WARNING!  Sound moderators incorrectly marked by the London Proof House

We are aware that a number of Reflex Suppressors submitted to the London Proof House by an English dealer have been deliberately or negligently engraved with calibres larger than the actual baffle hole size. Specific instances include a T4AR (designed for rifles up to 223 Remington class) which has been engraved "243/308Win". Another instance involves a T8 suppressor with a 7.5 mm baffle hole (for rifles up to 6 mm/.243" calibre) which has been engraved ".30". Although proof-marked for .30 calibre, it is evident that neither of these suppressors has actually been tested on a .30 calibre rifle.

In a written reply to our solicitors dated 18 June 2002, the London Proof Master indicates that he does not consider such incorrect Proof Markings to be a matter of public safety.

While we expect that firing a 7.62 mm bullet through a BR Reflex Suppressor with a 7.5 mm baffle hole diameter would be unlikely to result in serious injury to the user, our view is that such misuse is emphatically not recommended, and may result, at best, in poor accuracy and performance.

The British Proof Authorities have so far ignored our request for an investigation to determine the causes of the above errors and the number of items incorrectly marked.

Our recent Counsel's Opinion has confirmed that there is no requirement in law for a sound moderator to be subject to proof and we strongly advise that any British proof marks on Reflex Suppressors should be treated as potentially misleading and possibly dangerous. If in doubt as to the suitability of a Reflex Suppressor for your rifle, please refer to the technical guidance on this website or contact us directly for advice.