Suppressors - Would Like to know more!

Graybuzzard

I have seen photographs of supperssors in several publications, from Shotgun News to Gun's & Ammo, and have never actually seen one for myself. I have many questions; What's inside? How quite are they?How do you service them? And, legality issues? Any extra taxation issues, like on a class 3? If you own one, can the ATF show up at your home, unanounced and do an inspection, like on a class 3? Are there any information sources on the net that I can use to answer my questions?

RogueStatesman

quote:Originally posted by Graybuzzard
I have seen photographs of supperssors in several publications, from Shotgun News to Gun's & Ammo, and have never actually seen one for myself. I have many questions; What's inside? How quite are they?How do you service them? And, legality issues? Any extra taxation issues, like on a class 3? If you own one, can the ATF show up at your home, unanounced and do an inspection, like on a class 3? Are there any information sources on the net that I can use to answer my questions?


Suppressors are in the same classification as short-barreled rifles, machine guns and the like-they're Class III items ($200 tax stamp required). Suppressors have (from my understanding) baffles inside to muffle the blast and they aren't very "suppressive". I've seen several in use and wasn't impressed with any of them. They weren't "silent" at all, but merely muffled the noise from being so sharp. There was a reduction in noise, but not enough for me to fork out $400-$600 for one.

Once you go through the trouble to obtain a class III weapon, BATF cannot just show up and inspect your weapon/suppressor without giving proper notice and a really good reason (unless they have a search warrant). However, if a person holds a Class III dealer/manufacture license, they are subject to being the punching bag of BATF and can show up unannounced at anytime and inspect anything you've bought, sold, traded or repaired. Better make sure your EYEs are DOTTED and your TEEs CROSSED on EVERYTHING.

Check the BATF website or AR15.com for more information.

Graybuzzard

Thanks for the information.

"Political Correctness is nothing more than polite tyranny." Charlton Heston - Yr 2000 - Arizona State Ledislature opening session.

Aaron.Combs1

supressors are meerely used to mask the muzzle blast signature from the target. if a sniper is using a rifle unsupressed, the target, or persons around the target will have a clear distinct report and a clear location of that report. with the supressor, you still have a report, but since the blast is reduced, the report is A.) reduced and B.) the directional report is alot more difficult to trace. imagine if you are 1000m away shooting a target with a supressed 5.56 the report will be about as loud as a .22LR and at that distance it will be difficult to detect where the sounds came from (and by the time you did you'd be dead anyways. also if you use sub sonic ammo the report is also considerably reduced. the only weapon that i know of that is as quiet as the movies and videogames make it out to be is a weapon with an intergral supressor, or the MP5SD.