Over the past couple of years, the sale of silencers, often called suppressors, has increased for various reasons. When Congress recently lifted the $200 tax on these hearing-protection devices, sales surged, with the FBI approving about 150,000 online applications on January 1, the day the new law took effect.
One major group of U.S. shooters, specifically hunters, has been somewhat slow to adopt silencers, mainly because many are hesitant to extend their barrels beyond their current length. To address this, a new can recently introduced by Dead Air Silencers— the Nomad Ti OTB— is quickly gaining attention in the hunting community.
“We have different categories of clientele,” said Mike Pappas, the founder of Dead Air Silencers. “We have kind of an LE leg, a little bit of a military leg, and we have our main category, which is enthusiasts, people like you and me. For a few years, we’ve tried to go after the hard-use guys.
"Recently, we’ve tried to branch out a bit and make products for hunters. The result is a can with all the sound suppression of a full-size can that adds little to barrel length.”
Nomad OTB Features
Rated for cartridge calibers up to .300 RUM and 7mm Backcountry, the new Nomad Ti OTB derives its name from its over-the-barrel configuration.
Rather than positioning the blast chamber fully forward of the muzzle, as with conventional suppressor designs, the Nomad Ti OTB extends the blast chamber 3.1 inches back over the barrel, resulting in less backpressure and better sound suppression.
This expanded blast chamber offers hunters a few distinct advantages.
First, this configuration means that the suppressor adds only 4.6 inches to the overall length of the rifle assembly. Hunters who have always avoided a can because of the added length will find this extremely attractive.
Another advantage of the design is that shifting the weight bias back toward the shooter improves rifle balance and reduces fatigue when making off-hand shots or when mounted during long field positions.
Since the silencer is 3D printed from 6Al4V Grade 9 Titanium, it is very light, weighing in at only 10.5 ounces: another plus for hunters. The overall length is 7.65 inches and the diameter is 1.76 inches. If your barrel has a diameter of 1 inch or less measured 3.1 inches back from the muzzle, the Nomad Ti will fit.
The Over-the-Barrel Revolution Comes to the U.S.
Ben Bachmeier, Dead Air’s senior director of product development, said over-the-barrel silencers have been around for a while and have gained some popularity overseas, just not in the U.S.
“What you’re doing is using that space over the barrel to give you a larger expansion chamber, so you can pick up a little bit of suppression without having to go farther forward of the muzzle,” Bachmeier explained.
“We all know how bolt guns are. Unless you’ve got a folding stock or something, they’re already pretty long. Then you put a 7- or 9-inch suppressor on, and it looks like a Brown Bess.
"So, the intent of the Nomad Ti OTB was to retain the same sound-level suppression as our venerable Ti XC with less than five inches of silencer in front of the muzzle.”
According to Pappas, the new Nomad Ti OTB, which was displayed at the 2026 SHOT Show in January, has been met with enthusiasm and excitement.
“Response has been off the charts,” he said. “We're in the final throes of final production and getting them out into the market stream. Then, we’ll really see how it does.
"You just never know. Everyone can say, ‘That’s freaking awesome. Take my money. I want one.’ But until they give you their money, you’re not 100% sure.”
Editor's Note: Want to take a shot at winning your very own Dead Air Nomad Ti OTB hunting can? Fear not, we've got you covered — as long as you live in a suppressor-friendly state — with our February 2026 Hook & Barrel Giveaway.
