SpudFiles

i didnt want to say silencer,as i hear its illegal to own ...lol....but i made one tonight...14inches long...4 lines of 14 , 3/8'' holes right to last inch of barrel. 2'' barrel with 3'' muffler...holes drilled inward at 45degree angle towards chamber. Packed with cotton batting. So i fired it.....still loud as hell. wtf?

using a muffeler or scilencer (same thing) makes your cannon a fire arm. making it illegal to construct and illegal to own unregestered. thats two felonys

Well its not illegal YET because its still as loud as it was....so no harm YET...nvm this thread then.

you cant really silence a spud gun unless u have a huge extension with progressivly bigger vents to truely silence it, i'm willing to bet it will work with 5 feet

the point is to vent the gas slowly before the spud ever leaves the barrel

Once upon a time I made rather "holey" barrel extension. I dont know why yours didnt work, but mine sounds like a nerf gun with it on... Secondly, dont "pack" the sound catching material. I use wall insulation then screw driver slowly "fluff" (fiberglass so dont do with hand). If its tightly packed the sound wont be absorbed/ realesed slowly, rather will just bounce of the tightly packed material.

For a proper silencer/muffler that has been deisgned for a gun,the area of the silencer is that of upto 20 times the barrels volume for the sound to dicipate through out the silencer and be released out alot less louder.So if you convert this to a spudgun if you have a 1000cc chamber and a 1500cc barrel you would need a silencer with a volume of 30000cc which isnt really useable,but this is for fire arms not for spud guns so i dont no how usuable it really is.

does it supress it even a little bit?

A silencer doesn't make your cannon illegal but instead, if it "can be attatched to a real firearm and decrease the sound output of said firearm 2db" requires a licence to build or own.

A spudgun, opperating at pressures a thousand times lower than that in a real firearm, won't require a suppressor nearly that big.
Remember, making the C:B ratio .8:1 makes the cannon quiet on the same princable as a silencer.

well i lightly packed the extension , and its still not quiter, actually after 2 shots it started pulling the batting into the barrel thru the holes........well at least it looks cool with the thing on it

also i noticed a change in sound after switching fuels. when i first built this thing, i was using old spice areosol deodorant and it shot really far and had a " THALOOOOOOMP" sound. It was really cool sounding. I ran out of that stuff, which apparantly THAT particular stuff is off the market now(it was in bathroom cabinet forever). Now im using STATIC GUARD. It goes alot further now , but also now the sound is just a huge POP, LOUDER than a 10ga shotgun and i have fired them on many camping trips.

Was thinking of switching to metered propane. Does propane perform better than static guard?

"Department of the Treasury

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms

Washington, DC 20226

As defined in section 921(a) (3) of Title 18, United States Code (USC) the term "firearm" means --

* (A) any weapon (including a starter gun) which will or is designed to or may readily be converted to expel a projectile by the action of an explosive;
* (B) the frame or receiver of any such weapon;
* (C) any firearm muffler or firearm silencer; or
* (D) any destructive device. Such term does not include an antique firearm.

As defined in 26 USC subsection 5845(f) (2) the term destructive device includes any type of weapon by whatever name known which will, or which may readily be converted to, expel a projectile by the action of an explosive or other propellent, the barrel or barrels of which have a bore of more than one-half inch in diameter, except a shotgun or shotgun shell which the Secretary or his delegate finds is generally recognized as particularly suitable for sporting purposes; and (3) any combination of parts either designed or intended for use in converting any device into a destructive device as defined in subparagraphs (1) and (2) and from which a destructive device may be readily assembled. The term 'destructive device' shall not include any device which is neither designed nor redesigned for use as a weapon; any device, although originally designed for use as a weapon, which is redesigned for use as a signaling, pyrotechnic, line throwing, safety, or similar device; surplus ordnance sold, loaned, or given by the Secretary of the Army pursuant to the provisions of section 4684(2), 4685, or 4686 of title 10 of the USC; or any other device which the Secretary of the Treasury or his delegate finds is not likely to be used as a weapon, or is an antique or is a rifle which the owner intends to use solely for sporting purposes.

It is unlawful for anyone to make or possess a destructive device which is not registered in accordance with the provisions of the National Firearms Act.

We have previously examined that certain muzzle loading devices known as "potato guns." These potato guns are constructed from PVC plastic tubing. They use hair spray or a similar aerosol substance for a propellant, and have some type of spark ignitor. We have determined that these devices, as described, are not firearms provided that they are used solely for launching potatoes for recreational purposes. However, any such devices which are used as weapons or used to launch other forms of projectiles may be firearms and destructive devices as defined.

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms

Firearms Technology Branch, Room 6450

650 Massachusetts Avenue NW

Washington, DC 20226

Sincerely yours,

(signature)

Curtis H. A. Bartlett Acting Chief, Firearms Technology Branch"


* (C) any firearm muffler or firearm silencer; or
with a muffler or silencer it becomes a fire arm

Well, meanwhile, titel 18 section 921 indicates:

The terms “firearm silencer” and “firearm muffler” mean any device for silencing, muffling, or diminishing the report of a portable firearm, including any combination of parts, designed or redesigned, and intended for use in assembling or fabricating a firearm silencer or firearm muffler, and any part intended only for use in such assembly or fabrication.

With the term firearm also defined in that section as:

The term “firearm” means
(A) any weapon (including a starter gun) which will or is designed to or may readily be converted to expel a projectile by the action of an explosive;
(B) the frame or receiver of any such weapon;
(C) any firearm muffler or firearm silencer; or
(D) any destructive device. Such term does not include an antique firearm.

Now, I can't seem to find the definition of "explosive", but I don't think fuel-air mixtures count - or spudguns would be firearms.

...
In conclusion, because a spudgun is not a firearm, something attatched to the muzzle thereof isn't a supressor.

I thusly conclude that it's probably ok, although not advisable (the BATF is bitchy), to make a silencer for your spudgun. In the case that you choose to make one, I heavily reccomend solvent welding it permanetly to the muzzle of a large-bore spudgun.

well i mactually over it now...i dont need it....but my last post was about the sounds each fuel makes.