Wannabe Stamp Collector

[Spats McGee]

It's time for me to start my overthinking process and, as always, I start by asking people who know more than I. (That means y'all.)

I have one silencer, a Dead Air Mask. Pound for pound and dollar for dollar, a .22 can is definitely the way to go for a first suppressor. I'm up to four .22 hosts, and I like 'em all, for different reasons. And I have to give some credit to @Theohazard for being the one that pointed me in that direction.

With that said, I think it's time for me to start looking for my next suppressor. They're like Pringles. You can't have just one. Here's the rub. I have exactly zero prepped hosts for anything other than .22LR. But here's what I have in mind, and I'd like y'all's (yes, it's a real word) input:

1) Another .22 suppressor -- I'm well and truly digging the one I have, and an additional one would allow Mrs. McGee to shoot suppressed, without having to share the can. She has a Mk IV 22/45 Target, and I could either have that threaded or grab a threaded upper from Volquartsen.

2) A .223/5.56 can -- I've shot more .223 in the last two weeks than in the rest of my life, and I've kind of decided I like it. I've got a Franken-AR that runs pretty well, and I could replace the flash hider with a suppressor without risking legal trouble. That could be fun.

3) A .45 ACP silencer -- the only thing I've got for that would be a 1911, but it's not exactly a collector's item to begin with. I could get a threaded barrel for that and go to town, too.

Thoughts?

You know? I might as well just tag @Theohazard and @MachIVshooter right now, because I'd just be PMing them for input later, anyway.

 

[Havok7416]

Here's my opinion, worth what you paid for it: of the cans you mentioned, get the .45. I will qualify this by making clear I have zero use for the .223 anyway. You won't see the same potential with a .223 can versus a .45 or .22 since they are subsonic to begin with (in a pistol). A .45 can will pass a .22 through it where the opposite obviously isn't true. Granted it won't be as quiet and likely will require a thread adaptor.

The other, lesser option - were it me making the purchase - is another .22 can so there would be less swapping around between hosts.

 

[Demi-human]

I’ll take Door Two, Mr. McGee!
(Oh, man! I hope it’s the Car!)

Because I also have several ARs, I chose to get/drill another suppressor in 30 caliber.
(When I get them...)

I have a Blackout and two 22 caliber ARs that, with an adapter, could share it. The Blackout obviously the intended purpose, but what AR isn’t nicer with one?

I would also have to buy barrels for the 1911s, which would increase that purchase cost slightly for me. And the booster parts.

 

[Ohen Cepel]

.22 (which you have), 45, and 30cal are my suggestions.

.45 will handle most other pistol calibers so you'll be pretty well covered on things there.

30, if you get a good one will handle up to 300WM and everything down from there to include 5.56.

A 5.56 can is great if you are a huge AR guy or really into that caliber. However, it is not very versatile and given the hassle, wait, and tax stamp I like to get a bit more bang for my buck.

 

[el_chupo_]

Nothing will be as fun or quiet as the .22. Easily the ones I use most.

Dont worry too much about what you have prepped for use. You have a while to get that sorted while waiting, and all but the pencil-iest of barreled rifles can be threaded. all of your pistols will need a new barrel to play, and its probably cheaper to fit a threaded glock barrel than anything else, but few will be outlandishly expensive.

The AR will be nice with a can, but it wont ever be really hearing safe, because no matter how you slice it, 135-140db is loud... Same can on a .300blk with subsonic ammo, though, and you are having a ton of fun.

Ohen Cepel is spot on, though - .22, pistol, and rifle can gives you a wide range of uses, and you can use a .45 on 9mm and lose very little performance, and many offer smaller endcaps to help with that too. Same with a good .30 can, with options down around 10oz these days, or up around 14-16 oz for a full auto rated can, good from .22 centerfire up to magnum rounds.

And I can tell you one thing, after having a few options to shoot quietly, the desire to shoot without a can goes way down. Be prepared to fall into full on collecting. You will soon be deciding if you want a can for every caliber, every gun, or just a variety of multi-caliber use and a bunch of machine work to thread everything or new barrels all around.

 

[AlexanderA]

My opinion (which is worth nothing) is that suppressors and SBRs aren't worth the hassle of the approval process. Machine guns are, but that's another universe.

