Suppressors reduce recoil and muzzle blast, making them great for training young shooters. The author’s son, Cole, used a suppressed AR to drop this ancient ram.

Though regulated by the National Firearms Act, suppressors can be possessed and used by individuals in 35 states as long as the proper federal and local requirements have been met. Fifteen states have banned civilian ownership outright.

The National Firearms Act Branch of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is the regulatory body for Title II items, which includes suppressors, machine guns, and short-barreled rifles and shotguns. To gain approval to own such items, you simply have to fill out the appropriate forms, have them signed by your local chief law enforcement official, and submit them to the NFA branch with a check for the appropriate fee ($200 for most Title II items) along with your fingerprints and a passport photograph. If you pass the extensive background check, your paperwork will be approved in 30 to 90 days, and you can take possession of your new "big-boy toy."

As easy as it all sounds, the ease of actually gaining approval depends on where you live. Though suppressor ownership is legal in, say, Texas, getting a signature from your chief law enforcement official is not guaranteed. For example, I live near Houston. The sheriff in my county will sign Title II paperwork with a smile, but you have a better chance making snowballs in Haiti than you have getting a signature from the Houston police chief or the Harris County sheriff.

There are legal and legitimate ways to get around the chief law enforcement officer signature requirement, but this is not a column about legal matters. Fortunately, Mr. Google and www.titleii.com are your friends; a few minutes of research there will get you on the fast track to making your rifle or pistol more "civilized."

How A Suppressor Works
Simply put, modern suppressors consist of a cylindrical device of machined steel or aluminum that uses a system of cones and baffles to trap the gases generated by a fired cartridge. Trapping the gases reduces pressure, cools the gas temperature, and delays the exit of some of the gases, all of which combine to significantly reduce muzzle blast.

There are two types of suppressors: muzzle-attached and integral. Muzzle-attached suppressors either screw onto the barrel or are affixed via some proprietary quick-release system. They do not have an adverse effect on velocity, though they will change the point of impact to some degree. Integral suppressors are built around the barrel of the firearm. They generally consist of a sleeve-type suppressor that fits over the barrel. The barrel has ports that allow some of the gases to bleed off into the suppressor. They are, by far, the quietest and sleekest-looking suppressors, but they do reduce muzzle velocity to some degree, depending on the number and size of ports.

A suppressor is not a "silencer." Though it does drastically reduce the amount of noise the discharge of a firearm makes, it does not make it silent. The amount of noise reduction depends on factors like suppressor design, ammunition, and action type.