Why Are Suppressors So Popular?

For noise reduction. Also use one on my .300 BO SBR with subsonic ammo.

What? I couldn't hear the question! Noise control. And cool factor. Never owned one. Shot a few when available. Still would use ear pro with them.

DukeConnor said:

Quite a few people mention hearing protection is required or they are not hollywood quiet.

I would have to argue tose points.

my 300 bo pistol is hearing safe with correct ammo.

My sons trailboss loads out of his 308 RPR are almost silent, of course the bullet is only moving 800 fps but is pretty accurate at 100 yard.

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It all depends on what caliber you are shooting and also on what suppressor you are using. Subsonic ammo with a good suppressor will indeed be very quite while a magnum rifle cartridge with any suppressor is going to still be loud enough that you want to use hearing protection.

And the subsonic 300 Blackout was pretty much designed for short barrel and suppressor use from the get go. Even with a suppressor on a 22lr, you can tell the difference between shooting high velocity ammo versus standard/subsonic ammo as far as noise levels are concerned. A suppressor on something like a 30-06, 338, or similar will drop the noise level a bit but they will still be loud enough that you probably should wear hearing protection while at the range.

There are plenty of videos out there where the decibel levels were tested using a suppressor with different calibers.

Enjoy the suppressed .22's more than anything else. Center fire rifles definitely worth the money for the noise reduction.

For center fire handguns my biggest beef is the diameter of the suppressor can sometimes be too large for the open sights....thus higher sights are required.

I had a suppressed .22. With .22 subs it was very quiet and great for night time bunny bashing. I won't have a suppressor on any of my full bore rifles. Damned ugly things. I wear ear for protection for all my shooting be it range or hunting. Leave the suppressor on your rifle after shooting for a while and see how long you before you need the rifle recrowned.

I can shoot a 22 rifle in my yard without upsetting the dogs. The closest neighbors have no idea I’m shooting at all. That’s totally worth the cost, especially if you build a decent Form 1 can like an XRT Tactical instead of buying a commercial can. My latest 22 can cost $350 total including the tax stamp and paying to get fingerprints done. It’s totally worth it to me.

jmr40 said:

I'd like to have one for for the noise reduction. There are a few guys that come to the range that have them and the difference is quite dramatic. They add so much to the overall length of my rifles that I just don't see one being practical for me to hunt with. Especially where I hunt.

But at current prices along with the extra legalities I won't spend the money, nor jump through the hoops to buy one. I can't think of any logical reason for them to be a restricted item. Even with the restrictive gun laws in most of Europe they are encouraged, even required in many places to reduce noise from hunters and shooting ranges. If they were readily available prices would become much more reasonable and I might consider one.

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This...I'm not going to jump through hoops and cash when a good set of muffs solves my problem. Recoil meh, never been an issue when you shoulder your firearm correctly. Just to be fair they are nice and I have shot with them...

The use of suppressors would greatly increase among shooters if they were deregulated. Since they are considered a firearm under the NFA, at least we should be able to do a 4473 and walk out of the store with it. No paperwork at all would be the best though.

I can only answer for myself, a sample of one. I do not yet own a suppressor, but would like to have one, because there are places where I can legally shoot, but where anything louder than .22 LR, from a long barrel, annoys folks, mostly city folk who want to build out in the sticks, and bring their city ways with them. Suppressing gunfire helps preserve our ability to continue to shoot.

Why are they popular?

Probably since hearing is a valuable commodity that is far too perishable. If suppressors had been more readily available in the US, I might not now be wearing hearing aids and suffering from tinnitus.

I’d love to not have to wear my walkers electronic shooting earmuffs out hunting so a suppressor would be nice! They’re actually really popular for hunting use in the Nordic countries.

Reasons to own a suppressor:

1.) Quiet

2.) Do not need to wear hearing protection

3.) Can shoot without bothering neighbors

4.) Maybe able to shoot multiple game without alerting all game

5.) Fun

6.) More accurate

7.) Cool

AlexanderA said:

My theory is that suppressors are popular, at least in part, precisely because they are regulated by the NFA. Part of this is the allure of the "forbidden fruit," and part the attraction of belonging to a select fraternity of "super gun owners." On their merits (in terms of actually muffling sound), they're not all that impressive. They don't silence in the way that Hollywood movies portray them.

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This is a big part of it for me too. When someone wants to ban something -- a book, a rifle, or an idea -- part of me naturally wonders what fun I'm missing out on. The end of the AWB made me want an AR. The attempts to ban1984 or Unintended Consequences made me more interested in reading them than I otherwise would have been.

I might join the suppressor (silencer, muffler) bandwagon if only to help preserve what's left of my hearing after my Aug 1992 car wreck.

If they were on OTC item I would probably own one. Well, I'd definitely own one. Maybe a couple. I'd definitely have one on my hunting rifle. I have never been interested in the paperwork. If I have to fill out a rebate form to get $30 there is a good chance I might not do it, I'm not rich with money I'm just not into the paperwork, stamp, mail, wait, etc...
(a little off topic but my uncle ordered a Burris optic and it was a deal where if you mailed in the proof of purchase they would send you a free Fastfire II and he never mailed it. I definitely would have, lol.)

I am not a supressor guy so I dont know but I was at my LGS the other day and the owner said for 5.56 it wasnt even worth it. Not really sure why, he was talking to someone else and said a 5.56 supressor isn't worth the money and that if you want to get good noise reduction you need a 7.62x51 supressor for your 5.56.

I was at the range this past summer and saw the first supressor I've ever seen in action on an AR-10 and I thought it was actually pretty awesome. He must have had a good one because it was real quiet, no loud crack, just a dense, thunky report.

OK, so everything has to do with noise reduction. The price one has to pay for one, and to own one, is the noise really reduced that much.

Walkalong said:

No, they don't match Hollywood, as most gun play doesn't.

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I believe a lot of the gun market is due to the movies. Which is ironic, because most of the movie makers are antigun. This has to be a study in hypocrisy.

$200 in 2020 money is a lot less than $200 in 1934 money.