Topic summary
Suppressor
Extracted from the Wikipedia article Silencer (firearms).
Effectiveness
Live tests by independent reviewers of numerous commercially available suppressors find that even low-power, unsuppressed .22LR handguns produce gunshots over 160 decibels. A recent study of various suppressors reported peak sound pressure level reductions between 17dB and 24dB. Another study evaluated two calibers of rifle and nine suppressors, .223 caliber AR-15 (five suppressors) and .300 caliber AAC Blackout (four suppressors), and reported noise reduction of the peak sound level pressure between 7 dB and 32 dB. The De Lisle carbine, a British World War II suppressed rifle used in small numbers by Special Forces, was recorded at 85.5 dB in official firing tests.