As a matter of interest, any questions you gents may have about firearms, class 3 NFA weapons and legalities there is a good chance I might be able to answer them for you. Although just recently I closed my brick and mortar firearms retail gunshop to return to the field, I am still a current FFL class 1 and 3 holder. The misnomer about "Suppressors vs Silencer" nomenclature can be easily attributed to the fact that the transfer block on the FFL's 4473 when you fill it out for the ATF is Silencer, Suppressor is not a recognized term on the ATF form. As for them being legal, they are in just about most states. It just takes time,money and patience. I should know I made a good living selling them! As for the comments about the movies making them sound all super quiet....well Hollyweird has it wrong on both ends, they make impossibly small "cans" on handguns sound almost silent (possibly wet?) and the truth is if firing a large caliber rifle with Subsonic ammunition if they didn't add the whoosh sound it would be very boring for the movie goer. I have been working with load development on subsonic rounds in a 308 and my buddy dry fired the rifle twice and on the 3rd shot a live round, I was leaning next to him on the bed of the truck, If not for the gong hit I would have not known he sent it! They CAN be that "silent".....
When the silencer/suppressor was first patented it was called a silencer and what we know as the muffler of internal combustion engines was and to some extent still is known as a silencer. Suppressors were intended only to reduce muzzle flash not the sound of a shot and to eliminate flame from the engine exhaust of high powered aircraft engines in night time operations. I've fired single shot .22 handguns that were so effectively silenced that the only sound was a ping of the firing pin striking the rim. It would be silly not to consider that a silencer. A supersonic round will of course generate a sonic crack but the purpose of the silencer is to silence the muzzle blast only and the same silenced weapon firing subsonic loads will be effectively silenced. Arguing that only the term suppressor be used is pedantic and not valid. PS All experiments with silencers were done on a non US flagged ship in international waters. Yeah that's it.
Professor, very true about the origional Maxim Silencer, as were being specific, however, the term suppressor was not in common use at that time so therefore could not have been choice as to call it such. And Hiram Maxims boy that patented the obcentric can was at first shooting 22 low velocity rounds so he would have thought it to be quite silent. You are correct, on numerous combos the firing pin strike is as loud or louder then the shot. As the ATF calls them Silencers, I always have as well. I save the term Suppressor (that the tactical in crowd prefers)for flash suppressors.
I think we may find an interesting discussion on the matter as this is a global discussion group. Some countries and locales REQUIRE 'silencers' for hunting as to be respectful and courteous of others. And then some places they are considered flat out illegal with 10yr jail time. Amazing the range of thought on this around the world.
For a short time in the US there was talk in congress of passing a hearing protection act and removing them from the National Registry. Sadly I have not heard much about it lately. As with a lot of things that govts deem too dangerous for the common man, i suspect the tide change will eventually be non compliance on a state level followed by federal rules to not fund prosecution of non compliance. Much like the marijuana situation.
Cool ol' historical piece, my sentimental favorite, the Springfield Model 1903. The World War I sniper configuration with the Model 1913 Warner & Swasey telescopic sight, but with a difference. This one is fitted with a sectioned Maxim Model 15 silencer.
Almost done! I need to put the Colt back together the revolver is coated with oil. Later today I'll finish the Colt up
Isn't it amazing that after a hundred years and 1000 new "high tech" models, they all still basically look like that......
Here are a couple more ads for the original Maxim silencer. If I recall correctly he also is the first to start marketing them for cars.
I need to refinish the grips and install the rear sight Not sure about the rear sight. I just might put the original arco sight back on. The bluing came out a close mat to the original finish. The only thing I did no re-blue is the cylinder latch it matches the re blue fairly well. When I went to put the colt back together the hand was not in the parts box hunting for the hand took me two hours to find the hand it was half way under one of the legs on one of my work benches. Glad I found the hand
This morning I stopped in at my friends shop. The melonite finish will bead blast off. My friend took the slide bead blasted a small area that took the finish off down to the bare steel. He is going to bead blast the slide and send it off to have a black nitride finish on the slide. I'm very happy with that,