"SILENCER or SUPPRESSOR" This is what you need to know.

"SILENCER or SUPPRESSOR" This is what you need to know. Some SILENCERS and SUPPRESSORS are effective at reducing sound variations especially on long range 22-caliber rifles making these weapons safer to shoot without ear protection. However, the list of of weapons other than the 22-caliber long range rifles that you can safely shoot without ear protections in place becomes very short after that. Also, keep in mind that the sound blast using standard 22-ammunition is significantly less than the sound blast using supersonic 22-ammunition which will definitely cause hearing damage. Subsonic ammuntion, on the other hand is an alternative way to reduce sound variations on higher caliber rifles especially when used in combination with SILENCERS and SUPPRESSORS! ... but, with that being said, no matter what you are shooting it's always better to be safe than sorry, so even if the only thing that you have available is foam hearing buds to protect you ears always use them and take the time to secure them in your ear properly. Maybe your hearing loss might not show up immediately, but as my mother always use to tell me "YOU ARE GOING TO BE OLD A LOT LONGER THAN YOU ARE GOING TO BE YOUNG, SO TAKE GOOD CARE OF YOURSELF" and always protect both your eyes and ears. The market for both SILENCERS and SUPPRESSORS has boomed over the past year, and for the most part prices have not been effected that much. However, the SILENCER and SUPPRESSOR market is rapidly expanding with more and more foreign and domestic businesses entering the market place. Competition combined with supply and demand are essentially the driving forces behind every market. So be patient, look for the best quality deals at brick and mortar stores and on-line, stay on top of the market and know that Silencers and Suppressors are going to become lighter, cheaper and much more suppressed in the coming years. Think about it this way, remember when BIG SCREEN TELEVISIONS cost thousands of dollars and now BIG SCREEN TELEVISIONS at WALMART, TARGET and BEST BUY are available for only a few hundred dollars. One more thing to keep in mind titanium suppressors although slightly lighter are more of a gimmick than a true value. In fact, titanium suppressors are not as strong as steel suppressors and they do not stand up to high heat as well as carbon or stainless steel. by ECONOMIST MARK ANTHONY TRAINA