Man In Florida Accused Of Trying To Use Potato As Silencer

Local 6 (Florida) ^ | June 3, 2006

[Stoat]

Man In Florida Accused Of Trying To Use Potato As Silencer

 

POSTED: 11:43 pm EDT June 3, 2006

UPDATED: 11:54 pm EDT June 3, 2006

 

MIAMI -- A man is accused of putting a potato on the barrel of a gun, believing the spud would act as a silencer and muffle the shooting of a woman, according to Miami-Dade police.

Police said Shane Thompson carved a hole in a potato with a spoon, stuck his gun inside and threatened to shoot the mother of his child. Thompson reportedly told her that no one would hear the shot, because of the potato's silencing qualities. Police said he never fired the potato-tipped gun, but instead hit the woman several times. Thompson has been charged with false imprisonment, aggravated assault and battery.

While spuds are nutritious, the silencer potato is an urban legend dating to the 1920s. Thompson apparently isn't alone in believing the myth. A Miami-Dade financial advisor was convicted in the early 1990s for shooting one of his clients to death with a gun topped with a potato.

Crime scene technicians found the potato under her body.

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

DO You know how to make an Irish seven course meal?

Six bottles of Guinness, and a potato...? :)

[Tijeras_Slim]

The 'potato-silencer' showed up in an episode of the TV series "Shaft" back in the early 70s. On a rifle, no less!

I remember that one! We're OLD!

[JRochelle]

Its so sad when an urban legend gets one minor detail wrong.

Its not a potato.
Its a tomato.
Ripe tomato. The liquids in the tomato absorb the sound waves.

:)

[RichInOC]

"You dummy. You're supposed to put the potato down the front of your trunks."

[Barney59]

[sit-rep]

Spud silencers.... Whodda thunk it??!!

[ARealMothersSonForever]

I enjoyed your site. It is very helpful to me. I need some details, I hope you will help me. I need to know how to make a silencer for a .22 revolver (Colt), I need part drawings, exact dimensions etc. If you could not able to give me the details please guide me at which site I can get the details at free of cost. Thanking you; Surya
This is what I was looking for.

[lonedawg]

Tell us already!!!

[BenLurkin]

KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle has the answer in his post #61.

8^)

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle has the answer in his post #61.

YAY!!! That means I win the American Tourister luggage... the year's supply of Rice-A-Roni ("The San Francisco Treat")... AND a home version of the game!

... say... just how much IS "a year's supply of Rice-A-Roni," anyway...? :)

[RoseD]

" The (Near-)Victim and His Wife, Posing for Reporters During a Press Conference Later That Same Day:"

Hey, I thought there wasn't supposed to be any obsene photos on here! The (Near-) Victim's wife is naked!

[Rte66]

For me, it's about 4 boxes, unless I need to make my wonderful Rice-A-Roni salad for a large get-together. Then, 7 boxes.

[ExSoldier]

From a CSI episode: How about an empty water bottle?

Not that I would know ANYTHING about this highly illegal manuever, but I have heard that a 2 Liter bottle of soda when emptied and a notch cut for the sight is a slightly larger fit on a BULL BARREL of a Ruger .22 target pistol. Wrapping 100mph tape (duct tape to civilians) at the place where the two overlap MIGHT cause a significant noise reduction especially if subsonic loads are used. MIGHT. Especially for the first two or three shots. KIds....for trained professionals only....DON'T try this at home!!!!

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

I've heard of it.

I've tested it. You want to be careful sticking things of the muzzle of your gun.

Signed,

Lefty

[dennisw]

From a CSI episode: How about an empty water bottle?

I've read about 2 liter soda bottles making good silencers. As one poster says it can capture the gasses produced by the bullet's "explosion", thus reduce the noise

[dennisw]

I'm glad you got a good laugh. Besides politics we get aspiring comedians trying out their material. I've read many books on Freeper recommendations. Some movie recommendations too.

[Atlas Sneezed]

The 'potato-silencer' showed up in an episode of the TV series "Shaft" back in the early 70s. On a rifle, no less!

---

I remember that vividly. Must have been my first introduction to the concept (unless a James Bond viewing came first.)

[Atlas Sneezed]

Not that I would know ANYTHING about this highly illegal manuever, but I have heard that a 2 Liter bottle of soda when emptied and a notch cut for the sight is a slightly larger fit on a BULL BARREL of a Ruger .22 target pistol. Wrapping 100mph tape (duct tape to civilians) at the place where the two overlap MIGHT cause a significant noise reduction especially if subsonic loads are used. MIGHT. Especially for the first two or three shots. KIds....for trained professionals only....DON'T try this at home!!!!

---

I can advise from recent experience with a friend who is a licensed manufacturer of silencers (meaning he can do whatever he damn well pleases without legal consequence). We removed the front sight from a 22 pistol that was already suppressed. We cut off the neck of a water bottle for a snug fit over the muzzle. The bottle didn't even move when fired (no need for cutting a slit or opening at the end. The bullet takes care of that just fine, thank you.

The effect was disappointing. A slightly deeper "tube-y" sound, but no quieter.

Regarding supersonic rifle rounds. The crack of the flight is not changed, but with a 223 or such, the small projectile doesn't make a very loud crack (compare a 50 BMG or an F-15.) The crack doesn't sound to an observer (enemy) as if it comes from the direction of the shooter, so it takes a VERY skilled and experienced observer to guess accurately based on the sound signature.

Silencers are neat, and it is a crime that they are essentially criminal, since they do little but reduce annoyance of neighbors, and hearing loss.

[Echo Talon]

if you want a silencer and you live in a state that they are legal go to impactguns.com

[Stoat]

They should prosecute for the silencer. This is a 10 year, $10,000 federal felony, you may not manufacture a silencer without a special tax stamp to do so. It would make for a very funny court case.

It would make a WONDERFUL court case and would be a delightful way to drive the final nail into the coffin of the rabid antigun zealots and hysterics.