Few companies are known by a single letter, but that is not the only thing that makes Q an iconic brand. Q is doing big things in merging suppressors with firearms – and calibers – with super cool names, and the company’s booth was one of our favorites at SHOT Show 2025.
 

The Boombox

The Q Boombox was one of my favorite guns to shoot on the range at Industry Day this year. Not just because it was full auto, but because it was full auto, in 8.6 Blackout, suppressed. Now, I know “fun switch” firearms are mostly a pipe dream for American firearm users, but don’t worry, there will be several versions of the Boombox. 
 

The 8.6 Blackout is a cartridge that Q developed as sort of a subsonic big brother to the .300 Blackout. The cartridge is constructed with an 8.6-caliber bullet pressed into a necked-down 6.5 Creedmoor casing. The cartridge has great subsonic capabilities and makes it so the action of the firearm is the loudest part of shooting. 
 

Any good cartridge needs a good platform, so Q introduced the Boombox, an AR with a 12-inch barrel chambered for 8.6 Blackout. The company did not have release dates yet for this integrally suppressed SD version, and they are also planning to produce a pistol version. 
 

The Southpaw

Q was also announcing its first 5.56 dedicated suppressor, nicknamed the Southpaw. I know – I was as shocked as anyone, because I thought there was no way the company didn’t have a dedicated 5.56 can.
 

This 6-inch suppressor is constructed from Inconel and stainless steel, giving it a full auto, no-barrel-length-restriction rating, while also weighing just 13 ounces. This suppressor joins an impressive line of high-performance cans. 

Q is always working on something new and intriguing, and we are excited to see what 2025 holds for the company.