Suppressors/Silencers

[Ron-Bon]

Someone Please tell me the purpose of Suppressors. I know they make the shot more quiet, but what good does that do unless you are James Bond or something?

Also, what is the legal status of Suppressors, and why do some get offended whe they are referred to as Silencers?

 

[Big B]

I would like to have a suppressor for home defense. In the middle of the night firing any of my handguns indoors would temporarily blind and deafen me, causing follow up shots to be much more difficult. Not to mention calling/talking to the authorities.
Unfortunatly, I can't legally own or use a suppressor in Ca. As far as I know, I can't even buy a firearm w/ a threaded barrel(that accepts a silencer).

 

[kingpin008]

Suppressors are perfect for teaching new shooters, who otherwise might be put off or otherwise outright scared of firearms because of the loud booms.

Also, they're good for situations where you're able to shoot on your own land, but wish to remain courteous of your neighbors. Suppressors cut way down on that sort of noise, and instead of being the jerk next door who's always shooting his guns, you're the nice fella down the road who target shoots every so often but never bothers anyone with it.

Their legal status is that they are classified as NFA items, and as such must be transferred by a FFL with SOT status, and there is a $200 Federal tax in order to purchase/own them. That is a one-time tax.

And some people get offended when you call them silencers because some people are too uptight. Although if I remember correctly, the very first ever suppressor was marketed as a silencer - but either is correct.

I think what gets the folks who will complain, is the fact that suppressors don't actually "silence" a firearm - they "suppress" the sound of the report. Therefore, the term "silencer" isn't technically correct.

 

[Ron-Bon]

Ok...that makes perfect sense. I never thought of that

 

[Darthbauer]

What the people above me said and, they just make shooting a lot more fun.

I shot a Surgeon bolt gun in .308 with a surefire suppressor on it and it made the thing almost have no recoil and quieter a 10/22. It was the most fun I have had shooting until I shot full auto with a suppressor.

 

[expvideo]

Suppressors are for hearing protection. Anything over 140db is damaging to your hearing. Most suppressors will bring a shot below 140db. The myth about them being "silent" or making lazer gun like noises is brought on by hollywood, where only assassins and spies use them.

In the real world they are very useful for shooting when you have neighbors that live closer than 2 miles away, great for pest control, and perfect for training new shooters, since they will not anticipate the shot as much.

 

[Ron-Bon]

Do silencers reduce felt recoil?

 

[Mr_Rogers]

In some European countries, I believe Sweden and Finland, suppressors are encouraged to reduce hearing damage from shooting.

 

[snorko]

IIRC Silencer was the trademark name by I think Maxim. Sort of like calling all facial tissues Kleenex.

 

[Poprivit]

I have a bolt-action heavy bbl Savage .22 LR with a suppressor on it. Yup, paid the $200 and transfer. Where I live there are a jillion (oops, a bit of exaggeration, me thinks. Actually less than 100,000) various pests.

I shoot subsonic ammo through it because the suppressor won't eliminate the supersonic crack of the bullet. All I can hear is the firing pin drop.

For some unknown reason, there's been a tremendous drop in pests in my back yard.

 

[Crunker1337]

A suppressor alone will not effectively "silence" a gun. To make a gun's report practically inaudible requires the use of subsonic ammunition, and that won't always cycle semi-autos.

 

[UnclePete]

All of the above.

To add a third word to Silencer and Suppressor, they are called Moderators in the UK. On a small cartridge gun such as .22 they are extremely effective especially when used with sub-sonic ammo.

The sheer gas volume generated by a large cartridge such as 12g means the moderator has to be very big to work well.

I have a moderated .410 Mossberg 500 so I can shoot without noise nuisance in my back yard, even my wife in the house cannot hear the shots, which I can only describe as sounding like a pneumatic thump. The noise is not harsh, and does not alarm nearby livestock or startle wildlife. This makes moderators ideal for hunters, who can shoot rabbits without panicking sheep in the same field, and can mean shooting many more in the same night because rabbits for miles around are not frightened into their burrows.

 

[NetJunkie]

A suppressor alone will not effectively "silence" a gun. To make a gun's report practically inaudible requires the use of subsonic ammunition, and that won't always cycle semi-autos.

Even that doesn't make them inaudible. The only thing you can really shoot hearing safe is .22LR. 9mm is right on the edge and loud enough that I won't shoot it suppressed without protection at the range. A good .22LR w/ subsonic sounds like an air rifle..but that's it. No real pistol sounds like they do in movies.

 

[Mr_Rogers]

Any of the inherently slow bullets such as heavy 9mm, heavy 40S&W and regular 45s make very little noise when fired through a good suppressor. The action cycling is the loudest noise. You do not need ear defenders with the right suppressor and correct ammunition. That is personal experience on the 9 and 40 and expert opinion on the 45.

