SilencerCo Scythe STM Suppressor: Quiet Versatility

Suppressors are more popular than ever, and that popularity increases every day. Suppressors themselves are better than they’ve ever been, and choices seem endless. The elimination of the $200 federal tax stamp has helped considerably. With so many great choices and fewer hurdles than since the 1930s, how do you choose which suppressor to buy? A lot goes into that choice, and quality and performance are at the top of the list. I‘ve recently been running a suppressor that I think deserves serious consideration: the SilencerCo Scythe STM.

The SilencerCo Scythe STM

The Scythe STM is versatile, being compatible with calibers ranging from 5.56 NATO to .300 RUM. I’ve been running it on a Howa 1500 precision setup in .308 Winchester.

SilencerCo’s premium Scythe Series features the Scythe Ti titanium suppressor and the stainless-steel Scythe STM. This review will focus on the latter product going forward. SilencerCo loaned me the Scythe STM. I do not get to keep it.

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SilencerCo bills its Scythe Series as being “designed to elevate suppression for .30 caliber rifles.”

The modular Scythe STM is built from 17-4 stainless steel. This makes it suitable for hard use, which its full-auto rating with no barrel restrictions emphasizes.

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The suppressor features a single-port anchor brake that reduces recoil and is easily attached to both the long and short configurations. A high-temperature Cerakote protects the housing. The housing measures 5.1 to 6.9 inches, depending on the configuration, including the anchor brake. Its diameter is 1.73 inches, and the suppressor weighs 10.4 or 14.7 ounces, again depending on the configuration.

The suppressor ships with a radial tool, a SilencerCo Bravo tool, a spanner wrench, and a 5/8×24 titanium direct thread mount, in addition to the anchor brake. It is compatible with all SilencerCo Bravo accessories. SilencerCo’s accessories are designated Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta, Echo, and Maxim for easy compatibility identification.

Suppressors are Not Like the Movies

Older hands know how suppressors work. But with so many shooters getting into them for the first time, I think a basic explanation is merited. First, forget what you see in the movies. It doesn’t work that way.

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Suppressors quiet a shot’s muzzle blast by redirecting the gas created when a round is fired. Modern suppressors do that via a series of baffles within the housing. Even then, the muzzle blast isn’t “silenced,” but it is reduced considerably. The Scythe STM’s modular construction allows us to see those baffles when the suppressor is taken apart.

Suppressors do not, however, affect the sonic crack the bullet creates as it breaks the sound barrier. The sonic crack’s contribution to a shot’s overall decibel level depends on one’s location in relation to the firearm. The shooter’s perception comes from the noise created at the muzzle, which is mostly muzzle blast, with a very small contribution from the sonic crack. Someone standing downrange, however, might hear the crack before they hear the blast.

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The sonic crack can only be addressed with subsonic ammunition, which eliminates it altogether, whether or not you use a suppressor. Subsonic ammo contains smaller quantities of faster-burning powder than supersonic ammo. This equates to a less intense muzzle blast. A suppressor reduces that even more. Subsonic cartridges compensate for lower velocities by employing larger, heavier projectiles to provide terminal performance.

How Decibels Work

Suppressor performance is measured by decibel ratings, which are measured at the muzzle. That means they primarily measure the muzzle blast.

The table below, from SilencerCo’s website, shows the Scythe STM’s average decibel ratings for four different cartridges. For reference, the average unsuppressed .308 Winchester shot generates 155-165 decibels, while the average 5.56 NATO round comes in at around 165-171 decibels. Note that barrel length affects decibel ratings. Shorter is louder for the same cartridge.

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140 decibels is considered “hearing safe.” The table shows that the Scythe STM performs below or right at that threshold. That performance becomes more significant when you understand that decibels increase and decrease on a logarithmic scale, as opposed to linear. Reducing the noise to the Scythe STM’s levels is a big deal.

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But you’ll still want to use hearing protection. Decibels in the 130-140 range are unpleasant. Likewise,, “hearing safe” or not, repeated exposure will damage your hearing over time. If you want to ditch the ear protection, say for hunting, find a good subsonic load to pair with your suppressor. That’s when shooting suppressed really shines.

SilencerCo Scythe STM on the Range

As I noted, we ran the Scythe STM on a Howa 1500 precision rifle with a Hera H7 chassis system. The rifle does a good job taming the .308 Winchester rounds we shoot through it. My co-tester and I are not precision shooters. But we’re working on it a little at a time, learning as we go.

One thing we’ve learned is that shooting suppressed not only reduces the noise but also lessens the recoil just a bit. Neither of us is particularly recoil-sensitive, but it adds up, and any small thing is appreciated. We both enjoyed using the Scythe STM.

I want to emphasize again that shooting supersonic ammo still requires ear protection. However, the noise reduction was noticeable. But we also fired one box of 185-grain Winchester Power Point subsonic ammo. I’m happy to say that we shot the entire box without ear protection. Nor did we think we needed it. The rifle’s closed action also helped since there was no cycling bolt, keeping the energy at the muzzle. We used the suppressor’s long configuration for this.

A sometimes pervasive myth says that suppressors make a rifle less accurate. That is generally not true, but suppressors do affect accuracy in some ways. First, reducing noise and recoil makes shooting more pleasant. A more pleasant-shooting rifle is easier to shoot accurately. We preferred the long configuration with its better performance.

Second, suppressors can affect barrel harmonics. So, your rounds may impact slightly differently than if you were shooting unsuppressed. That only requires a simple sight or load adjustment. Your groups should be the same, or perhaps even a little better, because of the reduced recoil. We adjusted our scope ever so slightly to account for this, and our accuracy didn’t suffer.

SilencerCo Scythe STM: Versatility and Capability

The Scythe STM performed well with noticeable benefits. We didn’t test its full-auto rating because we don’t have a full-auto firearm. But it contributed significantly to our range experience by reducing the noise and the recoil from our Howa 1500 rifle.

The only small issue we had was with the finish. We used a SilencerCo suppressor cover to protect us from inadvertently touching the can. Redirecting the gas through the baffles means that suppressors get very hot very fast. Removing the Nomex heat shield after one range session also removed some of the suppressor’s Cerakote finish. Not a lot, but it’s noticeable, as you may see in one of the photos.

Covers protect shooters’ hands, but they also reflect the heat back onto the suppressor. So, it bleeds off much more slowly. We suspect it affected the Cerakote that day.

But that, again, is a small thing as far as I’m concerned. The suppressor itself performed admirably. And, honestly, I expect some wear and tear on gear that I use a lot. If this were my suppressor, I really wouldn’t care. I’m more interested in whether it works as advertised, and the Scythe STM did that very well.

The Scythe STM is a versatile, capable suppressor. I’ve had good experiences with several SilencerCo products. They are well-made, and they perform. This one will definitely get a hard look the next time I buy a .30 caliber suppressor. I may just go ahead and get one for the Howa. I already know it works, after all.

SilencerCo Scythe STM Specs

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