Suppressors/Silencers: Who's Got 'Em?!

[Onomea]

As a resident of Oregon, we can acquire suppressors. Never had one before, as where I've been before they were not legal, so I'm thinking about it.

I understand they are not Hollywood quiet, even with subsonic ammo, and that a $200 tax stamp and about a year-long wait for approval are required.

Still, I am intrigued, and am considering it. I suppose primarily for the cool factor, and perhaps the occasional discreet dispatch of an animal pest without overly disturbing neighbors. Other than that, target shooting.

I'm thinking rimfire. Perhaps both a rifle and a pistol, or perhaps one or the other. I like the idea of an integrated barrel, primarily for cosmetic reasons, but am not wedded to it.

So whatta ya guys have and how do you like 'it? Pix appreciated.

 

[Dan Zulu]

The wait is less now, I would expect six months. Dedicated rimfire suppressors are great. Light weight, small, and inexpensive (except for the stamp). For center fire pistol consider a 45 caliber can with interchangeable pistons. You can use it on everything from 22 rimfire to 45 ACP. Some brands like Rugged authorize their use on subsonic rifle applications too. Also check the cost of accessories which can drastically change the price calculations.

 

[HardToHandle]

Suppressors are cool. That is the 75% solution for me, but they also make shooting all around more pleasant. I think your use cases are realistic.

I got a Centerfire 9mm on a Form 4, a traditional vendor purchase. Pistols are so so, but real fun on a carbine. I purchased one of the 9mm suppressors that could be used with .22 rimfire to .300 Blackout subsonic for maximum flexibility. That .22 inclusion made it a bit bigger/heavier/older... Doubtful on the .22 options value after a couple of years. The Form 4 took 14 months or so, but that is a dated timeline.

That did lead me towards an integral 5.56 upper built as a Form 1 home brew. Highly recommended as it makes the 5.56 blastiness much more tolerable. I still wear hearing protection, but simply earplugs instead of doubling up. The suppressor is built around a .30 cal core in this case, which is a bit less efficient, but allows me to use a variety of other rifle cartridges if desired.

The Form 1 process is not too complicated and gets much easier after the first try. The ATF technology is rough, but all the staff seem to be decent folk and have helped when I stepped wrong. Form 1s are running about a month to be approved.

 

[colt_saa]

I have several NFA Title II items including suppressors that I bought and supressors that I built.

In the past 20 or 30 years, the longest wait time I ever had on a Tax Stamp was 10 months, the quickest was 1 day shy of 4 weeks.

Wait time is nothing that you can believe a national chat group about. It varies greatly by how many examiners are assigned to your State. If you want to know how long it is going to take, call a dealer in your State and ask them.

My first can was a home built for the 22LR. It is larger than is necessary for a handgun or rifle, that is because I also wanted it to work on a 22LR SMG. It is very plain, I never even cerakoted this one. I have two interchangeable back ends so it will run on the old 1/2x28 connection like this Walther and I have a back end that is for a ghost threaded Ruger MK-II.

The truth is I have never purchased a rimfire can. They are too easy to build. It is just a muffler. Not like a handgun which in most cases will need a LID to help it cycle the action.

My 2nd homebuilt is about 1/3 shorter with a smaller tube diameter. I wanted it to match up with a Ruger 10/22 so it was even ceracoated in black. I had some fun with it and let my inner Maxwell Smart come to the surface. I put the can on my 22LR revolver

Of course it did not work, this was just for grins and giggles.