My personal experience with a suppressor is that it wasn't very effective. They certainly don't "silence."

 

[Demi-human]

My opinion (which is worth nothing) is that suppressors and SBRs aren't worth the hassle of the approval process. Machine guns are, but that's another universe.

My personal experience with a suppressor is that it wasn't very effective. They certainly don't "silence."

I like you, you’re funny.

I also don’t like anything I don’t personally own and think anything I don’t like is a waste of time. And will spend time to tell someone looking to buy the other not to.

Except they already have one and like it and are looking for another.

My opinion

Duly noted, file thirteen. Haha.

When was the last time you used your machine guns?
Were they quiet?

 

[Havok7416]

My personal experience with a suppressor is that it wasn't very effective. They certainly don't "silence."

Then you clearly have never tried some of the more effective models. Not all silencers were created equal. To be fair their effectiveness is at least in part tied to the cartridge and gun they are paired with.

 

[AlexanderA]

Were they quiet?

Tactically, there's a place for noise suppression. But, arguably, there's also a tactical place for noise enhancement. Nobody talks about this. Perhaps because noise-enhancement attachments aren't regulated by the NFA, they don't have the allure of being "forbidden fruit" and therefore they don't award points toward being "super (NFA) gun owners."

I think a lot of people in this community consider NFA stamps to be some sort of validation. If they can't afford a machine gun, they settle for a suppressor or SBR as their entrance ticket to the elite club. This is all on a subconscious level, of course.

 

[dogtown tom]

My opinion (which is worth nothing) is that suppressors and SBRs aren't worth the hassle of the approval process.

An opinion not shared by literally millions of us just in the last ten years.....1,757,632 silencers to be more precise.
And the hassle? Pay a tax, fill out a form, wait five whole months. Yes, that's a massive hassle.

My personal experience with a suppressor is that it wasn't very effective.

Kinda like going to an AC/DC concert in 1980 and assuming all music is loud?
Really, how much experience do you have with shooting silencers? Come shooting with me, stand next to me as I shoot my 11.5" AR without a silencer. After you pick up your teeth I'll attach a silencer and you'll note that its now quieter than an unsuppressed .22 pistol........thats quite a reduction in sound.

Further, "effective" in regards to silencers isn't just about sound reduction, but disguising the source or direction of the sound and reduction of muzzle flash....precisely the reasons the military uses silencers.

They certainly don't "silence."

They can, and do.
The loudest noise on a bolt action .22 rifle is the "clunk" of the firing pin hitting or the clack of the bolt on my 10/22. And that's not untypical when shooting any round that travels less than 1,100fps. Shoot a round that exceeds the speed of sound and you'll most certainly hear that sonic crack.

Now, if you don't care about reducing noise or muzzle flash, shooting a dozen pigs from fifty yards away and they dont run away, or all the other benefits fine. Your choice.

 

[dogtown tom]

Tactically, there's a place for noise suppression. But, arguably, there's also a tactical place for noise enhancement. Nobody talks about this.

Sure they do....."flash bangs" are very common in military and LE usage.

Perhaps because noise-enhancement attachments aren't regulated by the NFA, they don't have the allure of being "forbidden fruit"

Perhaps you don't know that "noise enhancement" devices most certainly ARE regulated by the NFA. Look up "Destructive Device" (even if they don't destroy anything)

and therefore they don't award points toward being "super (NFA) gun owners."

Anyone bragging about being a "super (NFA) gun owners." is just the same as the guy who brags about his third Lambo.....he's a bore and being wealthy doesn't make one an expert hunter or driver. Being impressed by such people or feeling inferior in some way because YOU don't like silencers or SBR's is YOUR problem.

I think a lot of people in this community consider NFA stamps to be some sort of validation. If they can't afford a machine gun, they settle for a suppressor or SBR as their entrance ticket to the elite club. This is all on a subconscious level, of course.

What a crock of nonsense.

 

[Speedo66]

I think a lot of people in this community consider NFA stamps to be some sort of validation. If they can't afford a machine gun, they settle for a suppressor or SBR as their entrance ticket to the elite club. This is all on a subconscious level, of course.

