Accessories. The supporting kit around a rifle and a suppressor: the things people buy after the rifle, the can and the ammunition, and often wish they had budgeted for at the start.
The guide below is a straightforward checklist of what a suppressed setup actually needs beyond the headline purchases, roughly in the order you will want them.
See also firearm parts, handguards, chassis and suppressors.
What a suppressed setup needs beyond the obvious
People budget for the rifle, the suppressor and the tax stamp. These are the items that come up afterwards.
Sights that clear the can. On a pistol this is not optional: a suppressor sits directly in front of the sights and blocks them entirely, so you need suppressor height irons or a red dot. On a rifle with an optic it is rarely an issue, though a large can can intrude on a low mounted scope's view.
A chronograph. Worth more on a suppressed subsonic rifle than on any other kind. It is the only way to confirm a subsonic load is genuinely under the sound barrier, which you cannot do by ear, and the only way to build accurate drop data after a suppressor adds 15 to 40 fps.
A hand stop. With a suppressor fitted your support hand must stay well back from the muzzle. A hand stop enforces that, and on a short barrelled rifle it is a safety item rather than a convenience.
Heat protection. A suppressed rifle runs hotter and vents more gas into the receiver area. A suppressor cover manages heat and mirage, and mirage off a hot can will ruin your sight picture through a scope on a warm day.
Magazine marking. Colour bands or labels, because subsonic and supersonic loads do not share a zero and a supersonic round fired expecting a subsonic one defeats the point of the whole setup.
Tools worth owning
If you build or maintain your own rifles, three tools prevent most of the common problems.
A torque wrench, because guessing at barrel nut and action screw torque is the single most common assembly error and it costs accuracy in both directions.
An armourer's wrench and upper receiver block, without which barrel nut work is guesswork.
A suppressor wrench matched to your can, for mounts that need one and for the day carbon has made a direct thread suppressor reluctant to come off.
Maintenance items
Centerfire rifle suppressors are largely self cleaning and mostly sealed, so they need little. Pistol suppressors are the opposite: they come apart because they need to, since pistol calibers deposit lead and carbon steadily.
What every suppressor owner should do regularly is check the mount. A can that unthreads under fire ends up struck by a bullet, and a loose muzzle device is the usual cause. Check before each session, and use the correct thread locker where the manufacturer specifies it.
Storage
Ammunition keeps for decades when stored cool, dry and dark. Moisture is what degrades it rather than age, so avoid unheated spaces that swing in temperature, keep containers off concrete floors, and use desiccant in humid climates.
Label everything, particularly if you own both subsonic and supersonic loads in the same cartridge. And if you own both 300 Blackout and 5.56, store them separately and never let them share a range bag compartment, since a 300 Blackout round will chamber in a 5.56 rifle with dangerous results.
Frequently asked questions about accessories
Do I need suppressor height sights?
On a pistol, yes. A can blocks standard pistol sights completely. On a rifle with an optic it is usually unnecessary, though a large suppressor can intrude on a low mounted scope.
Is a chronograph really worth it?
For subsonic shooting, yes. It is the only way to confirm a load is under the sound barrier, and a load that is subsonic on a cold morning can cross over on a hot afternoon.
Do I need a suppressor cover?
Not essential, but useful. It manages heat and reduces the mirage that ruins a sight picture through a scope after a few rounds on a warm day.
Why do I need a hand stop?
To keep your support hand behind the muzzle. On a short barrelled suppressed rifle this is a safety requirement rather than an ergonomic preference.
What tools do I actually need?
A torque wrench above all, plus an armourer's wrench and receiver block if you fit your own barrels, and a suppressor wrench matched to your can.
How should I store ammunition?
Cool, dry, dark and off concrete floors, with desiccant in humid climates. Moisture degrades ammunition, not age, and sealed containers store better than cardboard.
Do suppressors need cleaning?
Rifle cans mostly do not and are usually sealed. Pistol cans do, and are built to be disassembled, because pistol calibers foul heavily with lead and carbon.
What is the one maintenance job I should not skip?
Checking the mount is tight before every session. A suppressor that unthreads under fire will be struck by a bullet.