Pistol Silencers

Yes, pistol silencers are legal. Silencers, while regulated, actually make guns safer for everyone. They reduce the risk of hearing loss, allowing gun owners to operate without earplugs, which in turn, helps them be much more aware of their surroundings.

So yes. With the exception of 8 states (California, Illinois, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Delaware, Hawaii), and one federal district, Washington D.C, owning suppressors is legal in the United States of America. If you want to know more about the specific regulations on silencers in your state, read our state-by-state guide on silencer ownership.

And if the process seems a little daunting, don’t worry. Silencer Central is here to help you navigate the buying process, wait time, and paperwork. We’re licensed in all 42 states where pistol silencers are legal.

Most standard pistols can be used with silencers, but we recommend talking with our team to know for sure if your pistol is ideal for being used with a silencer. We’re available to help Mon – Fri 8:30 am – 5 pm, Sat 12-3 pm (CT), and can be reached by phone at 888-781-8778 or by email at customerservice@silencercentral.com.

Yes, absolutely. Silencers offer many of the same benefits to pistol shooters as they do to rifle and shotgun shooters. Even the best Pistol silencers tend to get a bad rap because unlike rifles or shotguns, pistols are often bought to conceal or be discreet.

However, a suppressed pistol is a great training aid. Suppressors reduce recoil and noise flinch. A silencer makes a gun safer and more manageable, with less risk of hearing loss, and allows you to take off your hearing protection and be aware of the space around you. A silencer also reduces noise pollution, recoil, and muzzle flash, and increases accuracy. In some cases, it might even increase the velocity of the bullet.

How loud a suppressed pistol is depends greatly upon the caliber being fired and the suppressor being used. Unlike in the movies, a silencer won’t give you a completely soundless bullet whispering through the air. The word “suppressor” is really more accurate because these products suppress the sound of a gun rather than silence it.

That said, the level of sound suppression you typically get from a silencer is between 20 – 36 dB. Which is enough to significantly reduce the risk of hearing damage. Essentially, suppressors make guns just quiet enough to reduce most or all of the downsides associated with extremely loud gunshots.

See our article about how we test our silencers for more information.

Yes, you do. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) requires that you have your tax stamp and registration available when in possession of a suppressor.