By Mike Searson
Mike gives us a range review of the Q Full Nelson Silencer.
USA – -(Ammoland.com)- One of the masters of marketing and manufacturing on the “quiet side” of the firearms industry is Kevin Brittingham.
He founded Advanced Armament Corporation; spearheaded major design innovations in suppressors, firearms, and ammunition, and went on to start the Silencer division at SIG Arms.
Most people would rest on their laurels at that point or run their business from a boat, but Brittingham chose to leave and start his own firm, so he could do things “his way”.
That company is called Q ( ww.liveqordie.com ). This year they made a major splash rolling out rifles and silencers that are truly unique and a testament to Brittingham’s genius.
If you want to get your hands on one of these cutting-edge silencers, you have to go through silencershop.com.
Silencer Shop has an exclusive on initial distribution for Q and earlier this year we took a look at the El Camino rimfire can. While we liked it, we wanted to test out something bigger. The guys at Silencer Shop know we have a fondness for .30 caliber rifles and sent us a Full Nelson to test out.
Q Full Nelson Silencer
When we took the can out of the box (and if you are a Schwag fiend, there are all kinds of goodies in the box!) we were impressed by its lightweight and construction. The silencer pouch was pretty cool, too. Also included was a soft pouch depicting Q’s Seacoast Wrestling Association’s Masked “Full Nelson”.
The Full Nelson is completely constructed of titanium and makes use of a tapered mount that ensures consistent and tight lockup on the tapered or squared shoulders of your rifle barrel.
Brittingham and Ethan Lessard (who followed Brittingham from SIG as Q’s Vice President of Engineering) designed the Full Nelson (and the shorter Half Nelson) in an effort to improve accuracy by reducing the shift in point of impact (POI).
We saw this in the SIG line of tubeless rifle silencers that also relied on a direct thread with a taper mount. Kevin’s team brought those concepts to SIG and is now really running wild with them at Q.
Another shift we have seen, but have talked about with regard to pistol cans and why 9mm sounds quieter to the human ear if not to the sound meter is going thicker bodied to increase internal volume. This allows for a shorter length and reduces the “external volume” by reducing sound signature. These suppressors are 1.75” in diameter and they may not fit under some handguards
Q Full Nelson Silencer – The Good
A trip to the range confirmed that the end result of the Full Nelson is a lightweight suppressor that retains the accuracy and is quiet. We ran the Full Nelson on a Remington 700 chambered in 308 Winchester and on a 300 Blackout pistol with an 8″ barrel.
We are not 100% sure that it was the quietest silencer mounted on our bolt gun, but it has to be up there in the top 3. Obviously the short barrel, open ejection port, etc. made the pistol “sound” louder than the 20″ barreled bolt action rifle even if it metered quieter than the 308.
Most importantly was no shifting in point of aim with the Remington and very little if any with the 300 Blackout pistol. What we mean by this shift and how the Full Nelson reduces it is as follows: Some QD (quick disconnect) mounts can cause the silencer to slightly move when the rifle is fired which shifts the point of impact at longer ranges. The direct thread solves this issue as does the tapered mount.
Sometimes suppressors will cause POI (point of impact) shift when the can gets too heated from firing as the baffles shift inside the suppressor body, this is significantly reduced by the welded construction. Lastly hanging more than 16 ounces off the end of your barrel can cause a shift as it interferes with the barrel’s harmonics. This last problem is eliminated by a heavier barrel and a lighter suppressor.
Each end of the Full Nelson has a male fitting to allow attachment and detachment via an SAE wrench. They measure ¾” for the rear and 7/8” for the front. This is mostly for removal should the threads of the can end up being carbon locked and you cannot break it down by hand strength. The 7/8” front allows for removal if the body is mounted under handguards.
Q Full Nelson Silencer – The Bad
Although we do not see this as a negative, some of our readers may.
This is a direct thread suppressor intended for dedicated use on a rifle in .30 caliber, up to 300 Winchester Magnum with a thread pattern of 5/8 x 24″. While it will cover your 6.5 calibers, 7.62 calibers and of course 300 Blackout if they are threaded in this pattern, you CANNOT drop it down to a 5.56 rifle unless the barrel has that thread pattern as well. There are no QD mounts, flash hiders, muzzle brakes, or other adapters to give you versatility. So if you are looking for one can to fit on your entire collection of rifles, then this is not for you.
