Looking at some PGW rifles with the suppressors. Can a civilian get a suppressor on their rifle? Do they have any affect on the accuracy of a rifle? Any downsides besides the weight?
The major downside to shooting with a suppressor is that you will never want to do it without a suppressor. Shooting loud is simply uncivilized.
I just had this conversation with a friend who is a police officer.
ME: I think suppressors should be legal
HIM: please tell me why they should be legal
ME: To help protect my hearing while shooting.
HIM: hmm, never thought of it that way.
The better question would be "Why do you think suppressors should be illegal?"
Every single answer that can be offered is easily countered as anti-gun bunk.
Suppressors are illegal for the exact same reason Paris Hilton is famous. No reason at all. They are simply illegal because they are illegal. There was no reason for it in the first place and the law has just be perpetuated over the decades without anyone ever asking "Why?"
I can see where the lack of a report or suppressed fire could be dangerous especially in southern ontario.
I'd like to hear how a loud shot could be safer than a quieter shot?
As for the hearing issue? Isn't that what hearing protection is for?
You are assuming that current hearing protection devices are effective. A doctor who specializes in hearing issues did a study which shows they are not and you are still being exposed to damaging levels of noise even when wearing hearing protection.
A sound suppressor is the only way to ensure that damaging levels of gunshot noise do not reach the ears. Sound suppressors also protect those around the shooter and the environment, things that no set of earplugs can do.
Thats the thing, ppl are still going to commit crimes regardless of suppressor or not.
There was a study done in the US that shows suppressed firearms are actually less likely to be used in the commission of a crime than a non-suppressed gun. The presence of a suppressor during a crime is very rare, the actual discharge of a suppressed firearm during a crime is an even rarer event to the point of being a non-issue.
There is simply no good reason for them to be prohibited and there was no good reason they were written into the law in the first place. It was just something someone though should be included at the time the laws were written and nobody has challenged it since.