Serious question: why do airsofters use the term "silencer"?
 

Since we all know that a "silencer" is a nonsense hollywood term, why do airsofters use it? I would have thought that airsofters would prefer to use the correct military term instead of a high-school/Hollywood/ignoramus term.

Seriously, it's puzzling to me.

Because not every airsofter is a military nut. Its evident with a lot of people. Military and non. I still hear clip, silencer and all that other 'incorrect' slang. People say what they say and people know what they are talking about.
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Naruto forum

I don't know why really but I can tell you that I switch between Suppressor and Silencer. I use Silencer about 60% of the time and Suppressor 40%.

I however would like to get a "loudener" one day.

I also switch between mag and clip using mag 90% of the time and clip 10% (unless I'm actually referring to a clip which in that case I use "clip" 100% of the time)

Oh. I just thought that the non-military nut goes for paintball. I'm surprised when people talk from the encyclopedic knowledge of military guns and equipment, then all of a sudden say "silencer". It kind of throws me off.

In fact the only time I've heard anyone talk about a suppressor, they've used the term "silencer". I began to wonder why it seems no-one uses the proper term (at least I haven't heard it). Mind you, I'm very new to the sport of airsoft so I'm not making an absolute statement, just a curious casual observation thus far.

I'm not trying to be pedantic, but I used to be involved in military sim computer game development (as the lead sound effects engineer), and the military nuts were always very pedantic about using "suppressor". I naturally thought the same applied here.

IMO, both thermes are correct due to the wide spread usage of both.

Clips and Mags are still 2 very different thing, that's why it's important to use the correct therme.

And to make a parallele, in french, a silencer is a "silencieux" and there is no french therme for a supressor. It would translate to a "éliminateur" wich make no sense. That's why most french speaking lads will keep saying a silencer.

To push the theory furder. Silence is the absence of noise. But you never have an absolute silence unless in the void of space. Even there, the human hear will generate it's own noises. So Silence is relative. Making a gun silent is also relative to the embiant serounding and the regular output of sound of a gun. So silencing a gun is making it more quiet. Like the silencer of a car. You can still hear the car up close, but not 1 mile away compared to the same car without the silencer.

I went a bit deep here, but my point is that we can't be too anal about 2 thermes that depict the same thing.

Well, The saying goes "Dont judge a book by its cover", Airsoft, of course, is usually made out to be a simulator of armed combat and stuff. But all in all, a lot of the people playing out there are just having fun and living a dream and fantasy.
Of course, there are a lot of members in the armed forces. But that's not always the case. Like I had said before, people talk and reference to things in ways they are most comfortable with.
You will always find a guy talking in 'correct' manners, and another that simply doesn't care. and just wants to shoot things.
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Rohypnol rehab forum

I demand a picture of your words!
It's been awile since I've had a good laugh.

Anywho on topic now. More or less as stated...
There will be those who term everything correctly.
Those who try, and have a hit and miss. (Which is majority, and hey I'm there too)
Those who beleive in clips, silencers, etc..

As FOX pointed out, Clip and Magazine are two different things, and shouldn't be used interchangeably. The term silencer, while a misnomer, leaves no doubt as to what it refers to and is a commonly accepted term (despite purists' objections to it).

The original suppressor, invented by Hiram Maxim, carried the trademarked name Maxim Silencer, and early legal terminology for it was (and still is in many cases) "silencer"; the BATFE still uses the term "silencer."

Seriously, it's not that big a deal.

A clip is a correct term (an ammunition clip, for example, is used with an M1 Garand) which is misused when referring to a magazine.

And I suppose you could "silence" a rifle shooting .22 loaded with subsonic ammunition to the point where the bolt moving is louder than the report... ;)

I've seen/heard it, its nuts how quiet they can be (yes it was a backyard illegal mod by some rednecks I know.)

Silencer is a real term though only applies so a small number of really old sound suppressing devices (some of the original production models I think), its not made up by hollywood.

But like was said, common usage and being able to be understood. For example "prioritize" was not a real word until recently in english. To put things in order of priority is properly known as "priorize" but through common usage "prioritize" has entered the dictionary. Everyone back in the day knew what you where saying when you said "prioritize" even if it wasn't 100% correct.

So you assume that everyone who plays airsoft is completely versed in military lingo, can name every single star a veteran is wearing and can name every single special unit currently operating along with those retired?

C'mon man, you're not that dumb to assume such, are you?

Look at me. I'm a fat white guy who plays military with other guys because it's fun... I play MilSim EVENTS, but I certainly don't live like I'm in the military and don't eat M.R.E's. Dunno about you, but I know the difference between a hobby and an obsession.

dont nitpick bro

I know the answer! Look at most airsoft retailers websites and they are 90% of the time listed as "silencers" :D

Winner!

Me???