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shaggy · October 1, 2005, 05:57 PM

As Smince said, its tough to get any sort of decent level of supression out of a revolver because of the gap. Autos supress far more easily, but the extra weight of the "can" on the end of the barrel can cause cycling problems if you use a can thats too heavy or not designed for the weapon. Additionally, the best supression comes only with subsonic ammo, so if you're planning on using something like a 9mm, you need to use subsonic ammo for the best results.

The big problem with using a supressor on a carry type handgun is that it adds bulk. And because most handgun supressors are made of aluminum to minimize weight to ensure proper cycling the attachment mechanism can be a weak point. IOW, many handgun supressors are simply a "screw-on" type mechanisim. With aluminum threads mated to a steel barrel, or even with a steel endcap on an aluminum supressor, adding too much force to the end of the supressor can bend the threads, the supressor, or both which will misalign the can and result in baffle strikes. Ultimately that will destroy the "can" and it can be quite a dangerous situation for the user. Bottom line - once the "can" is attached, you need to be careful you don't bang it around - its a somewhat delicate, precision instrument.

Additionally, should you ever have to use it in self defense, you may face far more scrutiny from a prosecutor and possibly a plaintiff's attorney than if you just used an unsupressed weapon. To a prosecutor or plaintiff's attorney, it may appear more as if you set out looking for trouble.

As far as legalities go, most states allow supressors. If yours does, you'll need to locate a seller in your state or a c3 dealer in your state. Whether you buy it directly from another resident of your state or through a dealer in your state, you'll need to pay a $200 transfer tax, complete a form 4 in duplicate (see www.titleii.com), complete TWO FBI fingerprint cards routed to the firearms & explosives division, one US citizenship certification form, and you'll be good to go. The F4 will require you to get an approval from your local sheriff or chief of police (which is completely discretionary) and list a reason for your need (no big deal - I use "the pursuit of happiness"). The forms take about 90 days to get approved, once you have an approved form back in your possession you can finally go pick up your supressor and take it home.

October 1, 2005, 05:57 PM	#5
shaggy Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 2004 Posts: 1,519	As Smince said, its tough to get any sort of decent level of supression out of a revolver because of the gap. Autos supress far more easily, but the extra weight of the "can" on the end of the barrel can cause cycling problems if you use a can thats too heavy or not designed for the weapon. Additionally, the best supression comes only with subsonic ammo, so if you're planning on using something like a 9mm, you need to use subsonic ammo for the best results. The big problem with using a supressor on a carry type handgun is that it adds bulk. And because most handgun supressors are made of aluminum to minimize weight to ensure proper cycling the attachment mechanism can be a weak point. IOW, many handgun supressors are simply a "screw-on" type mechanisim. With aluminum threads mated to a steel barrel, or even with a steel endcap on an aluminum supressor, adding too much force to the end of the supressor can bend the threads, the supressor, or both which will misalign the can and result in baffle strikes. Ultimately that will destroy the "can" and it can be quite a dangerous situation for the user. Bottom line - once the "can" is attached, you need to be careful you don't bang it around - its a somewhat delicate, precision instrument. Additionally, should you ever have to use it in self defense, you may face far more scrutiny from a prosecutor and possibly a plaintiff's attorney than if you just used an unsupressed weapon. To a prosecutor or plaintiff's attorney, it may appear more as if you set out looking for trouble. As far as legalities go, most states allow supressors. If yours does, you'll need to locate a seller in your state or a c3 dealer in your state. Whether you buy it directly from another resident of your state or through a dealer in your state, you'll need to pay a $200 transfer tax, complete a form 4 in duplicate (see www.titleii.com), complete TWO FBI fingerprint cards routed to the firearms & explosives division, one US citizenship certification form, and you'll be good to go. The F4 will require you to get an approval from your local sheriff or chief of police (which is completely discretionary) and list a reason for your need (no big deal - I use "the pursuit of happiness"). The forms take about 90 days to get approved, once you have an approved form back in your possession you can finally go pick up your supressor and take it home.