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The Salvo 12 and The VERSAX 12, what are they good for?
Shotgun silencers are far and few between. Simply put, a 12 ga. is difficult to suppress and there is not a large market for them. The three most common use for a shotgun is bird hunting, skeet/trap or home defense. For bird hunting, most field guns are 28" and longer. Add a 12" silencer to the end of that and you could just poke the birds out of the sky! The same issue of length is present for the skeet/trap shooters as well. The longer the barrel and weight on the end, the harder it is to "swing" your gun to stay on target. Finally for home defense, even on an 18.5" or shorter set up, adding a large suppressor on the end makes the gun difficult to move around in confined spaces. Then there is the issue of attachment methods. Both silencers attach with the help of a choke. No issue there, but each shotgun company uses a different choke threading. So, if you want to suppress multiple shotguns of different manufacturers, you'll need to buy a different choke adapter for each one. The cost increases rapidly. Of course, these are generalizations and there are many nuances of each situation that could be argued.
So why suppress your 12 ga.?
Even with length and weight issues, suppressing the 12 ga. is a great way to help preserve your hearing. For instance, when hunting, I only put a plug in my right ear. This keeps the ear closest to the chamber protected while I can hear the dogs or other people with my left ear. For home defense situations, protecting your hearing is even more important. If you've ever shot indoors, you know how loud a gunshot it. For skeet/trap settings, suppressed shooting is great for bystanders that may be walking by.
What are my impressions of the two silencers?
The SilencerCo Salvo 12 is a beast of a suppressor! In its full configuration, the silencer is 12.5" in length and weighs 34.4 ounces. Or roughly the same size as a whisky bottle! This silencer can be shortened to find your ideal balance of suppression and weight/length, but that requires the purchase of SilencerCo rod kits. I shot the Salvo on an 18.5" Remington 870 Tactical and it was extremely quiet. The Salvo suppressed the 12 ga. enough that I could shoot all day without hearing protection. The only downfall was its size. I think this silencer would be best suited for static hunts such as dove or duck. I would not want to walk a field for pheasant with this setup unless I really wanted an oblique workout.
The JK Armament VERSAX 12 is tiny in comparison to the Salvo. In its full configuration, the silencer is 8" in length and weighs only 9.3 ounces. This silencer uses a unique baffle design that helps to keep the wad tight. Keeping the wad tight is essential to ensure the shot does not open prematurely inside the silencer and it helps to maintain the shot pattern. This silencer is also designed to be shot wet. Each baffle can be lightly coated in petroleum jelly which helps to disrupt the expanding gasses and slow them down. I shot the Versax 12 on an 18.5" Remington 870 Tactical and while it suppressed, it did not suppress nearly as much as the Salvo. A few shots without hearing protection would be fine but I wouldn't recommend shooting all day without protection. However, the Versax is also a much smaller package. It is several inches shorter and weighs a quarter of the Salvo. It is also only 1.95" in diameter whereas the Salvo is 2.96". The Versax 12 would be best for dynamic hunts that require you to move around.
Overall, both silencers are a blast to shoot. It's hard not to have fun shooting birdshot and buckshot suppressed. Which one to get will just depend on what you plan on using it for and the features you care about. Not moving around? I'd grab the Salvo. Walking a field? I'd reach for the Versax. There is a large price difference though. The Salvo retails for over $1,000 and the Versax under $600. Price sensitivity might make your decision for you. Want maximum performance? Salvo. Price sensitive and just need the shot knocked down enough to not cause hearing damage? Versax. As with any firearm set up, the mission dictates the build.
Its always a pleasure dealing with Coleton. He is very friendly, knowledgeable and keeps you informed and updated on your transactions. He offers great products, great service and he is genuinely a great guy.
Extremely knowledgeable and helpful, highly recommend. My order was delivered on time and packaged with care. Five star rating all around.
Absolutely one of THE BEST FFL/SOT businesses I have ever used, and they are veteran owned and operated. If they can't get what you're looking for, they make it extremely easy to get what you want shipped to them with the fastest turn around I have ever seen. They keep you in the loop constantly and make the process as easy as it can get. They love talking shop too. For any FFL/SOT needs, don't waste your time with anybody else. You just found the best!
Knowledgeable and Helpful Dealer
The whole overall ordering experience has been great. I was kept updated from original purchase through reviewing all the forms. If there were any issues, a quick email or text would resolve the problem and quickly streamlines the ordering process. Thankfully, Davis Firearms has a consistent inventory as after the first purchase I have become a grown my collection, and more to come.
Coleton Davis
Owner
Veteran-Owned, Davis Firearms is located in North Richland Hills, TX. I'm a home-based business dedicated to providing personalized service for your silencer needs. Most days you'll find me in my garage blasting Creed, selling cans and having a beer. If anything goes wrong, blame it on my intern Samuel. That guy sucks...
Silencers: My two main suppliers are Silencer Shop and Allen Arms Tactical. If they don't carry the silencer you want, I'll order it direct from the manufacture. I ship nationwide (to free states that is). I do not maintain a physical inventory. I bring silencers in per customer order. Email me at dfirearmsnrh@gmail.com to get a discount code and order.
Prefer Silencer Shop? Order directly through their website and assign me as your dealer at https://www.silencershop.com/dfirearmsnrh.
Best way to contact me is at dfirearmsnrh@gmail.com.