William F. and his friends were on a duck hunting trip in Arkansas.
As the friends were getting ready one morning they were surprised by a large flock of birds.
None of the hunters were ready to fire when the birds came.
As William turned to grab his shotgun he felt like someone punched him in the side of his head.
But no one had touched him though.
Instead, one of his hunting partners had swung their shotgun around and was too close to William when he pulled the trigger.
William didn’t have any hearing protection, and the shotgun went off right next to the left side of his head.
William immediately experienced a brutal headache and heard a ringing in his ear that had never occurred before.
The shotgun blast left William with 40% hearing loss in his left ear.
He also has a constant ringing in his ear.
Ever since that hunting trip, William has made it a priority to protect his hearing.
He now uses electronic hearing protection so he can make his duck hunting calls but still protect his hearing when firing his shotgun.
Of course, hearing protection should be part of any hunting trip or going to the shooting range.
Shotguns are a different beast though. They are powerful and have a thunderous boom.
This is why some people use suppressors on their firearms – including their shotguns.
How shotgun noise works:
The sound from a shotgun blast comes from multiple parts of the firearm.
One sound is the release of the high-pressure gases that move the shell.
Another sound is the mechanical action of the shotgun.
A third sound is the projectile breaking the sound barrier.
So, suppressing a shotgun is different compared to rifles or pistols.
And because a shotgun fires a variety of different ammunition, suppressor design is more complicated.
Benefits of adding a suppressor to a shotgun:
Like any firearm, the biggest benefit of a suppressor for a shotgun is hearing protection.
Typical shotguns produce sound levels of around 155 decibels.
One shot can cause permanent hearing loss.
A shotgun suppressor can reduce the level to about 130-140 decibels, which is less likely to cause permanent hearing loss.
Another benefit of a shotgun suppressor is that it can reduce recoil.
A suppressor traps and slows expanding gases and redirects them.
One thing that is unique to shotgun suppressors is that they can increase the velocity of the round.
Suppressors can increase velocity by 10-15%, making your round more effective.
Drawbacks to a shotgun suppressor:
One thing to be aware of with a shotgun suppressor is that they need more care, and more cleaning, more often.
Another consideration is that a suppressor will add length and weight to the end of the shotgun barrel.
This can affect the way you handle and move with the shotgun.
These days many people prefer shotguns with shorter barrels, but a suppressor would add length.
Additionally, a suppressor can slightly alter the spread pattern of the pellets.
So, if you are going to use a suppressor it would be better with a slug.
If you’re interested in a suppressor for your shotgun, consider the SilencerCO Salvo 12 or the JK Armament SGX 12.
Adding a suppressor to your shotgun could be worth it if you plan to use it often.
It reduces noise and recoil and adds velocity to your shots.