Feeling a little elitist today?

Not everyone who can afford a MG wants one.

 

[Demi-human]

Not everyone who can afford a MG wants one.

A machine gun is cool, and has absolutely nothing to offer in terms of keeping one's family’s hearing in a defense scenario.

I think a lot of people in this community consider NFA stamps to be some sort of validation. If they can't afford a machine gun, they settle for a suppressor or SBR as their entrance ticket to the elite club. This is all on a subconscious level, of course.

BWAAHAHahahahaHaaa.
You serious?
Okay, Dr. Phil...
I was just funning you earlier, evidently I insulted you.
You have my apologies,...

Now since this thread is NOT about full-auto firearms, at all, and has nothing to do with John Rambo tactics or fantasies...
Sound enhancement?...reallly?...

Anyway, having waited this long already, I’d have bought one from Mach, Spats. My form is a long time going, I now wish I had a professional one coming.

 

[AlexanderA]

Perhaps you don't know that "noise enhancement" devices most certainly ARE regulated by the NFA. Look up "Destructive Device"

I was thinking about muzzle attachments that redirect blast so as to make the gun's report seem louder. Sure, flash-bangs are NFA but they are stand-alone devices and not attachments.

Suppressors are an anomaly from a regulatory standpoint, because they do nothing unless they are attached to a firearm. Defining them as "firearms," on their own, is unique.

 

[AlexanderA]

One more thing I'd like to add: the allegations of efficiency for suppressors -- whether true or not -- while good for suppressor sales, tend to hurt us in terms of their legal status. The Hollywood stereotype of the "silent" gun is precisely what the uninitiated public is afraid of. If we can spread the word that suppressors are inefficient -- whether true or not -- the public will shrug and not make a big deal the next time we try to remove them from the NFA. The pro-gun side is notoriously poor at public relations, and this is one more example.

 

[Demi-human]

Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive.

I don’t lie and I don’t like liars. I find this to be universally accepted by citizens, less so by politicians....

 

[AlexanderA]

I don’t lie and I don’t like liars. I find this to be universally accepted by citizens, less so by politicians....

It's not lying to merely put a slant on things. It is true that suppressors don't "silence" guns. Arguing over the degree of decibel reduction doesn't resonate with the general public. To them, either a gun is "silenced" or it is not. We need to make the point, over and over, that suppressors are ineffective. Then we need to sweep the whole matter under the rug. This whole craze about suppressors is hurting us politically.

 

[dogtown tom]

One more thing I'd like to add: the allegations of efficiency for suppressors -- whether true or not -- while good for suppressor sales, tend to hurt us in terms of their legal status.

Really? The legal status of silencers has not changed in eighty six years.
What HAS changed? The number of states allowing the use of silencers for hunting and other uses under state law.....has increased.

The Hollywood stereotype of the "silent" gun is precisely what the uninitiated public is afraid of.

Hollywood also invented the Glock 7, a porcelain gun made in Germany, invisible to airport X-ray machines and costs more than what you make in a month.

If we can spread the word that suppressors are inefficient -- whether true or not

Soooo..........lets be clear. You want too "spread the word", "whether true or not"?
And FYI, silencers/suppressors ARE efficient. If they weren't they wouldn't be nearly as popular as they are. Of course to most of us they are just a status symbol to hold over the poors.

-- the public will shrug and not make a big deal the next time we try to remove them from the NFA.

I thought your previous posts were nonsensical, but this one beats 'em all. "The public" can shrug all day long. "The public" doesn't make laws, our elected representatives do. If you are unaware of the lobbying that has gone on the last ten years to remove silencers from the NFA you need to get out from under your rock.

The pro-gun side is notoriously poor at public relations, and this is one more example.

PR and lobbying costs $$$$. Do you belong to the ASA? If not, join.
I find it odd that the forum member who sees little value in silencers other than "some sort of validation.....for the elite" cares one bit about the quality of PR and Hollywood stereotypes.

 

[MachIVshooter]

Ummm..........all of the above, and then some!

Definitely another rimfire can.

