Benchtop Silencer

[mattd]

Just moved to a new house on a few acres outside of the 'burbs, and it is legal to shoot here. However, no one else in the neighborhood shoots, and I don't want to be the new guy coming in and disrupting everybody.

So, I was thinking I could make a bench mounted silencer. First attempt was a small 12x12x14 cardboard box with a 6in square cut out facing the shooter, and a 4in square cutout facing the target, and stuffed full of insulation. It didn't accomplish any suppression, just blew fiberglass all over the place. Perhaps if it where longer it would have more area for the gasses to be 'absorbed' before exiting the box, but I'm not even 100% on that. Any great ideas out there?

[Boolit_Head]

I am suspicious that anything you make that was effective would fall under the NFA.

[mattd]

I'm not looking to make it 100% silenced, still shooting super sonic, but maybe just make it sound like it is coming from the next ridge over.

[Boolit_Head]

I still think anything that could mitigate any sound might fall under the auspices of the NFA. A silencer does not have to be 100% effective to be a silencer. Might want to check before you run afoul of it is all. Not the below does not say it has to be attached.

https://www.atf.gov/firearms/firearms-guides-importation-verification-firearms-gun-control-act-definition-silencer



18 U.S.C., § 921(A)(24)

The term “Firearm Silencer” or “Firearm Muffler” means any device for silencing, muffling, or diminishing the report of a portable firearm, including any combination of parts, designed or redesigned, and intended for the use in assembling or fabricating a firearm silencer or firearm muffler, any part intended only for use in such assembly or fabrication.

Note: Any device that meets the definition as stipulated above in 18 U.S.C. § 921(a)(24) is also subject to controls of the National Firearms Act 26 U.S.C., Chapter 53.[/I][/I]

[country gent]

We had a range for awhile between 2 corn fields and nieghbors 1/2 mile away couldnt hear my M1As Ars or BPCR rifles when the corn was up. the standing corn did a great job deading noise vibrations. The one indoor range here had plush carpet on the walls and cieling that deadened alot of concussion and noise, but also held unburnt powder eventually becoming a fire hazzard. A tube linesd with egg crate type foam or a plush carpet should lower noise levels. Keep the muzzle a few inches inside the front and make it about 2 feet long. It should deaden noise and direct it more forward than to the sides. I would make it about 18"-24" in dia. Planting bushy shrubs along the property lines or sides of the range will help alot also.

[Ickisrulz]

I have seen similar projects using old tires, tubes filled with insulation, etc. on the internet. I am not sure anyone was able to get things as quiet as they like.

I shoot in my backyard too. I try to do this when people are at work so as to not bother the majority of neighbors. If I am shooting 60-70 yards I can set up next to the side of my house which blocks some sound (I have trees on the other side and towards where I am shooting). Shooting slower rounds helps also.

[Smoke4320]

As long as its not attached to the weapon you are good to go

[jmorris]

This is what I use when I want to shoot out back and not hear about making too much noise from Mrs. Morris.

http://i664.photobucket.com/albums/vv5/qvideo/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20160928_144348_959-1_zpsinkxaiyr.jpg

[justashooter]

it has long been established that as long as the suppressive tunnel is not attached to the gun you are not in violation of NFA.

noise reduction can be anything from a shooting house with a six foot long baffled tube to an oil drum with a hole in each end. it depends on how much work you are willing to do. the classic set-up is a 12X12 shooting house (maybe on skid runners) that can be built on your firing line or towed to it, with a walk in door in the rear, and a fold up front window-wall facing the targets. just shooting inside the structure controls most of the noise. adding a five foot long baffle tube made of 4-6" diameter perforated plastic white drainage tube supported inside of a same length section of 12" diameter sonotube, with glued plywood end donuts, will reduce sound dramatically and provide a long lasting, cheap, maintenance free baffle.

be careful with homemade baffles. they tend to collect unburned powder and can be subject to ignition.

[jmorris]

And it's legal.

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u320/ranb40/suppressors/ATFsilencerletterpg1a.jpg

[Tackleberry41]

A stack of used tires is pretty much free. Bolt several together, drill some holes so they wont collect water, a cradle for them to sit on.

