[blackguns3000]

I wonder if anyone here has experience with and are farmiliar with the effects supressors have on a weapon.
After completing the permit process through the ATF, and FINALLY recieved the finalizing paperwork, I built my own supressor mountable on an ar15. I finally tested it for the first time two days ago, and it worked really well dropping the blast probably around 40 decibels (which is standard).
My design was good I think, but boy did I notice a difference in trajectory. I knew right away with a 5.56 tracer. A change of center is to be expected with a silencer, but this visible projectile practically did spirals immediately after leaving the weapon. No straight line at all.
Could it be because my supressor baffle holes and can hole are too small? Too big? They are about 1/4". Should the baffles have any other holes than the center one? This is my first rodeo with trying mufflers. I need advice you experienced guys! Help!

[JonM]

What you experienced is why i buy mine instead of making one. There is a lot more to making a good suppressor than drilling out some pipe and installing some baffles.

Even some of the top manufactures do exactly what yours does. Poi shift is a common problem and the really good ones cost a lot of $$$.

To get aroumd that your going to need to learn engineering, physics, computer science, mathematics, and your going to need a very very good cnc machine. Cheaper to just buy a premade than diy when it comes to suppressors.

Suppressors are outwardly simple devices but have veryy very complex physics to get them to function well

[blackguns3000]

I won't deny that I know I don't know much. I have a lot to learn about the aerodynamics of these things. And yes I don't even have a lathe! I did a suprising job considering the tools I had, just a drill press to spin flat disks, not even angled concave baffles. That probly has a lot to do with the way the air moves around the bullet, along with tons of other factoring that I am completely ignorant to. Oh well, first try... and it suprised me at the drop in sound. Learning experience, not a total bust. Thanks for the input.

[mercman50]

Obviously you enjoy the challenge, I would suggest you get a very good caliper and a good digital camera and find a friend who has a can that can be disassembled so you can take measurements and pics. Now I know I'll probably get grief for saying this, cries of patents, trademarking etc.. But your obviously building these for yourself and not for profit. Most modern cans are very similar in construction and the basic concepts are all about the same. So once you have a pattern perse you can build for different calibers. Also there are a few books still available on amazon from the old days from Hayden and some others that will at least give you a very good starting point on building suppressors. Also check eBay for blueprints on CDs, most of them seem to come from the UK now days, but they will show blueprints for a variety of suppressors. Having the knowledge or even selling the knowledge on how to construct a suppressor is not illegal in most states, it's the actual unlicensed construction that's illegal. But you have that part handled. So good luck.

[blackguns3000]

Thanks Mercman!!