Hunting with and without suppressor?

[Diced]

I always have a can on my rifle while hunting. I just bring a rifle that is an appropriate length for the type of hunting I'll be doing. Sometimes that's a 18" shorty or a big 26" barreled

 

[Rick Richard]

Armageddon Gear suppressor cover for me.

 

[hunterbob]

There is no need to "load down for a suppressor" unless you're trying to go subsonic and completely eliminate the "crack" of breaking the sound barrier. I wouldn't do that either. I'm running full velocity loads through all of my suppressors, and most of them actually gain 15-25 fps with the can on.

As others have stated, with the benefit of how game is far less spooky after a shot with the can, and the benefit of not damaging your hearing, my cans stay on my guns unless I'm hunting in Canada or a State that doesn't allow them.

Thanks for the info on that, brother. I didn't know that.

 

[huntoregon]

Well I went and shot this afternoon with the Dilligent Defense suppressor and it didn't change POI so that was nice. I shot over my Magnetospeed and got average velocity and verified dope out to 400 on steel. Hopefully soon take it out to 700-1,000 and see how it does.

Anyhow this Enticer S-ti can did not have a "tinny" sound to me as some eluded to. It got hot fast, a wrap will help with mirage. Velocity and POI didn't really change suppressed vs. non suppressed.

 

[CMP70306]

No, I too have seen Whitetail stand there after a shot. Red Deer, Aoudad and Antelope too. All supersonic.

The deer in my profile was a free range deer. The dozen does around him jumped, then went right back to eating.

Last month, I was hunting Aoudad in W Texas. (Not me shooting) Three shots at an Aoudad Ram at 150 and he only moved 20-30 yards between shots.

Game behaves differently when you remove that muzzle blast sound.

I was referring to his comments about the bullet drop and trade off in velocity since it seemed like he was saying you had to run subs with a suppressor.

I 100% agree about game behaving differently with an suppressor, even when they are shot they don't run like they do when hit while shooting unsuppressed.

 

[hereinaz]

Tape the end of your suppressor. Keep some spare tape on your rifle barrel or in your pack.

Check out our scoped action armor. www.lswild.com

Check your POI with and without can if you want. Some cans move POI significantly, others don't.

If it is off by 1" and you are beating brush shooting inside 150 yards it won't matter.

IMO, always leave it on. The benefits far outweigh the drawbacks. Hearing first, for you and others. Second, less disruption to the game.

If you do choose to see if you can safely pull it on and off, you should confirm whether there is a POI shift. My suppressor and rifles don't shift when I take it on and off. Learn how to hand spin it and get it tight enough. Even with that, once hunting season hits, I don't take my suppressor off the rifle unless I have to.

Like others I have one rifle with a 26" barrel and 7" suppressor. It's just something to deal with, and you can learn how. I also have gone shorter barrels with faster cartridges so I can also run rifles with shorter barrels.

Also, build into your shooting a check that your suppressor is on tight. I like to leave a little blue loctite residue on the rifle threads. If you don't, it will come loose one day and you will wonder what happened and if it goes really bad you will launch your suppressor or get a baffle strike.

 

[huntoregon]

Did any of you guys notice a POI shift with a suppressor wrap?

 

[308_Branden]

Did any of you guys notice a POI shift with a suppressor wrap?

I don't hunt with a suppressor wrap, and to be honest when at the range I only notice mirage after around 4-5 rounds one after the other. So I figure in the field hopefully I only shoot once so it wouldn't make a huge difference. However if I was going to field the wrap I'd just zero with it and call it a day

 

[Pastor Gun.zales]

Did any of you guys notice a POI shift with a suppressor wrap?

I leave wraps on all my suppressors and pretty much leave my suppressors on my rifles and pistols. Unless my particular rifle isn't threaded, I always hunt suppressed, and this last year it was all with subsonic loads.

 

[JuddL]

Yes, any time I've added any weight to the end of a barrel I've noticed a POI change.

 

[Rick Richard]

Did any of you guys notice a POI shift with a suppressor wrap?

Very little with the suppressor and NO shift with the wrap added.

 

[01Foreman400]

When I'm on doe patrol and hope to get more then 1 at a sitting I'll use a suppressor. When I'm hunting a particular buck I don't worry about hunting suppressed. With that said I killed 15 does last season.

 

[Mike D Texas]

Another question if you guys are hiking in the rain or snow do you guys cover the end of the suppressor with anything? What do you recommend? Also I see guys running covers over the suppressor do you guys recommend those?

The covering the end of the suppressor is situation dependent. As a general rule, if you would tape or otherwise cover the end of your barrel then it's probably a good idea to tape or cover the end of the suppressor.

As to suppressor cover, it's not necessary when hunting. It adds weight with no real benefit. That is mainly to control mirage on high round count shooting strings.

I can't think of a single downside to hunting suppressed but I can think of some hunting without.

 

[Airedale56]

My suppressor hunting experience has taught me that balance is important.

With a can attached, either stainless steel OR Titanium, I find that the extra length and weight creates a considerable lever to drag the muzzle earthward while a rifle is slung muzzle up on my shoulder. Especially with over 20" barrels.

The extra length while slung also means I have to stay out of the timber unless I'm walking on a trail that accommodates horseback riders. This also applies to my Eberlestock packs with rifle pouches built in. Too much barrel/can or stock sticks up above my head and bangs into everything immediately above my head.

A 20" or shorter barrel reduces the overall length and mechanical advantage to at least make it tolerable to sling a rifle and walk with a can attached.

My solution is attach a can when I sit down to start glassing.