Hey guys just wondering if there is any truth to people using a potato as a silencer for a firearm. I've seen it in a movie or two, but it doesn't make a lot of sense to me. Don't silencers rely on baffles to be effective? Anyone ever tried the old potato trick?

edit to add: I realize the suppressors used in the movies are not true to life. Just wondering if there is any way this would quite a gun shot at all.
[edit on 25-11-2008 by Raustin]

[edit on 25-11-2008 by Raustin]

Do you mean as a silencer for a car, gun, truck or what?

*edit*

Ok as you've posted in the weaponry forum I assume you mean for a gun.

What type of gun?
How would you attach it?
Wouldn't it be easier to use a normal silencer and say.....eat the potato.....



MR

[edit on PMTue, 25 Nov 2008 16:33:32 -060032America/Chicago by Marlborough Red]

I believe you can find significant info on this subject here:

www.roguesci.org...


Keep in mind that having any form of silencer is illegal without paying a special weapons tax. At least, I think it's that way in most states.....

no it is the same as a pillow. if a bullet travels more than 780? fps it breaks the sound barrier and creates a sonic boom. this is impossible to silence. now yes you can muffle it but it never be totally silent like in hollywood. also faster it goes the more exponentially the sonic boom is- ie my 22 mag goes about 1300 fps so not a bad sound but my 30/06 goes almost 3000 fps- you need muffs when you shoot that one and know way you will ever silence it. if you want something completely silent you have to use subsonic ammo- only way you can

Cops to Gunman: 'Potato Silencer' Is an Urban Legend

If that doesn't really fulfill your question, all you have to do is search Youtube for the term "potato silencer" and see how horribly bad it fails. Seems like an urban legend or myth. Oh yeah, and a waste of a potato.

[edit on 11/25/2008 by Forest]

[edit on 11/25/2008 by Forest]

and also do a search sometime on subsonic ammo. i reload my ammo but to make subsonic you have to make sure there is enough powder to push the bullet down the barrel- if you don't and fire again you are in a world of hurt

That's sort of what I thought, thanks for the replies. I believe it is illegal to own a silencer in any state without paying the $200 tax. Here in WA it is legal to own a silencer, but illegal to use it. Go figure.

Yea, a potato would totaly explode from any ammo. I have heard of Israeli mossad types using a stale baguette or french bread, works for a few shots. Also a soda can full o' steel wool, or on a .22 cal, the nipple from a baby bottle. Oh, and can someone tell me if posting this info is illegal? OOPS.

reply to post by dashen

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yes a potato would totally explode and as for bread never heard that one but if using subsonic ammo might work. and no i can't see this as being illegal since we are just having a discussion not conspiring. be back in a bit have to get beer

Silencer...?! No...

Potato Gatling gun...? Yes...

Yes it does work, but as previously posted it's not like the movies.
Problems being that you will not hit your target, it is not so much a silencer as it is a muffler, (you'll get a "capgun" sound, more a pop than a bang, the potato will literally explode in your hand, you're gonna hurt yourself if you don't grip the potato right not so much tightly as firmly and where you grab it and if you use the potato for more than a .25, yo
u're an amputee.
But what do I know, I'm just some idiot at a keyboard.

The most practicle way to make a gun shot quite is to have a longer barrel, as well as being in a firing postition that helps to muffle the shot, or shooting during some type of noise thats louder(like when some fireworks go off, or a thunderclap). barrels less than 24" are much louder than barrels 24" and up. As long as you load your bullets to shoot less than 1080fps you can completely silence a gun except for the action( loading a round,cycling the bolt,ect). Baffles in a silencer can be replicated on a large scale by shooting through multiple rooms and out a window. Most noise(and muzzle blast) is due to unburned power due to short barrels or of course the sonic boom. A subsonic cartridge and long barrel will silence the shot for the most part.

I'm surprised this thread hasnt exploded into MSM news streams slightly turned to the likes of :

Potatoes and Assault Weapons = Silent Death For All

Soon I'll have to register my potatoes and purchase them from a federally licensed dealer.

reply to post by thisguyrighthere

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The national potato registry! Priceless.

reply to post by LordBaskettIV

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ty i think for the most part even tho i hate that term you seem to agree with me.
and to laughing cat if someone wants to use a 25 they won't be the one laughing when someone actually has something with poiwer and can hit at 25 yds lol i like the way you think so be it loud

and didn't mean you loud i meant the gun sorry

If you try it, don't try it like they do in the freekin' movies. There has to be a hole in it first, other wise your holding a hand grenade ready to go off in your fist. I love it when they just pick up a potato and shove it on the end of the barrel and blast away. You might as well just shove the barrel into mud and pull the trigger!

Zindo

reply to post by ZindoDoone

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I am really tempted to try it and if I were to, not saying I will , I will definitely be drilling a hole. Don't think it's a real good idea to hold on to an exploding potato!

WoW.

im kind of surprised there is a question at all about using a potato as a suppressor.

if you know the basics of how firearms work, and what causes a bullet to travel from your particular weapon, then its not a question at all. exercise common sense on this one.

im an advocate for safe use of firearms by the user.

when you pull the trigger on your respective weapon the gasses produced by the powder in the shell propel your lead projectile. the less gasses that are placed behind the projectile the slower its momentum. a suppressor dissipates the gasses some before the projectile leaves the suppressor effectively slowing its travel. most but not all suppressors recommend using sub sonic ammo. there are many suppressors on the market and the prices are pretty reasonable compared to what they were 5 years ago. they are also much more effective. some are DRY type meaning they attach to your weapon and work through their baffle system. others are WET type and require an oil or other liquid to aid the baffles.

asking if a potato will work is the equivalent of saying " hey if i shoot through a brick will it make my gun less noisy?" its utterly ridiculous.

gasses wont dissipate through a solid object. the gasses need somewhere to go before the lead is free to go about its business.

and since we are on the subject you should probably stay away from trying to suppress a revolver like cheech marin did in the movie desperado.

just my 2 cents.

reply to post by pennance

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Um, like asking if firing through a brick would quite the gunshot? My question is whether or not a potato with holes drilled in would be able to slow any of the gas, thus quieting the shot a miniscule amount. Potato = relatively soft, and I think if would slow some of the gases discharge. Thanks so much for your help slick.