Putting a pistol silencer on your firearm requires a gun that is prepared correctly and can offer some significant benefits. There are also some myths that go along with silencers, including how they work, why you would use one, and the legality of putting one on your handgun. 

Legal Concerns

The myth that a pistol silencer is not legal to own or use on your handgun is incorrect. Silencers fall under the National Firearms Act, and like handguns, they require a background check and registration to purchase. 

While some states do prohibit silencers, most follow the federal guidelines surrounding silencers and their use. They are not typically an item that you can buy in the local sporting goods store, but custom gunsmiths and gun shops that carry modified firearms will often have them available to purchase. 

Sound Reduction

Many people have never experienced the sound level of a firearm fitted with a pistol silencer and would be surprised by the amount of noise they make. A properly constructed silencer, or suppressor as most manufacturers call it, will reduce the firearm's sound by about twenty to thirty-five decibels. 

While the movies make them appear to reduce the sound of the gun to almost nothing, that is very far from true. The average handgun has a sound level of around 160-185 decibels, so reducing that by 20-35 decibels is a significant reduction, but you will still hear the firearm when firing it. 

The pistol silencer will reduce the noise and lessen the damage to your ears if you fire the gun without hearing protection, but it is still better to wear shooting muffs or earplugs when you are out shooting, even with a suppressor or silencer. 

Other Benefits

Some additional benefits can come from mounting a pistol silencer on your firearm that many people overlook. Adding a silencer adds weight to the muzzle of your gun, and on large-caliber firearms, that weight can help reduce muzzle rise, allowing the shooter to get back on target faster after each shot. 

For competitive shooters, this could be the difference between winning or not in a timed shooting course. The pistol silencer also reduces the firearm's recoil, making it easier to shoot and more accurate. This recoil reduction can be vital to shooters with smaller frames and sometimes make it significantly easier to hold onto the pistol when firing it. 

If you are considering a pistol silencer or suppressor for your firearm, talk to your local gunsmith or dealer about the advantages of your shooting situation, and they can help you select a silencer that will work best on your gun. 

Share