May 30th, 2020
7minute read
Possibly the most maligned object in popular culture is the firearm silencer.
That begs the question: why own a silencer?
Lets dive in and see if we can come to a reasonable answer.
A suppressor and a high-quality firearm like the XD-M from Springfield Armory can make for a very capable combination.
Silencer vs. Suppressor
Before proceeding, lets address the term silencer for just a moment.
A silencer is a sound suppression gadget that mitigates the noise damage produced by a gunshot.
The first commercial sound attenuator for the firearm was introduced by Hiram Maxim in the early 1900s.
Suppressors aren’t just for tactical work — they also have a lot of benefits for the civilian market.
Prices range between $5.00 and $8.50 depending on the model you purchased.
This is not unusual and can be seen in other products.
For example, few people I know use the term facial tissue instead of the brand name Kleenex.
A suppressor can be a great addition to your shooting kit.
Throughout this article, I will use the terms interchangeably.
What Does a Silencer Do?
A sound suppressor is a unit that either attaches to or is integral with the barrel of a firearm.
Conventional suppressors allow gas from a fired cartridge to escape into baffles or expansion chambers.
Decibels, or dB, is a unit of measurement for sound intensity.
Gunfire is frequently measured at 160-168 dB well above the safety threshold.
Suppressors can also help you wring the most performance out of your ammo.
By comparison, a gas-powered lawnmower is about 90 dB.
The ammunition also plays a role.
Id recommend reading Tom McHales article where he explains why you might want to usesubsonic ammo with a suppressor.
Damping the amount of noise created by a firearm is a worthy goal.
Harmful noises come in a variety of forms that are often categorized by the characteristics of duration and intensity.
In general, the higher the intensity the less duration is needed for permanent hearing loss.
Gunshots are impulse noises of short duration but extremely high intensity.
A sufficiently intense single gunshot can cause permanent damage to your hearing.
As stated earlier, many gunshots fall between 160 and 168 dB.
That doesnt mean that you will lose all of your hearing with one loud gunshot.
Instead, the loss is likely to be very small that builds with more noise exposure over time.
Repeated gunshots can increase the amount of damage.
Suppressors can help mitigate the damage to your hearing by reducing the noise before it ever leaves the firearm.
You might suggest that a silencer offers the same protection as a set of hearing protective earmuffs.
The best muffs can deliver about 28-32 dB of noise attenuation.
Many sets offer less typically 24 or 25 dB of reduction.
For example, theChampion Vanquish Pro reviewed hereatThe Armory Lifeis rated for 24 dB of noise attenuation.
Here, the silencer is the superior form of hearing protection.
Further, the single suppressor protects everyone in the vicinity from damaging noise.
This momentary lapse of judgement had a permanent impact on their hearing.
Suppressors prevent this accidental hearing damage.
The ideal situation is to use a gun mounted suppressor with earmuffs.
These two safety devices would combine to provide even greater hearing protection.
Loud gunshots combined with sound-reducing earmuffs and earplugs makes it very difficult for shooters to hear range commands.
This means that a range officer can give clear safety commands easily.
In these cases, a firearm equipped with a silencer can be a major advantage.
However, shooting a rifle indoors is likely to provide the loudest, and most damaging, noise.
So, a suppressor makes the most sense here.
Further, it diminishes your ability tocommunicate with a 911 operator.
Responding police officers may initially treat you like a suspect when they arrive due to miscommunication or other circumstances.
One of the complaints often cited is excessive noise from the shooting range.
If shooters all used sound suppressors, the complaints would likely drop substantially.
Another consideration for those outside of the cookie cutter subdivisions is backyard pest control.
All of these share the common thread of mitigating the harmful sound of a gunshot.
There are additional reasons why suppressors make sense.
For example, a silencer can reduce recoil a definite benefit when teaching new shooters.
For me, the most important reason still comes back to hearing protection.
Check your state laws, and dont be afraid to apply for the Federal tax stamp to own one.
The process isnt as hard as you think, and the results are well worth it.
