Off Topic Have you shot a suppressed firearm?

PeteyTwoPointOne

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I'm 50 yrs. old and it seems like I've lived most of my life in the most highly regulated era of all time during the 70s-2010s. So I'm literally gotta pinch myself when I think about that in my home state that NOW NOT ONLY can I own automatic knives, but I can legally carry them. What's more OUTSTANDING is the fact that I can legally carry any length fixed blade legally. Life's really good just now as far as deregulatory efforts for our kind of lifestyle. :thumbsup:

But it gets EVEN BETTER...now one of our legislators is moving thru a bill that seems likely to be made law by July 1 this year-- "Tennessee Hearing Protection Act of 2017." :thumbsup:

However, hold the phone.....it seems to me that the NFA stuff would still apply to suppressors. I'm always snakebit when it comes to state stuff trying to roll back fed stuff. And it would seem that's the case with this bill. And after I tracked down a draft of a prospectus of a TN Gen. Assmbly. Fiscal Review, and while it seems that the bill sounds great <pun totally intended> but may just be largely symbolical. I lol'd :p when I saw that they project a net increase of a total of three-- yup three, the number between 2 & 4-- additional suppressors sold in the state per year if the bill is ratified. Take a look yourself: http://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/110/Fiscal/HB0011.pdf

Anyways, I've never shot a suppressed firearm. I know some of you hogs have. So I have some questions: What's it like? Do you still need hearing protection? What's the laws like in your state?
 
1) FUN - Love It!!!
2) Nope ( I guess I should edit this to usually not, but "it depends"):cool:
3) Oppressive
 
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I just got my first one out of NFA jail last week and I haven't had a chance to shoot it yet. I would say to get one for sure though! I would still recommend hearing protection but there are a lot of factors that go into how loud the shots will be. Suppressor choice, caliber, bullet speed, bullet weight, bullet caliber, even the shooting location. For example, my 5.56 rifle is still going to be reasonable loud with standard FMJ rounds but MUCH more pleasant than without. Get one and don't look back! No sense in waiting for any HPA or likewise government bills to pass. Here is my rifle with suppressor attached below. Gotta have a pic with both of my two favorite optic options:)

 
I've only shot .22lr suppressed and it was super fun and very quiet. Ive heard calibers like 5.56 still need hearing protection unless you use subsonic ammo, which ruins the ballistics. HPA would be amazing.
 
I just got my first one out of NFA jail last week and I haven't had a chance to shoot it yet. I would say to get one for sure though! I would still recommend hearing protection but there are a lot of factors that go into how loud the shots will be. Suppressor choice, caliber, bullet speed, bullet weight, bullet caliber, even the shooting location. For example, my 5.56 rifle is still going to be reasonable loud with standard FMJ rounds but MUCH more pleasant than without. Get one and don't look back! No sense in waiting for any HPA or likewise government bills to pass. Here is my rifle with suppressor attached below. Gotta have a pic with both of my two favorite optic options:)


Very cool, congrats!
 
.22, 9mm&.45, 300BO pure awesome !
Anything with supersonic ammo hearing protection is recommended, may not be necessary though. IMO shooting a 16"AR in 5.56 with a can is overrated.
No state restrictions over NFA, I believe big game and outlaw quadruped hunting was recently legalized here.
If you could purchase a silencer by a standard background check and walk out with it in hand as any other firearm, I would have a few more in my safe.
 
.22 is almost dead silent. The cycling of the action is louder than the ballistic crack which is super cool. 9mm and .45 are certainly not too bad and 300 Blackout is very impressive. I just refuse to purchase a 300 blackout due to the price of ammo, and contrary to popular belief, I feel as though .223 and/or 5.56 can give me more than satisfactory ballistics out to 500 yards which is likely much further than I would ever be shooting. As to the previous comment, I do agree that a 5.56 can in general does not provide the amount of suppression one might expect, however, to say it is overrated is...odd. Supressing any caliber has great advantages in my opinion and with the right suppressor, they do make the rifle relatively hearing safe. At least MUCH better than it was. I really do wish the HPA would pass soon, but I am sure they would instantly sell like hotcakes and I would be unable to get another one anytime soon. Supply and demand will be very uneven for possibly years if the bill passes and is signed into law.
 

