View Full Version : What's the point of a pistol suppressor?
Fried Chicken Blowout
03-04-12, 14:33
I'm just a little at a loss for the practical purpose of a pistol suppressor. I'm waiting on two Form 4s right now for my rifle suppressor and I totally get that. I've done some damage to my hearing shooting as much as I do and there is a whole list of bonuses that come from suppressed rifles. But I think I'm missing something with the pistol suppressors, I just don't see them being useful.
Sure they might be fun and all, but that's a lot of money to spend on fun. Those of you with them, can you holster them with the suppressor in place? How do they handle with all the weight out in front? What are they really being used for?
I don't want to totally write off something that I just don't understand, so educate me. I'm all for suppressors, but I need them to really work for me for that kind of money.
Thanks
I'm sure Special Forces find a use for them. Also, those that don't want to blow their ears out in a HD situation. Imagine how loud a pistol would be in an enclosed space, especially if you have kids.
Fried Chicken Blowout
03-04-12, 14:51
I'm sure Special Forces find a use for them. Also, those that don't want to blow their ears out in a HD situation. Imagine how loud a pistol would be in an enclosed space, especially if you have kids.
For sure, I get the special forces deal for whacking dogs and people when it needs to be quiet...
I can buy the home defense deal because yes it's deafening in enclosed spaces. I guess my follow up to that would be do people with pistol suppressors that plan to have them on a home defense weapon train with them on enough? A pistol must handle totally different with a suppressor install right?
That noise issue is one of the reason I decided to get suppressors and I'll use my SBR for home defense if it ever came down to it, because I'd like to be able to actually hear the 911 dispatcher after the shootings over.
Yeah, I'm not sure. I don't have one or plan to have one for a pistol but would like one for my AR.
Im waiting on my stamps to come back on my suppressors and one of them is in 9mm that I will use for HD purposes, but it will also double as a .22 can.
Failure2Stop
03-04-12, 16:17
Since most pistol work revolves around concealed carry, not much is brought to the table in that regard.
However, the pure joy of being able to hear nature as you shoot it with a less noisy, lower recoil pistol, with a bit more "oomph" than a 22 is unparalleled in the adult world.
Well ... almost.
silentmark
03-04-12, 16:25
I have a pistol suppressor that I use at the range quite a bit. In a hd situation it will be handy to have, and besides that they are just fun.
Because they are just plain cool and what F2S said...it is great to shoot without ear protection.
KalashniKEV
03-04-12, 18:10
Wait... you're "The Weapon Kingpin" and you don't understand the point of a pistol suppressor?
Do you own any suppressors or have you ever shot with one?
I don't question the practicality of things that people enjoy, but I would almost draw the opposite conclusion- most 556 rifle cans firing supersonic ammo at ~140-145 @ the ear is just too loud.
I'm personally much happier with a 9 or a 22 suppressor attached to a pistol, carbine, or subgun.
Also, as far as the home defense situation you describe, there really is no issue with defensive shooting and hearing loss because of auditory exclusion- the same response that is dilating your eyes and constricting your capillaries is also tightening the hammer and stirrup of your inner ear.
I would almost say if your ears are ringing, it might be an indicator of a bad shoot, but that's a whoooooole 'nother topic.
My .22 supressed pistols have more confirmed kills than my shotguns and rifles. Not to mention shooting in the basement, while BBQ in the back yard....., I am going to quit before I get in trouble.
Oh yea, subsonic 9mm and .45 are a blast too!
Fried Chicken Blowout
03-04-12, 18:44
I get the cool part for sure. Just wasn't sure if people were able to use them in holsters or in matches. I never shoot a pistol off a bench or any location where it's anywhere but in a holster so I wasn't sure if there was such a setup.
For rifles I still use hearing protection. A suppresser does more for me than just reduce sound so I'm not overly concerned with how loud it is.
Also, as far as the home defense situation you describe, there really is no issue with defensive shooting and hearing loss because of auditory exclusion- the same response that is dilating your eyes and constricting your capillaries is also tightening the hammer and stirrup of your inner ear.
I would almost say if your ears are ringing, it might be an indicator of a bad shoot, but that's a whoooooole 'nother topic.
Seriously? Do you have a source for that information you can share with us? Auditory exclusion doesn't happen to everyone and is NEVER an indication of how lawful or appropriate a shooting was.
Then there is the issue that auditory exclusion is merely your brain blocking one thing from being processed because it perceives something else as more important in that moment. It is not some magical force field that protects your hearing. You can still have hearing damage with auditory exclusion.