Some may complain that you cannot disassemble the silencer for cleaning. This really is a non-issue on high-performance rifle cans, which are more or less “self-cleaning”, but if you think you may be prone to copper fouling, you can always soak it in copper solvent or clean with an ultrasonic cleaner. Do not use steel cleaning tools to clean the silencer as it may damage the baffles.
Q Full Nelson Silencer – The Reality
This silencer is meant for the precision rifle shooter who wants to keep things quiet while minimizing any shift in his or her POI. If space allows, this is one to leave on the rifle.
All in all, the Full Nelson is an extremely well-thought-out full auto-rated precision rifle suppressor. Rifle cans of this quality typically cost more money, but whatever Q is doing, they are doing it right to keep the cost down for the consumer.
Q Full Nelson Silencer Specs:
- CALIBER – 7.62 NATO/300 Blk/300 WM/30-06/6.5 Creedmoor/6.5 Grendel
- DIAMETER – 1.75″
- LENGTH – 8.86″
- WEIGHT – 16.6 OZ
- ATTACHMENT: DIRECT-THREAD 5/8-24”
- MATERIAL – 100% TITANIUM
- MSRP: $899.00
Something new
We realized that not everyone is as savvy as we think they are when it comes to decibels and decibel ratings or the difference between sound duration and the effects of humidity and altitude upon sound.
So we decided to break it down Barney Style and put together the following chart to demonstrate what a certain decibel rating sounds like in comparison to everyday items. This is mostly to satisfy those folks for which silencers or even firearms are not “everyday items”.
You can find the decibel ratings of the Full Nelson in bold within the chart. We will probably use this chart on all our silencer reviews from here on out.
Sound Decibels Comparisons Chart
| Decibles | Example | Home & Yard Appliances | Workshop & Construction | Firearms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | Healthy Hearing Threshold | |||
| 10 | pin dropping | |||
| 20 | rustling leaves | |||
| 30 | whispers | |||
| 40 | running faucet | computer fan | ||
| 50 | light traffic | refrigerator | ||
| 60 | conversational speech | air conditioner | ||
| 70 | shower | dishwasher | ||
| 80 | alarm clock | garbage disposal | ||
| 85 | passing diesel truck | snow blower | ||
| 90 | squeeze toy | lawnmower | arc welder | |
| 95 | inside of a subway car | food processor | belt sander | |
| 100 | riding a motorcycle | handheld drill | ||
| 105 | sporting event | table saw | AR bolt slamming home | |
| 110 | rock band | jackhammer | ||
| 115 | emergency vehicle siren | riveter | ||
| 120 | thunderclap | oxygen torch | Subsonic 300BLK w/ Full Nelson | |
| 125 | balloon popping | |||
| 130 | peak stadium crowd noise | unsuppressed 22LR, also Supersonic 300BLK w/ Full Nelson | ||
| 131 | .308 w/ Full Nelson | |||
| 135 | air raid siren | |||
| 140 | jet engine take off | |||
| 145 | firecracker | |||
| 150 | fighter jet launch | |||
| 155 | unsuppressed 5.56 | |||
| 160 | 12 GA 18"bbl / 45 ACP | |||
| 165 | 357 Magnum | |||
| 167 | safety airbag | .308 unsuppressed | ||
| 175 | howitzer cannon | |||
| 180 | rocket launcher | |||
| 194 | sound waves become shock waves |
About Mike Searson
Mike Searson’s career as a shooter began as a Marine Rifleman at age 17. He has worked in the firearms industry his entire adult life as a Gunsmith, Ballistician, Consultant, Salesman, Author and was first certified to teach firearms safety in 1989.
Mike has written over 2000 articles for a number of magazines, websites, and newsletters including Blade, RECOIL, OFF-GRID, Tactical Officer, SWAT, Tactical World, Gun Digest, Examiner.com, and the US Concealed Carry Association as well as AmmoLand Shooting Sports News.
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