Yes and love it! .45acp is a dream. In Va if you can buy a pistol, you can buy a can. So long as BATFE approves your revocable living trust after being notarized. I've had to wait approximately 6-8 months in the past for all my suppressors. Are they worth it? Yes indeed. But to each his own.

And in my opinion, a Surefire suppressor on a 16" barrel is down right nasty and awesome, especially on a Colt! Just look above.
 
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No but my dream gun is an OTS-34 revolver with silent ammunition. You could literally kill anyone on the street and no one would be able to tell where the shot came from. And the shell doesn't eject since it's a revolver. These Russian firearms that use silent ammunition literally make zero noise other than the slide cycling. A revolver is even quieter. If you don't know how silent ammunition works basically the explosion is sealed within the casing and used to pop a little piston out the front of the case which launches the bullet forward. Not the most powerful way to fire a round but it keeps the firearm incredibly silent and clean.

Not that I would do that to someone but I just think it's cool.

If I lived in the states and could own such a thing as a pistol let alone a silencer I would want to go with a .45. As .45s are already a subsonic round they make an ideal round for silencing.
 
It's fantastic, a day at the range is so much more enjoyable when you don't have to yell or pause shooting to hear one another talk. I now feel rude shooting loud, :):
Most suppressed rounds are fine, the sonic crack, boom, whatever you want to call it comes from down range it seems. I've shot some 5.56 that was barely hearing safe to me. There is a huge difference in suppressor manufacturers, silencerco, aac, Thompson machine, and several others really do their homework.
Indiana has gotten considerably better over the last five years. We can now have auto knives as well, we can hunt with suppressors, we can have SBS's, constitutional carry is getting close. Now if we could get that embarrassing throwing star ban off the books, lol

I can't recommend suppressors enough, you'll love it.
 
I have and I prefer it now. I guess I'm spoiled. I have 22lr, 762 and 9mm suppressors.

22lr is awesome. It's like movie quiet. I have a cheaper 22lr can and it's still very quiet.

9mm is pretty fun too but definitely more noticeable that not all suppressors are created equal. My first one was a lower priced model and is kind of a letdown. Then I got two more from a decent manufacturer and both performed better than the first. The AAC Tirant 9 impresses me everytime I have it out.

I mostly use my AAC 762 SDN6 suppressor on my 300blk SBR. It's a lot of fun and very close to 9mm quiet. I also use it on 223/556 rifles. It quiets it down but I wouldn't want to shoot it for extended periods of time without hearing protection.

They are definitely a lot of fun and I'm glad I jumped through all the hoops and paid all the money to get them. It should be easier though. Hopefully that changes someday.

It all depends on what you want to suppress and how much you are willing to spend. Personally, I'll never go the cheap route again on anything other than 22lr. I recommend reading as much as you can. Because of all the bs we go through to get them it really pays off to research and spend more money if needed.
 
I can shoot my 45 in my garage, door closed, no ear-pro, just a bullet stop and a target. I use to bring my 22 to work and shoot in the hotel rooms at night using a rubber bullet catch. Stupid quiet. Even more quiet if you hold the slide still...like on a MK III 22/44 tb.
 
2 years ago, finally inquired myself and been a SBR and Suppressor nut ever since. I bought a 30 Caliber rifle suppressor along with a .45 Pistol suppressor. With these two I can shoot all my pistols in 9mm, .40, .45, 10mm, along with all my rifles in .223/5.56, 300 Blk, 7.62X39. I can shoot at an indoor range and not give everyone a nosebleed with my AK, then shoot my 9mm Scorpion SBR with subsonics. Makes the whole shooting experience more civilized and pleasant for me and everyone around me. Plus hearing the bullets impact the stop/berm in interesting as well.
 
I knew you brothers would have plenty of cool info...THANKS!

Well, it seems pretty unanimous from you guys ... and it also seems most of you agree the wait will be a few months for the suppressor to stay impounded till the paperwork clears.

There's mufflers for lawnmowers, cars, weedeaters, chainsaws, etc. only makes sense to muffle guns. :thumbsup:

I have permanent hearing loss in my left ear from shooting a .38 in the country on/off all day one day of summer break when I was a teenager...back then we thought ear muffs were for sissys. :rolleyes:

Even today 30+ years after the fact, if it's quiet around me, I can hear my ear ringing...

