Reset Password
If you've forgotten your password, you can enter your email address below. An email will then be sent with a link to set up a new password.
Cancel
Reset Link Sent
If the email is registered with our site, you will receive an email with instructions to reset your password. Password reset link sent to:
Check your email and enter the confirmation code:
Don't see the email?
  • Resend Confirmation Link
  • Start Over
Close
If you have any questions, please contact Customer Service

Be Very Very Quiet  

New2Midlo 54M
653 posts
7/7/2020 4:40 pm

Last Read:
12/12/2020 4:40 pm

Be Very Very Quiet


This entry has zero to do with dating or sex, but it's cool stuff and keeping my shelter in place mind off of dating, sex, and my hatred of the Midwest. Also, per typical FriendFinder-x, words will be removed for no reason, so give me some credit for being coherent.

I'll spare you the gory details, but suffice to say one of my work friends is an evil enabler, when it comes to things that go bang. My current stop on the train to a permanent spot on the government's watch list is Silencer City.

Late last year, I purchased my first silencer. Cool, right? For a gun guy it is, so humor me. What's not so cool is I still can't take it home. You see, once you've purchased and paid for your adorable tube of quiet, the ATF must still approve that purchase, so, your little black cylinder of joy sits 'in jail' until the that happens, which can be up to a year. I'm at 188 days, not that I'm keeping track. I own the silencer and can use it at my dealer's shooting range; I just can't take it home. Shortly after my second conjugal visit, I discovered that you can legally build your own silencer. The best part is that the associated ATF approval for that only takes about 30 days. Well, why didn't you tell me!?

You may be thinking you need your own machine shop to fabricate one of these little gems, but it's amazingly simple. There are devices called solvent traps, which are tubes that screw onto the end of your barrel during cleaning, and are designed to catch excess solvent and cleaning patches. They have little dividers and chambers to maximize the amount of material they can hold. But when you drill a hole through the center of the solvent trap and through the dividers, it becomes a silencer. There's quite a bit more to it than that, but nothing that can't be done with a drill press and a Dremel. And like most hobbies, there's a very active online community that you can lean on for advice.

So, off I went. So far, I've designed and built three silencers, and am waiting on ATF approval for one final can. God bless the ATF. Each and every silencer application, officially known as a Form 1, requires a<b> background </font></b>check, submitting two sets of finger prints, and a $200 tribute to the crown. Once approved, you receive a tax stamp (it literally is a stamp) for the silencer you want to build. With that in hand (or in your email), it's time to break out the tools. Should you drill prior to receiving your stamp, you are committing a felony.

The best part is that if you've done your homework, you'll wind up with a can that outperforms ones you can buy off the shelf. That is, if you design for a particular application. For example, my first silencer was designed to be used solely for subsonic 300 Blackout, and it's damned good. The loudest thing you hear is the rifle's bolt cycling.

And now, the Q&A:

Do silencers really work as well as in the movies? In a word, No. A silencer will decrease the level of sound created by a gun shot, but it won't eliminate it. This is particularly true with higher powered rounds, which still require hearing protection, while using a silencer. Plus, there's the noise of the gun cycling, as I mentioned. One of the folks I know measured the sound of a bolt cycling at 112 decibels; about as loud as a jackhammer, which is not quiet.

Why would you need a silencer? I'll admit my primary reason for wanting to own a silencer is because it's fucking cool (for a shooting enthusiast). I'd be lying through my teeth if I claimed to not to have felt a little James Bond ish, when I threaded a silencer onto a gun, the first few times. There are also legit benefits to using these devices. If, heaven forbid, you have to use your gun to defend your home against an intruder, you either suffer permanent hearing loss or use a silencer. They also protect your hearing, when shooting at the range. High power rifles are really loud, so hearing protection can only do so much; I had a mild ringing in my right ear after a recent session. A silencer attenuates the sound enough to make them safer; you'll still want to wear hearing protection, though.

Why would I want to build a own silencer? Because You.Can.Build.Your.Own.Silencer. Plus, as I mentioned above, you can frequently achieve better results versus commercial offerings. They're lighter, too, because we tend to build everything out of titanium. It may seem unusual, but some people make a hobby out of it.

Once I finish my last suppressor, I'll be departing Silencer City. It's been a fun hobby, but it's not inexpensive. The can I mentioned above cost me $640, not including the $200 tax stamp.

And under the heading of fortuitous timing, I just received a call that the stamp for the silencer in jail just arrived. Off to claim it as mine.

New2Midlo 54M
1075 posts
7/7/2020 4:40 pm

Yes, I'm a nerd...


60satisfaction 66M

7/7/2020 5:49 pm

Good article..... except they are actually called suppressors, Not silencers


luv2suk1966 63M/57F
1927 posts
7/8/2020 4:28 am

Very interesting! I don't know much about guns, but would love to know more - love your writing. Don't shoot your eye out! hehehe

Have a great day, and be nice to one another.


New2Midlo replies on 7/8/2020 4:48 pm:
Thanks! I knew this one would appeal to a narrower audience, but it's what's keeping me occupied.

Become a member to create a blog