By: Tom Claycomb III
Photos by Author
To my understanding, a few decades back, there weren’t many silencer companies. In the last few years, I’ve noticed more companies offering silencers, though. To my casual observation, I kept hearing the name Silencer Central and that the company was the leader in the silencer world. Well, a little over a year ago, I was asked if I wanted to test out a Silencer Central Banish 30 silencer. Sure!
I soon found that a good thing about dealing with Silencer Central is that not only do they make a premier silencer, but they also do all of the leg work on getting your tax stamp lined up, the picture turned in, fingerprints turned in, etc., etc. They hand-walked me through the whole process.
SC sent me a fingerprint form. I ran down to the local police station and paid them a few bucks to fingerprint me. I also had to submit a passport-type picture. So, in a nutshell, they sent me all of the necessary forms and took me step-by-step through filling them out, including getting the dreaded NFA Tax Stamp, which is required to buy/own a silencer. The stamp cost $200.00 and is a one-time deal; you don’t have to renew it yearly like your boat registration.
You have three options when buying your silencer. You can designate it for an individual, trust, or corporation. Everyone advised me to do it as a trust. After receiving your tax stamp, I am told that you must carry a copy of the stamp with you every time you travel (or hunt) with your silencer.
The next question that is frequently asked is, can my buddies shoot it? Yes, as long as you are with them and in control of the situation.
WHY OWN A SILENCER?
Quite a few states allow you to hunt with a suppressor (in this article, I will interchange the words suppressor/silencer since they both mean the same thing). At last notice, I was told that 41 states allow hunting with suppressors, BUT as with all info in this article, check with the authorities in your state on the most updated rulings and laws.
While silencers are not used much in America, I’m told that they are the norm in Europe, and if you don’t use one, they think you are rude. I would think that they will catch on in areas where people hunt on smaller 20–60-acre parcels so the neighbors are not bothered as badly.
IS THE SOUND NONEXISTENT?
As with everything out of Hollywood and mainstream media, their version and the actual facts are light years apart. If you watch any Hollywood show in which a silencer is used, it is so quiet that when a shot is fired, it is barely noticeable. That is not a correct depiction. A silencer barely drops the sound below a noise level that makes you need hearing protection. And in fact, I still wear earplugs with mine, and if I’m shooting a lot at the range, I also wear earmuffs.
When I was first testing my silencer for this article, I employed the help of Spencer Coughlin, who is the Safety Manager at a big beef plant. He uses an Extech Instruments sound machine to test the noise level of machinery at his plant. This allows him to determine the noise levels so he can determine what hearing protection is required. To help make this product review more professional, I asked him to help me out.
The Extech Decibel monitor.
Of course, if we had placed the Extech at the barrel, it would have been louder, but I wanted to know the noise level at the location of my ears while shooting. So, we set the Extech on the table to my left, even with the bolt.
It measured 102.2 dBA without the suppressor. With the suppressor, the sound was dropped to 78.8 dBA, which is a reduction of 22.9%. For anything above 85.0 dB, it is recommended to wear hearing protection to prevent hearing loss. So, you can see that shooting with a suppressor is by no means silent, there’s just a big reduction in the noise.
The noise level without the silencer.
The noise level with the silencer.
INSTALLING A SILENCER
The Mossberg Patriot LR Hunter came threaded and with a thread protector on it.
Mounting a silencer on your rifle or pistol is super easy. A rifle/pistol must be threaded so the silencer can be screwed onto the firearm. Make sure the firearm and the silencer have compatible threading. All of the guns that I’ve checked out have a thread protector screwed on the firearms to protect the threads. Simply unscrew the cap and screw on the silencer.
The thread protector has been removed and I’m about to screw on the silencer.
GEAR USED IN THIS PRODUCT REVIEW
-Mossberg Patriot LR Hunter .300 Win Mag
-Sightron S1 4-12×40 G2 scope
-Hornady Precision Hunter .300 Win. Mag. 200 gr. ELD-X ammo
-Caldwell Stable Table and sandbags
-Extech Instruments noise level
-To spot targets, I used a set of German Precision Optics Passion HD 10×42 binoculars
Since I received my silencer, the purchase process has become more streamlined, and you can do more of it online. For more detailed info on how to buy a silencer, check out Silencer Centrals online tips:
https://www.silencershop.com/how-to-buy-a-silencer
SPECS ON THE SILENCER CENTRAL BANISH 30
Length 7” or 9”
Diameter 1-1/2”
Number of Baffles 8
Weight 11.2 or 14.3 oz
Material Titanium
Thread Pitch 5/8×24
Brand BANISH
Caliber .308/7.62
Caliber Range .17 to .300 WBY
Color Black
Finish Gun Kote
Sound Reduction 34 Db
Mount Style Direct Thread
Full-Auto Rated Limited Full-Auto Rated
Lifetime Warranty Yes