Air Lock Industries Suppressor

[4th_point]

Our design takes a different path. Instead of relying solely on volume, our suppressor creates significant turbulence right from the start, and that turbulence makes each baffle work more effectively.


Another key factor is bore diameter. While it may not have a major impact on some suppressors, it plays a critical role in ours. A smaller aperture slows the transfer turbulent gases from baffle to baffle, improving efficiency and overall performance.

Holy smokes - this thread has 22k views in just over a month!

Anyway, questions for @DannyB

1. Since the internal design creates significant turbulence to achieve high suppression for a compact can, have you seen the need to perform more frequent cleaning? We can actually see slowed exhaust jetting with your design vs others in the videos, which is awesome, but I wonder if it also traps more residue?

2. Is it any harder to clean than other designs, given the tortuous path?

3. Does it play well with gas guns? With some flow-though designs there is minimal blowback on something like an AR with DI gas system. How about the Airlock?

 

[DannyB]

@ACHILLES Spring of 2026 is the plan for the 6mm.

@4th_point

1. Cleaning frequency: Yes and no. Our 16" 6.5 PRC rifle has needed zero cleaning in the first 500 rounds, though it gets hot during testing. I’ve seen one of our 6.5 CMs require cleaning after about 100 rounds, but generally, it seems to be rifle-dependent.
2. Suppressor maintenance: No special cleaning required—same regimen as any other sealed suppressor.
3. Gas guns: Due to the high pressure, these suppressors don’t perform well on gas-operated firearms. We recommend either taking 1–2 seconds between shots on a semi-auto or using a bolt-action rifle, since the suppressor captures a lot of gas.

 

[4th_point]

Thanks, Danny!

I really appreciate your openness, and willingness to answer questions here.

 

[4th_point]

They have done destructive testing- I thought the videos were posted, and just got off the phone with Cliff- he thought they were. The person that ran the media/web apparently did not. They will be posted.

Looking forward to seeing what was done and the results. Thanks.

Edit - that's for the OG by Unknown and not Airlock. Sorry for mixing.

 

[4th_point]

What has been shown by lots of companies and is known by more, is that muzzle forward cans historically have not shown enough dB reduction from 6.5 bore to 30cal to make it worth it. That’s still true for most designs. However, OTB for some reason does show a relatively large difference. This was confirmed by a couple other large suppressor companies- one which sells OTB and one that doesn’t. Both stated that they aren 100% sure why, and that their muzzle forward cans don’t show it.

I'd think an analyst would be able to create a BEM (Boundary Element Model) to predict the difference, without needing to run a CFD for the flow. That's assuming the OTB portion is just an expansion chamber and not part of a long tortuous path. That stated, I collected and processed data for BEM and CFD correlation, but never worked as an analyst running the sims.

Or to think of it another way, the aperture can be used as a flow limiter for OTB (and apparently the Airlock) but not for other non-OTB cans. Why? Really high turbulence (Airlock), or resonator (OTB)? Just thinking/typing out loud.

 

[4th_point]

Because it has shown to not match reality often enough that it’s not really worth it. Very often designs that should be “the best” are terrible in real life when built and tested, and designs which should be “terrible” are quite good when actually measured.

One of the best cans from a dB and sound standpoint was made in a garage nearly 40 years ago, and the computer analysis that I’ve seen on it says it should be a POS. Another- one of the best suppressor companies on the market came up with their design on a napkin at a bar- again, the fluid analysis said it shouldn’t be good.

What year were those CFD done? Do you know who ran the simulations, and what SW packages were used?

A key limitation of using CFD for cans is modeling turbulence. That, and nobody likes doing the meshing! However, the SW and computing power keep getting better so what was state-of-the-art just 10 years ago is not necessarily relevant today. For example, there are new turbulence models that came out since I left the field just a few years ago.

Disclaimer: I was not an analyst, but collected data for CFD and other sims. The CFD models were never correct with the first iteration, even by an experienced PhD. So correlation studies were done, which is common across industries, to improve the models.

 

[Formidilosus]

What year were those CFD done? Do you know who ran the simulations, and what SW packages were used?

A key limitation of using CFD for cans is modeling turbulence. That, and nobody likes doing the meshing! However, the SW and computing power keep getting better so what was state-of-the-art just 10 years ago is not necessarily relevant today. For example, there are new turbulence models that came out since I left the field just a few years ago.

Disclaimer: I was not an analyst, but collected data for CFD and other sims. The CFD models were never correct with the first iteration, even by an experienced PhD. So correlation studies were done, which is common across industries, to improve the models.

I wish that I could answer your questions, but that is beyond my knowledge and field.