As for the OP: I view handgun cans as mostly for fun. Not saying there are no legit reasons for using one. But if I buy a pistol can, then I already have rifles and cans for them. I'm going to reach for a long gun before grabbing a pistol and then putting on a can.
deadlyfire
03-04-12, 18:58
Practical reason: noise pollution, not everyone wants to hear your gunfire.
Fried Chicken Blowout
03-04-12, 19:14
Seriously? Do you have a source for that information you can share with us? Auditory exclusion doesn't happen to everyone and is NEVER an indication of how lawful or appropriate a shooting was.
Then there is the issue that auditory exclusion is merely your brain blocking one thing from being processed because it perceives something else as more important in that moment. It is not some magical force field that protects your hearing. You can still have hearing damage with auditory exclusion.
As for the OP: I view handgun cans as mostly for fun. Not saying there are no legit reasons for using one. But if I buy a pistol can, then I already have rifles and cans for them. I'm going to reach for a long gun before grabbing a pistol and then putting on a can.
Good post! I've had three bouts of auditory exclusion over the last 18 months. During all those events I suffered almost total deafness for about 20-30 in at least one ear. Everything sounded like a blown out speaker. It took about 2 hours for everything to return, but who knows what amount of long term damage was done. I learned several lessons during these events and one of them was that I would not be able to hear a phone conversation after a shooting inside my house without a suppressor or hearing protection. But this is all besides the point.
I was just looking for what people are really doing with them. So far it should like nobody is using them in classes, serious training, matches or is able to put them in a holster? It basically a fun deal or planning on home defense kind of stuff, which is great. Just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something. I'll keep buying suppressors for rifles and skip the pistols, doesn't sound like something I would get a lot of use out of.
JeepDriver
03-04-12, 19:32
For me, fun.
I love shooting steel with suppressed 22's and 9mm's. And I hate wearing ear protection in the summer.
It seems there's a few folks who are way out of their lane here who have never shot a pistol silencer and are commenting on it.
First and foremost it's a ton of fun. Is it expensive? Kinda but so are guns and I don't see anybody saying "Well why would you buy that gun, I don't see a use for it". As for the weight, some are heavier than others but my Ti-Rant 45 is very light and you really don't notice it on the end when shooting. It makes felt recoil feel less, it makes me and others more accurate because we're not flinching anticipating the shot. My fiance wouldn't shoot my .45 before the silencer because it was so loud and "scary" but now she loves it and it's not scary anymore because it's quiet. It's awesome shooting without hearing protection on all day long. And it has all the benefits of a rifle silencer that you think aren't valid on a pistol one.
For me, I live in a subdivision style neighborhood with 1 acre lots that backs up to a greenbelt. It's out in the county, so it's legal to shoot, but I wouldn't want to raise the ire of the neighborhood. I shoot my suppressed G-17 and Buckmark .22 in the back yard with no issues. I keep the can on the 17 these days and it's loaded with 147gre Gold Dots around the house when I'm home, but it's still not my primary home defense gun. If I have to leave the house for some reason to investigate something, it's usually the one I grab though. The Buckmark has made more than few vermin kills in the back yard as well.
I like shooting with pistol suppressors and find that the suppressed Buckmark is one of the absolute best guns to start a beginner on who has an initial fear of guns, but wants to learn.
Reagans Rascals
03-04-12, 20:01
whats the point of having a tire iron in your car? jumper cables?
its a tool, that's good to have around if you're able, just for the sheer possibility the need might arise in the future in which a suppressed pistol would be ideally suited.... dropping an intruder in your house without alerting the others downstairs or outside before you can get to them? shtf scenarios... or things as such....
everything has it's place
think of a suppressed subsonic 9mm as a semi-auto crossbow.... can take out a lot of targets without turning the plan to shit and having to alter things accordingly....
not to mention, it just frees up the place one can shoot... maybe you would like to shoot in your backyard in a development and have setup a proper backstop.... suppressors allows that
wise investment in my opinion....
holsters can be modified to allow suppressor use... you could make your own from kydex... however I am not knowledgeable on the legality of carrying an NFA item concealed and using it to defend yourself... I can see a shitstorm brewing if one were required to explain why they carried a suppressed firearm in town...
It seems there's a few folks who are way out of their lane here who have never shot a pistol silencer and are commenting on it.