For centerfire handguns I bought an SWR Trident in 9MM and an Osprey 45. Both serve exceptionally well and bot units have intechangable back ends to increase connectivity

My next two suppressed firearms are going to be home built projects. One is an integerally supressed 300 Black Out bolt action rifle. I am also planning on making a can for my MP5/357 SMG

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

I have had a RPB/S. W. Daniel's MAC-10 9mm suppressor since 1984, it has the oddball thread to screw on a MAC-10 9mm submachine gun (which I have sold) It is about 14" long 2" OD for the front 2/3 and 2.5" OD for the back 1/3. I made two adapters to fit 1/2"-28 and 5/8"-24 threads so I can use it on my AR's. Most more modern silencers are about half the size and about half the volume! There is no substitute for internal volume!!! When I shot it beside other high power silenced shooters, their $800 toys are loud! You will always have a super sonic crack, and you will always have the action sounds (think dry fire!) but compared to mine, they have lots a remaining "explosion noise". With 223 ball ammo, my gun sounds like 22 Long Rifle HV. With 220 grain subsonic 300 Black out, it sounds like dry firing! Which is how it sounded with subsonic 9mm too.

There is one other noise nobody seems to talk about: The sound of impact. Hitting most wooden and naked flesh targets, it sounds like a clap. Hitting sheet metal covered items, it sounds like distant hammer strikes, hitting steel plates it sounds like ringing a bell! Another noise associated with this is, the empties hitting the ground or wall. In full auto that can be a surprisingly great amount of noise! I highly recommend a brass catcher for any semi or full auto. (even for a 22!)

In the 1960's the standard was, suppressing any gun doubled (or more) the size group it shot. While you will change the point of impact, accuracy no longer seems to be affected in Bolt or semi auto guns.

When a silencer is "Rated" for a caliber, that only means that the cartridge won't blow your can up! To truly quiet something like 308, 30-06,300 Win Mag, It has to be "Engineered" for that cartridge.

My 338 Lapua Mag bullets will pass through my 9mm suppressor with no problem, but the pressure will damage in it short order! My guess is it wouldn't last 5 rounds! I don't shoot 308 in it either, for similar reasons.

I suggest you buy 2 while you are at it, one for center fire rifles and large handguns. And one for 22 rimfire handguns and rifles.

An interesting thing about silencers is, if they work correctly, there is no muzzle flash! The noise is in the hot gasses, no noise/no flash! If you see a flash there is extra noise!

Ivan

 

[iouri]

I have DeadAir rimfire, when mounted on my bolt action the sound of firing pin dropping is louder then report with standard vel ammo

 

[duman444]

Older AAC on a .308

[QUOTE=Ivan the Butcher
! You will always have a super sonic crack, and you will always have the action sounds (think dry fire!) but compared to mine, they have lots a remaining "explosion noise". With 223 ball ammo, my gun sounds like 22 Long Rifle HV.

When a silencer is "Rated" for a caliber, that only means that the cartridge won't blow your can up! To truly quiet something like 308, 30-06,300 Win Mag, It has to be "Engineered" for that cartridge.


As Ivan says above, the engineered suppressor for the gun makes a difference. My older AAC is only rated for .308 length cartridges. I have a few black rifles in .223 and .30 caliber and shoot almost exclusively supersonic rounds through the AAC. I am very sound sensitive, will not shoot a .22 semiautomatic without hearing protection. With the AAC installed, I do not wear plugs or muffs unless at range where someone is shooting unsuppressed.

I love it for hunting! I have 2 brothers that hunt with me and I can tell you every time they shoot their unsuppressed guns, unless they are miles away. They don't hear me when I shoot at a blind 700 yds. away through brush.

Another plus is recoil reduction. I'm shooting 168 gr .308 bullets at 2,700 FPS and gun kicks a little more than a .22 magnum rifle.

Great starter gun for a kid is a .223 with adjustable stock and suppressor. Quiet, can move stock as they grow and don't kick as bad.

Tim

 

[ken158]

You will never regret a suppressor purchase. If you go rimfire, be sure you get one that you can service yourself. My first one was an integral on a 10-22 and although very quiet - as in hearing the bolt go back and forth and impact of a bullet but I cannot take it down for cleaning.

 

[CZU]

Just bought 2, a Dead Air Mask HD in .22 and a Rugged Obsidian in 9mm. Now the wait begins.(my dogs are the main reason getting these, they flip out when they hear gunfire)

I already have a Sig SRD7.62Ti and it is super quiet on my 300 BlackOut. My wife can be on the front porch while I'm shooting off the back and she doesn't hear a thing, neither do the dogs.

