The firearms used by the United States military have been cataloged extensively. Every small variation of these various weapons has been cataloged and collected. What’s not so clear, and often cloudy, is the military’s use of suppressors. The reason why it hasn’t been cataloged extensively is that until relatively recently, suppressors haven’t been used in great numbers by modern military forces. However, the history of suppressors in military use is downright fascinating and likely goes further than you know.
The First Suppressor in Military Use
Hiram Maxim designed the first silencer in 1902 and received his patent in 1909. He continued to develop suppressors for hunters and plinkers and often touted their usefulness beyond martial use. However, he also saw the advantage of military contracts. He created the Model 1910 to sit offset and allow the user to maintain the ability to use their sights.
The US military purchased Maxim Model 1912 suppressors and a limited number of Moore suppressors. Both were tested, but neither was adopted wholeheartedly. The military didn’t see the benefit. Maxim continued to develop the Springfield suppressors and would release a Model 15 designed for the Springfield.
The first time we saw military use of suppressors was during the American Punitive Expedition to Mexico in 1916. A silencer-equipped sniper squad followed General John Pershing into Mexico. Sadly, there don’t seem to be many records of what the squad did or how well the suppressed rifles worked.
Suppressors In The Great War
Americans were only involved in about 180 days of fighting in World War I, but it is unclear if any suppressed sniper rifles ever found their way to combat in American hands. We know some soldiers brought suppressed rifles. The US Army did order 9,100 suppressed sniper rifles, but the war ended before the order was fulfilled.
While we are focused primarily on American military use of suppressors, it’s worth mentioning that British snipers used silencers to great effect during the war. This included Maxim suppressors. They became known as the Whispering Death amongst the Germans.
World War II – Suppressor Use In The Wild
One of the best stories concerning suppressors and World War II comes from the time ‘Wild’ Bill Donovan, head of the OSS, met with President Roosevelt in the Oval Office. As the President dictated a letter, Donovan fired a round from a suppressed High Standard HDM into a sandbag, told the unbelieving President he had done so, and handed him the still smoking gun.
The High Standard HDM was one of many silenced weapons used during the war. Springfields with suppressors were fielded in limited numbers. The Brits devised the Welrod, which entered American OSS hands. The OSS also wielded M3 Grease Guns with internally suppressed barrels.
World War II saw a rise in special operations and espionage as the war reached all corners of the globe. Suppressed weapons became valuable tools for commandos who were blowing up airfields and sabotaging Axis war efforts. The weapons were used for assassinations to cover troops’ tracks and avoid drawing attention when necessary.
This gave suppressors new life inside the United States military. They became demystified, and with the development of special warfare units, they grew in commonality.
Vietnam – Asymmetric Warfare
In Vietnam, the United States faced long-term guerilla warfare. The Vietnam War created modern special operations forces. Asymmetric warfare put a new focus on special operations, and special operations troops needed suppressors. Suppressors don’t completely eliminate noise, but they allow troops to hide their positions longer, making them harder to find in a firefight.
Special Operations troops commonly used submachine guns with suppressors, including the Swedish K and UZI. Suppressors from companies like Sionics and the HEL M2 suppressed the M16A1 rifles, a blessing for special operations troops. Handguns like the PPK would be surprised and could operate reliably due to the blowback action. Nielsen devices wouldn’t be invented for another decade.
However, the Navy did develop the Mk 22 MOD 0, a suppressed S&W Model 39. This gun became known as the Hush Puppy. It was developed to eliminate sentries and guard dogs at close range. It was suppressed and featured a slide lock that prevented the slide from cycling, which cut the noise to nothing.
There were lots of experimental suppressed weapons. This includes M1 carbines, a Silent Sniper Rifle firing a massive subsonic cartridge, a silenced revolver, and more. The Vietnam War made the suppressed weapon a common sight in special operations units.
The Modern Era
From Vietnam til now, we have seen a shift in suppressor usage. Special Operations troops, snipers, and similar cool guys had suppressors, but they began leaking to the infantry. Marines carrying Mk 12s carried suppressors. Suppressors from Knight’s Armament, Qual-A-Tech, and more have entered the scene.
The Army’s Next Generation Squad Weapon comes with a suppressor and aims to arm all infantrymen with a new long-range rifle option. The Marine Corps conducted a massive experiment with infantry-suppressed weapons and is going full steam ahead. Suppressors are commonly issued amongst infantry Marines and the M27 IAR.
Tomorrow’s War Will Be Silenced
Suppressors allow troops to hear commands, maintain situational awareness, and make troops tougher to find at moderate to long ranges. The cat is out of the bag, and the United States seems dedicated to a future of suppressed weapons with modern fighting forces. These are no longer tools dedicated to special ops troops, but the average Joe will be toting a suppressed weapon for the foreseeable future.
