Hunting with "silencers"?

[Pathfinder1]

Hi...


I recently read where the Georgia Senate is considering allowing suppressors ("silencers") on rifles and shotguns for hunting wild hogs.

If carried, they will need federal registration, per their Senate.

Is this good, or bad?

Do other States allow them?

 

[Lamebeaver]

I am not aware of any states where silencers are legal.

 

[limaker]

I have never heard of this either but it seems like a bad idea early on. I could see something happen where not hearing a random gun going off in the woods could (maybe) lead to more accidental shootings.

 

[ppine]

Legalizing silencers is not that different than legalizing poaching. I agree that it would not be as safe either.

Most of the poachers I have known used .22s or arrows.

 

[Grandpa]

Poaching gun? Saw one of those yesterday. It was an original 1894 winchester of a type that broke down for saddlebags and also had a threaded barrel end to accomodate a silencer. I didn't realize just how many variations the old 1894 came in. This one was chambered for the .32-20.

 

[Pathfinder1]

Hi...


Just in case some people didn't know...a "silencer" does not eliminate the sound of a gunshot (like in the movies). What it does is surpresses...or reduces...the sound of the gunshot.

 

[LeadOperator]

The whole idea behind suppressors for hog hunting is that like I said before...hogs is SMART. You shoot one with a loud bang, and the rest scatter. What you wanna do is drop him in his tracks & line up on his cousin and so on. Now the hard part is droppin'em in their tracks. I've seen'em shot with a 30.06 & run a quarter of a mile. I saw one absorb 47 (yes, 47) .22 long rifle hollow points before he dropped. Gotta hit'em hard and accurately. The main thing you hafta remember when you're in an area with feral pigs...you are NOT at the top of the food chainat that point.

 

[Grandpa]

Excellent advice Lead Op.

 

[catspa]

Ppine, you might as well say, "Legalizing bows and arrows is not that different than legalizing poaching." It's not the sound that does the job, bud.

That said, there's a reason suppressors have traditionally been used on pistol-caliber weapons for short-range work. Depending on the supressor design, long range accuracy can be severely degraded and the "silencing" effect is minimal. Unfortunately, not many people know much about how supressors actually work, having in their mind instead the mistaken Hollywood idea of "silencers". A person thinking they'll just screw a can onto their 30-06 and fire at game is going to be severely disappointed.

Parker

 

[Judy Ann]

Hi...


I recently read where the Georgia Senate is considering allowing suppressors ("silencers") on rifles and shotguns for hunting wild hogs.

If carried, they will need federal registration, per their Senate.

Is this good, or bad?

Do other States allow them?

This may be one of the most inane statements that I have heard in decades. Spent many years with Southern hunters that relocated wild hogs after tracking them on private property and setting traps or riding horses and ATVs for a little more sport. This would be very much like roping a wild steer to some folks and hogs if killed were good for a pig pickin. If you can't shoot a bow then get out of the way and let real hunters do the job. All we need is a bunch of yahoos out in the country wounding animals and shooting anything that moves without noise letting the rest of us know that they are nearby. Dang, we need some folks with brains in government.

 

[dinosaur]

Everyone has something to say here. I don't care, I can make a supppressor out of a piece of tin foil and a plastic bottle. Silencing a rifle round is a piece of cake.

I don't need it so I don't do it. Why is this important? If I decide that your death is more important than life on this planet; you die.

Yeah, I know, I'm an asshole. Sarge, I am looking for support here. I'm probably not going to get it.

At some point someone has to do this.. When there are people who want to kill you, you have to do something. When I hear that I am an infidel and have to die, I get a bit testy about it. If I am a target for some weirdo with a bomb strapped to his stomach, I have a bit of a problem. I want him dead.

I'm not looking for him to understand me. I don't care what he wants or feels. I look at what he's trying to do and I want him gone.

I know I'm wrong. But I also know that if I get the chance, he's dead. I'm the bad guy. Sue me.

 

[oldsarge]

Sure, I'll back you up on this Dino! Just not sure how we made the transition from hogs to terrorist. Unless your're speaking of HOGs then it makes sense and you're spot on. I myself am still just a PIG.

 

[Grandpa]

Not sure I'm following the acronyms but I'll defend your right to defend yourself as well.

 

[ChadTower]

I'm still stuck on the reason for wanting one. If it degrades long range accuracy, and the goal is to drop more than one pig, seems like coordinated shots would be better. Learning to shoot accurately would be better. Making the rifle less accurate hoping to get off more shots sounds like a crutch for people who don't want to master the skills.

 

[oldsarge]

I'm still stuck on the reason for wanting one. If it degrades long range accuracy, and the goal is to drop more than one pig, seems like coordinated shots would be better. Learning to shoot accurately would be better. Making the rifle less accurate hoping to get off more shots sounds like a crutch for people who don't want to master the skills.

I wonder how far they are taking shot. Modern suppressors do not degrade accuracy as bad as people think. If you have a suppressor that shrouds the barrel, accuracy can even be improved. Some suppressors experience what they call "suppressor boost", a light push on the round by gasses expanding. If you are a sniper looking at reaching out to 400 or 500 meters you will experience a difference in accuracy, but they way to deal with that is to train and know the difference in how your weapon reacts in certain conditions. The quality of the suppressor is a big factor also.

 

[guns4570]

I hate to tell you guyes but Sound suppresses are legal in Kansas for hunting. They are also used in Australia and South Africa. The main reason they are used is to reduce hearing loss. For some reason people think they have to have a magnum to shoot a whitetail deer then they put a muzzle brake on it so they can stand the recoil. If you have ever been around one they can easel damage your hearing even if you only hunt with it. I have read son forums were guide services will not allow a customer to bring a gun with a muzzle brake on a hunt. A sound suppressor only reduces the sound it does not eliminate it.

 

[oldsarge]

A sound suppressor only reduces the sound it does not eliminate it.

Correct! Most people think of Hollywood movies and believe suppressors are made to make the weapon inaudible. The purpose is to change or mask the sound of the weapon. It will never be totally silenced. Even when using subsonic ammo.

 

[ChadTower]

If you are a sniper looking at reaching out to 400 or 500 meters you will experience a difference in accuracy, but they way to deal with that is to train and know the difference in how your weapon reacts in certain conditions.

Yeah, but we're not talking military activity here. If you're a sniper you don't need a second shot to drop a pig. It's not like the other pigs are going to mobilize and cut off your escape route.

 

[Pathfinder1]

Yeah, but we're not talking military activity here. If you're a sniper you don't need a second shot to drop a pig. It's not like the other pigs are going to mobilize and cut off your escape route.

Hi...


Lets hope they never went to SERE school...!!:fencing::fencing:

 

[oldsarge]

Yeah, but we're not talking military activity here. If you're a sniper you don't need a second shot to drop a pig. It's not like the other pigs are going to mobilize and cut off your escape route.

My point was that accuracy is not an issue as far as silencers are concerned. I am curious as to how far they are taking shots that's all. Others stated that this may lead up to accidental shootings, I don't see how.