Quiet by nature, Quiet by design – the History of AWC
I am Lynn McWilliams, the founder of AWC Systems Technology. This year, 2010, I thought we would break with tradition and I would do something we try hard not to do here at AWC, actually make some noise. As we are in our third decade of doing our very best at producing the most modern, most effective and most popular suppressors in the world, I thought I would share with you a little more than the all too common “we are the best” refrains that we all are seeing now on the web, in print & everywhere. The truth is we here at AWC pride ourselves on just concentrating on the business at hand, that being, research and development, manufacturing and delivery to our world-wide clientele.
In many ways, the story of AWC Systems Technology is a story that can never be completely told. The reason is that much of what we do is proprietary in nature, and for many who will use our products the requirement for secrecy is even more demanding. That is the world AWC serves and we are capable, comfortable and successful in our role within it. This does, however, create quite the dichotomy when I am confronted with my role to successfully educate civilians so they can make informed, credible and the ultimate choice in suppressor technology. Those around me know I much prefer to take what I call “the high road” when it comes to explaining to a citizen why a popular offering from one competitor is a re-warming of a design we abandoned six or more years ago, or why that extra long suppressor is a hallmark of a poor design and worse accuracy. Many seem surprised when informed that titanium has been successfully used in suppressors since 1968. I am most apt to simply say “have you heard our suppressor next to that model?” Law enforcement, military and intelligence agencies have always had the benefit of a much broader and deeper sense of where we at AWC have been and what has been accomplished with our products. I am now writing to all those of you who are sincerely looking for a good foundation in the “hyped” world of suppressors.
I served as a U.S. Marine for six years. I attended numerous Marine Corps and Navy warfare schools. My particular skill and future “in service” contributions would primarily come in the areas of landmines, booby traps, clandestine entry and exit, surface/underwater demolition, and expert rifleman. I was a Platoon Sergeant for the 1st Marine Division Team and supported, actively and personally, reconnaissance and infantry units throughout the I-Corps operational area. In all, I served two full and furious tours in Vietnam with the Third and First Marine Divisions. I have been required to skillfully use suppressors in the most challenging manner that an operator can. Within the 10 year period after my service, I was asked and agreed to work as a paid professional consultant to the U.S. Navy providing arms training for their Special Boat Crews. I also trained select SEAL snipers on the finer operational aspects of shooting positions, field craft and, as one would expect, suppressor utilization for both rifle and pistol. Those that I trained went on to train others. I am involved to this day and look forward to remaining so as long as my Nation requires it. I am, if nothing else, a U.S. Marine.
For those of us who have been involved with this industry for more than fifteen minutes, we know the advancements in suppressor performance came through hard work, skillful craftsmanship, applied science and literally thousands of hours of field application. My own involvement in the manufacturing and sales of suppressors and armaments came after I completed and obtained a degree in Accounting/ Business. Using that degree and my military experience enabled me to become an Executive Officer with three Fortune 500 companies. After my sentence spent in Corporate America I formed Armament Systems and Technology, Inc. in Houston, TX as a Class III dealer and then as a Class II manufacturer in 1978. I had a deep appreciation of the capabilities and very real limitations found in early suppressors. Dr. Dater was a one man show at that time and was building suppressors on a limited basis. After some time of discussion Dr. Dater asked if I would manufacture some of his products. Initially I agreed, but in short order realized that new designs and manufacturing techniques would be required. It was going to be a major effort, a life’s work and in June of 1983, I amicably ceased collaborating with Dr. Dater and took the whole enterprise private under my existing company AWC Systems Technology.
During those early years, much of what passed as a good suppressor design had come from the work of Mickey Finn, Don Walsh and Reed Knight. I had actually arranged to purchase the rights to produce Reed’s early “Hushpuppy” models. That which I couldn’t buy outright from Reed, I produced in house at AWC. For those that remember, Mickey Finn of Qual-A-Tec also produced some similar devices. These early designs marked the only time in AWC’s history that we adopted, under licensing, any part of a suppressor design furnished by another. It was the first and the last time as well. Within a few years, we had established an aggressive engineering and manufacturing group and more than 18 new models were being sold throughout the world.
First on the agenda, was a significant improvement to the .22 muzzle suppressor. Mainly the internals were modified and re-arranged to eliminate what we all hate most in any suppressor, namely, “First Round Pop”. The re-designed suppressor was the first to utilize what AWC Systems Technology coined as a “Thermal diffuser”. This design was a breakthrough and would be used in AWC’s 9mm, .45, and even .30 cal. designs. Remarkably, the main principles of these designs are still in use today by many companies because it really gets the job done. AWC systems Technology was growing exponentially. We never lost our balance or forgot our friends. In thanks to Reed Knight, I transferred 2 fully functional .45 pistol suppressors to him to use as a starting point for the contract he was eventually awarded for the SOCOM offensive handgun. Doug Olson, who went on to work for Reed for this project was employed by AWC Systems Technology after leaving Qual-A-Tec .
