Griffin Armament’s Nickel 625X™ is a patent-pending, nickel-based powder superalloy developed specifically for DMLS additive manufacturing processes. To our knowledge, this is the first material ever engineered expressly for sound suppressor applications—unlike more common alloys such as INCONEL® 625, INCONEL® 718, Haynes® 282®, and 17-4 SS, which were originally developed for other industries (e.g., aerospace) and later adopted for suppressors, where they have performed adequately in various military suppressor applications.

At 1200°F, Nickel 625X™ demonstrates approximately 68% greater strength than additively manufactured (SLM/DMLS) INCONEL® 625 which, to the best of our knowledge, is used in the NGSW suppressors which see service to very high temperatures. It also reduces heat treatment costs by ~93% compared to the vacuum anneal and age processes typically required for superalloys. Because vacuum heat treatment is expensive and time-consuming, most industry suppressors are deployed in the as-built condition and do not realize the full performance potential of their materials—benefits that are routinely achieved in aerospace applications (e.g., jet turbine blades), where the added cost is justified.

Superalloys are inherently dense, so higher-strength options like Nickel 625X™ enable the design of lighter yet equally (or more) durable suppressors. Nickel 625X™ further offers superior corrosion resistance, with a PREN value of approximately 57 – substantially higher than INCONEL® 718 (~30), Haynes® 282® (~33), and INCONEL® 625 (~47). Its hardness also excels at 41 HRC (compared to as-built values of 29 HRC for INCONEL® 625, 33 HRC for INCONEL® 718, and 35 HRC for Haynes® 282®), providing better resistance to erosive wear of suppressor baffles caused by high-velocity gases and particulates.

For additional technical details, refer to the informational data packet linked below.

Inconel® is a registered trademark of Special Metals Corporation. Haynes® and 282® is a registered trademark of Haynes® International. Griffin Armament has no affiliation with Special Metals Corporation or Haynes® International, and the use of “Inconel®”, “Haynes®”, and “282®” on this page is merely for purposes of comparison between materials used in sound suppressors