American_Fusilier
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I know you can typically build one for cheaper. What are you guys thoughts?
Silencers: build or buy?
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Elkins45
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I would totally go Form 1 for a 22LR silencer, and IMO your first silencer should be a 22 because that’s when you have the most fun per dollar. My two Form 1 22 cans are indistinguishable from my commercial one at 1/3 the cost. It gets harder to duplicate factory performance when you start building centerfire cans, and there’s a lot of junk on the market being sold as solvent traps that aren’t suitable for high pressure centerfire cans.
Telekinesis
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For a first suppressor I’d recommend buying. There’s a decent bit of work that goes into building a suppressor and if you don’t really know what needs to be done it’s much easier to go with a commercial can. Not saying it’s impossible or anything to build a can for your first, just that I think it will be an overall better process to buy.
That said, once you have a good feel for suppressors and have a better understanding of materials, baffle designs, etc, it could be worth building suppressors. A .22 suppressor would probably be the best place to start because you can have more flexibility on materials (aluminum is viable which is easier to machine) but that’s not to say that you can’t do centerfire calibers.
One thing I’ve noticed is that a lot of form one designs tend to be overbuilt and use some of the more “traditional” baffle designs. They also seem to be a bit larger and heavier than commercial designs. I’m fairly confident that this is because as a form 1 build, you can’t do any R&D on length, diameter, or baffle design, so people default to building something they know will work, as opposed to building something that is a bit smaller or different which might not work as well.
If you’re making a suppressor, I’d highly recommend using real machine tools (lathe, mill, etc). Concentricity is really important when building suppressors (nobody likes baffle strikes) and a lathe is the best way to do that.
That said, once you have a good feel for suppressors and have a better understanding of materials, baffle designs, etc, it could be worth building suppressors. A .22 suppressor would probably be the best place to start because you can have more flexibility on materials (aluminum is viable which is easier to machine) but that’s not to say that you can’t do centerfire calibers.
One thing I’ve noticed is that a lot of form one designs tend to be overbuilt and use some of the more “traditional” baffle designs. They also seem to be a bit larger and heavier than commercial designs. I’m fairly confident that this is because as a form 1 build, you can’t do any R&D on length, diameter, or baffle design, so people default to building something they know will work, as opposed to building something that is a bit smaller or different which might not work as well.
If you’re making a suppressor, I’d highly recommend using real machine tools (lathe, mill, etc). Concentricity is really important when building suppressors (nobody likes baffle strikes) and a lathe is the best way to do that.
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American_Fusilier
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Thanks for the answers guys!
greyling22
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If you don't have equipment, and are left with buying a threaded tube, endcaps, baffles, coating and engraving, I don't think you save much $$ doing a form 1. I bought a tube and had machivshooter put a core in it, and it works great (I have been very pleased), but I bought a resonator cheaper 2 years later. Of course, the resonator is a budget can, and I'm still waiting on the resonator approval... He also built me a sico hybrid copy, and it turned out a couple hundred bucks cheaper than the real deal.
now, if I had a buddy with a lathe who would help me build cans for the cost of materials and pizza/beer, I would have so many form 1 cans.
now, if I had a buddy with a lathe who would help me build cans for the cost of materials and pizza/beer, I would have so many form 1 cans.
MachIVshooter
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If you don't have any machining capability, you're really not going to save any money building something nice. That $350-$400 kit becomes $700-$800 real fast when you have to buy things commercial cans come with like mount adapter & muzzle device, plus hire out for boring & clipping cones, heat treatment of parts, engraving & finishing.
The advantage to F1 is the much faster approval times and being able to build the way you want it. But the F1 approval times are not the hold up right now; the solvent trap parts suppliers are way behind on production, and the few of us who recore F1 cans are backed up pretty bad. I have about a 7 month lead time on recores at the moment.
If you're just trying to keep cost down, better off with budget friendly production cans unless you can make most/all of your parts.
