Not too long ago, direct thread attachment was the only method for attaching a pistol suppressor to a handgun. It took a little while to find the thread and screw the suppressor on. Most people think of all the movies they would watch where the character would be feverishly screwing on the suppressor just in the nick of time to take out a sentry and then break it back down. This is at least what I think of when I think of direct thread pistol suppressors. They work, but they aren't that great. There are several reasons why we consider the direct thread a legacy attachment for pistols.
Scene taken from Inception (2010) showing a direct thread silencer
From the perspective of a manufacturer, they are poor mostly due to customer service returns. In our company's 20-year history, we have received approximately nine times the amount of returns for baffle strikes on direct thread pistol cans vs rifle cans! This is due to the excessive vibration native to semi-auto tilt barrel handguns lacking any form of vibration-resistant locking system. Direct thread suppressors tend to break loose off of the 90° threaded shoulders of handgun barrels in as little as 5 rounds or so. Suppressor aficionados "in the know" have trained themselves on breaking their grip from the frame while shooting and then pulling the gun into their "workspace" to quickly check-tighten the suppressor before punching out again and re-engaging targets several times per magazine. This is really the only way to mitigate baffle strikes with traditional direct thread pistol suppressors.
What prompted us to deviate from this path? For one, the afformentioned unintended loosening of the suppressor and subsequent baffle strikes. Secondarily, at a trade show one year, the Army's premier special mission unit asked for such a product: "Can you make a quick detach pistol suppressor?" Griffin wasn't special - they were asking every suppressor company that year. The unit order was small in volume, but the task was an interesting challenge. We talked about it for a long time and finally Austin, all by his lonesome, invented the CAM-LOK® system about a year later.
Demonstration of CAM-LOK® taken from the Griffin Armament YouTube page
This ingenious system could quickly attach a pistol suppressor and keep it secure to the host pistol for multiple magazines in our internal testing. I became a huge fan of CAM-LOK® and we sold many units; however, as with all products a small percentage of end users didn't like it or understand it for one reason or another. About 5% of people who bought it were unsatisfied, so Austin made an easier version to use, hence EZ-LOK™, which did away with the 3 lug threads and essentially became what I call a "mini taper mount".
Comparison of CAM-LOK® vs EZ-LOK™ barrel adapters, note the differing thread types
This version, which is a patented derivative of CAM-LOK®, became an instant success. It also has more versatility since it can be applied to larger caliber hunting rifles and other firearms, while CAM-LOK® is strictly for pistol caliber handguns, or maybe .22 rimfires. EZ-LOK™ can be a really small lightweight adapter on the end of a bolt action hunting rifle, or a handgun as well, which makes it a perfect mounting system for versatile suppressors like our Optimus® Micro.
Speed of attachment comparison
According to consumers, EZ-LOK™ is probably the more widely accepted version of the system, but CAM-LOK® is the original gucci QD pistol mount that gives you that real John Wick feeling of coolness. Whichever one you choose is backed by our Perpetual Lifetime Warranty™ and amazing customer service team so you can't go wrong with either. Both of these systems revolutionized the attachment method of putting suppressors on handguns. It's mind blowing when you go from direct thread to one of these. That's what it is and why people should care.
Thanks for reading and remember to wear eye pro, especially with pistol suppressors!
About the Author: Evan Green is Co-Owner and managing partner of Griffin Armament and former Army-Qualified Sniper. Evan was a member of the All Guard Sniper Team and later worked for the State Department completing multiple further security deployments with Triple Canopy and SOC.