just curious what do most ppl use them for. its a hefty price to pay to own one so let's hear it...why do you use a suppressor?

Not so difficult to own one in UK, in fact it's pretty much encouraged. Each rifle has to be applied for so I just apply for sound mod at same time.

At this time I have 4 rifles and 4 cans so each rifle has its own can.

I use them for hunting, noise abatement and if I'm honest, just because I can.

Most cost circa $100 to $150 for either .22, .223 or 9mm which I have at the moment, 308 and 300 in the near future.

Can't have the choice and ease of purchase that is there in the US but at least we can have the cans

Rob

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Utrinque Paratus

Paperweight / Pen holder.

- They allow quicker follow up shots by reducing recoil.
- They improve accuracy in some applications.
- Can allow you to shoot multiple pests without the instant scattering of animals from the first shot.
- Shooting without wearing hearing protection is a freeing experience.
- They make shooting less publically anti-social. Ok quite often its fun to make a lot of noise, but other times it isn’t.
- They upset stupid people who think putting one on a gun makes the gun more evil/the shooter an assassin.

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D V C

The "hefty" price may go away soon (hopefully). Or at least to some degree. Under our new administration here in the U.S., the Hearing Protection Act and other initiatives may significantly ease the hurdles of buying / owning suppressors & silencers. Let's wait & see.

The rimfire suppressors, and using Standard Velocity ammo in rifles, are total quite. Nice hunting or shooting small game advantage. On my bolt gun, all you hear is the fall of the firing pin and the sound of the bullet striking the target. I love shooting steel targets with the suppressors, only the ring of steel. lot of fun. The pistols are not total quite, but the report is greatly reduced. I consider them just another one of our toys and the rimfire units are not so expensive

To suppress?

Sorry, I couldn't help myself. ;-)

'Any Lawful Purpose'.

So many jokes come to mind. The mods would be so irked....

I like to suppress .22 caliber pistols because it amuses me. Personal amusement is important when you're old.....

You don't have to be old to be amused.....

I don't feel that I am that old (46) but I sure do like to be amused.

Rob1

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Utrinque Paratus

I'm trying to suppress my urge to order up an innovative arms 15-22. Having trouble resisting cause I want to plink within the confines of my back yard without disturbing my neighbors. I recently bought a standard 15-22 because I couldn't find a PCP bullpup selection to fondle and choose from. I'm still considering a standard/swappable suppressor, but....

Innovative offers subsonic DB's from supersonic (cheap-er) ammo. Additional bonus points for closer center of gravity than that 2 pound weight dangling 3 feet from your shoulder provided by typical silen-pressers. In my experience, this equals quick acquisition of target and a more stable sight picture.

I know there is a chance that we may lose the whole form 4 thing soon but I also want all this goodness now and I want lots of it.

Cant hear it, it's suppressed

I use mine to look cool.

Shoting without clunky hearing protection.

Follow up shots on unsuspecting pigeons.

Maybe here someday soon...

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JR

Like to get one someday. Was with a guy shooting a 5.56 that had a suppressor. Was nice not to have hearing protection on. But I must say the " Hollywood " movie suppressor sounds are hardly what the real world actually is.

I use my suppressor mainly on my rimfire rifles for varmint and pest hunting (raccoons, possums, armadillos, poisonous snakes). Sometimes I use it on my Marlin 795 (.22LR) or my 15-22...either way, there is nothing like the "thud" of a .22LR round smacking a possum. You don't really get to enjoy that thud when you are shooting supersonic rounds without a suppressor.

You can't beat that wet "Smack" ....

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Utrinque Paratus

My hearing damage for sure started in the military, but a lifetime of hunting without hearing protection did not help. If you can imagine the "whine" sound of a jet engine like you hear inside a plane when it is taking off then you can imagine what I hear that 24/7. A constant high pitched ringing / whine type of noise.

I can't understand what people are saying to me if there is any background noise at all. Crowds, forget it I just smile and nod and don't have a clue what they are saying.

ANYTHING to protect your hearing is a good thing.

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Straight shootin'
SWCA#2439

Not sure how old you are Dusty but I feel your pain.

I was 16yrs old when I was diagnised with that condition called Tinnitus, now at the ripe old age of 46 I find it nearly impossible to hold conversations in a crowded room or bar with any amount of background noise.

Mine is so bad now that I am almost completely high pitch ring only in my left ear with my right not for behind. I have pitch changes when the air pressure changes which can also affect balance, making for some real funny situations i can tell you.