[sparky45]

This is what I use when I want to shoot out back and not hear about making too much noise from Mrs. Morris.

http://i664.photobucket.com/albums/vv5/qvideo/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20160928_144348_959-1_zpsinkxaiyr.jpg

Good looking stand of Johnson Grass ya got there Mr Morris.:mrgreen:

[mattd]

a five foot long baffle tube made of 4-6" diameter perforated plastic white drainage tube supported inside of a same length section of 12" diameter sonotube, with glued plywood end donuts, will reduce sound dramatically and provide a long lasting, cheap, maintenance free baffle.

This sounds like a good solution, but I wonder about filed of view thru a scope on a 6in pipe. i guess it would be easy enough to test that prior to building it. Open sights seems like it work great.


This is what I use when I want to shoot out back and not hear about making too much noise from Mrs. Morris.

http://i664.photobucket.com/albums/vv5/qvideo/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20160928_144348_959-1_zpsinkxaiyr.jpg


What's inside your blue barrel? Any baffles or anything. This seems to answer the scoped rifle problem.

[jmorris]

Good looking stand of Johnson Grass ya got there Mr Morris.:mrgreen:

Believe it or not that was actually planted. It's called Haygrazer, we have bahiagrass for hay at our farm but the fellow that bails our hay field at the house deals in the Johnson grass clone. I wouldn't care if he planted weeds (lucky for me because that's what it looks like) with the tax money it saves.


What's inside your blue barrel? Any baffles or anything. This seems to answer the scoped rifle problem.

Its actually two barrels, one cut high and one cut low so they nest together and I could save my duct tape. I didn't put anything in mine as I was just wanting to contain the muzzle blast and not worried about noise at the shooting position itself. Foam would likely get rid of the "boing" sound I hear when I fire but would just be something else to deal with and add weight.

Here is one that has foam in it. Start around 37 seconds in.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsZ8SzE8gKc

[Reg]

This is what I use when I want to shoot out back and not hear about making too much noise from Mrs. Morris.

http://i664.photobucket.com/albums/vv5/qvideo/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20160928_144348_959-1_zpsinkxaiyr.jpg

I like that !!!
Could you tell me a bit more about it ? You show the downwind side but the other ? Does the barrel have the top on it ? If so, is it slotted about the same. I assume the slot shape is to allow for sights ? Do you stick the barrel into the slot to shoot ? How far ? About how much reduction do you get ? Would one gain further reduction if he used two barrels, end to end?
Thanks

[jmorris]

Both ends are barrel bottoms, one end is cut at the reinforcement rib where the ID is large and the other I just cut the top off. Both cut the same to poke the rifle into and for the bullets to exit.

This is the gun end.
http://i664.photobucket.com/albums/vv5/qvideo/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20161020_163841_478-1_zpss7le21lx.jpg

You can also see the mount point, also bolted to a backup plate inside. I just stick the rifle barrel in a few inches and the noise level is ok for my wife I guess but I still wear muffs or plugs. Not sure what it does for the shooter, might even make it worse because all of the expanding gas/"shock wave" is contained right there vs going out and away but that consideration was not a factor when putting it together.

I imagine if you made the holes as small as you could and cut a number of barrels short and stacked them like baffles together it would be more efficient, like a gigantic "real" suppressor. Foaming the inside would also likely help but all of the above would make it more difficult to build, maintain and setup.

Maybe someone can give that a try and post back results?

Here are some other examples used so your not "blasting" the shooter next to you, that would be very easy to set up. I just wanted to stay away from foam.

I would imagine the other end is completely open too or after a session you would be covered in enough foam to look like you had been trimming trees with a pole saw that day.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v30/Turborex/barrel.jpg

[17nut]

http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm153/Chickenthief/Skydning/bulnoise_zps35d77822.gif (http://s295.photobucket.com/user/Chickenthief/media/Skydning/bulnoise_zps35d77822.gif.html)

[jmorris]

The chart above shows why you can't get a suppressed supersonic round "quiet" but you can greatly reduce the sound you have emitted from the point of the firearm.