The advantage to F1 is the much faster approval times and being able to build the way you want it. But the F1 approval times are not the hold up right now; the solvent trap parts suppliers are way behind on production, and the few of us who recore F1 cans are backed up pretty bad. I have about a 7 month lead time on recores at the moment.
If you're just trying to keep cost down, better off with budget friendly production cans unless you can make most/all of your parts.
Zak Smith
Member
Suppressors aren't rocket science, but on the other hand, one of the advantages of buying a commercial can is that it's the 100,001st one they've made and not the first. Suppressor failure on a centerfire rifle is not something I would recommend experiencing if possible.
MachIVshooter
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I was starting to wonder if we'd ever hear from you again! Welcome back!
I built one for my 300BLK and thought I’d done pretty well until last weekend when I got to see a Dead Air work on a 5.56 SBR. My next will be bought. It was truly mind-boggling how quiet it was. I never thought a 5.56 SBR could be quieter than a suppressed subsonic 300BLK.
milsurpguy
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Build. My last bought silencer took over a year before I could possess it.
I bought it as the plandemic kicked off last march, over a year ago. The dealer to dealer form3 took 2 or 3 months, then the typical 10 month form 4 wait.
The longest I have waited on a form 1 silencer was a little over 2 months.
I bought it as the plandemic kicked off last march, over a year ago. The dealer to dealer form3 took 2 or 3 months, then the typical 10 month form 4 wait.
The longest I have waited on a form 1 silencer was a little over 2 months.
dogtown tom
Member
Before you buy, always ask seller if he's submitting an eForm 3 or a paper Form 3. Electronic or eForm 3's are approved in a matter of days vs weeks for a paper Form 3. Even then, I've never had a paper Form 3 take more than a couple of weeks in the last six years.
What typical 10 month Form 4 wait?
The average for Form 4's has been eight months or less for over a year (thanks COVID!)
Since January 1st its a seven month average wait.
Current average on a F1 paper is three months, eForm 1 average is 60 days.
Current NFA processing times:https://www.atf.gov/resource-center/current-processing-times
milsurpguy
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Before you buy, always ask seller if he's submitting an eForm 3 or a paper Form 3. Electronic or eForm 3's are approved in a matter of days vs weeks for a paper Form 3. Even then, I've never had a paper Form 3 take more than a couple of weeks in the last six years.
What typical 10 month Form 4 wait?
The average for Form 4's has been eight months or less for over a year (thanks COVID!)
Since January 1st its a seven month average wait.
Current average on a F1 paper is three months, eForm 1 average is 60 days.
Current NFA processing times:https://www.atf.gov/resource-center/current-processing-times
Well you hope for averages and you get what you get.
I did have one come back in less than 6 months. So I guess it averaged out.
I say if you buy one. Don't be surprised if the whole process takes a year.
Buy, unless you intend to get a good hull on a form 1 and then send it to be recored into something that will probably end up being more expensive, but quicker turn around.
milsurpguy
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I'm taking the quick turn around unless I want something, premium, sealed, compact, light with moving parts, off center, ect.
Yeah I'll never buy another 22lr silencer unless it's an integral.
I want a silencer for my 45acp camp carbine, I'll form one it since it's a blow back gun.
As long as you can take it apart, I don't think a 22lr silencer will wear out. The only way it will wear out is if you shoot a few bricks through it and plug it up to where you can't get it apart.
I will admit I am very happy with my osprey 9mm.
Yeah I'll never buy another 22lr silencer unless it's an integral.
I want a silencer for my 45acp camp carbine, I'll form one it since it's a blow back gun.
As long as you can take it apart, I don't think a 22lr silencer will wear out. The only way it will wear out is if you shoot a few bricks through it and plug it up to where you can't get it apart.
I will admit I am very happy with my osprey 9mm.
I've had 3 Form 4s come back in about 4-5 months within the last year. I have a 4th Form 4 in ATF jail now that's been there for about 3 months. Maybe I'm just blessed.
I think you're just blessed. I have three in the pipeline, and the first one was bought over 10 months ago. Still waiting on all three.
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