Silenced muzzleloader

[imp]

Silencerco has recently found a gap in the law, and it seems the BATF has approved the notion that since black powder guns are not legally considered firearms, an integral, non removable silencer that is not capable of being attached to a "firearm" does not require a NFA tax stamp. SUPPOSEDLY, the Maxim .50 will hit shelves soon, although various states have files lawsuits.

As someone with almost no experience with black powder rifles, I wonder how difficult it would be to charge a rifle through a silencer permanently attached to the end of the barrel, if that indeed is how it is to be done...


Also, since you can't remove the can, and I assume black powder would be pretty dirty, how would you clean such an apparatus?

[ShootistPRS]

This sounds like one of the times in life when we ask, "We can do it but should we?"
It would be important to clean the muffler at least to the extent that you clean the bore to prevent it from eroding away to nothing. As to the challenges of loading a muzzle loader with a built-in muffler it would depend on the construction and the baffling that is used. If it was just holes drilled into the bore with a can on the outside that contained the baffling it might not make a big difference in loading the rifle.
Just because something is possible doesn't mean it should be done.

[FrankenMauser]

I don't think it would be too difficult to work with.

Angled bleed holes in the barrel would help keep powder out of the can during loading. Worst case, you use an extended funnel that reaches below the baffles/ports.

I imagine that intelligent design would allow even the use of patched round balls, but it would certainly increase the need for frequently cleaning, due to extra material collecting in the can. The risk of patches hanging up would likely be pretty high, and the effectiveness of the can reduced, though.

Edit:
I just checked their website and took a quick look at the manual and FAQ. It does, in fact, come with a 'brass loading tube' to get powder and projectiles past the baffles.

It is currently only rated for 100 gr of Blackhorn 209, with no other powders or even charge weights in the FAQ. The manual says that certain other alternative powders may be used, but suggests no charge weight/volume or particular product/brand.

The "moderator" (suppressor) was designed for 'unit' projectiles that are full diameter and have no gas seal or use an attached gas seal. No wads, patches, or sabots are to be used.

[smee78]

I think its a great idea, just the reduction of 2/3 of the smoke is great addition much less the sound reduction. Its nice to think out of the box, now to get one for my ROA lol.

Now if we could just get the price down a few hundreds I would be interested.

[Jim Watson]

BH209 is what would have once been called "semi-smokeless."
If you were to use real black powder, it would have to come with a hose attachment to wash out the baffles.

[bamaranger]

Just imagine how much more dangerous Berdan's Sharpshooters would have been with suppressed rifles......or.......

how much more game D. Boone and D. Crockett would have killed! Crockett and Boones rifles would have been known by the acronym RLR......

REALLY Long Rifles.

[zukiphile]

Originally Posted by FM

I don't think it would be too difficult to work with.

I have never fired a black powder arm, but I have seen them shot.

I note a difference in tone, but mostly what appears to be a huge volume of gas and crud. The tone is a bit interesting since getting rid of the higher pitched tones seems to be a challenge in silencer design. However, it seems as if the crud and gas volume would make effective suppression more difficult.