New Guns Gallery: December 2008

Sunday, December 21, 2008

Instructions: How to Make a Silencer

Disclaimer: I have not tried this myself and don't personally know anyone who has. Build this at your own risk.
Warning: Silencers, homemade or otherwise, are illegal in the United States unless you have a federal license.

Post: This post is in response to some who have over the course of this blog asked me to tell them how to build a home made silencer. This was emailed to me, how to instruction source are unknown.

How to Make a Homemade Silencer

General Background:
A firearm silencer, also known as a suppressor, works in the same way as a car muffler. The muffler consists of chambers for the compression to be dispersed and the sound to be redirected or absorbed. Heat is also reduced throughout the muffler system. A firearm silencer works on the same principle.

There are generally three sections to a firearm silencer:

The first stage of the firearm silencer usually consists of something that will absorb and dissipate heat rapidly. It also allows for part of the compression to be reduced due to the quick cooling of gases.

The second stage of the firearm silencer usually consists of rubber or plastic washers or discs that help slow down the bullet to sub sonic speeds. It also helps reduce compression.

The third and more complicated stage of the firearm silencer usually consists of tall wooden washers with rubber discs between them or thick chambers of soft plastic. The end of this stage has a low wear rubber cylinder to slow down outgoing air.

The entire firearm silencer is contained within a one and a half inch 300 PSI (Pounds per Square Inch) plastic PVC pipe.

Parts list:

1x 6-14" 300psi plastic PVC pipe
10-15x Rubber or medium hardness plastic discs
11-16x Soft Wood washers with 1 1/4" internal diameter
1x Rubber cylinder
5x Rubber discs
6x tall wooden washers, plain
2x steel plugs for the middle and front of the firearm silencer
1x heat and pressure disbursement rod with positioning rings, black.
2x stabilizer donuts to keep the firearm silencer straight, red.
4x separator discs, green.
1x Adapter to attach the firearm silencer to the firearm.
Discs can be cut out with a hole saw, purchased from any local hardware store. The materials can be bought there also. Rubber or plastic can be cut out of tires or trashcans. wooden washers can be cut out of particle board. The steel plugs can be bought at any automotive store as freeze plugs. The heat and pressure rod can be bought at any metal shop; buy at 4-6 inches long Aluminum tube at about 1/8" thick with an ID (Internal Diameter) as close to the bullet size as possible. Stabilizer donuts can be cut out of birch or oak wood and then drilled with a hole drill. All discs and inserted materials except the head rod should be slightly under 1 1/2" diameter so that they will fill snugly in the tube.

The heat rod should be drilled full of holes 1/4" from each end. These holes should be about the same size as the bullet. Leave about a quarter inch gap between each hole. Place a wooden donut at each end and wrap the rod in aluminum screen. Screw the rod into the wood or use epoxy. Place this part into the tube first, this should be very tight and could even have to be hammered into the tube, however do not use screws or glue to hammer it in place.

Now place a steel plug in the tube so that the rounded end is facing the top or exit hole. Now place the adapter in the tube followed by the stabilizer donuts. Make sure the barrel will seat securely in the adapter and that the donuts are snug on the barrel. Make sure you place a separator disc between each stage. Drill little holes in the tube about halfway into the adapter and donuts and place small screws in place to hold them securely.

Note that a small angle is cut into the adapter to facilitate the sight of the gun. The adaptor has to be reamed at an angle so that the sight will not interfere.

Place a smaller PVC pipe in the front end and push the heat disbursement chamber up to the separator disc, next to the adapter.

Now from the top, place a wooden washer then plastic disc, washer, disc etc. 9mm ammunition usually requires 12-15 and a 22 usually 6-9. There should be 12-15 discs and 13-16 wooden washers, do not end up with a washer, now place another separator in place.

Last you will need to insert two rubber discs and a tall wooden washer, two discs then a washer. Now place another separator in place. Place the large rubber cylinder in place, this should be about 1/2" thick. Place the steel plug in place so that the rounded end is facing outwards and rivet it into the front carefully.

Before using be sure there is a clean hole all the way. Use a wooden dowel to see if the firearm silencer is lined up with the barrel hole. All inserted parts should have a hole in the center that is comparable in size to the size of the bullet's diameter.

Things you should know:

Suppressors will slow down the bullet and cause it to diffract in another direction.
Suppressors do not operate well in the cold, but this one will for the first few hundred rounds.
If you wish to shoot full auto you must double the quantity of internal parts and use an aluminum pipe covered with neoprene sleeve, remember that metal dings.
Firearm silencers are illegal in some areas; be safe and know the firearm silencer laws in your location.

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If anyone has ever tried this or has successful made a variation or different silencer, tell us your experiences.