Are you interested in getting a pistol silencer, but do not know a lot about them? It will help to know the following three things about them so that you know what to expect.

Silencers Only Suppress The Noise

Many people have the wrong expectations about what a pistol silencer actually does. This is because of the misconception caused by television shows and movies that show pistol silencers as being near silent. This is not true at all, since a pistol silencer is only going to suppress the sound to make it more tolerable. 

Silencers Make Gunfire Noise Tolerable 

When it comes to the decibel level of firing an unsilenced shotgun, be aware that a .22- caliber rifle can be as loud as 140 dB. This is a decibel level that is known to cause permanent hearing damage, especially over time with increased exposure to the sound. A silencer is capable of lowering the decibel level by approximately 30 dB. This can take that same rifle and reduce its noise level to approximately 110 dB. While it is still loud, it is within a safe range that is not going to damage your hearing from firing it. 

Since gun fire is not a sustained sound and only occurs in small bursts, you will be less likely to damage your ears if you are using the silenced gun without ear protection. However, adding ear protection can reduce the sound even more and further limit potential damage. Silencers and ear protection can be a great way to protect your hearing if you fire guns frequently. 

Silencers Are Not Legal Everywhere 

Since silencers are capable of reducing the chance of hearing loss, you may be surprised to learn that they are not legal everywhere within the United States. There are actually 11 states where you cannot own a silencer at all. Of those remaining 39 states, only 30 of them restrict the use of silencers for hunting purposes. 

This means that you need to become familiar with the laws where you live before you decide to buy a silencer. You'll want to make sure that you can use the silencer in the circumstances that you want to use it, or else you may be wasting money.

Still interested in buying a pistol silencer? Reach out to a gun store in your area that sells these accessories, since they can tell you more about them.