SpudFiles

As most of you in the US know, the ATF has something against silencers, even those made/used exclusively for paintball.

BUT, I have seen extremely ported barrels and I have seen "barrel camoflauge". My question is, If I put two and two together, can I legally silence my paintball gun?

We already know that a ported barrel lessens sound and helps the paintball travel through the barrel with less turbulence. But they don't manage to dampen sound completely. Even with a good amount of air exiting the barrel before the paintball does (which normally causes a loud "POP"), sound is still produced when air rushes out of the porting.

So here's my idea. Why not come up with some gun camoflauge that functions like a guillie suit? Deck the whole gun out in fabric and attach different materials to make it like a suit would be. Here's the catch: There's fabric around the [heavily ported] barrel to provide it with camo, but, it also muffles the noise from air escaping out the ports the same way the material inside a silencer would.

If anyone asks, just say it's camo!

Any Ideas???



Disclaimer: I never told you to do this. So don't blame me if the gov decides to fuck you up the ass.

Disclaimer 2: (because the government spies) I didn't do this yet... so don't come looking for me.

compensated/ported/muzzlebraked firearms are louder, not quieter. while the shooter might not hear the report, the bystanders do.

is there something different in the way a launcher works that this would go against the norm?

The law doesn't define a silencer by what it looks like or how it's made, but by what it does - technically, if your device can be removed and fitted to a firearm and reduce the sound of the shot by one decibel (even if the shot destroys it) then in legal terms you have a silencer.

jackssmirkingrevenge wrote:The law doesn't define a silencer by what it looks like or how it's made, but by what it does - technically, if your device can be removed and fitted to a firearm and reduce the sound of the shot by one decibel (even if the shot destroys it) then in legal terms you have a silencer.

Yes, the problem with the way the law is written is that a pillow duct-taped to the muzzle will lower the sound output by quite a bit more than one dB.... but you can't ban pillows, now can you?

Peace,
Pete Zaria.

Taken from

http://www.atf.treas.gov/firearms/faq/faq2.htm

(M30) Are Paintball and/or Airgun Sound Suppressers NFA firearms? [Back]

The terms "firearm silencer" and "firearm muffler" mean any device for silencing, muffling, or diminishing the report of a portable firearm, including any combination of parts, designed or redesigned, and intended for use in assembling or fabricating a firearm silencer or firearm muffler, and any part intended only for use in such assembly or fabrication.

Numerous paintball and airgun silencers tested by ATF’s Firearms Technology Branch have been determined to be, by nature of their design and function, firearm silencers. Because silencers are NFA weapons, an individual wishing to manufacture or transfer such a silencer must receive prior approval from ATF and pay the required tax. See Questions M15 and 16 for application details.

get the approval and pay the tax and your good to go.

Pete Zaria wrote:Yes, the problem with the way the law is written is that a pillow duct-taped to the muzzle will lower the sound output by quite a bit more than one dB.... but you can't ban pillows, now can you?

Yes, but you can charge someone who duct-tapes a pillow to the muzzle of his gun with de-facto illegal posession of a silencer.

get the approval and pay the tax and your good to go.

That or epoxy your silencer permanently to your marker in the form of a shrouded barrel.

That or epoxy your silencer permanently to your marker in the form of a shrouded barrel.

i'm not a lawyer, but i didn't see anywhere that plain shrouded barrels were illegal. it would probably still be any device for silencing, muffling, or diminishing the report of a portable firearm, including any combination of parts, designed or redesigned.

i actually like a large report. it tends to send the civis running for cover.

The Beeman/Weihrauch HW97 air rifle comes with an integral silencer and is openly sold in the US.

jackssmirkingrevenge wrote:The Beeman/Weihrauch HW97 air rifle comes with an integral silencer and is openly sold in the US.

I believe GAMO now makes one. The Whisper I think.

PVC Arsenal 17 wrote:I believe GAMO now makes one. The Whisper I think.

Spot on, here it is: Gamo Whisper

Note how they avoid calling it a silencer (Nay, 'tis a noise dampener m'lad ) but just looking at the cutaway it is in fact a silencer with baffles and all. They do however emphasise the fact that it's non-removable, and no mention of any tax or permits so presumably it's all legal and above board.

It's worth noting that this is a springer, and as such most of the noise doesn't come from the muzzle blast but from the internal spring, so in spite of having this muzzle attachment, the rifle would be far from silent.

So anyway, this idea is still illegal?

A while back, I had the opportunity to speak with an ATF agent and the conversation came up about silencers. The main reason silencers are illegal for paintball / airsoft is because it has the tendency to be removed and placed on a real firearm.

If the silencer was fixed permanently to the paintball / airsoft gun it would not be illegal.

As far as draping camo over the muzzle and porting, that would be considered camouflage. If it is illegal or not, all depends on what you call it.

Another question arises. How much does this camo actually silence the marker and would it effectively silence a real firearm? Chances are, it would silence the maker very little and probably wouldn't be noticeable on a real firearm (if it is not a noticeable silence on a real firearm, then it is legal).

In other words, try it and see if it works. If it does, call it camouflage instead of a silencer.

Well, with those air rifles the "dampener" (m gonna use that more often, sounds better) is already built onto it when you buy it and is therefore the primary decibel level the actual rifle makes.
I think what the Spazzing out is about is if you silence a weapon to make it more silent from it's primary decibel level.

I hope the GAMO whisper is legal in AUS, I'm getting a job soon and I'll put one on lay-by.

Happy SPuddin'

ok, so tell me i took this the wrong way
but as i understand what you guys are saying, for spudguns, if we solvent weld silencers onto the barrel it is legal?

sandman wrote:ok, so tell me i took this the wrong way
but as i understand what you guys are saying, for spudguns, if we solvent weld silencers onto the barrel it is legal?

Correct! If the silencer is permanently attached, it is legal.