How does a gun silencer work?

Question

How does a gun silencer work?

Answer 1

The sound a gun makes is a result of all the gases within the barrel quickly escaping the barrel when a bullet is shot. A silencer disperses the gas more evenly, allowing it to escape from the gun barrel in a more spread-out fasion, thus reducing the noise.

Answer 2

A firearm silencer works just like a car muffler.  It allows the gunpowder gases to expand and cool as they leave the gun barrel.  There are several types of silencers classed on how they are made.  Some are a tube with rubber disks called wipes.  They have X shaped holes in them that open then close as the bullet passes by.  They are very effective, but the bullet damages the wipes with each shot and they become ineffective after a few dozen rounds.  Other primitive silencers are made with a tube filled with metal mesh.  They are less effective than other types, but are easy to make and last a bit longer than silencers equipped with wipes.   Mesh and wipe silencers both touch the bullet as it passes through; reducing velocity and accuracy.

The best silencers are made with metal baffles.  These are usually cone shaped, or shaped like an M or a K.  These baffles are made of metals such as aluminum, steel inconel or titanium.  They will last many thousands of rounds as long as they are not overheated or misaligned and damaged by bullet strikes.  A baffle silencer works well on both high and low powered guns.  They will reduce muzzle blast noise by 20-30 decibels (100-1000 times).  However since rifles can be more than 160 decibels, a good silencer might not reduce the noise level down to that which is safe to shoot without hearing protection.

Silencers are legal in 37 states to unlicensed civilians.  No license or permit is required, just the $200 tax stamp.  The ATF routinely issues the stamp to anyone who wants to make or buy one as long as they fill out the paperwork correctly.  Take a look at http://www.subguns.com http://www.silencertests.com and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suppressor for more info.

Ranb