Playing devil's advocate here:KFP wrote: I'd predict a PR nightmare for the chief with if Sally Homemaker was stopped for speeding by an officer carrying a silenced pistol.
Not sure where all this bad feeling from the public for silencers come from...I guess we've all watched too many movies and think only assassins use them?
I thought at first they were ridiculous, but after spending time around my dad as he gets older whos very hard of hearing due to working around heavy machinery most of his life, I've started to reevaluate my position.
In a home defense situation, lets say I hear a bump. Since there are others in the house I'm responsible for protecting, I grab my .45 and a flashlight. In the hallway, I see a guy with a machete, and shoot at him.
When the officers come, all I can say is "what?" because I've been busy shooting a pistol in a narrow space with no hearing protection.
I don't know about you fellows, but it sure would be nice to be able to hear when I'm older. A silencer already on the pistol would do more to protect my hearing than ear plugs i'd probably forget to put on when responding to a bump in the night.
As to the "they add too much weight to the front of the pistol" crowd, I've seen some of the light and laser combos some people hang off the front of their pistols...