 

[Oddbod]

Over here we use the term "sound moderator," as it more accurately describes the device when using any supersonic ammunition & coincidentally doesn't sound as "scary" to the public at large.
We use them for pest control, so as to diminish the possibility of spooking prospective targets & to reduce noise nuisance to other people.
For those of us who carry out pest control on a professional or semi professional basis, Health & Safety legislation mandates that we take all reasonable precautions to reduce sound levels to a practical minimum.
Currently, all sound moderators except those intended for use on air rifles have to be held on a Firearms Certificate, though at no additional cost over the moderator's purchase price.
Proposed legislative changes mean this requirement will almost certainly be dropped in the near future.
This is about the only firearms regulation I can recall that is less severe in the UK than in the US.

 

[dxtspawn]

Sometimes high volume shooting such as varmint hunting can really do some damage to your ears. I know that on a good day of coyote hunting, I'd really like to get a supressor for my varmint gun.

 

[mljdeckard]

For "need to have", this is a bit of a stretch, but it's on my list.

I have a Ciener arms .22 conversion kit for my 1911. I would like to get an extra barrel and have it threaded for a suppressor, because in the fall my brother and I go out to look for deer before the season, and we see all kinds of pot-guts, chipmunks, jackrabbits, and other vermin that chatter at us just begging to be shot. We usually oblige them, but at the same time, it would be nice to be able to do so without notifying every deer for ten miles in the process. To be able to do so with greatly reduced muzzle report would be nice. .22lr, with 60 gr sub-sonic ammo.

 

[gvnwst]

Do silencers reduce felt recoil?

Yes, not quite as good as a good brake, but they also make it queiter Also the best flash hider out there.

 

[UnclePete]

Currently, all sound moderators except those intended for use on air rifles have to be held on a Firearms Certificate, though at no additional cost over the moderator's purchase price.

Just to clarify, a shotgun is not classed as a firearm in the UK, so a moderator for one is not a firearm part and requires no legal authority.

Of course, if a shotgun has a barrel less than 24" long and/or has a magazine capacity greater then two shots it is classed as a firearm and then its moderator is a firearm part..........

All part of the complex absurdity of our gun laws - don't go there or let anyone drag you there.

 

[Gunnerpalace]

and why do some get offended whe they are referred to as Silencers

I don't, the inventor called it that.

 

[zoom6zoom]

If OSHA regulated firearms instead of the BATFE, they would probably be mandatory.

Of course, the guns themselves would probably be impossible to fire with all the added safetys.

 

[Grassman]

I would really like to have a suppressor for hunting coyotes, and deer. Makes getting a second chance a little better.

 

[crushbup]

Any of the inherently slow bullets such as heavy 9mm, heavy 40S&W and regular 45s make very little noise when fired through a good suppressor. The action cycling is the loudest noise. You do not need ear defenders with the right suppressor and correct ammunition. That is personal experience on the 9 and 40 and expert opinion on the 45.

Though it is subsonic, the .45 is difficult enough to suppress that, dB wise, it is almost as loud as a 5.56 suppressor shooting full-power ammunition. .40S&W is quieter than .45, but I would only shoot it wet for maximum comfort/enjoyment.

 

[machinisttx]

I would really like to have a suppressor for hunting coyotes, and deer. Makes getting a second chance a little better.

If you've got the $$$, it's easy to legally acquire one.

Find a licensed dealer
Pick out the one you want
pay for it
fill out form 4
get fingerprinted(2x)*
obtain passport size recent photograph(2)*
Get your chief law enforcement officer to sign the form 4(Chief of police if you live in town, Sheriff if you live outside city limits)*
Send form 4, fingerprint cards, photographs, and $200 to ATF
Wait
Wait
Wait
Receive approved form 4 with tax stamp affixed back from ATF
Drive to dealer and pick up your new suppressor(IIRC, you also have to fill out a 4473 as well)


* These steps can be eliminated if you form a corporation or a revocable living trust to purchase the suppressor. In either case, the entity owns the suppressor and not you, though you have control of it.

 

[seale]

Someone Please tell me the purpose of Suppressors. I know they make the shot more quiet, but what good does that do unless you are James Bond or something?

Also, what is the legal status of Suppressors, and why do some get offended whe they are referred to as Silencers?

That is an amazing post. Suppressors save your hearing. That is what "good" they do. Suppressors should be over the counter with no paperwork. It's just an object, plus it's just an object that is virtually identical to the muffler on your car, thus the federal government has no legal authority to regulate possession. Suppressors are especially good to save hunters' hearing (the only time I stand up for the fudds).