# What is the longest "issued" suppressor/silencer for a gun? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 15, 2025, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-issued-suppressor-silencer-for-a-gun/1014367 "2025-02-15T22:01:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2025, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-issued-suppressor-silencer-for-a-gun/1014367/1 "2025-02-15T22:01:38Z")
Both pistol and rifle. “Issued” meaning anything that wasn’t a one-off or made specifically for a gimmick. Putting “Longest Suppressors” in Google gives up a bunch of results of people specifically making suppressors as long as possible as a joke which I’m not interested in. I’m curious what exactly was the longest suppressor ever taken “seriously”. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2025, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-issued-suppressor-silencer-for-a-gun/1014367/2 "2025-02-15T23:15:48Z")
Longest in terms of total length? Or longest in terms of length compared to the barrel, or something else entirely? And that’s leaving out weapons with integral silencers that are fundamentally the entire barrel such as the [De Lisle carbine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Lisle_carbine). I mean, there are big suppressors that fit pistols, which will almost certainly win in terms of the second category. And of course, suppressors work _better_ with lower powered, ideally subsonic rounds. And length is not the same thing as efficacy. Sticking with total length, I’d bet it would be for one of the .50 BMG platforms, so I’d nominate [https://thunderbeastarms.com/products/ultra50](https://thunderbeastarms.com/products/ultra50) As a starting point at least, 22.5 inches long, and I picked it as being supplied by a commercial silencer site, rather than a one-off in keeping with the theme of the thread. There’s also quite a few in the 15 inch range from a multitude of providers as commercial products. But I repeat, length isn’t the only factor to consider outside the narrow range of bragging rights. ---
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2025, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-issued-suppressor-silencer-for-a-gun/1014367/3 "2025-02-16T03:25:14Z")
When I made this topic I was imagining extra length on top of the barrel, so integral wouldn’t count. I was thinking of what the longest most unwieldy barrel and suppressor combo that was still issued. ---
**Author:** ![ThisOneGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c0e974/32.png) [@ThisOneGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisOneGuy)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2025, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-issued-suppressor-silencer-for-a-gun/1014367/4 "2025-02-19T20:09:10Z")
I read an article long ago about a shotgun used to kill problem birds at a city airport. To make it quiet the barrel was very long (around 4 feet). Can’t find anything online about it today. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2025, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-issued-suppressor-silencer-for-a-gun/1014367/5 "2025-02-19T22:04:33Z")
Quick if slightly hijacky, question. Can individuals own “silencers”? Is it legal? Can you buy them in gun stores? Can you open carry with one? I can’t keep up anymore. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2025, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-issued-suppressor-silencer-for-a-gun/1014367/6 "2025-02-19T22:10:30Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > Can individuals own “silencers”? Is it legal? Can you buy them in gun stores? Can you open carry with one? In order. Yes, Yes as long as you live in a permissive area/state and pay the (quite reasonable fees). Yes, depending on the store and the previous mentioned fees, though due to cost and comparatively low demand, they’re pretty _uncommon_ unless it’s a specialty place. Probably, as long as you’re in an area with legal open carry and a cop doesn’t choose to harass you (even where legal, open carry can make cops concerned about your intent, which I DON’T object too). > **[How to Buy a Silencer in 5 Simple Steps](https://www.silencershop.com/how-to-buy-a-silencer)** > > Learn how to buy a silencer in 5-easy steps only at Silencer Shop. Fast approvals, 6000+ dealers, 80,000+ reviews. Order your suppressor today! Should give you an idea. Not a lot of work, some records, and a good bit of delay, so not an impulse thing. But not substantially different from the documentation, work, and fees to get a CCW for example. ---
**Author:** ![Sigene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2025, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-issued-suppressor-silencer-for-a-gun/1014367/7 "2025-02-20T00:10:59Z")
I don’t think this qualifies but maybe. Q silencers come in sections that can be added to. [Silencers](https://liveqordie.com/silencers/) THis video shows the ridiculousness of the possibilities [www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ehmdV80IiE](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ehmdV80IiE) ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2025, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-issued-suppressor-silencer-for-a-gun/1014367/8 "2025-02-20T04:58:32Z")
You can buy silencers for shotguns these days. Here’s [one place](https://www.silencercentral.com/shop/silencers/shotgun) to do so. ---
**Author:** ![ThisOneGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c0e974/32.png) [@ThisOneGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisOneGuy)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2025, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-issued-suppressor-silencer-for-a-gun/1014367/9 "2025-02-20T18:59:37Z")
My recollection is that the long barrel was a way of avoiding the paperwork. Might have even been in a state where they are not allowed.