Vern Evans
Suppressors are the hottest thing since sliced bread lately, especially as we live in a golden age of shortened ATF wait times with eFile Form 4s getting approved in hours or days instead of months.
Shadow Systems has been making some impressive pistols for a while but only just recently stepped into the suppressor game. I first saw the HS923 at CANCON Arizona, and now after having one of my own for the last couple of months… let’s see how well it works.
SPECS
- Caliber: 9mm
- Lightweight 7075 Aluminum
- Titanium Blast Baffle
- Anodized and Cerakoted for increased finish durability
- 1/2X28 Bronze PVD Piston included
- 33-24dB reduction (Long/Short)
- 1.37” Diameter
- 8.18”- 5.33” (Long/Short)
- MSRP: $822
PROS:
- Modular
- Easy to use
- Great sound
- Lots of mounting options
CONS:
- NFA transfer waiting period & tax stamp
The HS923 is a modular pistol suppressor from Shadow Systems. Lightweight, durable, and fairly simple. Two cool features of the HS923 are the modular length and the end cap mounting. The main body of the suppressor unthreads about half way down and by moving the end cap to the shorter body, you now have a more compact (but louder) suppressor.
Add the extension baffles and replace the end cap for more suppressor but longer package.
The end cap has flats cut that match the underside of a Shadow Systems pistol slide allowing you to use the slide itself as a wrench to remove the end cap. Handy feature.
Changing from short to long or long to short is easy, mostly. Carbon does build up inside the can and makes taking the two halves apart a little harder, but this was easy to solve with a strap-wrench. Even if you’re not switching configuration often, it might be a good practice to take the two halves apart every few hundred rounds just to make sure the carbon doesn’t build up too much.
Front end cap is built to match the underside of a Shadow Systems pistol slide and makes for a great wrench on that end. One grunting twist later and the HS923 disassembles nicely.
HS923 doesn’t have removable baffles making it a little harder to clean, but soaking each half in Breakthrough Clean suppressor cleaner does a great job.
AT THE RANGE
Shadow Systems sent me the HS923 a few months ago now and with the super-fast NFA wait times, it only took a week for it to transfer. SInce then, the HS923 has come with me to almost every range down and maybe half the matches.
With about 2,000 rounds down the pipe, I have nothing negative to say about the HS923.
This can has seen about 10 different kinds of ammo from 95gr ultra-lights to 115gr and 124gr Black Sheep ammo, 124gr Federal HST defensive ammo, several brands of subsonic ammo ranging from 130gr to 150gr, and almost 1,000 rounds of 124gr MagTech provided by True Shot during the MAC 5 review.
Subs sound best because they are subs, but everything sounded good. Even in the short configuration, the HS923 still sounds good with anything. It’s slightly louder, but it still has a great tone and remains very pleasant to shoot.
Shadow Systems ships the HS923 with a piston system for 1/2-28 thread barrels and, while it’s boring to talk about when it just works perfectly, it worked perfectly. Every pistol shot has been 100% malfunction-free even across all of those ammo types and across 3 pistols, a Shadow Systems DR920, SIG P320, and Palmetto State Armory Dagger FS.
But the mounting doesn’t end there. Shadow Systems also makes a 13.5 x 1LH suppressor piston, a tri-lug mount, and both 1/2-28 and 13.5x1LH direct thread mounts for the HS923. With just changing the mounting device on the can, it’s easy to switch between platforms.
Direct thread is nice for being easy. Throwing the HS923 on a PSA AK-V, AR-V, and a custom Franken-AR9 with the 1/2×28 direct thread mount all worked perfectly. But by far the most enjoyable was with the tri-lug mount and the MAC 5. Being a MP5 clone, that roller-delayed PCC just loves to be suppressed and sounds great.
Thousands of rounds, a dozen types of ammo, and a half dozen weapon systems — the HS923 was outstanding across all of it. While not ideal for pushing speed and score, I even ran the HS923 in a couple of steel matches for fun. Combined with a Hush 2.0 holster, it worked surprisingly well and was a ton of fun.
LOOSE ROUNDS
Shadow Systems continues to surprise and impress me. After shooting ten rounds through an HS923 suppressor at CANCON Arizona, and now about 2,000 rounds more rounds through my own can, I’m entirely happy with it.
| RifleGear | $699 | |
| Tombstone Tactical | $699 |  |
Like a Shadow Systems pistol, it just works. It has a couple of nice features you don’t find everywhere else, the price is surprisingly reasonable, and it just works. A good chunk of my review time is often spent trying to fix or troubleshoot issues, but this project had none of that. From out of the box and first-round down range, the HS923 has been perfect.
No weird design flaws, no carbon lock, and no time spent wondering what I was doing with my life as I Googled the 10th page of a long-forgotten forum trying to find the answer to a problem. Dependable, durable, and quiet — the HS923 has been outstanding.
I love this can and look forward to putting it through a lot more to come.
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.
Read the full article here