Suppressors and revolvers

[Breakaway500]

In reality (not Hollywood) is there any sound reducing advantage to the use of a suppressor on a revolver (with a cylinder/barrel gap,not talking about Nagants) or is it like having a muffler on a car with an exhaust leak?
I'm thinking most of the noise discharge will still be out the muzzle so if you could eliminate that,there would still be a substantial reduction in overall sound signature. However, I see virtually no revolvers with threaded barrels.
Does anyone have real world experience with a suppressor on a revolver?

 

[steelslaver]

I would think it would cut the noise down some. Like you say it would muffle the muzzle blast, but do nothing about the blast escaping from the B/C gap. How much that is I have no idea, would think way less than muzzle. Amount of gap would affect this some.

I have the form for a silencer ready to go, but waiting to see how the current bill on them works out. I have been studying them and want to built a couple, wouldn't bother trying a revolver though. Would start out using a Ruger 22 pistol and a old bolt action 22.

 

[Breakaway500]

I have access to (legally) suppressed weapons and really like the reduction in noise. It makes shooting much more pleasurable.Even though the application of a suppressor would not make a revolver "silent" just the reduction of overall noise would be welcome. They now make very compact,lightweight suppressors.(and reasonably priced)
A semi-auto .22 long rifle (using subsonic ammo) is pretty much noiseless and all you hear is the action cycling. The point of impact is a little different vs. high velocity loads but that's about it.
I have also tried one on a shotgun. It was a joy to use and the extended length was not a bother, vs. the blast reduction.(It was installed on a KSG bullpup which is 28" overall stock,and with the suppressor, 40" overall,so still somewhat compact for a "long" gun)

It would be interesting to see (hear?) how a suppressed 38 Special revolver would actually perform in reality.

 

[500SNW]

I would think it would cut the noise down some. Like you say it would muffle the muzzle blast, but do nothing about the blast escaping from the B/C gap

I'm wondering if it would increase the blast coming out of the cylinder gap. Attaching a baffle and lengthening the distance between the forcing cone and the muzzle...might increase "backpressure" if such term applies...forcing more gases to escape via the cylinder gap. Revolvers with suppressors...better called "silencers" in the movies...are strictly a Hollywood invention.

 

[Breakaway500]

I'm wondering if it would increase the blast coming out of the cylinder gap. Attaching a baffle and lengthening the distance between the forcing cone and the muzzle...might increase "backpressure" if such term applies...forcing more gases to escape via the cylinder gap. Revolvers with suppressors...better called "silencers" in the movies...are strictly a Hollywood invention.

I'm not so sure about the addition of a suppressor increasing the backpressure to any substantial degree.
I deal with exhaust noise on cars a lot and have found over the years the only thing a good muffler does is eliminate noise vs. any loss of power.
A road race track opened up locally in 2015 and their noise requirements (96dB@ 50') was quite restrictive due to neighbors. Many potential attendees stayed away for fear of losing power with a muffled exhaust. In reality, those that chose to modify their exhausts to meet the noise requirements with the addition of a better muffler (I was one of those people) gave them MORE power (measured on a dyno) and the measured backpressure levels were unchanged. It pretty much goes against what most believe to be true,but reality is..factual reality. Granted, an overly muffled/restricted exhaust on a vehicle will lose power,but it was a real eye opener to see(hear) how much noise could be eliminated and still have full power.
Stealth is a wonderful thing..and driving with less noise extends you driving time pleasure..

So I'm thinking a quieter gun is good for everyone. (except those who fear "silencers", thanks to Hollywood)

I had to move my shooting range due to the building of homes within 500' of my old range (town ordinance,no discharge within 500' of an occupied dwelling) and even though my new range is legally placed,people call and complain when I shoot. The police dept tells them it is legal and nothing they can do but log the complaint.

 

[ContinentalOp]

I recall there being a revolver made (or maybe just a prototype?) designed for use with a suppressor. It had some kind of mechanism that would extend a tube from the chamber to the forcing cone, sealing off the cylinder gap. I can't remember how it worked.

 

[Bullzaye]

I recall there being a revolver made (or maybe just a prototype?) designed for use with a suppressor. It had some kind of mechanism that would extend a tube from the chamber to the forcing cone, sealing off the cylinder gap. I can't remember how it worked.

Sounds as if you're referring to the Russian Nagant revolver, which the OP had mentioned in the first post. The cylinder cams forward and the cylinder mouth engulfs the barrel, essentially eliminating the B-C gap. The OP was specifically NOT talking about the Nagant.

I have no first-hand knowledge or experience with such things, but...I'm certain that I've read that installing a suppressor on a conventional revolver will indeed increase the pressure at the B-C gap, resulting in a louder report than w/o the suppressor. Would make a great MythBusters episode!

Tim

 

[Tom S.]

I recall there being a revolver made (or maybe just a prototype?) designed for use with a suppressor. It had some kind of mechanism that would extend a tube from the chamber to the forcing cone, sealing off the cylinder gap. I can't remember how it worked.

During the Vietnam war, S&W provided some guns to a third party for a trial conversions. I don't remember the whole story, but they had some method of sealing the cylinder to barrel gap and were designed for use by tunnel rats (the unfortunate guys whose job it was to crawl down into tunnels dug by the VC).

 

[WardenRoss]

Here ya go............

Modern Firearms - QSPR silent revolver

 

[rwsmith]

There was an ingenious.....

The was in ingenious Russian revolver where cocking, besides rotating the cylinder, also moved the cylinder forward to close the gap. Great idea but too complex to manufacture.

 

[Double-O-Dave]

Here's another one - a S&W no less, and in .45ACP to boot:

S&W 625 fully suppressed revolver - The Firearm BlogThe Firearm Blog

Regards,

Dave

 

[codenamedave]

During the Vietnam war, S&W provided some guns to a third party for a trial conversions. I don't remember the whole story, but they had some method of sealing the cylinder to barrel gap and were designed for use by tunnel rats (the unfortunate guys whose job it was to crawl down into tunnels dug by the VC).

Usually it only takes a couple posts for these to show up:

The demo & the dirt. As previously mentioned, the revolvers were set up with no cylinder gap to minimize the flash, so they tended to get fouled & tie up quickly.

 

[tlawler]

Suppressors on revolvers in Hollywood

In reality (not Hollywood) is there any sound reducing advantage to the use of a suppressor on a revolver (with a cylinder/barrel gap,not talking about Nagants) or is it like having a muffler on a car with an exhaust leak?
I'm thinking most of the noise discharge will still be out the muzzle so if you could eliminate that,there would still be a substantial reduction in overall sound signature. However, I see virtually no revolvers with threaded barrels.
Does anyone have real world experience with a suppressor on a revolver?

There weren't really many examples of this in movies or television that I can remember. The only one that comes to mind is "Thunderbolt and Lightfoot" where George Kennedy's and Geoffrey Lewis' characters held Clint Eastwood's and Jeff Bridges' characters at gunpoint with a pair of suppressed Colt Police Positives. Does anyone else know of movies or television where suppressed revolvers were used?