What is a Suppressor?

A 'suppressor,' sometimes referred to as a 'silencer,' is a device attached to the end of a firearm that reduces the sound level and flash produced by the gunshot when the firearm is fired.

The sound is reduced by trapping expanding gasses at the firearm's muzzle or end, similar to how a vehicle's muffler decreases sound.

Suppressors, or silencers, are not silent but do reduce gunshot sound levels by 20-35 decibels.

The suppressor allows the gases created from the shot to cool slowly.

'Suppressors' can be attached at the end of the muzzle as an accessory, fixed mounted to the muzzle, or built into the firearm as an integral part of the barrel.

The benefits of adding a suppressor to a firearm include reducing the sound level, improving hearing protection for the shooter, reducing the firearm's recoil, and increasing the accuracy of the shot.

Typical uses include hunting and target shooting.

How do Suppressors work?

Suppressors are engineered with baffles, or chambers, that redirect and slow down the gases produced when a firearm is discharged.

These chambers in the suppressor allow the gases produced to expand slowly, reducing the pressure and noise of the shot.

Some suppressors are engineered with sound-absorbing materials that further reduce the sound.

What is the difference between a suppressor and a silencer?

There is no difference between a suppressor and a silencer. Both terms refer to the same products. The word 'silencer' was first used when the product was invented, but today, the word ' suppressor' is more commonly used and considered more technically correct since it suppresses sound more than it silences the sound from gunfire. The ATF still refers to the legal term' silencer' in its forms.

History of the Suppressor:

The first suppressor was developed in 1902 by a gentleman named Hiram Maxim from Hartford, Connecticut. He called his invention the 'Maxim Gun Silencer,' and he finally gained the patent for his design in 1909. It was the first suppressor produced and marketed to the public. Hiram Maxim marketed his new invention with the slightly exaggerated term' silencer' to boost sales. As time progressed, the term' suppressor' became more popular than 'silencer' for various reasons, with the main one being the sound is suppressed, not eliminated from the gunfire.