SILENCER SATURDAY #289: THE YHM Sidewinder M2 9mm Suppressor

Pete
by Pete
SILENCER SATURDAY #289: THE YHM Sidewinder M2 9mm Suppressor

Good afternoon everyone and welcome back to TFB’s Silencer Saturday brought to you by Yankee Hill Machine, manufacturers of the new YHM R45 Multi-Host Suppressor. Last week we got a look at the new YHM Fat Cat 5.56mm compact rifle suppressor. This week we spend some time with the new YHM Sidewinder M2 pistol suppressor in 9mm. Is this your next pistol can? Let’s take a look.

More YHM at TFB:

Editor’s Note: YHM is the sponsor of TFB’s Silencer Saturday. Without their support, you would be forced to read “the news” with your morning coffee every Saturday. YHM understands that I try to be as unbiased as possible and I will let you know if a product doesn’t meet any expectations. My intent is to provide you with all the information you need to buy quality guns and silencers.

SILENCER SATURDAY #289: THE YHM Sidewinder M2 9mm Suppressor

SILENCER SATURDAY #289: THE YHM Sidewinder M2 9mm Suppressor

Instead of diving into my old diatribe on the lack of utility on long suppressors mounted on compact handguns, we are going to focus on the pure enjoyment of quietly shooting heavy pistol rounds. After all, life isn’t just about utility; we can spice it up with things that don’t serve a direct purpose. Like listening to Doja Cat or eating fried dough at a pop-up carnival.

As far as I can tell, the biggest change to the Sidewinder models is the fact that “standard” size pistons from other manufacturers can be used instead of the older proprietary pistons. The length of the new 9mm version is about half an inch longer, probably to accommodate the new piston system. Otherwise the monocore baffle design with a leading traditional blast baffle is unchanged. The weight also has not changed, even with the slight increase in length.

The piston disassembly has changed sightly to use the more standardized wrenches rather than a cylindrical tool with spanner wrench posts. Part of me wishes that YHM would have changed the baffle stack removal to a wrench; the indentations and tool face can be harder to line up when twisting.

But disassembly is about as straightforward as you can get, unscrewing the piston assembly, unscrewing the baffle assembly, leaving three main parts.

Let’s take a look at the numbers.

Specifications – YHM Sidewinder M2

The new Sidewinder M2 suppressor is optimized to give you an affordable, lightweight suppressor packed with features typically found on more expensive models. The booster system has been completely redesigned and now uses the industry’s unofficial standard piston. Pistons from SilencerCo, Rugged, Dead Air, etc. can be used in the Sidewinder M2 and vice versa. The redesign also includes the ability to swap pistons without the use of tools thanks to a new rear cap. The front cap has been redesigned to allow for better engagement with the takedown tool to make the service process easier.

The Sidewinder utilizes a high-efficiency mono-core baffle made from 7075-T6 aluminum that is class 3 hardcoat anodized. The outer tube is made from 6061-T6 aircraft quality aluminum which is also finished with class 3 hardcoat anodize. These materials offer high strength and longevity in a lightweight package. The Piston, Nielsen Sleeve and Blast Baffle are constructed from heat treated 17-4ph stainless steel. This type of stainless steel is extremely resistant to corrosion and wear, and will not degrade when exposed to extreme temperatures.

The Sidewinder M2 is user serviceable which allows both the baffle and Nielsen device to be removed for cleaning and maintenance using the provided disassembly tool. Our Nielsen device enables flawless semi-automatic operation on all relevant host pistols. The Sidewinder M2 has 12 index points that allow you to adjust point of impact while remaining attached to the host firearm.

Pistons/Adapters:

SILENCER SATURDAY #289: THE YHM Sidewinder M2 9mm Suppressor
SILENCER SATURDAY #289: THE YHM Sidewinder M2 9mm Suppressor
SILENCER SATURDAY #289: THE YHM Sidewinder M2 9mm Suppressor
SILENCER SATURDAY #289: THE YHM Sidewinder M2 9mm Suppressor
SILENCER SATURDAY #289: THE YHM Sidewinder M2 9mm Suppressor

Aesthetically, the Sidewinder M2 is a sharp looking setup with similar styling to the YHM Nitro NO2 multi-host suppressor.

SILENCER SATURDAY #289: THE YHM Sidewinder M2 9mm Suppressor

Priced under $600, the Sidewinder M2 is about as affordable as it gets for a full-size, full-featured pistol suppressor.

SILENCER SATURDAY #289: THE YHM Sidewinder M2 9mm Suppressor

Monocore suppressors are simple to disassemble and maintain, but can have issues with the first round pop (FRP) phenomenon that is linked to air/fuel mixtures from unburned powder inside the suppressor. I only noticed a slight amount of FRP in the 9mm M2.

SILENCER SATURDAY #289: THE YHM Sidewinder M2 9mm Suppressor

Traditionalists will want to swap out standard height sights for suppressor height sights. The 1.375″ diameter will block the normal sight picture. This is something that has never bothered me – as long as you align the sights and use a both eyes open technique, you can be just as accurate as you are with a normal sight picture.

SILENCER SATURDAY #289: THE YHM Sidewinder M2 9mm Suppressor

There really isn’t much to say about the YHM Sidewinder M2 – in a good way. It’s light, quiet, and easy to clean. Could it be quieter with more traditional baffles over a monocore system? Maybe. But at a $599 MSRP, it’s hard to pass up. The only real decision is between this and the the YHM R9 or R45 that can also take a limited amount of rifle fire at the expense of more weight and less pistol suppressor performance.

The only real answer is to get both.

SILENCER SATURDAY #289: THE YHM Sidewinder M2 9mm Suppressor

Have a great week. Be safe, have fun, and we’ll see you back here next weekend for another Silencer Saturday.


SILENCER SHOPHANSOHN BROTHERS DEADEYE GUNS

MAC TACTICAL

ALL YHM PRODUCTS AT BROWNELLS

DEALERS: If you want your link to buy YHM suppressors included in future Silencer Saturday posts, email: silencers@thefirearmblog.com
Pete
Pete

Silencers - Science Pete@thefirearmblog.com

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Comments
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 9 comments
  • Max Mller Max Mller on Jul 29, 2023

    Could you do a full review of the AB Suppressors F-4?
    At 4.5oz it's so light that it apparently doesn't need a booster on most Browning type handguns.

  • Dead Sirius Dead Sirius on Jul 29, 2023

    I read through this so fast, I missed the review part. Then I realized that it was just an ad.

    • See 4 previous
    • Aono Aono on Jul 31, 2023

      @Andrew I desperately want FN to release a Rush 10Ti purpose-built for the 510. Would buy that in a heartbeat knowing they had been tested in combination.

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