Legality? � Yes,
silencers/suppressors/mufflers/moderators/cans for firearms are legal for
individual ownership in 35 of the 50 United States. The favorable states are:
AK, AL, AR, AZ, CO, CT, FL, GA, ID, IN, KY, LA, ME, MD, MN, MS, MT, NC, ND, NH,
NV, OH, OK, OR, PA, SC, SD, IN, TX, UT, VA, WA, WI, WV,� & WY. Municipalities, Class-3 Dealers
and Class-2 manufacturers, in almost any state, may also own silencers.�
I�ve never owned a silencer before. What should I start
out with?� For starters, we usually
suggest a silencer for the .22 LR rimfire round, since .22 ammo is cheap,
plentiful, quiet, easily controllable and accurate. There is a learning curve
involved in using a silenced firearm, and the .22 rimfire is the logical and
most gratifying place to start. Most individuals select a rimfire rifle. Rifles
are inherently more accurate than pistols because of the way that they are held
and sighted. A few individuals are only into pistols, and a pistol is only
firearm that they want to suppress.
What do you suggest for a host weapon? In a rifle, we
suggest the imported CZ452, bolt-action military trainer � since it is both
affordable and one of the finest and most accurate rifles sold in America
today. We usually mount a small 1.1x7� silencer on this weapon, and suggest
using subsonic rimfire ammo. Other popular semi-auto host rifles in .22 are the
Ruger 10/22, Marlin�s Papoose and the Remington 597. In a pistol we suggest the
Browning Buckmark, the Ruger MK II or the 22/45 target pistol. All three pistols
are well made, rugged and accurate. The Beretta 21A is very small and reliable,
but isn�t particularly accurate and is difficult to fit a can to properly.
Walther�s P22 is light, moderately accurate, and is easier to fit a can to. Any
pistol may be fitted with a removable can, or one that�s permanently mounted.
If a pistol barrel is shorter than 4� special subsonic rimfire ammunition will
normally not be required, since it takes from 5� to 7� of barrel to get a
hi-speed round supersonic.
What�s the difference between removable and permanently
mounted cans? Removable silencers are usually held to barrels with machine
screw threads. The barrels for each weapon must be precisely threaded to match
the threads on the rear of the suppressor. Threads hold the suppressor in
place. A shoulder on the barrel aligns the silencing device with the bore. It
is nice (but not absolutely necessary) if the hand of the threads oppose the
direction of the rifling, since that will help the suppressor to stay tight. A
suppressor that gets loose during firing will detract from accuracy. Both sets
of threads and both shoulders must be accurately machined to ensure accuracy of
the host weapon. A permanently mounted suppressor is usually tack welded,
silver-brazed or bonded to the barrel of the host weapon.
Which is better?�
A permanently mounted suppressor is more rigid, inherently more accurate
and far less likely to give trouble with bullet/baffle strikes because it will
never become loose. Whenever possible, we recommend a permanent mount �
especially in .22 rimfire. Some law enforcement and military professionals use
screw-on cans on their sniper rifles. They bond the screw-on cans to their
barrels with blue Loctite, which can be loosened with a moderate amount of heat
if required, yet will be sure to stay in place during handling and storage.
This is done because of litigation requirements, so a can�s loosening and
causing what should be an accurate shot to go wild will not affect their
rifle�s scope zero.
What is the biggest problem with permanently mounted
silencers? Moisture. Burning anything, gunpowder included, results in the
generation of water. Most .22 rimfire bullets are lubricated with wax, which
protects the bore. And the tiny amount of powder in a .22 LR cartridge doesn�t
generate much water. Centerfire cartridges often contain more powder, which
generates a lot more water. If a suppressed weapon is not pointed down during
storage (and left with the action open to vent moisture out) water that
condenses in the can will move into the threaded attachment and into the bore
near the muzzle. It doesn�t take much water to rust things (even stainless) and
a rusty bore could cause accuracy to deteriorate.
What is an integral silencer? About 50 years ago someone
started putting tubes over barrels that were designed to look like normal
barrels, but actually held very thin silencers beneath. These were called
integral silencers, and their purpose was to hide the fact that the weapons
were silenced from the general public and possibly, from wildlife enforcement
officers. Integral silencers are specialized items and they have their own set
of problems with regard to weight, maintence, reliability and accuracy.
Moisture is the biggest problem. We have made a number of integral suppressors
over the years. In general, integrals have been responsible for more callbacks,
warranty and repair than any other type of silencer. We still make a few
integrals on special request, but in general we try to discourage them.
