Did WWII Rifles have silencers?
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Most sniper rifles don't have silencers. It would affect the range and accuracy of the shot, I'd think.
600 yards effective range on the M1903-A4 (army standard issue sniper rifle in WWII)-- this was the sniper rifle of WWII AND Korea.
Marine Corps used the M1903-A1, with a better optical scope (8x compared to the army's 2.5x). But because of poor ammo quality, still just an effective range of 600 yards.
Neither had silencers.
this was the real reason why snipers were taught 1-shot-1-kill... you can't triangulate a single gunshot.
600 yards effective range on the M1903-A4 (army standard issue sniper rifle in WWII)-- this was the sniper rifle of WWII AND Korea.
Marine Corps used the M1903-A1, with a better optical scope (8x compared to the army's 2.5x). But because of poor ammo quality, still just an effective range of 600 yards.
Neither had silencers.
this was the real reason why snipers were taught 1-shot-1-kill... you can't triangulate a single gunshot.
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I don't believe so. I've never seen anything about snipers having silencers back then on any History Channel programs. And Band of Brothers (which is on right now on History Channel) doesn't show anyone from the 101st using them at that time, even though, they don't really show any of the company being real snipers. I know it's a dramatized version of WWII but Spielberg and Co. went through a ton of things to make sure they were precise right down to the very emblems and medals of the time on both sides. If you look on IMDB, the FAQ's about the show really show just how much they went through to make the miniseries as true to life as possible on the technical side.
They were able to hide the flash, but that was it.
The closest thing to a "silenced sniper rifle" of that era would be the British De Lisle Carbine, which fired .45 ACP pistol ammunition (dismally short range) and usually didn't have a scope.
Even now, there aren't too many silenced sniper rifles, and all need to be used at shorter range due to the drop in velocity.
The closest thing to a "silenced sniper rifle" of that era would be the British De Lisle Carbine, which fired .45 ACP pistol ammunition (dismally short range) and usually didn't have a scope.
Even now, there aren't too many silenced sniper rifles, and all need to be used at shorter range due to the drop in velocity.
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The TV Guide once ran an article on things on TV that are silly, and said silencers only work on very small guns, and that it was silly to show even a good-sized handgun going off with only a small sound. On old Westerns, I've seen pillows used to muffle the sound of a small gun. Don't know how well it would work in real life. Sounds like a job for "Mythbusters."
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Nuts.
That's what I was going to say
But the DeLisle wasn't, by any means, a sniper's rifle. Given the size of the silencer, it was intended more for commandos.
And it was only accurate up to about 300 yards, if memory serves.
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Since you asked about Rifles there was, of course, the Sten markIIIS. That was silenced but, again, not a terrifically long-range.
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High powered rifles do not use silencers because the bullet travels at supersonic speed and makes a distinct "crack" Silencing the shot would not silence the bullet's passage through air. The article referenced earlier in the thread refers to flash supressors, which hide the source of shots at night. They have no effect on sound.
Silencers
Silencers were available for pretty much all weapons, but no silencer can stop the sound of the bullet breaking the sound barrier because the shock wave travels right along behind the bullet.
All a silencer really does is give the compressed gas a bigger area to expand, and therefore muffles the sound of the explosion. But the bullet itself makes one heck of a crack as it breaks the sound barrier, so while a silencer helps, it's really only effective if the bullet is slower than the speed of sound. This means very limited range, and very little power.
Generally speaking, a silencer just isn't needed or wanted on a sniper rifle. Range and accuracy are more important, and you're probably firing from several hundred yards.
But a good silencer really has little effect on range or accuracy, and can help hide the source of the shot. The main reason silencers weren't used often was simply because they're big, cumbersome, and even with a silencer, a sniper doesn't stick around for long.
Silencers were available for pretty much all weapons, but no silencer can stop the sound of the bullet breaking the sound barrier because the shock wave travels right along behind the bullet.
All a silencer really does is give the compressed gas a bigger area to expand, and therefore muffles the sound of the explosion. But the bullet itself makes one heck of a crack as it breaks the sound barrier, so while a silencer helps, it's really only effective if the bullet is slower than the speed of sound. This means very limited range, and very little power.
Generally speaking, a silencer just isn't needed or wanted on a sniper rifle. Range and accuracy are more important, and you're probably firing from several hundred yards.
But a good silencer really has little effect on range or accuracy, and can help hide the source of the shot. The main reason silencers weren't used often was simply because they're big, cumbersome, and even with a silencer, a sniper doesn't stick around for long.
It may not matter, depending on what your goal is. With a long-range shot, the bullet will arrive anywhere from 1-5 seconds before the sound. Considering reaction times and so forth, a good sniper with a bolt action can probably get off two or even three shots before the targets react.
I heard from a guy in the RAF Regiment that it's impossible to completely hide the muzzle flash of a rifle, and that the point of a flash surpressor is, in fact, to hide it from the shooter, thus preserving their night vision.
WW2 rifles did not have silences but pistols and sub machines did. Both sides used them for special operations.
The SOE developed a silent Sten gun and several pistols of various calibres and in both automatic and revolver types.
These were issued to SAS, LRDG, SIS, SOE, Resistance services in all theatres. The Germans,Russians and US all used silenced weapons for agents (mainly assassins and special operations.
"Who dares Wins", "SOE", and other titles are good references. The Imperial War museum and the MI5/MI6 historians will be able to give you assistance. Also the Public Information Office of the CIA the successor to US wartime agency will help as well.
Couldn't say about the new KGB though!
The SOE developed a silent Sten gun and several pistols of various calibres and in both automatic and revolver types.
These were issued to SAS, LRDG, SIS, SOE, Resistance services in all theatres. The Germans,Russians and US all used silenced weapons for agents (mainly assassins and special operations.
"Who dares Wins", "SOE", and other titles are good references. The Imperial War museum and the MI5/MI6 historians will be able to give you assistance. Also the Public Information Office of the CIA the successor to US wartime agency will help as well.
Couldn't say about the new KGB though!
From Wikipedia:
During WW2, the Commando units of the British military requested a silenced rifle for eliminating sentries, guard dogs, and other clandestine operational uses.
The resulting weapon, designed by W.G. De Lisle, was effectively a Lee-Enfield SMLE Mk III rifle receiver redesigned to take a .45 ACP cartridge and associated magazine, with the barrel shortened and replaced with an integral silencer.
During WW2, the Commando units of the British military requested a silenced rifle for eliminating sentries, guard dogs, and other clandestine operational uses.
The resulting weapon, designed by W.G. De Lisle, was effectively a Lee-Enfield SMLE Mk III rifle receiver redesigned to take a .45 ACP cartridge and associated magazine, with the barrel shortened and replaced with an integral silencer.
Someone on here mentioned The History Channel. I recall on a History Channel show called 'Wild West Tech' that the original silencer was invented in the late nineteenth century, or in the early twentieth, and it was quite some time before WWII.
Whether snipers had them in WWII or not, I couldn't say.
Whether snipers had them in WWII or not, I couldn't say.