As an admin of both the EDgun Leshiy website and the Leshiy Owners Group I see a tone of questions on how to make this gun (more) backyard friendly, i.e “How do I make the EDgun Leshiy Quiet.  I go into detail about my own journey here (The ultimate EDgun Leshiy Mod... Silent Overkill), but this article is about exploring the Leshiy specific options available to you.  To do that, I’ll weave in pieces of a conversation I had with Donny from DonnyFL (https://donnyfl.com/) a leader in the “quiet” space of airguns.

This site is really dedicated to the airgun (EDgun Leshiy) and the stories it could tell.  I find that micro perspective an interesting subject matter, and I hope you do as well lol.  I was having a chat with Donny, from DonnyFL about purchasing his own Leshiy, and we had an fun conversation (as Donny and I typically do) about lots of things… business, product ideas, life, cutting a EDgun Leshiy in half (insert link to blog on silent overkill) and of course something about the EDgun Leshiy usually comes up.  This conversation was no different… except I took notes!

Donny, a little birdie is telling me you’ve ordered a Leshiy for yourself…where/how does your Leshiy story go? 

I purchased the Leshiy when it first came out with the goal of quieting it down. My first attempt was unsuccessful because I couldn’t wrap my mind around the offset and how to make it simple for people to install without increasing the chances of clipping. It was also during this time that the Sumo became very popular and I wanted to focus on that and look for ways to improve it. I ended up selling my gun to fund the Sumo some more. Fast forward a year later, there are so many cool parts and accessories for the Leshiy that I just had to have it back. To be honest, your website dedicated to the gun, showing where to purchase aftermarket parts and pictures of other people’s guns really gave me that extra push I needed.

The airgun industry is an interesting place, from a business perspective, in that so many companies were founded by a hobbyist (airgun hobbyist). Donny, what’s your background, and how did this all (“DonnyFL”) get started? 

I have a degree in Management Information Systems and nowhere near the technical engineering background as some may think I have! What I do have is imagination and creativity to bring something to life. I have friends who are engineers and machinists that I can run ideas by to see if something will work. Ever since I got into PCP, my mind has been non-stop. My wife always jokes that I need to give the gerbils in my head some rest.

As a sales guy by trade, I appreciate a good idea guy ;).  Someone has to be that guy!  My dad always told me, surround yourself with smart people in no matter what you do, throw an idea out, and let them chime in… and in your case, subject matter experts/skill sets. So with that in mind, how’s the design process work?

When an idea for a gun part comes to mind, I would stare at the gun for a very long-time picturing how the part will be mounted. What are the pros and cons and what problems could arise. My goal is to make it as easy as possible for the end user. Once I think the idea may work, I draw it out with dimensions and start prototyping with either a 3D printer, lathe or milling machine. When the prototype is complete, I send it out to the handful of testers in my network that do not hold back when giving feedback. I need those uncensored feedbacks, it saves me the headaches and money down the road if the problem is caught early. If I get the green light, I then send out to my CNC machinist to produce.

That’s cool… I’d love to see the "b-side” footage ;)… I bet there are some funny flops you can look back on.  In all seriousness, I bet the EDgun Leshiy presented an interesting challenge with the offset moderator and shape of the shroud.  How did that project go?

Not all of my ideas have happy endings [insert author giggles]. Sometimes I need to step away from a project, I need to reset my mind. I allow time to pass so that when I look at it again later, a new idea might come to me. If I keep attacking it, I will keep trying to make that one idea work when really, it’s not going to. A great example is the Leshiy. I stared at that gun for so such a long time but I couldn’t wrap my head around the offset to come up with a valid solution. So, I decided to take a break and a few months later it hit me to just make a mono-core baffle that is long and would fit using the extended shroud.

I bet publicly tinkering with a airgun like the Leshiy, made by a VERY smart and proud (and intimidating) guy like Ed was a very tight line to walk ;).  I think you (Donny) pulled it off well.  You have a few Leshiy related products on your site… tell us about them:

The first version of the Leshiy baffle kit was only compatible with the 250mm barrel. 

The people I talked to at the time who had the 350mm barrel and shroud extension didn’t express a need for any further suppression. I didn’t even consider compatibility for one. After it was released, I started getting inquiries for a 350mm baffle kit. The demand for silence never ends and I don’t blame them because everyone’s shooting situation is different. 

I recently released my new version of the baffle kit, now compatible with both 250 and 350mm barrels. I also changed the height on the middle platform to be lower, allowing users to add more dampening material such as foam or felt. It’s great for users who do not want to alter the looks of the Leshiy as it was intended by Ed and it works quite well.

Editors NOTE: Donny's new Baffle Kit gives room for sound reducing material (felt, foam, etc)... here's a link to the recommended felt: https://amzn.to/2nE7GtY or click the image below.  Initial feedback from users is this helps and makes a very noticeable difference! (Thanks Gary!)

The other option for the Leshiy is the adapter that I collaborated with Thayne and Val Simmons from Side-shot. Their needs were a little different. They wanted a compact Leshiy with ½ x 20 threads at the end to be able to screw on any suppressor from my collection. From the compact Tatsu to the long Emperor. This option clamps directly onto the barrel, the added suppressor will be offset a little lower than the factory shroud. It may look odd to some but, it’s the functionality and accuracy that is important.

One thing to mention… another way to quiet the Leshiy down (in addition to the above) is get the longer 350mm barrel.  If you’re in the US, you can go here: https://www.edgunwest.com/store/p69/Leshiy_Barrel.html .  If you’re outside the US, use the form below to get the place to purchase within your country.  The combo of that long barrel and Donny’s new baffle is a great place to start (and in many cases, it's the perfect solution).

NOTE: one other thing is to consider tuning the gun down.  For me, there’s nothing in my backyard that needs 30-40 ft/lbs! Checkout this article I did on “Chasing Backyard Friendly” for more info on that.

When looking to quiet down the EDgun Leshiy further, the options above are a great start! I’ve seen other folks tinker with the OEM baffle, adding air strippers, etc… but I would caution against messing with that too much unless you have the skillset and machinery… in that case… have at it, and of course post some pics!

Cheers,
Tim