My ear's ringing right now as I type this...I was stupid--- and what's worse, no one was there to tell me any different. :(

2 years ago, finally inquired myself and been a SBR and Suppressor nut ever since. I bought a 30 Caliber rifle suppressor along with a .45 Pistol suppressor. With these two I can shoot all my pistols in 9mm, .40, .45, 10mm, along with all my rifles in .223/5.56, 300 Blk, 7.62X39.


didn't realize there were suppressors that were that versatile...thought you had to have a different size can for each caliber...cool, thanks nd!
 
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I've been lucky enough through varmint hunting to try out a variety of different suppressed rifles, though I haven't ponied up for a can myself... yet. It's definitely on the agenda. One guy I know had a surefire 5.56 can and the appropriate muzzle breaks on all of his .22 and under rifles. A suppressed bolt action .22 lr with subsonic ammo is insanely quiet. One of the guys I hunt with often has a suppressed ar, so I shoot that pretty regularly. His is a pretty inexpensive can, but it takes the noise of Black Hills 50 gr vmax out of a 16" barrel ar down into .17 hmr range, perhaps a bit louder. Another guy runs a .277 can for his rifles, including .204's. It's a much more expensive suppressor, but you lose effectiveness the bigger your suppressor's bore is compared to the bullet diameter so it ends up being a fair amount louder than the caliber matched cheapie. Personally, I think they're worth the expense and hassle, especially if you take your time, do your homework and figure out what's best for you.

Also, zombieassassin, I'm so jealous of that HK45 that I could cry... Meanie... :(
 
I have permanent hearing loss in my left ear from shooting a .38 in the country on/off all day one day of summer break when I was a teenager...back then we thought ear muffs were for sissys. :rolleyes:

Even today 30+ years after the fact, if it's quiet around me, I can hear my ear ringing...

My ear's ringing right now as I type this..

I'm right there with ya brother. Bad tinitis in my left ear, ringing right now, from all the rounds down range on varmints and predators. That and getting muzzle-blasted from thoughtless/overly-excited/scared folks over the years, all from the left now that I think on it. Sorry you've got it to put up with, too, my friend.

I've been considering a suppressor also. A buddy of mine suppressed a Rem 700 in .223 and it is really quiet. Shocked me actually, although I don't know for sure what ammo he was shooting. He took a mountain lion with it, and I was right beside him. I plugged my ear, and he glanced over and kinda shook his head at me, like 'no need for that.' I wasn't taking any chances though :D but he was right, it was quiet. Anyway, thanks for the good thread. I'll read along and learn what I can. Cheers.
 
I used to "know a guy " had a 10/22 with some adapters and a humongous truck oil filter (or something) . Even with regular velocity 22lr ammo , the rig was VERY quiet . Loudest sound was the from the recoil buffer and extraction . It was downright spooky ! It did not make a noise that you would identify as gunfire at all . Had great fun till them feds came aknockin" !:eek::poop::confused:
 
Yep, fired a suppressed Bushmaster in 5.56, no hearing protection required and it was a freakin' blast!!!!! :thumbsup:
No chance of ever doing it were I live now... :mad:
 
It's really the only way to go! I mostly shoot with my 300BO SBR with subs at 119 DB! It's great fun as I hate ear muffs (plus my hearing is pretty jacked anyway from sitting in fighting holes alongside heavy machine guns and tanks!). Once you get one you will want to suppress everything. I suggest a multi caliber can like the Gemtech One or the Silencerco omega. They are both good for 300win mag and down.

Some things to consider on AR style weapons: adjustable gas blocks to regulate the gasses (a can makes the bolt cycle faster which can lead to failure to feed issues) and/or a buffer that is designed for suppressor use. Don't be upset if your bolt turns dark, it happens as the can causes a lot more blowback into the chamber.

Easiest way to get started at the moment is to do a Single Shot Trust through a silencer shop. Costs $25. With an "NFA" trust everyone that you are putting on the trust has to be finger printed and photos etc per the new 41P regulation that went into place. The single shot allows you to do it then add people to the trust at a later date via amendment. Only down side, you have to do one of these for each NFA item.

Lastly, a similar bill was passed in Oklahoma and there were a couple of arrests made for unregistered cans. Should be interesting to see how those cases turn out.
 
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