The internet is on fire talking about suppressors after Hillary Clinton claimed the Las Vegas shooting would have been worse had the perpetrator, Stephen Paddock, used a suppressor.
The crowd fled at the sound of gunshots.
Imagine the deaths if the shooter had a silencer, which the NRA wants to make easier to get.
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) October 2, 2017
Her logic is very flawed. There are a few things everybody should know about silencers before getting into a debate.
1) Suppressors are highly regulated.
Suppressors are regulated under the 1934 National Firearms Act. A Class III license is required to purchase one and is an expensive and lengthy process. It can take several months to get your hands on a suppressor legally, and illegal possession of a one will almost certainly result in a lengthy prison sentence.
2) Suppressors don’t make guns silent. Not even close.
Suppressors don’t make guns silent. There is nothing in the world that can make a gun silent. They do take the edge off of the weapon’s noise, but it’s still very easy to tell when a suppressed weapon is being fired. This isn’t the movies. Just because James Bond quietly used one doesn’t mean it’s reality.
Here a couple videos that will show you what I’m talking about.
The weapons are quieter without a doubt, but still very far from being silent. I wouldn’t ever recommend skipping your ear protection, even on a suppressed weapon.
3) Majority of silencers aren’t used by bad guys.
Again, it’s a Hollywood manufactured narrative that the majority of silencers are used to assassinate people.
They’re mostly used by people who want to shoot, but not bother their neighbors a few hundred yards away. They’re also popular among hunters. You’d know why if you ever let an AR-15 off of the chain with zero ear protection.
It’s also worth noting that .003 percent of suppressors are used in a crime every year.
.003 percent.
Those are the basic things to keep in mind when you hear people discussing suppressors.