Not unlike this.

http://i664.photobucket.com/albums/vv5/qvideo/Mobile%20Uploads/th_VID_20160915_134945_244_zpss9yr7ajo.mp4 (http://i664.photobucket.com/albums/vv5/qvideo/Mobile%20Uploads/VID_20160915_134945_244_zpss9yr7ajo.mp4)

The sound level reduction is greater when comparing centerfire emissions though.

[Walter Laich]

would think a single shot, bolt action or revolver would do even better as there is not opening of the action during the sound production.

[JSnover]

On another thread a member advised cleaning out or at least wetting the inside once in a while. Enough unburned powder had accumulated to start a pretty impressive fire in his stack-o-tires noise reduction system.

[jmorris]

On another thread a member advised cleaning out or at least wetting the inside once in a while. Enough unburned powder had accumulated to start a pretty impressive fire in his stack-o-tires noise reduction system.

That would be one heck of accumulating in my setup but wasps, Yellowjackets and hornets like warm weather resistant enclosures, thus the design I went with, being easy to take apart and look into. I am not sure anything would surprise me more or piss them off more than using their house as a sound suppressor.

[Reg]

Thanks for the info, when I have a couple of minutes coming up will make one up and see what happens.

[koehlerrk]

That would be one heck of accumulating in my setup but wasps, Yellowjackets and hornets like warm weather resistant enclosures, thus the design I went with, being easy to take apart and look into. I am not sure anything would surprise me more or piss them off more than using their house as a sound suppressor.

That, sir, would be a near certainty around here. I can see it now, the first time I didn't do a check before shooting. I'm betting the yellow jackets would be a touch upset with me...

[Plate plinker]

A stack of used tires is pretty much free. Bolt several together, drill some holes so they wont collect water, a cradle for them to sit on.
This works. I know a smithy that uses this method for some stuff i think he has carpet inside it also. The tires are bigger to smaller not sure about the opening been awhile since i was last there.

[mattd]

I've been thinking about it, and started building a first attempt, but it seems like a real suppressor has baffles that slow the gasses, while the tube lets them expand. A barrel lined with carpet/foam/whatever, doesn't help the gases slow, and probably just "contains" the sound vs "suppressing" it.

Do the tires suppress or contain? I can see the walls of the tires acting as baffles, altho it seems like they'd have to be closer to the muzzle.

[jmorris]

probably just "contains" the sound vs "suppressing" it. Do the tires suppress or contain?

You will have to help me out, what is the difference? I suppose over time they will suppress rifle shots and contain water and bugs?

[mattd]

The way i understand it is the 'bang' from a gun shot is the sonic boom of the gasses expanding rapidly, just like a super sonic bullet still has a crack even if suppressed.

So, the suppressor slows the gasses down before the gasses, and the boom, have a chance to escape into 'space'. In other words, if you could somehow hear into the suppressor you still wouldn't hear a loud noise because the sonic boom of the gasses doesn't happen.

On the other hand, in a plastic barrel/row of tires/etc containing the sound, the gasses are still going full speed, the sonic boom happens, the loud noise is produced, it just has sound-proofing to reduce the heard noise outside of the container.

I, btw, don't know anything about suppressors, or any of this stuff really. Easily could be wrong. Just thinking out loud.

[Reverend Al]

At two of our local clubs we use this exact same setup to reduce muzzle signature on large bore rifles and it is very effective. It reduces the noise level substantially and gets rid of the nastier muzzle report on the big magnums. Of course up here in Canada we are not seen to be trying to "side step" any regulations regarding "silencers" for firearms since we're not allowed to own silencers of any kind in the first place. Instead we're seen to be more courteous to our nearby neighbours by reducing our noise levels ... with the blessing of our local area Firearms Officer who is responsible for approving our ranges ...




http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v30/Turborex/barrel.jpg

[jmorris]

In other words, if you could somehow hear into the suppressor you still wouldn't hear a loud noise because the sonic boom of the gasses doesn't happen.

Is this like, if a tree falls and none is around to hear it, does it make any noise?

[Walter Laich]

Is this like, if a tree falls and none is around to hear it, does it make any noise?

I always heard it quoted, "If a tree falls and none is around to hear it, the man is still wrong."

[UKShootist]

A row of tyres was a common sound moderator used by the IRA, so it has a pedigree.