The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - What would happen if you suppress a revolver

**JohnKSa** · July 7, 2012, 12:41 AM

I'm sort of feeling my way through this, but it seems like it makes sense.

I don't think it will make the blast out the barrel/cylinder gap appreciably worse because I think most of the gas that escapes through the gap escapes as a result of the pressure being high while the bullet is obstructing the bore. A silencer doesn't change anything while the bullet's still in the bore, it only helps contain/slow the gases after the bullet leaves the bore.

There's still some pressure after the bullet exits, but not nearly as much as there was before the bullet exited the muzzle. With the bullet out of the way, the pressure is going to drop very rapidly and very dramatically.

So my gut feel is that to the extent that there's a lot of noise escaping out the barrel/cylinder gap, it's happening when the bullet is still in the bore, before a silencer is going to have any effect at all on the system.

I don't know exactly how to compare the muzzle blast to the barrel/cylinder gap blast, but my gut feel is that it's not going to be as dramatic since not as much gas can escape through the smaller opening. So a decent suppressor would probably make a significant noise reduction, even on a revolver by operating to reduce muzzle blast. While it won't do anything to quiet the noise caused by gas escaping between the barrel/cylinder, it also won't do anything to make it significantly louder either if I'm thinking about everything properly.

July 7, 2012, 12:41 AM	#2
JohnKSa Staff Join Date: February 12, 2001 Location: DFW Area Posts: 24,990	I'm sort of feeling my way through this, but it seems like it makes sense. I don't think it will make the blast out the barrel/cylinder gap appreciably worse because I think most of the gas that escapes through the gap escapes as a result of the pressure being high while the bullet is obstructing the bore. A silencer doesn't change anything while the bullet's still in the bore, it only helps contain/slow the gases after the bullet leaves the bore. There's still some pressure after the bullet exits, but not nearly as much as there was before the bullet exited the muzzle. With the bullet out of the way, the pressure is going to drop very rapidly and very dramatically. So my gut feel is that to the extent that there's a lot of noise escaping out the barrel/cylinder gap, it's happening when the bullet is still in the bore, before a silencer is going to have any effect at all on the system. I don't know exactly how to compare the muzzle blast to the barrel/cylinder gap blast, but my gut feel is that it's not going to be as dramatic since not as much gas can escape through the smaller opening. So a decent suppressor would probably make a significant noise reduction, even on a revolver by operating to reduce muzzle blast. While it won't do anything to quiet the noise caused by gas escaping between the barrel/cylinder, it also won't do anything to make it significantly louder either if I'm thinking about everything properly. __________________ Do you know about the TEXAS State Rifle Association?