First and foremost it's a ton of fun. Is it expensive? Kinda but so are guns and I don't see anybody saying "Well why would you buy that gun, I don't see a use for it". As for the weight, some are heavier than others but my Ti-Rant 45 is very light and you really don't notice it on the end when shooting. It makes felt recoil feel less, it makes me and others more accurate because we're not flinching anticipating the shot. My fiance wouldn't shoot my .45 before the silencer because it was so loud and "scary" but now she loves it and it's not scary anymore because it's quiet. It's awesome shooting without hearing protection on all day long. And it has all the benefits of a rifle silencer that you think aren't valid on a pistol one.
+1----and once you've gone quiet it's rather barbaric to shoot unsuppressed, regardless of what you shoot.:smile:
Sure they might be fun and all, but that's a lot of money to spend on fun. Those of you with them, can you holster them with the suppressor in place? How do they handle with all the weight out in front? What are they really being used for?
Thanks
1. Depends on the holster and/or the suppressor.
2. Pistol suppressors aren't nearly as heavy as rifle suppressors.
3. They are used to suppress the weapon of course.
My Oasis for example is actually lighter than the Target model Ruger and fits in the same holster.
http://img159.imageshack.us/img159/9408/p1003784vj1.jpg
I can buy the home defense deal because yes it's deafening in enclosed spaces. I guess my follow up to that would be do people with pistol suppressors that plan to have them on a home defense weapon train with them on enough? A pistol must handle totally different with a suppressor install right?
Not really, I think you greatly over estimate the weight of most pistol suppressors. The primary issue is that often the sights are obscured or partially obscured by the suppressor so a person needs to train for that difference.
KalashniKEV
03-05-12, 07:48
Seriously? Do you have a source for that information you can share with us?
Sure if you want me to... though perhaps another thread would be appropriate?
Then there is the issue that auditory exclusion is merely your brain blocking one thing from being processed because it perceives something else as more important in that moment. It is not some magical force field that protects your hearing. You can still have hearing damage with auditory exclusion.
Agree that it's still possible to have hearing damage occur during a stress response (of course), but what you describe is only one factor that produces auditory exclusion- the visual cortex of the brain taking precedence over the audible cortex.
The other factors are:
Hammer and stirrup contracting as adrenaline constricts the capillaries.
Increased blood pressure and heart rate through the constricted capillaries and across the parts of your outer and inner ear- tightening and hardening them.
This can even produce a white noise as the blood passes over your eardrum.
It's for making the gunshot quieter.
It's quite simple. You can't covertly assassinate people unless you have a suppressor.
It's quite simple. You can't covertly assassinate people unless you have a suppressor.
Unless you do your assassinatin' at Death Metal concerts.
Dolphinvet
03-05-12, 15:34
I am not knowledgeable on the legality of carrying an NFA item concealed and using it to defend yourself... I can see a shitstorm brewing if one were required to explain why they carried a suppressed firearm in town...
In Florida you cannot carry a concealed machine gun. I have found no other laws pertaining to concealed carry and NFA in my state, including suppressed weapons. I do plan on carrying my Serbu Shorty concealed when I get my stamp, which should be in the next few weeks.
Hopefully then you won't run into any situations where you'll need more than 3-4 rounds in a hurry. I'd rather have a high cap Glock 19 with some nice hollowpoints.
Hopefully then you won't run into any situations where you'll need more than 3-4 rounds in a hurry. I'd rather have a high cap Glock 19 with some nice hollowpoints.
You obviously have not studied the arfcom manual. All you have to do is rack the pump, no actual rounds are needed.
You obviously have not studied the arfcom manual. All you have to do is rack the pump, no actual rounds are needed.
My mistake. :jester:
Reagans Rascals
03-05-12, 17:54
You obviously have not studied the arfcom manual. All you have to do is rack the pump, no actual rounds are needed.
even better.... ditch the shotgun all together
I'm gonna make an iPhone app.... when you're being mugged or attacked, you press the app icon and it plays the sounds of an 870 racking, thereby saving your life as the intruder pisses himself and runs
I'm sorry, and I have much less experience shooting suppressed as many have here, but I believe that with subsonic ammo
1. Cool factor.
2. No hearing damage.
3. No bitching neighbors.
4. No attention from unwelcome officials.
5. No wife/girlfriend/significant other, saying "you're gonna wake up
the kids, parents, inlaws,etc...
For most, this is enough to say "sign me up, I'll wait".
Wish I would have many years ago. Many an awkward situation could have been avoided.
Unfortunatly my wife recognizes the sound of a supressor and if she then hears the tinkling of brass. Next I get cautioned " are you paying attention, don't burn my steak".
Since this is a pistol thread I won't get into the truble i have had while grilling and shooting a MP5SD!
Man she must have good ears, or you made the same mistake as I did. Shooting with her. Gratuitous smilie.
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