What is your favorite silenced rifle setup? In .22
rimfire we like the CZ 452, short-barreled military trainer with a small,
permanently mounted can and the inexpensive Tasco 3-9x40mm M scope, with a
mil-dot reticle. This system is very quiet with subsonic ammo, and is often capable
of 3-shot groups under �� at 50 yards. Individuals of small stature like a
similar setup based on the CZ Youth rifle. We would have preferred to suggest
an American rifle, but no company in America makes a rifle that can come close
to the CZ in terms of quality, reliability and accuracy for the price. For a
sniper rifle we like the standard, plain-Jane, Remington 700 VS varmint rifle
in .308, or the similar Remington 700 PSS, Police Sniper Rifle, which has a
slightly different synthetic stock. We usually trim the barrel back to about
22� and install a 1.6 x 9� can on the end, which removes both the sound of
discharge and the muzzle flash, but not the ballistic crack caused by a
supersonic bullet.
What is your favorite silenced pistol? Our more discerning
customers have been very happy with Sound Tech�s Fat Boy can, permanently
mounted on a blued, Ruger 22/45 target pistol. This setup is very quiet,
operates easily, has little discernable first-round-pop, runs clean and cycles
reliably. The only thing some object to in the 22/45 is that the trigger spanks
the finger and holds the bolt open on the last shot � but this can be easily
remedied by moving the magazine button to the other side of the magazine after
disassembly, which will disable the hold-open feature.
What is First Round Pop? FRP is related to a
louder-than-normal report. This occurs when oxygen is present within a
suppressor. Since 1/5th of our atmosphere is oxygen, FRP usually
occurs when the very first shot is taken. Few (if any) gunpowders retain enough
chemical oxygen internally to allow total and complete combustion in the
cartridge case and barrel. These hot combustion gasses often reignite after
they reenter the primary chamber in a silencer on the first shot. Subsequent
shots delivered in close succession are usually much quieter than the first
shot in a sequence. FRP will reoccur when another shot is taken a few minutes
later, as more oxygen will gradually reenter a silencer that is not sealed off
from the atmosphere. FRP can be minimized with careful design, and with a very
small primary expansion chamber, but it is considered a major problem within
the suppressor industry. FRP is minimal with the CZ and Fat Boy .22 LR cans,
but can be a problem with compact cans, extremely short pistol barrels and
centerfire cans. A small primary expansion chamber in .223, .308, .50 BMG and
heavier calibers will soon damage a rifle�s muzzle due to a plasma effect �
causing accuracy to deteriorate because of premature melting and erosion of the
barrel metal in the weapon�s bore. While some manufacturers use this technique
to reduce FRP in heavy caliber cans, Sound Tech will not, because of longevity
concerns.
What centerfire rifle calibers work best for suppression?
While any rifle can be suppressed, we like compact, efficient cartridges, like
.223, 6mm BR & PPC, 7mm-08, 7.62x39mm and .308. These cartridges get more
work out of their moderate charges of gunpowder, and are more easily
suppressed. Overbore, magnum cartridges can be effectively suppressed, but
again the issue of cartridge efficiency raises its ugly head. We have had
successful experiences with suppressing .223, .308, .338 Lapua Magnum and .50
BMG cartridges, and can certainly suppress any cartridge that currently
exists. Very small rifle cartridges (like the .300 Whisper, for instance) are
suppressible, but these are proprietary, expensive, and loaded ammunition can
be hard to find. The Russian 7.62x39mm or our own .308 are larger in capacity.
These are recommended instead, since they are far less expensive, more
versatile and commonly available. The new Remington 6.8mm round (a virtual copy
of the .280 British round developed in the UK in 1945) is now in use by some
U.S. military forces. It is more peppy than the older .223 round and suppresses
very well.
Are semiautomatic weapons as quiet as manually operated
weapons? No, they are not. Self-loading weapons usually operate very rapidly,
and as a result their actions open before the pressure inside the barrel has
dropped completely. Particulate-laden gas issues back from the chamber area.
Not only does this gas make noise, it also dumps a lot of crud into the action
and magazine, which often hampers cycling. In addition, the clatter and
slamming of self-loading weapons adds to the noise. Bolt-action, pump-action
and single-shot weapons are much quieter and inherently cleaner than
self-loading weapons because all of the internal barrel pressure has been
completely vented out the front of the suppressor before the action can be
opened. Those wanting the quietest report with the least amount of clatter
usually choose a bolt-action rifle.
