Blackops_2 said:
They might be used interchangeably but the problem arises when an interested person like the OP mistakes them for being something their not, partly due to the name itself. Then is disappointed when they find out there is really no such thing as "silencing".
That misconception is primarily due to the fact that Hollywood has portrayed silencers incorrectly throughout the years, and not simply due to the name itself. Our language is full of names for things that aren't literal descriptions of what they are: A "blue moon" isn't blue, a butterfly contains no butter, a hamburger isn't made with ham, a "black box" is actually orange, you drive on a parkway, you park on a driveway, a shipment goes on a vehicle, cargo goes on a ship, and football players primarily use their hands. I think most people have the capacity to understand that the name of an object isn't necessarily a literal description of what it does. After all, car mufflers are often called "silencers" in England, but I doubt many folks there think cars are completely silent.
No, the problem isn't the name, the problem is that Hollywood, politicians, and the news media are often the only sources many people have for their gun knowledge. This is why so many people think silencers sound the way they do, this is why they think assault rifles and "assault weapons" are the same thing, this is why they think machine guns are available over-the-counter to the general public, this is why they think hollow-points are only used by criminals; the list goes on and on.
Sure, I get that the term "silencer" doesn't accurately describe what it does and that's why the term "sound suppressor" was invented a few decades ago to try to help change public perception of them. If you prefer the term "suppressor", go right ahead. But when people claim that "it's not a silencer, it's a suppressor", they're simply displaying a tremendous amount of ignorance on the subject.
Blackops_2 said:
It's also a term that the Libs and Anti-guns will certainly get behind to push gun control, much like the evil "assault rifle" I don't like to use it and it doesn't bother some people. But hey different strokes for different folks eh?
I mostly use the term "silencer" because it's more historically and legally correct, and because I get so tired of people who correct others for using the term. I do the same with assault rifles; even when I use the term to refer to actual assault rifles, it's amazing how many gun people try to correct me. Here's the thing: As gun owners, we can't win the war on terminology if we don't understand the terminology ourselves.