The Banish 12 Shotgun Suppressor, Tested and Reviewed

The Banish 12 is the first truly new shotgun suppressor introduced in recent years, and it has a few things going for it. At just over a pound and 8.5 inches long, it’s lighter and more compact than the competition. That’s still quite a bit of extra length and weight to add to your shotgun, true. But the tradeoffs might be worth it for certain hunting applications (more on that in a minute).

Banish engineers achieved this light-weight model by 3-D printing the can from titanium. This allows for a thinner outer wall construction that traps more gas without adding weight.

• Attachment system: Choke-mounted adaptors
• Included chokes: IC, M, F
• Sound reduction: Up to 21 decibels
• Weight: 17.6 oz.
• Length: 8.55 inches
• Material: Titanium
• Cerakote Finish
• Colors: Black or Tan
• Gauge: 12 ga.
• Cost: $1,199

Sound Reduction

The Banish 12 reduces sound levels by as much as 21 decibels, according to Silencer Central, which manufactures Banish suppressors. An unsuppressed 12 gauge shotgun discharge clocks in around 160 decibels, according to both Silencer Central and the Center for Disease Control. I tried to confirm this sound reduction claim with commercially-available sound meters, but this equipment isn’t sophisticated enough to capture the peak noise of gunfire. So I asked Silencer Central’s experts how they measured sound reduction.

Silencer Central engineers measured peak noise levels at 1 meter to the left of the shotgun muzzle and six inches right of the shooter’s ear. They used the measurements recorded near the shooter’s ear to calculate the sound level specs for the Banish 12.

“For the Banish 12 using 3-inch No. 2 shot (1550 FPS) it is hearing safe, or approximately 138dB,” says Lukas VanLaecken, Silencer Central’s director of engineering. “That sound suppression improves as you use less powerful loads with 2-¾ inch 8 shot, to around 133 to 134dB.”

While Silencer Central calls anything below 140 decibels “hearing safe,” it frankly still sounds pretty loud. The buddies I hunted with said they couldn’t detect a difference between my suppressed and unsuppressed Benelli in most scenarios, and honestly, neither could I.

Hearing loss can occur when you’re exposed to sustained noise levels starting in the range of 80 to 90 decibels. A chainsaw that’s running three feet away from you is in the range of 100 to 110 decibels, and a jet engine at 100 feet away is in the ballpark of 140 decibels. Consider on top of that that extensive research has shown that impact, or impulse noise (which means short reports, like gunfire) cause more hearing loss than sustained noise levels.

Do with that information what you will. Personally, I’ll continue to wear ear pro while running the Banish 12, both on targets and for doves and ducks. I look at the Banish 12 as a way to reduce my overall lifetime exposure (and that of the dogs and buddies I hunt with) to harmful shotgun noise. I’ll take that as a win.

Recoil Reduction

The Banish 12 did noticeably reduce recoil, though that’s harder to measure. The difference felt negligible while shooting dove and target loads, but I particularly appreciated the Banish 12 while patterning hunting loads on the lead sled, and while shooting in rapid succession. Although I can’t say I notice recoil while hunting (I’m usually too focused on birds or ducks) I inevitably get a low-grade headache in the duck blind or on particularly good shoots with lots of shots fired. (Advil is a staple in my blind bag.) Running my unsuppressed SBE3 with 3-inch duck loads for felt-recoil testing and on-camera purposes was, frankly, unpleasant. The Banish 12 takes the bite out by softening the recoil just enough to appreciate the difference.

Banish 12 Patterning Data

I shot a variety of loads through the Banish 12, both on targets and in the field for doves and clays. Those included Federal Dove and Target, Federal Master Class, as well as steel and bismuth. To compare pattern performance, I selected two standard hunting loads: Winchester Xpert No. 2 (steel) and the Boss Warchiefs No. 5s (copper-plated bismuth).

I shot both loads six times through my unsuppressed Benelli Super Black Eagle 3, and I shot both loads an additional six times through my SBE3 with the Banish 12 attached. That’s a total of 24 shots for record, fired from a lead sled at the industry-standard distance of 40 yards. I counted the number of pellet strikes within a 30-inch circle, drawn around the densest part of the pattern. Here’s what I found:

The Banish 12 liked certain loads better than others. For instance, pattern density dropped off substantially with the Winchester Xpert No. 2s, but I didn’t notice that issue with the Boss Warchief No. 5s. The takeaway is the same with any shotgun you plan to take hunting: Pattern your choke and load combination to optimize pattern density and to know your point of impact. 

The only consistent difference between my unsuppressed Benelli and the Banish 12 was a fairly noticeable point of impact shift to the left. This was consistent across all my testing, which involved removing and replacing the Banish 12 repeatedly. (This helps control for issues like knocking a front sight during patterning or improperly securing the suppressor to the shotgun.) VanLaecken confirmed the engineers at Silencer Central saw a similar POI shift in their testing. He noted that “on average the center [POI] was 3 to 4 inches shifted left and upward” to the 10 to 11 o’clock position. I didn’t notice any upward shift in the POI between my unsuppressed and suppressed patterns with the Banish 12.

One note on shotshell selection: Avoid shooting shotshells with Federal’s Flite Control wads through a Banish 12. By design, Flite Control wads open immediately upon exiting the muzzle. This means they’re expanding just enough inside the Banish 12 that tiny pieces of plastic can shear off inside even as most of the wad exits. The good news is, no one has yet reported a catastrophic failure. But not only will you end up with plastic particle buildup inside the suppressor, you aren’t getting the intended performance the Flite Control wads are designed to deliver. 

Final Thoughts About the Banish 12

As suppressor application paperwork declines and consumer demand increases, it’s not surprising to see companies introducing new designs. But it is exciting, and I’m eager to see how the Banish 12 and its successors (and competitors) evolve.

In the meantime, the Banish 12 remains a fairly niche product for waterfowlers. Metro-area goose hunters might appreciate fewer complaints from neighbors about early-morning shoots. Competitive public-land duck hunters, meanwhile, might appreciate a product that helps disguise the exact locations of their best spots. The Banish 12 might also be a smart consideration for newer or younger shooters who are recoil sensitive — particularly if and when sub-gauge options roll out.

Read Next: How to Buy a Suppressor

The Banish 12 is best suited for waterfowlers and other stationary wingshooters (think doves, crows, pigeons, etc.) who are willing to commit to the can and learn to shoot with it. For a deeper dive into the Banish 12 and how it works (and sounds) check out our video above.