Pantera vs. Other
Here’s video from a law-enforcement agency evaluation of Pantera against another 30-caliber suppressor.
Rather than to just depend on audio, we inserted labels and visual representations of the sounds of the first and second rounds fired. Compare the wave-forms shown as the shots to other aspects of the shot. The wave-forms are simply graphs of sound energy charted along a time-line.
Notice the difference in muzzle stability during and after the shot.
The Pantera has a controlled, straight push-back.
The Other suppressor bounces around somewhat erratically.
Pantera has almost no smoke coming out on the first shot*, but more coming out on the next.
Pantera's design traps the propellant to burn inside of the device. Depending on the ammo, etc. a significant amount of the propellant burns inside and the smoke created stays largely within the device. In the first shot there is no smoke inside the device, so the blast pushed out clear air. On the second shot, smoke from the first shot is blown out.
Pantera has a noticeably quieter second shot.
The First-Round-Pop phenomenon is thought to be a detonation of the burning propellant and compressed oxygen within the device. In the Pantera, the majority of the propellant burns within the first stage where smoke is retained and air is not readily replaced.
Pantera does not use the same method as conventional Maxim designs. Conventional suppressors use turbulence to keep propellant suspended giving it time to burn. Pantera separates the un-burned propellant solids from the suspension and allows the gases to flow through.
Pantera is a very unique suppressor.
U.S. Patent No. 10,222,163 B2
(Video is unedited other than to crop individual officers from view. Audio is edited only to remove mention of officers' names.)
*Correction : I'm now told these were not the first two shots; these were the 2nd and 3rd shots. The comments above are still valid as air will enter the suppressor after a shot is fired, especially if the breach is left open. The longer the suppressor is allowed to "vent," the more it will return to first-round conditions. This was a user-submitted video and we don't know what controls they had in place. - rjc 20190326
