Silencer, have you made one?

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ccsniper

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I am considering filling out the form 1 (I think this is the right form?) to make my own silencer for a high point carbine in .40. If I do embark on this I WILL pay the $200 stomp on my liberty tax and WILL do everything by the book.

My question is; how many of you have made your own Silencer/suppressor? Is it worth the hassle to jump through all the hoops just for some reduced noise? How did you go about it?

Thanks for the replies!!!

*Mods if this is in the wrong category I apologize and please move it to the correct section*
 
Unless you are in it strictly for the intellectual exercise (and you own a lathe), it is usually not worth it to build one unless what you want is substantially different from what is available commercially.
 
I must be missing something. I wouldn't want a suppressor if it was free and it didn't mean drawing the attention of the feds on myself. Making a lot of noise is part of the fun, IMO.
 
I knew a guy who did one on a form 1 a few years back. I met him when I was too young to ask the right questions, but he was a friend of my father's who left the Navy as a Chief Machinist's Mate, if memory serves, who owned a machine shop. Neat little thing that went right on his 10/22. It's not hard, just make SURE that you have everything approved, copied, stored safely, etc, before you do the first thing towards making it, otherwise you're committing some kind of crime. Once you get the form 1 approved, to my understanding, it's not complicated, although I do know most people recommend that you stamp ID (your name, number, etc) onto the silencer to protect yourself.

Also, I have a fair bit of experience with machine work, and unless you already own a lathe and know how to use it or really want to learn and are doing this as a project to build your skill, it's not worth it, imho. Machine tools are expensive, complicated, and WILL KILL YOU if you do not know EXACTLY what you're doing and pay them 100% of your attention at all times. I knew a guy in HS who worked in a local auto shop, and he forwarded me pictures that his boss sent around of a guy whose shirt tail got caught in a 12" lathe and literally got sucked in...not pretty, you couldn't even identify his head. From chest up, the lathe, without even struggling, had just sucked him through the 3" or so gap before another employee ran over and stopped it.

If you do want to make one, these guys know a lot more than I do, might be worth registering there: http://www.silencertalk.com
 
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Found the pictures and uploaded a few, don't click unless you're ready to see some fairly graphic details of what happens when machine tools and humans fight. Something to think about if you're planning on working on a lathe to save $300...

Story was that the guy's shirt got caught and pulled off up to his shoulders, then sucked his head right in. Another employee had to run over and stop the lathe, it would have happily kept going all day. Not pretty, but something to bear in mind when you use machine tools. A graphic reminder like that is healthy, IMHO, because if you're thinking about it the next time you use one you're that much more careful.

At least I know I am :p.

Moderator note: We really don't need that posted here, so I've edited your links out.
 
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don't click unless you're ready to see some fairly graphic details

Make that really clear, this is a family friendly site.
 
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I must be missing something. I wouldn't want a suppressor if it was free and it didn't mean drawing the attention of the feds on myself. Making a lot of noise is part of the fun, IMO.
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Do you not wear hearing protection for the same reason? Certainly those pesky plugs and muffs remove a large part of the fun of shooting by muffling that sweet, sweet sound.
 
Sorry the links are inappropriate, tried to give a warning there. Just sort of the standard warning I'd give anyone who didn't sound experienced contemplating machine work - it's dangerous stuff, and if you don't respect it...

Again, sorry they weren't appropriate, will show more discretion next time.
 
Just sort of the standard warning I'd give anyone who didn't sound experienced contemplating machine work - it's dangerous stuff, and if you don't respect it...
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It's a valid warning, those machines mean business.

My question is; how many of you have made your own Silencer/suppressor? Is it worth the hassle to jump through all the hoops just for some reduced noise? How did you go about it?
Click to expand...

Paging PTK!
 
I make silencers on my lathe as a hobby. They are effective and compare well to quality manufactured silencers. Even if I could afford to buy a $2000 50 caliber silencer for my 510 whisper or a $800 can for my 338 magnum rifle, I would still make my own as it gives me much satisfaction to do so. I tend to make give my silencers a bit more volume to make up for baffle design, and still have much to learn on putting on a beautiful durable finish, but I like my work a lot.

I had no machine tool experience and only a small amount of experience with an arc welder (stick) from high school. I decided to buy a cheap chinese 12x31 inch lathe, grinder, wire feed welder and other tools to learn. I invested about $2000 in tools to make 9 silencers so far. Each silencer is better than the last and I have repaid the cost of the tools a few times in the cost of silencers since then. Collecting guns has been a 20 year hobby so far and gunsmithing will last until I no longer can see or use my hands.

Using a silencer greatly enhances my shooting experience and I recommend that eveyone try it. I was able to convert my brother who was sitting on the gun control fence to a gun enthusiast by making him a silencer and putting it on an AR-15. Shooting suppressed is a world apart from everything else.

Two of the best websites for title 2 weapons are http://www.subguns.com and http://www.silencertalk.com . It is rare that anyone on those forums discourages legal gun ownership like some do on this and other gun forums.