Next on the list was what was to become the world’s most successful SMG suppressor, the MK9. From the beginning, we at AWC knew that we had made significant breakthroughs and could potential set a radical new standard for high volume machine gun suppressors. Not only that, our new design allowed for this very same suppressor to be easily moved from firearm to firearm. We knew that the then common “draw tube” design that had been adopted by the vast majority of manufacturers was actually holding back a radical drop in dB. The good Dr., Reed and even Don Walsh’s designs all relied heavily on it. With our “thermal diffuser” broadly received in the field, AWC Systems Technology then totally eliminated the ‘draw tube’ and created another breakthrough in the manner by which suppressors attached to SMG barrels. Even more astonishing this extraordinarily efficient design allowed us to create our first design for the 12” envelope. In later years that would be shortened to 10” and then to 8” with no loss in efficiency. This was “Big Medicine” and freed us up to go on to design no fewer than three dozen new baffle designs, chamber designs and endless manufacturing improvements. Metallurgy, welding, finishes, EDM, etc. all came under our scrutiny. The results were so revolutionary that SWAT Magazine saw fit to feature AWC in a lengthy 2 part article in back to back issues written by Al Paulson. Al had been majorly impressed. He observed an odd sound when using our newest suppressor on a 9mm MAC. He heard a low frequency (dull) whistle sound that he was able to identify as air rushing into the cavity of the spent cartridges. See if you can hear that with any other unit in the world, to this very day, you can’t. When Paulson wrote his two volume opus on Suppression, AWC suppressors graced both covers.
Prior to the horrific incidents on 9/11 AWC Systems Technology had already provided suppressors/suppressed weapons to all branches of the U.S. Military Special Warfare community. In the Middle East, Israel, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates military and police counter-terrorist units were using these systems daily. In Central America our equipment was broadly used by counter NARCO terrorist units. In Columbia these units were present for the Pablo Escobar kill in 1993. We know the Navy made a kill on Grenada early in the operation using the original AWC Amphibian suppressed .22 Ruger. The same is true with the invasion of Panama where in addition to the AWC Amphibian pistols with the Navy, U.S. Army Special Forces Units deployed our 5.56 cal. Suppressor on M16’s.
We interviewed a Special Forces Major who described how they were able to take out key personnel occupying bunkers before the main assault began. This Major has since retired and continues to build his silencer collection from our catalog. The same is true with a retired high-ranking NCO from Detachment DELTA, and a retired Navy Warrant Officer who had been a CPO with one of the core high profile SEAL Teams. Don’t forget about the retired Master Gunnery Sergeant who has been a personal friend of mine for many years and has more suppressors and weapons than even I do, though my good wife and business partner, Judy, would find that hard to believe. The stories we at AWC have been privileged to hear are legion, mesmerizing and all ended with the same punch line “AWC’s suppressors are hands down the finest in the world” and that was before the world changed, again with the destruction of the Twin Towers.
Post 9/11 the U.S. Army Special Operations people were purchasing our Raider 5.56mm cans by the hundreds and our 9mm Titanium Abraxas units with G26 & G19 barrels and Nexus II .45 suppressors with G30 barrels. These units went to Detachment DELTA and similar Spec War units. The Air Force did the same except they opted for the stainless steel version of the Abraxas with M9 barrels and Raider M16 suppressors for the Air Force Special Operations Command. The Marine Corps bought Raiders and the Navy it seems already had full shelves of what they needed, a majority already made by AWC and ready to provide years more service. Some contracts we let go, those were what we called “good enough” contracts where what was asked for had to be dirt cheap and just “good enough” to help keep the noise levels down. Margins were thin on those contracts, products looked liked tack welded car mufflers, sound levels were poor, acceptance by operatives poorer. That was no business for us, smartest thing we ever did was politely saying “no”. Having said that, to this day, when any of our clientele really get down to the selecting the quietest, most trouble free, highest quality, most accurate suppressor, they always come calling and get warmly received. They still marvel at our newest products and we still are unabashedly proud and deeply respectful of the service men and women who choose to put their life on the line with our products.
Now comes the part I’ve wanted to write about for some time. For the last number of years I have heard people refer to AWC Systems Technology as using “old” designs. The common phrasing goes something like this “AWC, yea they have been around, their stuff is the highest quality but it’s heavy and expensive, you can probably pay less for a more modern design.” Nonsense, it’s the purest form of pabulum puked up by the uninformed “wannabes” looking to divert attention away from the real facts of the matter. Nobody has sold more suppressors than AWC Systems Technology. Nobody has improved suppressor performance more than AWC Systems Technology. Nobody has contributed more to the very newest designs available than AWC Systems Technology. Nobody has pioneered more advanced manufacturing techniques or employed more sophisticated material utilization than AWC Systems Technology. Nobody has more repeat customers than AWC Systems Technology. Titanium use? For decades. Aluminum use? As little as possible as we have all seen what happens in the field. 100% circumferential welding? AWC pioneered it. Bimetallic construction to take the ring out of titanium? Since the beginning. Reflective designs? Not for a decade. Lifestyle products? Unlikely. dB ratings? Be sure and read our article under the “Information” section titled “Understanding Suppression” after decades of publishing almost wholly useless dB data we are working hard to stop the madness. dB is a pressure reading, in the absence of duration and frequency it is of little meaning. So we are clear, the quietest, most efficient suppressors in the world are still made right here in Arizona at AWC Systems Technology. We have been here for decades and we aren’t going anyplace other then “in country” with some of the bravest men and women in the world. AWC is America’s Silent Majority, made in America by Americans.
Semper Fi
MAC
