stanc Wrote:Not sure that European experience is very applicable to the United States. And IMO, he's right, although "all the time" is hyperbole. Machine guns are highly regulated, and few at used in crime. If suppressors are deregulated, I think its almost certain their use in crimes will increase.
Heh, heh. Must be some pretty crappy suppressors. I used to work with a manufacturer of suppressors that were very quiet. When testing them, we never felt a need to wear hearing protection. Indeed, the whole purpose of suppressors is to make hearing protection unnecessary.
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Sorry Stan, both of those claims don't sit well with me.
There is no evidence to suggest that suppressors are used in crimes to a concerning degree in places where they are more readily available (e.g. Finland and New Zealand). The idea that suppressors can facilitate crime (to a concerning degree) is also questionable.
The whole idea of suppressors is to make the muzzle report quieter, not necessarily to the extent that hearing protection is not required. In High power centre-fire rifles that is physically impossible. High power rifles are in the order of 170+db. Suppressors can shave up to 35db off that. Sound above 85db will still damage your hearing if it is cumulative, and the higher it goes the length of time where it is damaging shortens. Sound at 130db will definitely damage your hearing. The problem here is that shooters expect a lot from a device that requires a lot of money, paperwork, waiting and effort. Hollywood is also to blame for portraying them as quieter and more useful than they really are. The bottom line is these things have limitations. We used suppressed weapons often in the military yet always wore 'double ears' in training (squeezies and muffs).
They can, to a degree confound others from pin-pointing the shooter. You can also use them to facilitate communication in a group situation. Also to appreciate more readily the good guys from the bad guys by the sound of their weapons. If also subsonic then you can be a closer distance to others than unsuppressed and not be heard, or more typically be of concern if heard (e.g. if talking about civilian crime,... poaching).
I certainly wouldn't advocate not wearing ear protection with suppressors, even when using subsonics.