Recent federal court cases in Texas (Jensen v. ATF and Silencer Shop Foundation v. ATF) have held that some National Firearms Act (NFA) requirements are unconstitutional, including onerous registration requirements for suppressors purchased by thousands of people involved in the cases (but not everyone). In many locales, the winning shooters no longer have to undergo intrusive NFA registrations of their cans, which makes the sales of silencers much more palatable to many shooters.
Still, even with the changing regulatory environment, suppressors are one of the most misrepresented pieces of gear in pop culture. Here are the big misconceptions:
1. “They make guns silent”
This is the biggest misconception, driven by movies. A suppressed gunshot is still loud — typically reduced from around 160-170 decibels to somewhere in the 130-140 decibel range. That’s still as loud as a jackhammer or ambulance siren, and well above the threshold for hearing damage. They suppress the sound, they don’t silence it. The “pfft” sound from movies is pure fiction — that effect requires subsonic ammunition and still doesn’t sound like that.
2. “They’re illegal to own in [My State]”
In most U.S. states, suppressors are legal to own for civilians. If the current court cases survive legal challenges, suppressors won’t be regulated under the National Firearms Act because it’s no longer necessary to purchase a $200 tax stamp to own one. In most states, buying a suppressor will become just like buying a firearm — just pass an FBI background check. A handful of states do ban civilian ownership, which if you don’t already know, your local gun shop will explain.
3. “Only criminals/assassins use them”
Suppressors are actually popular for pretty mundane reasons: hearing protection for the shooter and people nearby, reduced recoil and muzzle flip (making follow-up shots more accurate), and reduced noise pollution for neighbors near shooting ranges or hunting land. Law enforcement and hunters use them for these reasons. Contrary to their crime-thriller reputation, suppressors are rarely used in actual gun crimes — criminals overwhelmingly prefer speed and concealability over the added length and weight a suppressor requires.
4. “They eliminate the need for hearing protection”
Even suppressed, most gunshots exceed the 140 dB threshold considered safe for unprotected ears. Serious shooters still wear ear protection, even with a suppressor attached.
5. “One suppressor works on any gun”
Suppressors are generally caliber-specific and often thread-pattern-specific. A 22 LR suppressor won’t safely handle a 308 rifle round, for instance.
6. “They make a gun more accurate”
Indirectly, sometimes — reduced recoil and flinch can help a shooter’s accuracy — but the suppressor itself doesn’t inherently tighten shot groups. Some suppressors can even slightly shift point of impact. Limited Gun Tests comparisons of before-and-after groups have shown that suppressors can improve a given gun’s accuracy, but the improvement is by no means consistent.
To learn more about suppressors, check the links below.
Armed Attorneys Discuss Texas NFA Case
Questions and Answers About the Texas NFA Case
The Injunction Is In Effect. Join Now. Be Covered.
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