What barrel profiles and lengths do you prefer? We treat
each caliber as a separate case � wanting a fairly thick profile and a minimum
length for strength, accuracy and efficiency. In both .223 and .308 we like to
see varmint or sniper weight barrels about 21+� long. This length provides good
efficiency and accuracy without making the weapon longer than necessary.
Shorter rifle barrels tend to be inherently more accurate than longer ones
because they are inherently stiffer. They vibrate at a much higher frequency,
and they vibrate much less at the muzzle during the critical moment of bullet
departure. We have conducted barrel-cutting experiments to find the optimal rifle
barrel lengths for the most common calibers. For instance, in .22 LR one gains
little or nothing by having a barrel much longer than 8 to 10�. A good many
rimfire rifle barrels are cut to 16�, just to comply with federal law regarding
minimum rifle length. A 6� barrel will give us a velocity of 1,042 fps with Rem
Hi Vel and 1,000 fps with Rem St. Vel. A maximum velocity of 1,180 and 1,120
fps occurs in a 14� barrel (with most rimfire chambers) after which friction
reduces both velocity and accuracy. In .308, almost nothing is gained by having
a barrel longer than 22�, although a few customers still insist on 26�.
What is ballistic crack and how does it affect suppression? Ballistic crack is a noise made whenever any projectile supersonically parts the air with a velocity at or beyond 1,100 feet per second (fps). Larger diameter projectiles make more noise, which means that .17 bullets are not as noisy as .22 bullets � both of which are quieter than .308 and .50 caliber diameter bullets. Any bullet traveling below 1,000 fps will be very quiet � making far less noise than an arrow moving through the air. Subsonic bullets are preferred for extremely quiet shooting. Although subsonic bullets don�t have very much power, they can still be very dangerous.
What velocity is recommended
for the greatest killing power for hunting? Speed kills, and velocities beyond
3,000 fps are generally recognized as being more lethal and destructive than
those velocities that are substantially slower. Pistol bullets usually make
relatively small holes in elastic tissue, occasionally tearing blood vessels.
Only 8% of pistol wounds are fatal. Most high-powered rifle wounds delivered to
vital areas are immediately fatal. Hemorrhage and resulting blood loss are the
usual mechanisms of fatality. Statistically, 90% of knife wounds are fatal to
humans. Very high-velocity rifle bullets make splashes in animal tissue, which
are the results of water in the tissue moving aside at velocities fast enough
to tear nearby connective membranes apart. Hydraulic shock and nearby nerve
damage results in almost instant incapacitation from a rifle bullet traveling
beyond 3,000 fps. The rule of thumb is to use a fast bullet that is heavy
enough to penetrate deeply, without necessarily going out the far side of the
animal. There is very little difference in supersonic sound between a bullet at
1,100 fps and one traveling at 4,000 fps.
Which is best for suppression
� subsonic or supersonic? Subsonic is always a lot quieter, but is lacking in
power and long distance accuracy. A supersonic discharge can be suppressed, but
the rapidly speeding bullet will make a lot of racket as it travels through
air. In military conflicts, suppressed high-powered rifles are useful because
the noise of the bullet overshadows the noise of a suppressed discharge �
making it very difficult to pinpoint the exact origin of a rifle shot.
Are supersonic pistol
cartridges worth suppressing?� Only if
they are used with subsonic ammunition. For instance, a typical 9mm pistol load
propels a 115 to 124-grain jacketed bullet at a very loud, supersonic, 1,300
fps; while a 147-grain subsonic loading is available that travels at a very
quiet 950 fps. With the right load the 9mm cartridge suppresses very well. With
the wrong load in a pistol a suppressor is simply a waste of effort. Generally
speaking, a .40 caliber pistol is about 20% louder than 9mm, and .45ACP is an
additional 25% beyond that � with the increase in sound being mainly due to the
progressively larger size of the borehole in the suppressor. Weapons with
longer barrels are usually quieter in a particular caliber than weapons with
shorter barrels � either unmodified or suppressed. Ruger, Kel Tec and Berretta
carbines in 9mm are a bit quieter than pistols, when using the same or a similar
suppressor and 147-grain, subsonic ammunition.
�
Aren�t most .22 LR bullets
supersonic? Most are, unless fired through pistol barrels shorter than 4�. This
is why we recommend special .22 subsonic or target loadings in rimfire rifles.
Most common rimfire ammunition is too fast in a standard rifle barrel to be
effectively suppressed. The muzzle noise can be eliminated, but the supersonic
crack created by the bullet remains. There is a world of difference in sound
level between a suppressed, subsonic round and a supersonic round.
Can a revolver be suppressed?
