Posted on 09/11/2011 6:27:29 PM PDT by marktwain
Just for comparison for the subject here are some facts how silencers are treated in Finland.
Silencers are not considered to be "parts of a firearm", that means that anyone can build one, own one and buy or sell one without any restrictions. Just as grips or scopes.
There are no special taxes on silencers, of course for everything you buy the 22% VAT is included.
Silencers have been found useful in preventing noise-pollution of shooting ranges that are near urban areas. Several studies have been made on subject should silencers be obligatory. One study made by State Department of Labor strongly suggests people to use silencers to prevent damage to their ears. (that state department handles issues of work safety etc.) One result of those studies is that the new assault-rifle of Finnish military is capable of fitting a silencer.
The speciality in silencer-research is so called Reflex-technology that is designed for supersonic bullets. The supersonic crack of a bullet can not be silenced, but the noise what comes to shooter's ears is considerably lower. For example Valmet M62/76 7.62x39 sounds like a .22 when using such supressor with normal velocity bullet. For military purposes that type of silencers are handy as they "hide" the direction of the shot as it seems to come from "everywhere" People more interested in that subject may be interested to read "Special Weapons" 1/94.
Silencers are cheap and of high quality in Finland. You can buy a silencer for .22 for $50 and top quality silencers that sustain unlimited full- automatic fire go for about $150. Factory-made silencers are available actually for any gun and caliber. (even for such rarities as MG-34, MP-40, Maxim, etc. you name it!)
Recently there were research on shotgun- silencers. That study pointed that only subsonic loads can be silenced effectively as there are so many supersonic cracks in one shot. So the situation is much different from single bullet with only one sonic crack.
Silencers are coming increasingly popular, more and more .22 are being sold with silencer already fitted. For Ruger mkII there are numerous solutions some with bayonet-style fixing wich make it fast to fix and remove. Such solutions have been seen on Luger and Margolin. Almost all gunsmiths can make silencers. The best known industrial makes are VAIME, KANU and BR-REFLEX.
Finally what comes to regulations on guns, one can obtain a license for hunting or sports (including both target and practical) at local police. The procedure takes between 1 - 2 weeks. If there is no criminal background and one can point a range he is allowed to shoot there is normally no problem. For military firearms (full-auto etc.) you must apply your licence from state (state is more close to American definition of county in Finland) police officials. That is more difficult and normally only collectors get those licences and they are quite strictly enforced. However the system works quite well.
One funny thing: One can not buy a firearm for self-defence. That is not acceptable reason. (well, taxi-drivers and guards get) Mace and other gases are considered as firearms and are not available for public.
Panu Wilska
The number of people who have suffered serious hearing degradation because of the insane restrictions of firearm mufflers number in the tens of millions.
What was that? I can’t hear you!
Aren't most shotgun loads subsonic?
....and when they outlaw 2 liter Coke bottles only outlaws will.....well you know.
Don’t forget the foam rubber in the coke bottle to complete an Angolan Silencer.
All shotgun loads are subsonic. I would think a shotgun would be fairly easy to suppress as the round basically has
the “wipe” built in. The “can” portion would need to be of significant size to absorb the blast pressure but I don’t see why it couldn’t be incorporated into the barrel.
You probably know but I’ll bet that many others do not know that silencers (or suppressors) are legal in Washington state. Up until this year they were legal to own but not to operate. Go figure ;-)
(Also go figure how a hard Øbozo-loving leftist governor would sign such a bill escapes me!)
I live in town so I have to use the 2 liter when dispatching
possums,coons and pit bulls in the yard.
I found this link with some info on the subject: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20081009072435AAA8oX7
Beautiful firearm.....
If those guys are right,I stand corrected. I guess most shotgun ammo is supersonic.I can’t see how the wadding holds up but I’ve been wrong before and I’m sure I will be again. A shotgun suppressor would be the sh!t though wouldn’t it?
I guess so but that surprises me.
A shotgun suppressor would be the sh!t though wouldn’t it?
Sure would be good for the heardrums.
they come in all sizes...
silencers are completely legal in most states as well, we just have to pay an unconstitutional $200 tax first. I have a tac-65 for my 22lr guns and it is pretty much “hollywood” quiet.
Not silencers?
Is there a difference?
And I've been told...if you have a super-sonic round...forget about buying a suppressor...they don't work to well.
Yeah, the cost is stupid.....
FWIW-
Good point!!
I watched several videos of the .45ACP version and they all failed to eject. Design flaw?
Here is a system that reduces shotgun blast to the sound of a .22 when subsonic loads are used. No license required:
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