Few people have shaped the suppressor industry the way Mike Pappas has. He's one of the co-founders of SilencerCo. He later founded Dead Air Silencers. Between those two companies, Pappas has helped design some of the most recognizable suppressors in America while mentoring countless people who now call the firearms industry home.
But if you ask anyone who's spent time around Mike, they probably won't start by talking about silencers. They'll tell you he's one of the kindest people they've ever met.
That theme carried through this entire episode of First Last Next, where Pappas reflected on his journey from mechanic to industry pioneer, the products that changed suppressor history, and why taking care of people has always mattered more than making a sale.
Before Suppressors, He Just Loved Fixing Things
Long before he was designing silencers, Mike Pappas was turning wrenches. Working as a mechanic wasn't just a job. It was something he genuinely loved. Even today, he says he'll probably keep fixing things until he physically can't anymore.
Firearms had always been another passion. That passion eventually led him to working weekends at a small gun shop in Salt Lake City called Get Some. It wasn't glamorous. The store was so small that if four customers walked inside, someone usually had to leave because there simply wasn't room.
But Pappas saw opportunity where others saw limitations. Within a few months of managing the store, sales exploded from roughly $40,000 annually to more than $150,000 every month. Not because he became a better salesman — because he focused on helping people find the right firearm instead of convincing them to buy whatever happened to be in stock.
It's a philosophy he still carries today.
The Conversation That Started SilencerCo
One frustrated customer changed everything.
Jonathan Shultz came into the gun store hoping to buy Advanced Armament's announced-but-unreleased Black Box suppressor. Pappas refused to take his money. He'd seen products delayed before and wasn't willing to sell something that might never arrive.
That honesty sparked a friendship. When the Black Box never materialized, Shultz decided maybe someone else should build the suppressor people actually wanted. He asked Mike to help. Together, they raised money and started SilencerCo.
The Sparrow Changed Everything
SilencerCo's first product would become one of the most influential rimfire suppressors ever made.
Initially, Pappas wasn't convinced the design would work. He worried shooters wouldn't be able to clean it after heavy use, a major problem with rimfire suppressors at the time. Then, after several sleepless nights, inspiration struck. He woke up with the idea for the clamshell sleeve system that would eventually become the Sparrow.
The design prevented the suppressor from permanently locking itself together with carbon and lead fouling, making maintenance dramatically easier. It became SilencerCo's first product. It also became one of its biggest successes. Even today, Pappas still smiles when talking about it.
Starting Over With Dead Air
Despite helping build one of the biggest suppressor companies in America, Pappas eventually left SilencerCo after disagreements over financial risk and company direction. Leaving wasn't easy. But it created an opportunity.
After reconnecting with longtime friend Eric Rogers, Pappas decided to build another suppressor company. That company became Dead Air. Armed with lessons learned from the first experience, he approached the second company differently, determined to keep what worked while avoiding mistakes he'd already lived through.
Sometimes experience is the best engineer.
Character Is Built One Small Decision at a Time
One of the most memorable stories in the episode had nothing to do with suppressors.
Years after leaving SilencerCo, Jonathan Shultz unexpectedly called Mike. He was stranded with a flat tire. Instead of hanging up or holding onto old resentment, Pappas drove over, fixed the tire, and spent the afternoon catching up. No drama. No scorekeeping. Just helping someone who needed help.
It's a story that perfectly reflects how nearly everyone in the firearms industry describes Mike Pappas. He doesn't just build products. He builds relationships.
“You'll Always Get More Than You Give”
Perhaps the biggest takeaway from the conversation wasn't about firearms at all.
When asked why he always seems willing to help everyone around him, Pappas offered a simple philosophy. He enjoys serving people. He likes fixing things. He likes making other people's lives easier. And, in his experience, when you consistently take care of others, people naturally want to help you in return.
It's not transactional. It's simply the kind of person he's chosen to become. That mindset has earned him something far more valuable than product sales: respect.
First Gun: A Western Auto .22 Magnum
For the "First" portion of First Last Next, Pappas went all the way back to childhood. His father gave him a Savage .22 Magnum, branded for Western Auto, when he was around eleven years old. He still owns it today.
It may not be the fanciest rifle in his collection, but it remains one of the most meaningful. Like many kids growing up in small-town America, that rifle taught him responsibility, marksmanship, and plenty of unforgettable lessons outdoors.
Last Gun: A Transferable FNC Machine Gun
Mike's latest purchase is something many collectors dream about: a transferable FN FNC machine gun acquired from an estate sale.
For collectors, transferable machine guns represent a unique part of firearms history because the supply is permanently fixed under federal law. For Pappas, it wasn't simply about owning another firearm. It was about preserving a fascinating piece of firearms history.
Next? The Hunt Never Really Ends
When asked what comes next, Pappas laughed. Like most collectors, he has a mental list that's always growing. Rather than chasing every new release, he's become increasingly interested in the firearms he admired as a younger man but couldn't afford at the time.
Recent additions like the Beretta BM59 and AR70 reflect that philosophy. Today, collecting is less about quantity and more about appreciating historically significant firearms that tell a story.
Building What's Next at Dead Air
Professionally, Pappas says Dead Air remains focused on innovation. New products are constantly being tested. Ideas never seem to be the limiting factor. The challenge is deciding which ones deserve to become reality.
With suppressor demand climbing following the elimination of the federal tax stamp cost, the company has been focused on keeping up with production while continuing to develop the next generation of silencers. For someone who has spent nearly two decades shaping the suppressor market, that work is far from finished.
First. Last. Next.
Every episode ends the same way.
First Gun: A Savage .22 Magnum from Western Auto, given to him by his father.
Last Gun: A transferable FN FNC machine gun purchased from an estate sale.
Next: Whatever piece of firearms history finally rises to the top of his ever-growing wish list.
Mike Pappas has helped launch two of the biggest suppressor companies in America. He's designed products that changed the industry. He's mentored generations of shooters and manufacturers. Yet after spending an hour with him, that's almost secondary.
What stands out most is the way he treats people. In an industry built around engineering and innovation, Mike Pappas has quietly built something even more lasting: a reputation for integrity.
