Silencer Mirage: What It Is, What To Do

Silencers make shooting safer for your hearing, but can sometimes fool your eyes. Winchester's Melissa Bachman has advice.

posted on October 18, 2021

Shh—silencers do a lot more than reduce the report of each shot you take. Also known as suppressors, these aftermarket accessories minimize recoil and the amount of time that it takes to recover a good sight picture between shots. That makes shooting safer and more fun, so it's easy to take shot after shot. The only trouble is that sooner or later, your silencer will heat up ... and when it does, you may experience an optical illusion known as silencer mirage.

Silencer mirage can be pretty frustrating if you're out long-range shooting for fun. If you're doing something like prairie-dog hunting, however, it can actually make it so difficult to see your target that an ethical hunter must take a break to let the silencer cool. In this episode of Winchester Deadly Passion, columnist Melissa Bachman gives you the full report on silencer mirage, and offers easy tips to resolve any illusions you may have been experiencing—be they around or about your silencer.

Latest

Deering Shotgun Shells On Ground
Deering Shotgun Shells On Ground

How Bad Is It ... To Leave Your Shells on the Ground?

When you’re hunting or shooting skeet, trap or sporting clays, is it a big deal to leave your shells where they fall?

Viewing Party: 3 Rules to Follow When Observing Wildlife

These visitors to Yellowstone National Park are way too close to this bison. Find out what else to do—and not to do—when you are in wildlife habitat.

4 Fashionable Ways to Carry Concealed in Summer

TWAW comes to the rescue with fashion tricks that fool the eye and allow you to enjoy summer fun without giving up your gun.

10 New Hunting Shotguns for 2023

Fresh updates to existing lines have brought us some new shotgun models to take afield in 2023.

Remembering Our Fallen Soldiers

On Memorial Day, when we reflect on our soldiers' ultimate sacrifice, we must include the many heroic women who also gave all.

Austen Smith Wins 2023 Women's National Skeet Championship Title

Smith joins fellow Olympian Vincent Hancock as USA Shooting's 2023 National Men's and Women's Skeet Champions.

Women's Interests



Get the best of NRA Women delivered to your inbox.