39 replies to this topic

[kurtcobain]

Ive seen a few topics about nerf silencers. What gives. Everyone knows that a REAL silencer works by slowing down the escaping gasses in the barrel. I know some people make mock silencers for fun. I admit I have done it a few times. But claiming that they work is absurd. Im open to critisism on this topic. If i'm wrong prove it to me. I'm just sceptical about them acctually working.

[SHADOW HUNTER ALPHA]

If you had actually read about any of those silencers, you would know that they do work. Forsaken_angel24 completely silenced a Titan here. Zero Talent provides a schematic for a working silencer here.

[b00m13]

I wish there was a way to silence the springs in guns that have had their AR's removed...
I've even tried filling the inside of the plunger with foam, to cushion the impact, but it didn't work.

[SHADOW HUNTER ALPHA]

The most you will ever be able to do for a springer is to fill the dead space with foam or Great Stuff to dampen the sound a little. You could also put some craft foam on the plunger head, but that's about it.

[Kid Flash]

i am currently working on a beer bottle silencer. im going to post it when i get it to actually silence a gun. please not that it will look stupid though.

[CD-R]

I remember reading somewhere that any sort of weapon or something with a silencer on it is considered firearm. Here is what the National Firearms Act says:
(a) Firearm. -- The term "firearm" means (1) a shotgun having a barrel or barrels of less than 18 inches in length; (2) a weapon made from a shotgun if such weapon as modified has an overall length of less than 26 inches or a barrel or barrels of less than 18 inches in length; (3) a rifle having a barrel or barrels of less than 16 inches in length; (4) a weapon made from a rifle if such weapon as modified has an overall length of less than 26 inches or a barrel or barrels of less than 16 inches in length; (5) any other weapon, as defined in subsection (e); (6) a machinegun; (7) any silencer (as defined in section 921 of title 18, United States Code); and (8) a destructive device. The term "firearm" shall not include an antique firearm or any device (other than a machinegun or destructive device) which, although designed as a weapon, the Secretary finds by reason of the date of its manufacture, value, design, and other characteristics is primarily a collector's item and is not likely to be used as a weapon.
I doubt that you'll get any trouble for it, but it is something to consider. I think that NERF guns fall under the classification of a collectible.
I think that it would be really, really, stupid for some loophole to make nerf guns classified as firearms, but I'm not a lawyer, so I wouldn't know.

[kurtcobain]

The best you can do with a real silencer is reduce the noise to a barely audible pneumatic "puff". that pretty much is all you get with a nerf gun. So the only reason to silence a nerf gun is for FUN. The real purpose of a silencer is not only to make the gun a little less audible but also keep the victim guessing as to where the gun was fired. it turns the gun into a sort of "ventrilloquist" to borrow the callocialism.

Sure a nerf silencer will condence the sound a little bit, but it wont make any more than a few decibles quieter.

Edited by kurtcobain, 07 August 2007 - 05:34 PM.

[voidSkipper]

I remember reading somewhere that any sort of weapon or something with a silencer on it is considered firearm. Here is what the National Firearms Act says:
(a) Firearm. -- The term "firearm" means (1) a shotgun having a barrel or barrels of less than 18 inches in length; (2) a weapon made from a shotgun if such weapon as modified has an overall length of less than 26 inches or a barrel or barrels of less than 18 inches in length; (3) a rifle having a barrel or barrels of less than 16 inches in length; (4) a weapon made from a rifle if such weapon as modified has an overall length of less than 26 inches or a barrel or barrels of less than 16 inches in length; (5) any other weapon, as defined in subsection (e); (6) a machinegun; (7) any silencer (as defined in section 921 of title 18, United States Code); and (8) a destructive device. The term "firearm" shall not include an antique firearm or any device (other than a machinegun or destructive device) which, although designed as a weapon, the Secretary finds by reason of the date of its manufacture, value, design, and other characteristics is primarily a collector's item and is not likely to be used as a weapon.
I doubt that you'll get any trouble for it, but it is something to consider. I think that NERF guns fall under the classification of a collectible.
I think that it would be really, really, stupid for some loophole to make nerf guns classified as firearms, but I'm not a lawyer, so I wouldn't know.

So just don't call it a silencer. It works differently, anyway.

[SHADOW HUNTER ALPHA]

Sure a nerf silencer will condence the sound a little bit, but it wont make any more than a few decibles quieter.

Did you read the first link I gave you? F_A24 stated that his Titan can no longer be heard from even 30 feet away. Also, silencers are very practical in Nerf. You don't want the opposition to know where you are if you have a big, long-range but slow to reload gun as your primary, so you suppress it. This works exceptionally well in assassination games where you can hide across the street and pick single or multiple targets off unnoticed.

