I have a suppressor on my home defense pistol. (Call it a “bedside gun) I have other pistols for carry purposes.

My reasoning for a suppressor on a HD gun is as follows:
1. Minimize risk of hearing damage both permanent and short term for tactical awareness in a situation where I am defending my home heaven forbid
2. Minimize conclusive blast when shooting in hallways etc for accuracy and speed of shots. (I’m not a navy seal and I dont know how it would effect shooting a service round indoors.
3. I have zero concern with the evidence locker argument/ or the “angry jury” personally. Loss of 1k-2k of gun assets is not even close to the value of my life or permanent hearing loss. I don’t plan on making any unjustifiable shots. (YMMV)

Arguments against it that I do put some credit it:
1. Longer weapon less maneuverable
2. You actually want your neighbors to hear so they call the police

Anyone firmly for or against a suppressor on a pistol for HD? I don’t believe there is a single right answer but would like to hear thoughts from others.


Here is my set up it’s the cheapest handgun and cheapest suppressor that I own so there is that for the evidence locker counter argument as well. I also run it on short config to minimize additional length. Again the goal is not movie silence quite, I just don’t want to blow my ears out or get massive concision to your head from bouncing off walls.

I keep a suppressed MP5K next to the bed for all the same reasons you listed. With that being said, I live in a very safe neighborhood, but you never know.

I deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan and the sound outside in a gunfight was deafening, inside even worse. A suppressor in the home defense role makes perfect sense to me.

quote:

Originally posted by usncorpsman:
I keep a suppressed MP5K next to the bed for all the same reasons you listed. With that being said, I live in a very safe neighborhood, but you never know.

I deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan and the sound outside in a gunfight was deafening, inside even worse. A suppressor in the home defense role makes perfect sense to me.

Thanks for the feedback. I have other sub guns/AR's around the house but like you live in a safe neighborhood and due to 3 children etc, operationally a pistol is my "bedside" bump in the night gun, to get to something bigger if necessary and time permits.

quote:

Originally posted by Amurr:
2. You actually want your neighbors to hear so they call the police

I am aware of incidents, including one I investigated myself, in which people in the same house as where the (unsuppressed) shot was fired didn’t recognize the sound as a gunshot. This is something that’s commonly reported in active shooter or similar incidents by people in the same building: “I didn’t realize it was gunfire.”

We have suppressed rifles in our house for home defense purposes. I have a couple staged pistols that are not suppressed, primarily so they fit their hiding places, to keep the size down, and because I have seen some diminished reliability with suppressors on some pistols (mostly Glocks). That said...go for it.

We also live in the country and took advantage of the opportunity to shoot from inside the house to the outside to get a sense of effectiveness. Overall... it'll help your hearing, but it isn't quiet by a long shot.

Great, something you can get snagged.

That's a nope from me.

I've had numerous people ask me this same question over the years, and I give them all the same answer.

Go to your local indoor range and rent a suppressed handgun, preferably the same model that you already own, but any brand will do as long as the barrel is approximately the same length as the one you already have.

Go into the range with your muffs on and shoot a couple of rounds suppressed, then a couple of rounds unsupressed, and so on until you've reached a decision.

Not a single one of the people bought a suppressor for home use after that. They found there really isn't that much difference in sound or concussion indoors.

I would be reluctant to use an NFA item for self defense. After shooting and/or killing a perp, the primary goal is to avoid/defend criminal charges from the local D.A. - and we all know that we should articulate to responding officers that we were in fear for our life, stopped the threat, and would prefer a lawyer is present during any questioning. After that the next goal is to avoid/defend a civil case from the perps survivors. The third goal is to avoid/defend any Federal violation of civil rights charges.

I would not want to introduce another path for Federal charges to be filed. Perhaps that is overly cautious, but I would not discount the possibility with the current administration and BATFE.

My bedside gun is a suppressed Glock 21 and suppressed 300blk sbr. Her side is a suppressed Beretta 92.

Upstairs my kids both have matching suppressed Glock 19s.

Please forgive me for what might be a dumb question? If the SHTF in the middle of the night and your heart rate is off the chart will you even hear gunfire?

quote:

Originally posted by Lefty Sig:
I would be reluctant to use an NFA item for self defense. After shooting and/or killing a perp, the primary goal is to avoid/defend criminal charges from the local D.A. - and we all know that we should articulate to responding officers that we were in fear for our life, stopped the threat, and would prefer a lawyer is present during any questioning. After that the next goal is to avoid/defend a civil case from the perps survivors. The third goal is to avoid/defend any Federal violation of civil rights charges.

I would not want to introduce another path for Federal charges to be filed. Perhaps that is overly cautious, but I would not discount the possibility with the current administration and BATFE.

I used to think the same way. If legally owned, stamp, etc, then I don’t buy the logic anymore. It’s pretty simple, legal vs. illegal. Firearm went through my FFL, I’m legally able to own said firearm. Then the stamp is legal, filed with the ATF, money paid. That’s about it. I’m not risking my or the k9’s hearing any longer.

I also don’t agree with your goal list either. My first goal is to not ever fire a shot. Intimidate, use lumens, a k9, a laser, whatever you have to do to get them off your property then call LE. I do not want to shoot or kill anyone, period. There are a number of ways to avoid or deter it getting that far. Surveillance cameras deter thieves. Home alarm with motion sensors, etc.

A legally owned can, in the grand scheme, is the least of my concerns.

I agree with Pre - I have a suppressed cz scorpion with light. If you are in my home illegally and I have to use it, I will be legally justified if I have to use it.

Pistol suppressors are fun to play with. Your ears will still be ringing….the perception they create some drastic difference indoors is largely fabricated justification for people and LE agencies to buy cool toys.

Personally, Id use a 223/5.56 in a house.

All that said, of you want one, it’s America. Get one and have fun. It wont hurt. Shrug.

That’s really dumb

quote:

Originally posted by jdshank:
Please forgive me for what might be a dumb question? If the SHTF in the middle of the night and your heart rate is off the chart will you even hear gunfire?

Mentally, one might not seem to hear the shot due to a phenomenon known as "auditory exclusion," but the physical effect on your ears is still the same. However, the report of a suppressed round, especially if supersonic (there is no way to mask the sonic boom), isn't like TV and movies where they go "piff piff." It is actually still fairly loud, just not quite as loud.

I'd listen to Prefontaine.

quote:

Originally posted by xmod:
That’s really dumb

Why?

quote:

Originally posted by Prefontaine:

A legally owned can, in the grand scheme, is the least of my concerns.

Yep. Exactly this.

Cuz a suppressed 223 is louder than a suppressed pistol caliber and why use a 223 if you dont need to? My suppressed 9mm with subs is not loud.

quote:

Originally posted by xmod:
Cuz a suppressed 223 is louder than a suppressed pistol caliber and why use a 223 if you dont need to? My suppressed 9mm with subs is not loud.

Well. That’s a fair point, but itll still be loud indoors. I guess I was coming at it from an angle of what works better.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: kiwikurt,