pokute wrote:You can get any number of suppressors on Amazon for $15 to $45. If you think about it really hard, you'll realize that you run about the same risk having an undocumented suppressor as you do having a fully blessed one. You're also likely to discover, about 15 minutes after getting one, that it's about as much fun as a flat basketball. You could buy a case of ammo for what you spend on a blessed one.
Just my cranky opinion, of course. Based on having a friend who is Federal DOJ who goes shooting with me, and long discussions resulting therefrom.
I spent a lot of time leading up to my purchase considering the pros and cons. The months long wait time, paperwork hassle, and fairly substantial expense associated with a suppressor definitely caused me to think hard about: Why do I want it? Is it worth the money and aggravation? I would definitely appreciate a lower decibel level when shooting an AR indoors at my usual range. Muffs + plugs combo for pistol shooting is okay, but still seems inadequate when I shoot rifle indoors. Plus my short barrel 5.56 pistol is obnoxiously loud, even outdoors. It would be nice to tame the noise if possible. I have no hearing in my right ear, so I am very careful about protecting my left ear and making sure it still works in my senior years. And there is an undeniable coolness factor in owning an accessory that is not easily accessible to the rest of the public. I had some extra cash on hand after selling off a highly marketable but seldom shot gun, so I decided to go for it.
I have yet to hear of the suppressor police sweeping through local shooting ranges to verify proper documentation. Someone illegally using a suppressor could very well operate undetected. But what if that person gets in trouble with the law for some other reason, even a minor offense, and they discover an undocumented suppressor squirreled away in the gun safe? Suddenly you're looking at whole lot of trouble that threatens your right to lawfully own firearms from that point forward. Not worth the risk.