It can, but the blast noise coming from gas escaping between barrel and
cylinder negates most of what a suppressor would otherwise do. Knight Mfg.
suppressed quite a number of special-purpose, large frame revolvers several
years back. These used O-rings to seal the barrel/cylinder gap, combined with
very expensive, special ammunition. These have not been seen much, although
they did work very well. The only other revolver worth suppressing is the old
.30-caliber, Russian Nagant, which has a cylinder that moves forward with each
shot, inserting a small amount of the mouth of each cartridge into the barrel.
The mouth of the cartridge usually seals the gas at the barrel/cylinder joint,
in most cases. Loaded ammunition for the Nagant is expensive, often unreliable,
and very hard to find. Interestingly, the barrel/cylinder gap in most revolvers
interrupts the power stroke just when a bullet is getting much of its push from
a given charge of powder. It is for this reason that semi-auto and single-shot
pistols are much more efficient and typically less noisy than revolvers.
What do you think of the
Ruger 10/22 rifle? We thought enough of it to write a book on the 10/22
(available through Paladin Press) and we have suppressed thousands of them. The
10/22 is not as quiet, accurate or reliable as many bolt-action or single-shot
rifles, however. Technology is always a moving target, and while it was
brilliant design 45 years ago, the 10/22 is today in need of updating. The
10/22 rifle could be redesigned to be shorter, lighter, more accurate and far
more reliable than it is today. The current problems relate to the magazine,
cartridge feeding (the 10/22 barrel lacks a funnel or feed ramp on the rear of
the barrel), trigger crispness, and the negative effect that a barrel band has
on barrel vibration and accuracy. When we take older 10/22s apart we find that
the barrel is often heavily worn where it contacts the barrel band, indicating
the fact that rifle barrels vibrate and move a tremendous amount when being
fired. And anything touching a barrel in a non-uniform way will hinder
accuracy. Interestingly, Ruger�s MK II pistol was designed in 1946. It is a far
more reliable design because it has a functional feed ramp and a straight-line
magazine which functions even when filthy.
Where is firearm design
heading? No one would think much of a 40-year-old computer, yet designs and
improvements happen far more slowly with firearms. Today a computer, its
operating system and software are outdated in 2 or 3 years, while we continue
to accept firearm designs that may be hundreds of years old. The bicycle is
older than the bolt-action rifle, yet design and the use of lightweight
materials have made the bicycle far cheaper, easier and more comfortable to use
now than it was back in the late 1800s. Bicycles don�t make much noise, while
firearms do, and the noise and danger factor have prevented more widespread
firearm use in many cases. The technology of suppressor design advances with
moderate speed, and we will see far more silencers being used for noise
abatement in the future. While a silencer on a military rifle was virtually
unknown 100 years ago, few armies in today�s world would consider not having
them available for at least half of their troops. As world populations increase
(four million 30 years ago, to over six million today, with a projection of
eight million by the year 2020) population density is also increasing. And
firearm discharge noise is offensive to most, even if the weapons are being
used in a controlled, safe manner. Humans have always been warlike and
aggressive, and this nature is unlikely to change in the future. The U.S.
appears to lead the world with the right for private citizens to own firearms for
recreation and protection.
Firearm design has sometimes
been slow to improve because old firearms continue to work, although not
perfectly. Memory of the perfection of a firearm seems to improve with age, and
those weapons that we had as children are revered now, even though they may not
have been all that good at the time. While we agree that newer is not always
better, we have seen improvements in powders, bullets and manufacturing
procedures that will allow firearms to be smaller, shorter, lighter and far
more accurate than they used to be in the days of flint and black powder.
Magazines and feed ramps on barrels appear to be weak points that continually
need attention. Barrels are typically more accurate than they ever were before.
Chamber design has improved and been graded and standardized. Ammunition is
better than it ever has been because of improvements in powder and bullet
design. Uniform standards are now being held to SAAMI specifications, and
digital controls allow more uniform charges. The use of durable plastic and
aluminum allows firearms to be lighter and stronger than ever before. The
company ArmaLite started as a division of Fairchild Aircraft in California, and
was innovative in the engineering and analysis of component parts, using lightweight
metals and reinforced plastics to build rifles and pistols that weighed less
than half of what weapons of that time scaled out to. We have learned a lot
about accurate barrels and more efficient cartridges. We have finally gotten
over the concept of wooden stocks and firearms that need to look like what came
over on the Mayflower. We will see bold, brilliant strokes in firearm design,
and we will also see slow, gradual progression and refinement in finishing and
technique that will allow better products to be produced at more economical
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