I'm all for sound mods but alas in my case mostly too late, for my boys, any and all protection I can offer them I will.

Rob.

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Utrinque Paratus

I use cans on my 15-22 and Ruger pistol at our plinking range. Shooting without hearing protection strapped to yer head or plugs jammed in the ears is real nice. It also makes the shooting environment come alive. You can hear the bullet strike a tin can or soda bottle and the bullet ricochet whirling off.

I like shooting my .22 Savage FV-SR suppressed. Hearing steel plate ding at 300yds brings a smile.

Of course all the fun shooting suppressed is reliant on being able to shoot were others aren't shooting. I live just a minute from my club and through the week I often have the place to myself.

1. Home defense, discharging a firearm indoors could permanently damage your (and your family's) hearing 2. It makes target shooting and hunting even more F-U-N! 3. It's the civilised thing to do.

I can run standard velocity ammo in my rifle and pistols with the can on them. The difference in noise from my AR's between the muzzle brakes and the can is amazing. On my .308 rifle, the can allows me to see the round hit the target, as the rifle stays on target through recoil. And, of course, its quieter!
Maybe best of all, my lib neighbor goes ballistic when he sees me taking pistols and rifles, (all black and evil) out of my truck after a range session. You just can't buy that kind of satisfaction.

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Fight socialism. Never stop.

This is my exact situation, as well.....although I do get the chirping crickets on occasion. Anything to protect your hearing is good. Once it's gone it ain't coming back!

They're supposed to act like a muzzle brake. I've never really noticed that, though. However, I mainly use mine with low recoil ammunition, like 22LR, 17 HMR and 223.

I've experienced this, primarily with .22 LR subsonics. Found an increase in accuracy that extends range. Standing, I'm able to easily hit golf balls and eggs at 100 yards with a suppressed .22. A golf ball is 1.68" in diameter and eggs are 1.75" or so. This is not benched, this is practical field conditions. The flip side is a rainbow trajectory, so you need a scope with an elevation knob that you've marked for range or some other method of compensation. Part of this accuracy increase is simply from the bullet not crossing the transonic barrier at approximately 70 to 80 yards or so, depending on ammo. The bullets goes through a lot of buffeting. Either keep it supersonic, or keep it subsonic, but not both. A suppressor also helps strip off gasses that affect the bullet as it exits the muzzle.

I have found this to be a major benefit when varmint and even coyote hunting. Even with supersonic ammo like the 17 HMR that makes a loud crack as a missed bullet passes by the critter, they hesitate, because they can't pinpoint where the sound came from. This hesitation is usually just long enough to get a second shot off.

I think this is a very important factor. I do not wear ear protection when hunting, except where I am in a private field in one position shooting in an area where I can see any human activity all around me. I want to be able to hear vehicles, people, and of course critters. Electronic muffs work for a while, but are a pain to wear for more than a few minutes. I have bad tinnitus, so suppressors are very important to me.

I often shoot at my mother in law's ranch. But I try to limit myself because of noise to other neighbors. And there are times when we do not want loud reports, like when new cattle come in. Until they get used to the property and also become acclimated to gunfire, we don't need them trampling the fences and escaping onto BLM land. It's not fun rounding them up.

There will always be ignorant, bigoted people with closed minds.

Some other benefits.

Invites for pest control around farm and ranch houses where the owner does not want a lot of noise. My Savage Mark II FVSR with a Bowers USS suppressor and subsonic ammo sounds like a Daisy Red Ryder. 10-22s, MP15-22s, etc are a bit noisier because of bolt clack.

With a very quiet .22, it makes training kids easier because they do not need to wear hearing protection and can hear what you are saying and explaining. I see that as another safety factor.

And, BTW, note that suppressors are only truly effective with subsonic ammunition. Some examples...

If you shoot, say, a 10-22 with supersonic ammunition and a suppressor, there will be no real decrease in overall noise. This is because while the suppressor has eliminated most of the muzzle blast, it does absolutely nothing for the bullet crack, which is a miniature sonic boom. This bullet crack is about as loud as the muzzle report of an unsuppressed .22 Mini-Mag.

Ditto for the 17 HMR and .223. The muzzle blast is eliminated or greatly decreased, but the bullet still makes a crack as it travels. So the quietest a gun shooting supersonic ammunition can possibly get is that of a .22 LR. This is unlike the movies where they routinely show high power firearms sounding like a BB gun.