I have a love-hate relationship with suppressors. The bureaucratic nonsense required to buy one in the USA is a hurdle in it of itself, and in my experience they are seldom worth what they cost here. With a caliber like .223 Remington, the report of a suppressed rifle is still not hearing safe, they make your guns run dirtier and sometimes malfunction due to over gassing the system, they add weight, and they get incredibly hot very fast. I have had my G5 for over a year, and it has melted the following: my skin, the synthetic wood of a shooting table, carpet they use at ranges in booths, “fire resistant” suppressor sheaths, and even the frame of a friend’s Glock pistol when it rolled over toward it. Bowers Group has set out to eliminate the problem of suppressors melting and or burning shooters and equipment with their new Griptastic suppressor covers.

The Griptastic covers are made out of hi-temp silicone and are available in all sizes. Even if you have a unique diameter or length can, I bet that Bowers group would make you a Griptastic cover if you emailed them the specs. For this test, I just went with one that fit my Gemtech G5. Bowers sent me two colors, one black, and one tan. Installation takes about five seconds and removing the cover is just as easy.

The tan paired nicely with my FN SCAR 16s:

And the black paired nicely with my MR556 SBR:

Since shorter barrels generate more heat in a suppressor, I decided to really put the Griptastic cover to the test and use my SBR.

I got the range and got right to it:

I expelled thirty rounds of ammunition quickly, and then I asked the range staff member (who doubled as my camera man) to give it a go:

After three 30 round magazines of shooting the gun suppressed, it was time for the moment of truth:

I tapped the cover a few times with my hand to see if it was hot to the touch. It was not and I was able to disconnect it from the rifle:

I waited a while until the suppressor was cool enough to allow me to remove the cover. I was curious to see if any material from the cover had melted onto my Gemtech. I was quite surprised as there was no caked on silicon residue!

A close up of the can revealed no traces of the Griptastic cover:

My friend Chris also received a few of these covers, which he used to test on his homemade Sten gun (his skills as a professional welder pair nicely with his SOT!). He said he and some friends fired at least 250 rounds of 9mm through the gun, with the can and cover on with no ill effects:

Needless to say I am impressed with the Bowers Griptastic covers, and they are also priced very well. Prices range from $35.00 to $55.00 with almost all of them priced at either $35.00 or $45.00.