Threading a Barrel with Silencer Central’s 360 Service

Photos by Patrick McCarthy

Silencer Central has been a rising star in the NFA world and was one of our primary sponsors for the recent CanCon event in Phoenix. They brought out the whole crew with their own silencer designs in a wide range of calibers from .22 all the way up to .338. With Titanium as a primary focus of these designs, you can bet they are extremely lightweight.

At CanCon, Silencer Central didn’t just demonstrate its suppressor offerings, they also showed us a wide range of services they offer to facilitate suppressor ownership. From trust establishment to financing options and even shipping a suppressor to your front door, they have a range of services that are both familiar and unique in the suppressor world.

Barrel Threading (and More)

One of the many services that Silencer Central offers is in-house gunsmithing. Typically, places that offer in-house services are limited to simple jobs such as sight replacement on handguns or basic diagnostics if there’s a function issue.

Silencer Central has taken a far more comprehensive approach regarding the needs of silencer users. Most importantly, they offer a full barrel threading service.

For those who might be newer to silencers, barrel threading is an essential piece of the puzzle and can drastically affect accuracy or function. In particular, when it comes to barrels that might face concentricity issues (where the threading at the end of the barrel doesn’t match up correctly with the center of the barrel’s bore).

Most of the time, when you see an endcap or a baffle strike where a round attempting to pass through a silencer directly impacts or clips the metal inside the silencer, it’s caused by a concentricity issue. As such, Silencer Central offers barrel cuts with crowning (cutting the face of the barrel at the end of the threads to ensure accuracy when the round leaves the barrel), as well as moving or installing a front sight that is dovetailed or screwed into the firearm.

On top of those barrel-specific modifications, they also offer muzzle brake install with Rocksett (a thread-locker that is specifically used when it comes to muzzle devices that host silencers) and a final check of threads and alignment to make sure everything will function as intended.

These options are available through their website under the 360 Mailing Program option. When you select this option, Silencer Central will send you a box with padding and a prepaid return shipping label. Specific instructions on how to prepare your barrel for threading are also provided.

For example, remove all accessories such as optics and sling mounts from your firearm and remove the upper receiver from the lower when possible. Now let’s discuss shipping for a moment. You’re always welcome to ship serialized items through an FFL.

However, when sending an item for the expressed purpose of gunsmithing, you can do so without going through an FFL. Silencer Central’s 360 service allows the firearm or barrel to be mailed directly and returned directly to you when work is complete — hence the “full circle” designation.

Attention to Detail

Silencer Central’s customer service is a great resource when deciding how you want to retrofit an existing firearm to accept a suppressor. There are definitely considerations, such as thread pitch, where having someone experienced in the gunsmithing process can be a helpful guide.

Just like doing a custom paint job, ensure you have as complete an idea as possible of your desired outcome before making a call. The reason for that is simple — with the wide range of options out there, knowing what the end state is will make the process smoother for all parties.

If you’re also purchasing a suppressor, understand the desired outcome for that suppressor. Are you looking for the quietest option on the market? If so, realize there will be other potential challenges, such as length and price. Are you looking for the cheapest option? Realize that might mean that suppressor could tip the scales at an unmanageable weight.

This is where having someone well-versed in the suppressor market can help you decide. One of the best parts of suppressor ownership is they will likely outlast you, the owner, so approach them like a long-term investment. Your first suppressor should cover as many calibers as you might need, and the folks at Silencer Shop can help you find the right one for your needs. 

Threading a 10/22

As a testbed and guide for how you might approach retrofitting a firearm of your own for suppressor usage, I sent in my Ruger 10/22 Takedown.

While a versatile and reliable .22 rifle, it lacked threading from the factory for a suppressor, instead utilizing a fixed front fiber optic sight and a rear folding sight. Planning ahead, I’d decided that I wanted to mount a red dot on it and didn’t feel the need for irons anymore.

Silencer Central does offer to move the front sight as a service, but in this case, I chose not to utilize that option. I also asked that they mount a Picatinny rail section to the top of the receiver. The top of the receiver has already been tapped to receive the rail section, so this wasn’t a massive change in the scope of work for the gunsmith despite it not being an offered service on their website.

Again, have a plan and communicate your needs clearly with a desired outcome.

First, I needed to tackle shipping. I tightly packed the two halves of the Takedown in a box and shipped it to Silencer Central. As soon as I had the shipping confirmation and tracking, I made sure to communicate that to Silencer Central.

Having worked in receiving before, it’s nice to know what you’re receiving before it arrives. I received emails from Silencer Central when the Takedown was received and when it was returning to me. That span took only two days, which is a fantastic turn time.

My 10/22 arrived with a thread protector, TruGlo Picatinny section for an optic, and my removed front sight, all packed nicely in a padded scabbard case. Your mileage may vary in turn time based on a variety of factors, but I won’t hesitate for a second to recommend Silencer Central’s 360 Mailing Program option.

At the Range

I took the Takedown to the range to verify the accuracy, and it had retained the same level of accuracy with CCI Subsonic 40gr .22 ammo. The Picatinny section is rock solid, and a JK Armament suppressor easily threaded on. The finished product is exactly what I’d hoped it would be, with a shockingly good turnaround time.

The folks at Silencer Central not only know their stuff but have also built a reliable set of services to facilitate what could otherwise be a convoluted and expensive process of purchasing a suppressor. If you’re someone considering your first can or your fifth, rest assured the process will be as smooth and painless as possible with them.

NEXT STEP: Download Your Free Target Pack from RECOIL

For years, RECOIL magazine has treated its readers to a full-size (sometimes full color!) shooting target tucked into each big issue. Now we've compiled over 50 of our most popular targets into this one digital PDF download. From handgun drills to AR-15 practice, these 50+ targets have you covered. Print off as many as you like (ammo not included).

Get your pack of 50 Print-at-Home targets when you subscribe to the RECOIL email newsletter. We'll send you weekly updates on guns, gear, industry news, and special offers from leading manufacturers - your guide to the firearms lifestyle.

You want this. Trust Us.