Silencer K3 Neo
Written by Jef Lockyer of the Umarex Boys Club:
I was recently asked to survey the silencers/moderators I use. One of the outcomes of this exercise surprised me and I thought I’d share it with you.
It wasn’t a large sample size and all were around the £50 mark.
Using only a rudimentary sound meter app on my smartphone I carried out tests to compare the moderating abilities of the different samples in my collection. Initial testing was done using a Daystate X2 and a Walther Reign M2. Interestingly both recorded an average of 104 dB unmoderated. Ignore the absolute values measured, since the sound meter is not calibrated, but the measurements will serve admirably for comparison purposes.
Averaging four or five values for each silencer the quietest turned out to be a Logun QGS at 75dB. although this is now obsolete a similar item is currently available under the Webley brand. This is the third example of the Logun I have owned and all have performed well. It was the go-to silencer in its day for an effective, value-for-money silencer.
The Logun QGS as supplied.
I then had the opportunity to try an Umarex K3 Neo and decided to pit it against the Logun and see how it fared. It recorded 77dB. very close to the Logun’s value of 75dB.
The Umarex K3 as delivered.
This similar performance is delivered from a silencer some 40mm shorter than the Logun and yet the K3 is slightly heavier at 153 grams to 149 for the Logun.
They are roughly the same diameter (1mm difference) but the difference in length is very noticeable as can be seen in the photograph. The extra length of the Logun probably accounts for its marginally better noise performance but when fitted to a long barrel that may become a bit of a disadvantage.
Now let’s have a look at the innards. Both come apart by unscrewing the front cap. Annoyingly the Logun is difficult to get hold of and I had to resort to a rubber glove to get a sufficient grip. The K3 however has two holes in the front cap that obligingly accepted the pins of my adjustable peg spanner perfectly. Once the caps are removed the insides can be withdrawn for inspection.
Logun QGS
As the photographs show, the internal construction is very similar which, given the similarity in performance, is hardly surprising. Despite being shorter and heavier, the K3 has a slightly better build quality than the Logun. It feels a little bit more robust and has a more pleasing and hopefully more durable finish. The short length is an advantage when fitted to a short rifle as shown here fitted to the Walther Reign. The addition of the back taper to the Neo version makes it aesthetically very easy on the eye, well I think so.
The K3 on a Walther Reign
The K3 isn’t the quietest silencer on the market, there are many costing lots more that will do a better job, but at less than £50 currently, it certainly punches above its weight. I don’t hunt, so I lack the need for ultra-quietness, but I do shoot in the garden and the K3 is more than adequate to tame the bark of any of my PCP rifles. It also makes for a more sociable experience at the range if your rifle isn’t drowning out everyone’s conversation.
So, if you are looking for a silencer that won’t break the bank you can’t go far wrong with the Umarex K3.