By Graham Baates
YouTube personality, Graham Baates, gives us an exclusive video review of the Arion Compact Ported Suppressor.
USA – -(Ammoland.com)- Arion is a small company based in Portland, Oregon who is changing the way we look at suppressors.
Tired of “cans” that equal or exceed the length of the handgun they’re on, company President Alex Carlson and his partner set out to find a way to reduce the overall length of the common suppressor and eliminate the need for higher sights.
They accomplished both of these goals by creating the volume necessary to suppress with chambers that orient vertically rather than laterally in a traditional suppressor.
Arion Compact Ported Suppressor
The Compact Ported Suppressor (CPS) is only 3.5” long and mounts low enough that even the stubby sights of a Beretta M9 can still be used. This greatly expands the list of potentially suppressible handguns as now those with irreplaceable sights can still be suppressed so long as a threaded barrel can be found. A total length of only 3.5” also greatly increases the chance of being able to keep the CPS on the gun during transport and even carry.
Yes, that’s right, a holster. BladeTech is currently developing a holster that will engage the CPS and support the handgun. Is this a concealable option? Not likely, but for law enforcement and open carry the ability to have a quieter solution at the ready is an exciting one. Hearing loss is not just the plight of weekend shooters.
The next question of course is, “How quiet is the Arion Compact Ported Silencer?”.
With limited volume potential, such a small suppressor will never be as quiet as the 7”x2” monster can we use on rifles. It does, however take the bite out of a shot. Decibel reduction is one of those numbers that we all like to browse when shopping suppressors, yet rarely do we see the full data of which firearm, ammunition, and altitude was used to create that reduction. During our testing, we tried the Beretta M9, CZ Scorpion, and FN FNX-45 with both super and subsonic loads in the 9mm platforms.
Due to a GSSF match taking place at the range the range master insisted that we wear hearing protection and also that we fire at a target. The target was steel so testing conditions were far from ideal. As an unaffiliated journalist, I can tell you that the CPS is quieter than running unsuppressed, but will not make you a ninja.
Rebel Erika hates wearing ear protection and cheated by slipping an ear plug out. We were several hundred yards from the GSSF match and in our own pit. According to her the handgun noise was comfortable, the ringing of the steel was not. As unscientific as that may sound, isn’t our personal comfort level how we really judge a suppressor?
So how does the Arion Compact Ported Can work?
The Arion CPS is easily maintained as the body of the suppressor is comprised of two halves.
The halves are machined of 6061 T6 Aluminum two create a beautiful maze for sound waves and combustion to work their way through. Pins ensure that the “can” is properly aligned before tightening hack together with hex screws. The vertical orientation also works nicely when running the suppressor wet as the ablative element actually survives longer than the first shot. A port on the front helps bleed off pressure while also encouraging gasses to exit. We were curious about the port’s orientation as standard knowledge would lead one to believe that it was in the downward orientation would impact muzzle rise. As it turns out testing showed no impact on rise.
After years of slapping lengthy black pipes onto the ends of our firearms it appears that Arion has truly engineered something refreshingly different. Perhaps I leave my mind too open to things that are different, but when one observer called the can ugly my reaction was to ask them to show me something other than another black pipe.
The Arion CPS is definitely worth taking a closer look. To see the CPS in action as well as words from the President of Arion himself see the video above:
For more information visit Arion’s website.
About Graham Baates
“Graham Baates” is a pen name used by a 15-year active Army veteran who spent most of his time in the tactical side of the Intelligence community including tours in Afghanistan and Iraq. Post-Army Graham spent some time in the 3-Gun circuit before becoming a full-time NRA Certified defensive handgun instructor and now works as an industry writer while curating a YouTube channel and blog on the side. Visit Graham on Youtube .