Ignorant suppressor question.

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A strange person

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I don't know much about suppressors. I was always under the impression that they are only useful on cartridges what's bullet velocities are subsonic. Lately, I've noticed on many suppressor manufacturer's websites that suppressors are also available for weapons chambering cartridges like the .223 and .308 (distinctly NOT subsonic with any factory ammo). I always thought that suppressors on modern rifles with high-velocity cartridges was video game nonsense.

Am I correct in thinking that, obviously, these would merely stifle the muzzle blast, and could do nothing about the sonic crack following the bullet? Is the consensus that this sonic crack is insufficient to give a shooter's position away? How about hearing damage? Could the sonic crack alone cause hearing damage?

Thanks.
 
most of us use suppressors so we can shoot rifles without ear protection, not because we are concerned about giving away our position.

it's just polite to muffle the noise on a square range, especially when there are children around

i use them because my daughter likes to shoot with me and doesn't like the noise.


yes, the sonic crack is not suppressed. you would still want ear pro if you are down range (e.g. pulling pits in an NRA match with bullets going over your head) but it doesn't sound too bad at all from behind the gun
 
Shooting super-sonic ammo through a suppressor still greatly reduces the noise. I shoot a 9mm suppressor almost exclusively. I generally shoot whatever ammo is cheapest though it. Most often, that happens to be 115gr. super-sonic. Is it Hollywood Quiet? No. Can I shoot without hearing protection? Yes.

Regardless of what type of ammo you're shooting through it, a suppressor makes shooting infinitely more pleasant.
 
A strange person said:
I don't know much about suppressors. I was always under the impression that they are only useful on cartridges what's bullet velocities are subsonic. Lately, I've noticed on many suppressor manufacturer's websites that suppressors are also available for weapons chambering cartridges like the .223 and .308 (distinctly NOT subsonic with any factory ammo). I always thought that suppressors on modern rifles with high-velocity cartridges was video game nonsense.

Am I correct in thinking that, obviously, these would merely stifle the muzzle blast, and could do nothing about the sonic crack following the bullet? Is the consensus that this sonic crack is insufficient to give a shooter's position away? How about hearing damage? Could the sonic crack alone cause hearing damage?

Thanks.
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Historically, suppressors provided two effects: (1) they reduced the velocity of the bullet...in some instances to subsonic velocities, and (2) they obscured the shooter's position. The latter is more important from a military standpoint although eliminating the sonic crack may keep the target from realizing he/she IS the target. In the civilian sector, as taliv already pointed out, it is simply polite to use one. That is why they are legal...without onerous paperwork and goobermint intervention...in Europe and used to be here in the US until 1934.

The sonic crack itself should not be sufficient to give away a shooter's position, all other things being equal. Reducing the muzzle blast of the round can help conceal the POO.

Having spent the past 45 years pulling targets on service match ranges, I don't find that it has had as much of an effect on my hearing as one afternoon on a live-fire M-16 range where, as a young pup, I forgot my hearing protection. Not a failure I repeated again. You can easily tell when your target has been fired on (presuming the budding Nimrod has actually shot on the correct target) by simply listening for the overhead crack. Without a shred of scientific evidence, I would say it is far enough away that the attenuation makes it safe enough to be of little concern.
 
Reducing the muzzle blast of the round can help conceal the POO
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You might want to reword that. I have no idea what P-O-O stands for, but I sure know what it looks like, lol.

I've always wanted to get a suppressor for my .45, and it's already a subsonic round, but I've heard that the bigger the bullet, the more noise it makes with a suppressor. Is this true? Would I be wasting my money trying to get one?
 
most of us use suppressors so we can shoot rifles without ear protection,
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Certainly for pistols, but with my Gemtech HVT-QD using .308, 7.62x39 and .223 I still find it too loud to be comfortable without earpro.

Besides, at my club its rare to be the only person on the firing line so earpro is usually needed even if shooting my suppressed .22lr (which is really quiet) I can usually find a pistol bay far enough away from any other shooters to enjoy shooting suppressed pistols without earpro.

I've always wanted to get a suppressor for my .45, and it's already a subsonic round, but I've heard that the bigger the bullet, the more noise it makes with a suppressor. Is this true? Would I be wasting my money trying to get one?
Click to expand...

I've an Osprey 45 and it is great fun to shoot it without hearing protection, the bullets hitting the steel plates 10 yards away is way louder than the guns report. I also have a 9mm piston so I can use it on my Glock 17L which while "sub optimal" because of the 9mm bullet, .45 exit hole, and near magnum peak pressure, its still no problem shooting without earpro as long as I'm using sub-sonic 147 gr loads.

So my answer is its definitely not a waste.
 
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The muzzle blast is WAY louder than the supersonic crack in a high velocity rifle like .223. The suppressor will reduce the the muzzle blast by a huge margin.

I wouldn't shoot one all day without ear pro, but the difference between suppressed and not is immense.

Also, one thing to keep in mind about the supersonic crack is that it is delivered outward from the bullet in a direction perpendicular to the bullet flight path. So if you fired a bullet past someone downrange, the crack they would hear would come from the direction in which the bullet passed them, and not from the direction of the shooter like the muzzle blast would, if it were present.
 
TurtlePhish said:
Only if it's an integral suppressor on a perforated barrel... Otherwise the difference in velocity of suppressed vs. unsuppressed is negligible.
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Again, I have no scientific evidence...chronograph readings, etc...but logic leads me to believe that the velocity of a 9mm round at the short muzzle of my Ingram is probably higher than at the opening of the two-stage SWD can that I have used on it. Having said that, the lands and grooves of the perforated barrel section should certainly have more of an effect than the screw on can. Using the M4-2000 suppressors downrange, we were more concerned about concealing the point of origin than reducing velocity. In fact, I think that substantiates your argument in that we really DIDN'T want to lose velocity (and possibly range and accuracy).
 
Thanks guys. It was really more hearing damage than anything I was concerned about. I always slip earplugs in before taking shots at game, but it would be nice to not have to do that. Suppressors sure are expensive though.
 
Suppressors sure are expensive though.
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So are quality optics, nice homes and new cars. Some things in life you can get by with the cheapest, like pencils and the wal-mart brand potato chips, some things its better to spend the money on, especially if your going to have it for the rest of your life. A quality suppressor will outlast you, unless your a .50 BMG shooter and put 1000 rounds down range every weekend, then you can afford another suppressor.

Another thing to consider, a suppressor will sound different depending on elevation, temperature, humidity, environment (open field vs. indoor range), host weapon and ammo.
 
TurtlePhish said:
There are plenty of plans on the internet. Couple of very good forums too, with lots of knowledgeable folks, including this one. I'm sure someone who would let the OP use a lathe would help them if they didn't know how to run it.
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I'm sure you're probably right, it just sounds unrealistic to somebody like me with absolutely no machining knowledge or skills, and with no access to the necessary equipment.
 
I'm sure you're probably right, it just sounds unrealistic to somebody like me with absolutely no machining knowledge or skills, and with no access to the necessary equipment.
Click to expand...

I suppose so. It's an option to a good number of people, though. And we don't know what the OP's skillset is.
 
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