Pistols, rifles and other firearms (guns) make a lot of noise. Repeated exposure to loud gunshots will damage your hearing. For this reason, your gun needs a suppressor - often referred to as a silencer or muffler. Protect your hearing - use a high quality suppressor.
Pistols, rifles and other firearms (guns) make a lot of noise. If you are outside trying to enjoy nature, the last thing you want to hear is someone shooting. So be courteous and use a high quality suppressor (silencer) to reduce your noise signature to the immediate area. Please allow the others to enjoy the natural quiet of the outdoors.
A suppressor (silencer) can only reduce the noise created by the projectile (bullet, shot) propulsion gasses leaving the muzzle end of the barrel. A suppressor cannot do anything about the metal parts of the gun banging together - typical for a semiautomatic firearm. A suppressor cannot do anything about the ejection port noises - also typical for an semiautomatic firearm. Finally, a suppressor cannot do anything about the "sonic boom" created by a supersonic projectile traveling through the air.
There are several factors that will determine if the projectile (bullet, shot) fired from a firearm (gun) will be supersonic or not - even if you are firing standard velocity (slightly supersonic) ammunition.
If you are shooting ammunition designed to be subsonic, the projectile will always be subsonic. But let's assume you are firing standard velocity ammunition - ammunition designed to be ony slightly supersonic. Under what conditions will the projectile be subsonic? The simple answer is when the projectile is fired from a short barrel.
The reason slightly supersonic ammunition may be performing at subsonic speeds is that it takes time for the propulsion gasses to accelerate the projectile. The longer the barrel, the more time the high pressure gasses have to accelerate the projectile and thus the higher the projectile speed - up to a point.
Most ammunition is speed rated based on a 22 inch standard barrel. If the barrel is too long, the projectile actually begins to slow down because there are not enough gasses to continue the accelleration and the resistance of the projectile traveling through the barrel becomes dominant and starts to slow the projectile. The maximum speed possible depends on the ammunition and barrel combination and will typically be found around 16 to 24 inches of barrel length.
For maximum noise reduction, a suppressor should always be used in conditions that result in subsonic projectile speeds.
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HDS Systems has developed a new firearm suppressor system design that emphasizes maximum performance in a shorter length. We have written a rather lengthy paper that explains the general design principals for all suppressors and then explains why our design is significantly different - and better - than other suppressors. To find out how it works, please read High Performance Shortened Firearm Suppressor (PDF).