At least one rifle can, and probably makes more sense to buy a .30 can first unless you don't own anything over 5.56. They work just fine with 5.56. The only place a dedicated 5.56 can excels on semi auto hosts is when the cans are shorter than ~6.5", and to realize the benefit, you'll have to adjust your gas system or the port noise will still be well over 140 dBA. A ~8" .30 suppressor is a jack of all trades, and less likely to cause cycling issues or excessive port noise on gas operated guns than a higher backpressure 5.56 can.

The .45 can, like the .30 can, will allow you to suppress virtually all pistol hosts. Yes, a dedicated 9mm suppressor will be a little quieter on 9s (or physically smaller for similar suppression), but add that to your stable afterward, since the .45 will cover all the bases.

The reality is that you'll probably end up threading or buying threaded barrels for everything you own, the ability to affix cans will factor heavily in future gun purchases, and dedicated suppressors will end up living on each host. Might as well accept this fate sooner than later!

I think a lot of people in this community consider NFA stamps to be some sort of validation. If they can't afford a machine gun, they settle for a suppressor or SBR as their entrance ticket to the elite club. This is all on a subconscious level, of course.

That's a ridiculous notion.

I haven't ever met anyone who was happy to pay $200 and play the waiting game. I haven't ever met anyone who bought a suppressor because it was the cool "forbidden fruit" or made them feel "elite". What I have met is hundreds of my customers who appreciate a significant reduction in noise, flash & concussion.

Suppressors have become popular enough and common enough that they're barely viewed as semi-exotic anymore. They're just a tool with a significant tax, and the one in the NFA world most worth paying that tax for to many, followed by SBR.

 

[Sebastian the Ibis]

Suppress what you shoot. If that’s .223 get a .223 can. If it’s .22/9mm/.30 cal get that. After collecting a number of stamps, I still use my .22 can the most. .223 next. The multi cal/modular ones the least, but I can use them on anything if I want to fiddle.

In your situation, I’d get:

1. Another .22 can because happy wife.... And MachIV makes a good one I hear.
2. This .223 can https://midwest-distributors.com/Sig-Sauer-SDR5-7H05X28-556-Suppressor-New_p_294.html
3. A SiCo Hybrid, because it’s is the ultimate jack of all trades. It can suppress anything, for the cost of a $100 adapter, albeit not as good as a dedicated can. Also someone here is selling and ASR mount/muzzle device for cheap, and you can use the YHM mount/muzzle devices too. A pain Jane .45 pistol can doesn’t do much for me, as I don’t shoot much .45.

 

[waterhouse]

I'd vote for whatever you shoot the most; I have several .22 cans, because that's what I (and the wife, and the kids) shoot the most, and several 9mm cans, since that's what we shoot the most after .22.

While I own .223 cans, and while they do reduce noise quite a bit, they are lower on my priority list because they are still loud enough that I wear hearing protection.

 

[RockRat64]

Optimus Micro? Dip in to .223 while being able to use it on 22. Just a thought.

 

[clutch]

Always wanted a suppressor, though paying the government $200 for a right went against the grain.

Earlier this year the government sent me $1200 of stimulus. All of that plus more went to China as I bought a telescope and mount and accessories.

Then Uncle Sam sent me $600. I figured I'd spend that money in the USA this time. $200 to the IRS for the stamp, the rest for a .22 LR suppressor I that I hope is made in the USA. (Dead Air Mask). It will also do .22 Hornet.

If more stimulus is tossed my way, I'm getting a center fire suppressor in .30 cal. I'll also use it on my .223's.

We couldn't get that Hearing Protection Act through, think of stimulus payments as the same thing and get your suppressors now.

 

[MachIVshooter]

I that I hope is made in the USA. (Dead Air Mask).

It is. Silencers cannot be imported to the USA for commercial distribution.

 

[drobs]

Still waiting for my 2 suppressors to be released from ATF Jail.
They cashed my checks on 6/9 & 7/25 of 2020.

Looking at Silencer Shops average approval times - I still have another 6 months.
I bought them in May.

https://www.silencershop.com/dead-air-nomad-l.html
https://www.silencershop.com/gemtech-lunar-9.html

Hindsight being 20/20, I should've bought a 22LR can at the same time. My interest in suppressors is waning the longer I have to wait for these things.