Choosing the Best 9mm Suppressor: Obsidian9 or Sub9?

9mm suppressors have surged in popularity among firearms enthusiasts. Whether you're channeling your inner operator from The Terminal List or simply want the quietest setup at the range, the Obsidian9™ has long been the go-to choice. Now, with the introduction of the Sub9™, shooters are asking: Which is the best 9mm suppressor for my needs?

We currently offer two dedicated 9mm suppressors, the Obsidian9 and Sub9. The Obsidian9 has been the highest selling 9mm suppressor on the market for a long time due to its versatility, sound performance and our Unconditional Lifetime Warranty. However, the new Sub9 gives the Obsidian9 a run for it’s money with incredible sound performance on subgun and PCC platforms. 

While the Obsidian9 and Sub9 are primarily designed for 9mm, they are also rated for any handgun or levergun caliber with a bullet diameter of .360 or smaller (350 Legend, .357mag/.38 special, 350 bushmaster, etc.) and 300BLK subsonic. 

If you’re looking for maximum versatility, the Obsidian9 is the best 9mm suppressor for you. Its modular design gives you two lengths in one suppressor, allowing you to run it in the full configuration for maximum quiet or in the short configuration when minimizing weight and length is the priority.

The Obsidian9 is primarily built for handguns as it ships with a booster system (used to mount onto a handgun) and has a diameter of 1.37” in order to be compatible with handgun suppressor height sights. That said you can swap out the Obsidian9 mounts in order to use it with subguns, PCCs or leverguns. 

For a long time the Obsidian9 has been considered the quietest option amongst 9mm suppressors, with that said the Sub9 takes suppression to another level for subguns and PCCs. If you want a dedicated suppressor for your subgun or PCC the Sub9 is the best 9mm suppressor for you. 

The Sub9 ships with the new Rugged Universal 3 Lug Mount (RU3) which attaches directly to HK spec 3 lugs (the standard attachment method for subguns and PCCs). If you’d prefer a different mount, the Sub9 has universal threads (HUB) giving you access to multiple attachment options. You can learn more about that here.

Since the Sub9 is designed for subgun platforms, its diameter isn’t limited to 1.37” in order to be compatible with pistol sights. This allows the Sub9 to have a larger diameter giving it more volume than the Obsidian9, while being an inch shorter to keep your setup compact. This in conjunction with its new coaxial baffle design allows the Sub9 to be quieter with less gas blowback than other 9mm suppressor options.

The Obsidian9 and Sub9 are both amazing options, when choosing between them it really comes down to your needs and what will best fit those. Here are the key features of each option to help you determine which best fits your needs: 

Obsidian9™

• Primarily for handguns but also works great with subguns, PCCs and leverguns

• Ships ready-to-use for 9mm handguns

• Modular design gives you two lengths in one suppressor

• 1.37” diameter makes it compatible with handgun suppressor sights and allows it to be tucked under most handguards

Sub9™

• Compact design that provides maximum suppression on subguns, PCCs and leverguns

• Ships ready to use with HK spec 3 Lugs (the most common mount for subguns and PCCs)

• Coaxial Baffle design provides superior sound suppression with minimal gas blowback

• HUB/Universal Threads for additional mounting options

The most common deciding factor between the two suppressors is if you want to suppress handguns and subguns or primarily subguns. If you don’t currently own any 9mm suppressors and want one that can cover handguns and subguns, we generally recommend the Obsidian9. If you want maximum suppression for subguns, PCCs or leverguns - the Sub9 is for you. And like all of our other products, the Obsidian9 and Sub9 are covered by our Unconditional Lifetime Warranty, no matter how the issue occurred or how many times it happens, we’ve got your back. When you're ready to choose, you can check out the Sub9 and Obsidian9 here.

We know suppressors can get overwhelming between the different models, mounts, caliber ratings etc. If you ever have any questions don’t hesitate to give us a call or email. You can find our contact information here. You can also check out our blog that features multiple guides and helpful articles.