The all-new SOCOM50-SPS is designed, engineered and built to protect the most important moving part of any weapon platform, the shooter.
That’s always been the primary mission of SureFire suppressors, whose combat-proven pedigree involves much more than mere sound attenuation. In addition to reducing muzzle report, SureFire SOCOM suppressors virtually eliminate muzzle flash and minimize dust and debris signature to conceal the shooter’s location from the enemy. They also provide minimal and consistent sub-1 MOA point-of-impact shift for extreme accuracy. And SureFire’s patented Fast-Attach® system allows quick, easy attach/detach from the host weapon with no tools required.
But the SOCOM50-SPS takes life-saving capability to a different level by mitigating the extreme nature of the rifles for which it is designed. Highly specialized tools, .50-caliber rifles such as the TAC50 and M107 have long been employed by the U.S. military for long-range target and anti-materiel operations, and more are being used by law enforcement agencies for conflict resolution where barricades or vehicles require a round with more kinetic energy to stop the threat. The .50-cal delivers tremendous violence to any target.
However, research has shown that this violence isn’t confined forward of the muzzle, and ongoing studies are being conducted to determine the negative effects that repeated firing may have on the .50-cal operator. Similar to concussion-testing studies that have been conducted on athletes, testing conducted by the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research in conjunction with TacFlow Academy are shedding light on the tremendous forces experienced by the .50-cal shooter in the areas of blast overpressure and acoustic exposure. SureFire extends its gratitude to these entities for the work they are doing to improve the safety of our warfighters and peacekeepers.
Blast overpressure is the outcome of explosive detonations, including the firing of weapons. Acoustic exposure is measurement of sound exposure relative to a reference value. 
Current test data has shown that the blast overpressure from an unsuppressed .50-cal rifle with a 29-inch barrel length, exceeds the U.S. Army threshold of 4 psi. Putting that figure into perspective, 4 psi delivers sufficient force to knock down a concrete structure. The same testing has shown acoustic exposure to the shooter to be above 150 dB — or the equivalent of a jet engine taking off. The .50-cal’s muzzle report is so extreme that most hearing protection does not provide enough noise reduction to sufficiently protect the shooter from hearing damage.
The SOCOM50-SPS tames the .50-cal with patented baffle technology that reduces sound at the shooter’s ear by approximately 30 dB, preserving the shooter’s hearing and aiding in team communication. It also reduces flash by an amazing 99% and virtually eliminates dust signature to conceal the shooter’s location. And the SOCOM50-SPS’s integrated muzzle brake reduces recoil by 66%, reducing shooter fatigue and allowing faster follow-up shots. Every unit is engineered to exacting tolerances and test fired to ensure sub MOA accuracy. Constructed of high-temp alloys and coated with a corrosion-resistant Cerakote finish, the SOCOM50-SPS is durable enough to survive the harshest combat environments.
And it is proven to be effective. In a 2020 test, data collected from 15 snipers using the .50-cal platform showed that the SOCOM50-SPS virtually eliminates blast overpressure and preserves the shooter’s hearing to increase overall operational performance. The bottom line is that it protects the health of the shooter and makes the .50-cal substantially more manageable in training and more useful to law enforcement.
The Surefire SOCOM50-SPS is a necessary improvement that any .50-cal shooter can live with. For more information, visit SureFire.com.