[joeyaglr444]

I totally agree with the above said You cant reduce a suppressor to absolute zero, But than again neither can you in real life. Movies have hyped up silencers too be absolutely unnoticeable when in truth they're are not, even though they are great flash hiders.
I dont think you can stop that THWAP sound of the round leaving the barrel without reducing power dramatically, once again this happens in real life when a bullet travels through the silencer it relieves gas and with that u also relieve power.

In Truth many of us put silencers on our nerf guns because it makes them look F*CkInG SEXY
and many of them do work, still looks quite amazing.

[Doom]

If you want to silence a spring gun, I would first suggest lubricating the gun well, adding foam on all parts hit into each other (this might mean adding foam onto the plunger head to reduce the impact), and adding some sort of sound absorbing or sound reflecting material to reduce the audible noise further.

I have experimented a bit with some acoustical foam that McMaster-Carr offers and part number 5692T13 really works well. This stuff is light, cheap, and works really well. It won't reduce the sound to nothing. That would require putting the gun in an air tight container which isn't possible in Nerf because the dart must leave. So, just buy this foam and wrap your gun in it. I used this to silence some old movie cameras I have and it takes at least 10 dBs off just by wrapping the camera in it.

[MithMorchaint]

The best you can do with a real silencer is reduce the noise to a barely audible pneumatic "puff". that pretty much is all you get with a nerf gun. So the only reason to silence a nerf gun is for FUN. The real purpose of a silencer is not only to make the gun a little less audible but also keep the victim guessing as to where the gun was fired. it turns the gun into a sort of "ventrilloquist" to borrow the callocialism.

Sure a nerf silencer will condence the sound a little bit, but it wont make any more than a few decibles quieter.

It sounds, from what you've been saying, as though you haven't actually made one and tested it. That being the case, I wouldn't say what they CAN and CAN'T do. You cannot make statements about their abilities without actually testing one. Having said that, this has made me curious, so I'm going to make one for my Titan when I get a chance (middle of a Longshot project at the moment) - I recommend you make one as well and see for yourself whether they work.

Also, I think you meant "colloquialism" which does not make even remote sense in this case. Colloquialism (n.) - a colloquial expression; characteristic of spoken or written communication that seeks to imitate informal speech.

Doesn't matter or have any impact on the subject, just thought I'd let you know.

[General Cole]

Working scilencer = ILLEGAL. If you can't remove it, then you are fine. But they are worth it, as long as you can't remove them. I have a TOTALLY scilenced 3K, singled, well not totally, but if you aren't listening for it at a distance of over 10 feet, you don't know where it came from.

[Forsaken angel24]

It is true my big black silencer did work. However it weighed over 3 pounds and was awkward as hell to hold.
Not noticeable at all when fired from 30 feet away.

[supercraft99]

Even if it doesn't work, I think we can all understand the cosmetic appeal of a silencer. Which, based on some of the amazing paint jobs on this site, is something most of us find important.

[bored kid93]

My homemade looks just plain sweeet with a silencer, but it also serves a purpose. Without the silencer, the gun makes more of a loud THUNK noise, but with the silencer it makes a small pop sound. A silencer can also be used with great effect when it comes to pre-charged-pneumatic guns, like ballvalve guns, since instead of gas, there is compressed air that makes 90% of the noise. If you can get this air to depressurize a little before the projectile exits the barrel, you can make it pretty silent, since it works off the same principles as a firearm in that manner.

[bored kid93]

Incredible, I didn't have a clue that air was a gas.
P.S. Gas from a fired round is different from oxygen, and I didn't want to simply refer to oxygen as gas, as that might cause some confusion, especially to those who are new to all this, and don't know much about guns, or how they work.

Edited by bored_kid93, 12 August 2007 - 03:55 PM.

[zaphodB]

Either way, differentiating between the two makes no sense. The silencer can't tell what the chemical composition of the gas going through it is.

[BustaNinja]

The most I've ever done on silencing was filling dead space with FBR. I still have a big problem though because all of the noise in my LS is at the back so Im dead in the water.

[bored kid93]

Ok, I'll just quit on this. Nobody understands what I'm trying to say.

[zaphodB]

no, you're quitting because you're wrong. the plain and simple truth of the matter is that nerf guns have neither the barrel velocity or the range to make even a fantasticly functioning supressor a worthwhile addition. you're much more likely to be noticed because of motion than because of sound anyway, and in nerf, no-one likes a sn1per, making a supressor even less desirable.

[Prometheus]

Just thought I'd add another thing. Suppressors/silencers that are home-made for Nerf guns add lots of weight to the tip of the barrel, making it harder to take aim while on the move. It makes the whole gun feel heavier.

So true. a simple counter weight in the stock (assuming you have one) can eliminate that though. Then you just have an all-round heavier gun.