 

[Presswood_936]

The more time I get behind the Airlock the more I love it

 

[Bater]

Not sure, I decided this time rather than try to take temps to just keep it as hot as I could and keep going.

Pre-orders open 9/12 at 10:00 AM MT for the 7mm and restock of the 6.5mm. Estimated ship date is 10/1 for those orders.

Thanks for the videos and transparent testing. I will be online at 10 AM on the 12th, plan to order one of each…

 

[Bater]

These look awesome, makes me wish I didn’t have my Scythe-Ti.

Same

 

[AZ_Hunter]

@DannyB

Do you have any 16” CM db data?

 

[Stocky]

People have been seriously injured by Scythe’s exploding. I know of at least one broken orbital bone, collar bone, and shoulder damage.


____________________
“Keep on keepin’ on…”

Ive got to ask how. Are these injuries to onlookers etc?

 

[kkp005]

Ive got to ask how. Are these injuries to onlookers etc?

I imagine it’s from the extreme recoil of launching a suppressor of the end your gun.. I had a suppressor break at the first weld when shooting a 270 and I don’t know how it didn’t split my head open

 

[walk2112]

Ran an 80-round durability test on the 7mm Zero Gravity. Fired as fast as I could through a 16” 6.5 PRC. Based on my math, the muzzle pressures from this 16” 6.5 PRC are similar to what you’d see from an 18” 7 PRC

What’s the overall length of the 7mm? Trying to make some expensive deci$ions! Ha

 

[Q_Sertorius]

Ive got to ask how. Are these injuries to onlookers etc?

Not as far as I know. The shooter is the one injured. The Scythe’s welds break and most of the can gets sent down range. The increased recoil hurts the shooter.


____________________
“Keep on keepin’ on…”

 

[DannyB]

@AZ_Hunter my 16" 6.5 CM is currently waiting for its stock to come in but when it does I can get you some numbers. ​

@walk2112 5.5" so adds 4.875 to the length of your rifle. ​

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

So ideally its never an issue but what if there is a failure on these, do you have any ability to repair them, (internally or outsourced, timelines?) or will folks need to get issued a new can and go through an ATF transfer again? When you talk of stock coming in it sounds like you are outsourcing the printing and/or machining. Its expensive equipment, no shade there, but for transparency purposes for customers what affect, if any, does that have on any warranty claims? That was a complaint with dead air and their outsourced welded cans, the warranty time for repairs was out of their internal control and took a long time.

 

[wind gypsy]

So ideally its never an issue but what if there is a failure on these, do you have any ability to repair them, (internally or outsourced, timelines?) or will folks need to get issued a new can and go through an ATF transfer again? When you talk of stock coming in it sounds like you are outsourcing the printing and/or machining. Its expensive equipment, no shade there, but for transparency purposes for customers what affect, if any, does that have on any warranty claims? That was a complaint with diligent defense and their outsourced welded cans, the warranty time for repairs was out of their internal control and took a long time.

I hadn't heard that on DD but did on dead air for their cans that were manufactured by KGM prior to getting their own printer.

 

[DannyB]

So ideally its never an issue but what if there is a failure on these, do you have any ability to repair them, (internally or outsourced, timelines?) or will folks need to get issued a new can and go through an ATF transfer again? When you talk of stock coming in it sounds like you are outsourcing the printing and/or machining. Its expensive equipment, no shade there, but for transparency purposes for customers what affect, if any, does that have on any warranty claims? That was a complaint with diligent defense and their outsourced welded cans, the warranty time for repairs was out of their internal control and took a long time.

Hey, good questions. Right now, we outsource our printing to another company here in Idaho. It does add some inconvenience since we have to work on their timeline and accept smaller margins, but the tradeoff is that we’re not making payments on a million-dollar machine. Down the road, we’d definitely like to bring that in-house.

For damage and warranty, in most cases we’d just replace the entire unit. The bare part before machining isn’t classified as a suppressor (an SOT is still required to possess it) , just a component, so we plan to keep blanks in inventory for warranty repairs. That way, turnaround time would be quick since we’d just need to post-machine a blank.

As far as the ATF side, we haven’t had to process a warranty replacement yet, so I’ll be confirming with our contact whether they’d allow us to destroy and 'reproduce' the product under the same serial number or if the customer would need to re-file paperwork. If a new Form 4 is required and it’s truly a warranty case (not neglect, like a suppressor walking off from not being tightened), we would cover the $200 tax stamp until it’s reduced.

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

I hadn't heard that on DD but did on dead air for their cans that were manufactured by KGM prior to getting their own printer.

Brainfart, I meant dead air and edited above