K” configurations without tools, and adds CARBON-GARD individual baffle seals to slow carbon buildup between components. Both the 9mm and .45 ACP versions are also rated for subsonic rifle-caliber use — up to .300 Blackout for the Revolution 9 and up to .45-70 for the Revolution 45 — provided they’re run on a fixed (non-piston) mount, giving one suppressor legitimate dual duty across a pistol and a subsonic rifle build.
Bushwhacker 46 – The Multi-Caliber Workhorse
Griffin’s Bushwhacker 46 is built to move between an unusually wide caliber range — rifle rounds from .17 HMR up to .450 Bushmaster/.45-70 Government, plus pistol calibers up to .45 ACP — using EZ-LOK, HUB, and taper-mount interfaces. Its patented ECO-FLOW baffle stack and tool-less Ratchet-LOK end cap are designed for full disassembly and cleaning, and Griffin cites noise reduction figures ranging from roughly -26.9 dB to -33.6 dB depending on caliber and host firearm. For buyers who don’t want a dedicated can for every gun in the safe, it’s Griffin’s answer to a true one-suppressor solution.
CHECKMATE-HD – A Purpose-Built Rimfire Can
At 5.8 ounces and just over 5 inches long, the CHECKMATE-HD is Griffin’s dedicated .22 LR silencer (rated up to 5.7x28mm), built from 17-4 H900 stainless steel and 7075-T6 aluminum. It uses the same CARBON-GARD tool-less disassembly technology found on the Revolution MOD 4 line, and Griffin markets it as delivering zero first-round pop — a common pain point on rimfire suppressors that trap moisture and carbon between range sessions.
Buying Griffin Armament Suppressors: What to Check First
- Mounting system compatibility: Griffin runs several proprietary interfaces — DUAL-LOK, Taper Mount, GATE-LOK, HUB, EZ-LOK, and CAM-LOK — so confirm which mount a specific model ships with and whether your host barrel’s muzzle device matches before you buy.
- AM (3D-printed) vs. conventionally machined: Griffin sells both additive-manufactured cans (Optimus, DUAL-LOK AM, Recce AM, EXPLORR, M4SD) and traditionally machined equivalents; AM models trade some price premium for lighter weight and, in the case of the Optimus line, serviceable/replaceable cores.
- Multi-caliber vs. dedicated cans: Models like the Bushwhacker 36/46 and Revolution MOD 4 line cover multiple calibers on one host thread, which can reduce how many suppressors — and NFA transfers — you need overall.
- Weight and balance on the host gun: Rimfire and micro options like the CHECKMATE line and Optimus Micro run a few ounces, while full-size rifle and multi-caliber cans run well over a pound; weigh how that shifts balance on a hunting rifle, PCC, or duty carbine.
- The NFA process still applies: Even with the federal transfer tax reduced to $0 under the 2025 tax law, you still must submit an ATF Form 4 through a licensed dealer and wait for approval before taking home any Griffin suppressor.
- Warranty coverage: Griffin backs most of its current lineup with a Perpetual Lifetime Warranty against damage and defects — worth confirming per-model before you buy, especially on newer AM releases.
Most of you don't have a suppressor on the deer rifle yet. Among those who do, titanium leads steel by more than three to one.
Frequently Asked Questions About Griffin Armament
Is Griffin Armament a good suppressor brand?
Griffin Armament is a well-established, veteran-owned manufacturer with a two-decade track record, in-house manufacturing in Watertown, Wisconsin, and a lineup that spans rimfire through .30-caliber and multi-caliber suppressors. It’s known for developing proprietary mounting systems (DUAL-LOK, GATE-LOK) and for early, ongoing investment in 3D-printed suppressor technology.
What is Griffin Armament’s Optimus 6 suppressor?
The Optimus 6 is Griffin’s first 3D-printed production suppressor, released in 2025 for 5.56mm and 6mm. It uses a printed Nickel 625X core welded to a serialized rear housing, so the core can be serviced or replaced after a baffle strike without requiring re-registration, and it’s offered in DUAL-LOK, Taper Mount, or HUB configurations.
Where is Griffin Armament located?
Griffin Armament is headquartered and manufactures in-house in Watertown, Wisconsin, where it recently completed a 40,000-square-foot facility expansion.
What mounting systems does Griffin Armament use?
Griffin’s suppressors use several proprietary and semi-proprietary interfaces depending on the model, including DUAL-LOK, Taper Mount, GATE-LOK (quick-detach), HUB Utility Mount, EZ-LOK (piston-style for pistol cans), and CAM-LOK, so buyers need to match the mount to their specific host firearm’s muzzle device.
Related guides: How to Buy a Suppressor, Suppressor Mounting Systems Explained, Best Suppressor Brands, Best Suppressor for an AR-15. For a look at how suppressor-friendly ammunition factors into a quiet setup, see Winchester Super Suppressed 9mm: The Quiet Do-Everything Subsonic Load on Popular Outdoorsman. For our full 9mm suppressor lineup comparison, see our best 9mm suppressors guide. Griffin also builds purpose-rated magnum and big-bore options — see our .300 Win Mag suppressors guide for the Paladin HD 300 WM and our .458 SOCOM suppressors guide for the Bushwhacker 46.
Similar Posts
