A suppressor for reducing the muzzle blast of firearms or the like. Several separate absorbent elements are aligned in tandem within a tubular housing, and adjacent absorbent elements are separated by triangular baffles which expose end portions of adjacent absorbent elements. These exposed end surface portions enhance dispersion of propellant gases into and through the absorbent elements. The absorbent elements preferably are made of a knitted ferrous or non-ferrous wire mesh, providing a number of tortuous paths for gas dispersion into the absorbent elements and lowering the temperature of the gases to reduce the noise of the muzzle blast.