Silencers are provided for a weapon having a combustion chamber and a barrel. The weapon is configured to launch a projectile with combustion gases generated in the combustion chamber. An exemplary silencer includes a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end being configured for mounting the silencer to the barrel, the distal end being configured to allow the projectile to pass therethrough, and at least one vortex chamber disposed between the proximal end and the distal end. The at least one vortex chamber includes a circular peripheral wall for inducing a vortex on a portion of the combustion gases expelled from the combustion chamber during launch of the projectile. The vortex impedes flow of the combustion gases from the barrel such that acoustic energy associated with the launch of the projectile is dissipated.