American Handgunner Jul/Aug 2011 - Jeffersonian

PISTOLSMITHING
Alex Hamilton
THE INSIDE SCOOP
ON PISTOLSMITHING
TECHNIQUES
Silencer Stuff
The proper term is “suppressor” and the slang is “can,” but the old
original word I grew up with was “silencer.” It makes no difference
what you call them, they are built to silence the sharp muzzle crack of a
pistol or rifle. In the past, the .22 LR was about the only caliber which
could be effectively suppressed, but today, with our superior technology, we
can muffle the sound of just about any caliber — especially when loaded to
subsonic velocity. Cleaning is no longer a major problem, so most silencers
on today’s market are sealed.
There seems to be a genuine trend cranking up, as I’m being asked
to thread more and more barrels for silencers. The two most common
threads are 1/2" X 28 for pistols and 5/8" X 24 for rifles. Installing a
silencer on a pistol requires you obtain a barrel at least 1/2" longer than
the muzzle of the slide so there will be ample length to cut the threads.
Of course this will make it necessary to order a longer barrel from the
manufacturer, if it’s available.
If your pistol is of a common variety you can usually order a barrel
already threaded, since our government is ordering thousands of
silenced pistols direct from the manufacturers. The calibers
most commonly suppressed for pistols are .22 LR and
9mm. The most commonly silenced calibers for
rifles seems to be .223 and .308.
Goose
Down
Pillows
S
uppressors
This Walther P22 with a SWR
Spector .22 can is fun, easy
on the ears, and would
make a perfect varmint
control gun for
a farmer.
have always been a popular curiosity
since the late 1800s, and are in wide use today by
military and police. Hollywood has used everything,
including covering the muzzle with a downpillow,
to real, baffled suppressors made to the highest
standards of the time. Can you imagine attempting
to suppress the crack of a pistol with a goose-down
pillow? You would be picking the feathers out of your mouth and
hair for days, not to mention the fact there would have been no reduction in
noise. It would have taken the police about three minutes to pick you out of
the crowd and put the cuffs on your powder-burned paws.
One big drawback to having a “can” hanging out on the end of a
pistol is it blocks your sight picture, forcing you to point-shoot. There are
silencers made, such as the Osprey, that have the bullet hole offset so the
“can” sits lower on the barrel and the sights are in view over the top. In the
photos you can see how the center hole “cans” block the sights.
Another disadvantage of having a heavy “can” hanging out on the end
of a pistol barrel is the weight. In the past the muzzle weight would make
it difficult for the rear of the barrel to unlock, and caused the pistol to malfunction.
Today, with advanced technology and lightweight suppressors,
this is no longer a problem.
This 9mm SIG with an
AAC Ti Rant 9 supressor
is something a military
unit or police SWAT team
might put to use — not to
mention the fact they are
just plain fun to shoot!
The Red Tape
As you know, owning a suppressor
without government permission is a
big no-no and will ruin your life forever
if caught — and you will get caught.
The proper procedure is to fill out ATF
Form 4, complete with a couple of passport
photos and finger print card and submit it
to the US Department Of Justice BATFE/
NFA division and wait about six months
for approval. You can order and pay for the
suppressor from the manufacturer, at which
time he will give you the serial number
and other information. You then fill out the
Form 4 and send it in with a $200 cashier’s
check. When ATF approval comes through,
you notify the manufacturer with the registration
number and a copy of the approved
Form 4 and he will ship your new toy. It’s
a time consuming process, but more and
more shooters are opting to go through
with it. From the moment you receive your
approval, the letter or copy must accompany
the suppressor wherever it goes.
Another way to buy suppressors and
Class 3 stuff, especially if your local
chief law enforcement officer will not
sign off on the approval form, is to establish
a “Family Firearms Trust.”
This is the subject for another
column, but in short, the trust
is a tool to protect your guns
when you die. Those of you
who have heard of the Family
Trust alternative and would like
to know more about it you
might contact Sean Cody,
a Houston, Texas lawyer
specializing in family firearms
trusts. His website is www.
texasnfatrust.com. A family
firearms trust will cost
you about $450.
*
24 WWW.AMERICANHANDGUNNER.COM • JULY/AUGUST 2011