Have you considered doing this using a trust? If not, you might check the advantages of having one.

 

[hkcavalier]

I have two SiCo cans, a Spectre II and an Osprey 45. Happy with both. The Spectre II sees use on a 10/22 and a Kimber 1911 slide while the Osprey 45 primarily sits on an AR45 I put together, but I have barrels/pistons for a Glock 34, Kimber 1911, and an aftermarket Glock 35 build.

There are some home FFLs/dealers that allow "conjugal visits" with your can, on their property, while you're waiting for the stamp to come back. Yes, it's a long wait but honestly the $200 isn't a big hill to climb anymore, hasn't been for 20-30 years really, hence the explosion of manufacturers since.

 

[arjay]

In the meantime,ccis quiet rounds from a bolt action rifle are accurate at 25 yards and are no louder than a BB gun

 

[WCCPHD]

I have one, a Sig SRD-762 QD. I have muzzle devices for a Sig Rattler, 300 BLK, a 6.8, 10.5 inch AR and an FN PS-90 (SBR). Its great on the FN and the SIG (on the low gas setting). Since I shoot left handed the AR has quite a bit of blow back. The Rattler with 300 BLK subsonic is really quiet.

The tax stamp took 365 days exactly. I applied in June of 2018 and got it in 2019.

Only picture that I have.

 

[LittleCooner]

I love the fact that a 22LR on a bolt rifle is in fact a silencer, all you can hear is the sound of the firing pin falling and the impact of the bullet. I have a buddy with a 308 who has developed a load with Trail Boss that is subsonic. same results, only the fall of the firing pin and sound of the bullet on the target.

 

[Culina]

Find a class 3 dealer in Oregon and they can walk you through it, besides the $200 tax stamp per NFA item and 10-12 month wait, you will also need to submit fingerprints and mugshots. The paperwork is about three times as much as buying a gun from a dealer. I don't know where in Oregon you live but if there is a Northwest Armory near you, check them out.

 

[Mike0251]

4 months 2 weeks, picked it up last week! I was very surprised.

 

[Boudiepitbull]

I'm about 8 months into my waiting period. I did a paper filing for the tax stamp with a Trust attached and that is the worst combination for a s-l-o-w process that there is. The Trust was necessary as the only way I could pass it on to my son when the time comes...

 

[Nedroe]

Ciener .22 HI POWER conversion kit on an FN alloy frame, SWR can

2213 with SWR can

Barrett REC7 with AWC can

AR45 with SWR/H.E.M.S. II can

GLOCK 21 w/CT laser module & SWR/H.E.M.S. II

Microtech AUG with AWC can

Remington 700 PSS with SPECIAL OP's SHOP titanium can

Smith 22 with SWR can

SIG 220 with .22 conversion, GT grips & SWR can

Modified Rock Island XT22 with SWR can

Beretta 948 with SWR can

High Standard 107 with SWR can

High Standard HD Military with SWR can

All these .22 are threaded for cans

There are more around that I have forgotten about. It's rare that a .22 sits around here without gettin' threaded

Ned

 

[SW Gun Guy]

In the meantime,ccis quiet rounds from a bolt action rifle are accurate at 25 yards and are no louder than a BB gun

Actually, you only need cci standard velocity (cheaper). I have been working with Silencer Central. Everything is done on line, they send you a fingerprint card, and they will set up a trust for free. Mine with a trust is done and should arrive any time. Took about 7 months. I have been really happy with their help and communication. Mine is for 223, but will work for 22lr. Other nice thing is that their line of suppressors are easy to self clean, which I am told is needed more often with 22lr's.

 

[Toyman]

My son and I bought this Silencerco Maxium 9MM and it took 18 months due to it being registered in a trust.

 

[Steve912]

Actually, you only need cci standard velocity (cheaper).

The Quiet's are noticeably quieter from a rifle, than the
standard velocity. Out of a pistol, not so much. Neither will
be "Hollywood quiet"--if someone says that, they need a
consult with an audiologist!