Here are a few drawings and photos of my work. All of the silencer stuff is on ATF form 1's. I started using trusts to own my title 2 weapons this year, better than asking the local sheriff for his signature.

223REMINGTON-2.jpg
AKsilencer-1.jpg
Kbaffles.jpg
1895nagant-2.jpg
photos_510w_2.jpg
510whisper.jpg
458socom-1.jpg
remington700.jpg
enfield.jpg


Ranb
 
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I's worth it to own a suppressor. It is not worthwhile to try to build your own. Commercial designs are better.
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Unless you are in it strictly for the intellectual exercise (and you own a lathe), it is usually not worth it to build one unless what you want is substantially different from what is available commercially.
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Mike OTDP and CypherNinja, what experience do you have with homemade and commercial silencers to make the conclusions you posted here?

I’m quite certain that my conical baffle and K baffle designs are better than some of the commercial flat baffle, slant baffle and wipe designs out there. Making a few quality silencers for high powered rifles pays for the cost of a cheap lathe. I do not even need to own a lathe, just have access to one and take the parts home with me when I am done making chips for the day.

I do agree that it is especially worth while to make something that is not available commercially.

Ranb
 
Here is a rough drawing of a silencer I found with straight chambers, although I think maybe a solid silencer with angled chambers would be easier to machine. I think it was referenced as being a Navy design and not extremely effective but its somewhere to start.

attachment.php
 

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That underfolder is an Enfield that was too worn to use safely with 303 british. I installed a Rhineland arms barrel and mag adaptor to convert it to 45 acp and make it into a near copy of the Delisle. The barrel is 16 inches and profiled to use the 510 whisper silencer pictured above. I have a 14" shroud instead of the silencer attached in the photo. I just have to remove the spacers and stack the baffles together to mount it on the Enfield. Since the silencer is not offset like the original, I had to use a scope.

Ranb
 
I think it was referenced as being a Navy design and not extremely effective but its somewhere to start.
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bigalexe,

The key to good suppression is volume and turlulence. The gun powder gases expand into the can and the baffles reflect it back and otherwise slow its exit into the air.

A good place to start is a tube with spacers and baffles. Cone shaped or K shaped work well, much better than flat ones. A good website for drawings and advice is http://www.silencertalk.com .

Bad news for you though. Michigan bans civilian silencer ownership unless you have a license to deal or manufacture. The ATF form 1 or 4 is neither of these. While the Michigan AG has said federal registration is enough to own a machine gun, it is not enough for a silencer. Life sucks at times. I can not use my silencers at home in WA as use is banned there.

Ranb
 
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My question is; how many of you have made your own Silencer/suppressor? Is it worth the hassle to jump through all the hoops just for some reduced noise? How did you go about it?
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I prefer my homemade designs to the commercial ones I own. :)

I just filed a form 1 for each one, waited for it to get back, then built it on a lathe and mill, along with some TIG welding.

The only exception to that is for handguns with moving barrels - I can't do the math to make a proper Nielsen device without worrying about the frame cracking.
 
If I were going to make a suppressor as a project, with cost (within reason) no object, I think I would copy the Maxim. The patent drawings are available. It is very complex but I don't think it has ever been equalled for suppression. It is one of the few that can be called a silencer; on a M1903 rifle the only noise heard from the rifle is the click of the firing pin.

Jim
 
It is one of the few that can be called a silencer; on a M1903 rifle the only noise heard from the rifle is the click of the firing pin.
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I got to wave the major BS flag on that one. Even subsonic bullets make a humming noise moving through the air. The 150 grain FMJ 30 caliber bullet moving 2500 fps makes a cracking sound that is clearly audible in the open, and painful to the ear when shot under weather protection. Who ever is making such claims is suffering from significant hearing loss or is displaying way too much enthusiasm to remain credible.

While I have heard that the original Maxim design was effective, I have never seen any noise data on it.

Ranb
 
Mike OTDP and CypherNinja, what experience do you have with homemade and commercial silencers to make the conclusions you posted here?
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I simply meant that if one's SOLE goal was acquiring a silencer (or two), with no real interest in machining or design, getting a Form 1 and a lathe is not going to be the easiest or cheapest route to take. I didn't mean to discourage him from the path, but simply point out what was involved. Looking back, I botched my post, and came across like that. :( My apologies.

That being said, I am a hobby machinist and take every opportunity possible to use someone else's machines, usually at college. :D

I haven't gotten my own yet, as the "Grizzly Gunsmith Lathe" fund has not yet matured. :D

And oh yeah, both you (Ranb) and PTK are my heroes. :D
 
I simply meant that if one's SOLE goal was acquiring a silencer (or two), with no real interest in machining or design, getting a Form 1 and a lathe is not going to be the easiest or cheapest route to take.
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I doubt I would have bought a lathe just to make 1 or 2 silencers either. :) I intend to suppress everything in my collection except black powder and revolvers.

Ranb
 
I intend to suppress everything in my collection except black powder and revolvers.
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Same. I'm giggling at the thought of getting a F1 for a 40mm silencer, some time next year. :D
 
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