Suppressor on mountain rifle

[R. Cram]

I would never sacrifice barrel length for a suppressor, barrel length is your best freind for generating velocity which is exactly what you need for long range preformance. the wind is your enemy for long range shooting and the less time the bullet is in the wind the less effect the wind has on it. thats why for 1000 yd shooting matches people will opt for higher velocity cartridges, 6.5x284, 300wm, knowing well that their barrel life will be very short with these fast cartridges around 1000 rnds for acceptible accuracy at long range. they also will run 28 to 32 inch barrels to get preformance from the cartridge. if you take a 300 magnum and shorten the barrel to 20 inches you reduce its preformance to equal a 308 with a long barrel so you have a noisy hard kicking barrel eating rifle all of which is opposit to what you want for a long range rifle. if you have ever been in the target pits pulling targets you would be able to hear the bullets flying overhead, they make a supersonic crack as they are faster than the speed of sound unless they don't have enough barrel length to keep the bullet above the speed of sound which happens to 308's and 223's at 1000. when they drop below the speed of sound they loose stability and come through the targe sideways if they even hit the target at all. if the report from one shot while hunting bothers you that much bring ear plugs. I am not convinced the game animals care either way and as I said the bullets being supersonic make almost as much noise as the report from the muzzle

 

[Joefrazell]

If you really need it to be as light as possible no it's not. I followed the masses and bought one but it doesn't go on every hunt.

 

[lancetkenyon]

I am not convinced the game animals care either way and as I said the bullets being supersonic make almost as much noise as the report from the muzzle

This is the only part I strongly disagree with, depending on the game animal and location.

A few years ago, we were on a pronghorn hunt. We were sitting on a really good bedded buck with about 30 does about 450 yds away, just waiting for him to get up and present a shot. About 2-3 miles off, a rifle shot rang out. The entire group was gone in seconds. And I mean GONE! Up and a 50mph mad dash away from the direction of the shot.
2 days later, I ended up finding the buck and does, and smoked the buck at 460 yards with a suppressed rifle. The does ran about 100 yards and stopped looking around and wondering what the "whop" was when the bullet hit the buck.

I have seen elk and deer both do the same thing. Loud bang, gone. With a suppressor, the rest hang around unaware of why their buddy hit the ground. Time and again.

 

[marksman1941]

This is a game of trade-offs. Larger and longer for better sound suppression, shorter and lighter for better handling.

All of my most recent builds are 16-18" barrels for managing overall length while suppressed.

Things to look for -

- reputation of the manufacturer
- warranty of the can
- barrel length and caliber restrictions

I've found that multiple cans for more specific applications has been the path I've gone down. Good luck, your ears will thank you.

I tried buying a one size fits all can and regret it. I wish I had spent the same amount of money on two distinctly separate suppressors.

 

[JustMe2]

Do you think it's worth it on a lighter gun (5-6 lbs)considering you pay a premium for the oz saved on the gun.
Will be used in the whitetail woods as well.

My opinion is NO. They are expensive, unwieldy on a normal length barrel, add weight to something you spent a lot of money to reduce weight on, another thing to be cleaned and maintained, and are not necessary since there are better and cheaper options to save your hearing. It's a fad in my opinion since the rifle will still be loud and you should still wear ear protection. Instead, spend 1/3 as much and buy electronic ear buds like Otto Noisebarriers, etc. Why go through the ATF hassle and expense for something that only causes more maintenance time and hassles? It's a fad.

 

[Zen Archery]

Nope. Not for me. 1-2 shots at most, if I even see animal perusing. I'd ditch the weight and length in a heartbeat.

 

[marksman1941]

My opinion is NO. They are expensive, unwieldy on a normal length barrel, add weight to something you spent a lot of money to reduce weight on, another thing to be cleaned and maintained, and are not necessary since there are better and cheaper options to save your hearing. It's a fad in my opinion since the rifle will still be loud and you should still wear ear protection. Instead, spend 1/3 as much and buy electronic ear buds like Otto Noisebarriers, etc. Why go through the ATF hassle and expense for something that only causes more maintenance time and hassles? It's a fad.

Do you have any suppressors?

 

[Phil Rizzo]

I have to wonder what the accuracy effect would be on a gun that light? Is the barrel CF or a slender countour steel? Never tried it, just curious.

How small of a diameter steel barrel can be safely threaded?

 

[JustMe2]

This is the only part I strongly disagree with, depending on the game animal and location.

A few years ago, we were on a pronghorn hunt. We were sitting on a really good bedded buck with about 30 does about 450 yds away, just waiting for him to get up and present a shot. About 2-3 miles off, a rifle shot rang out. The entire group was gone in seconds. And I mean GONE! Up and a 50mph mad dash away from the direction of the shot.
2 days later, I ended up finding the buck and does, and smoked the buck at 460 yards with a suppressed rifle. The does ran about 100 yards and stopped looking around and wondering what the "whop" was when the bullet hit the buck.

I have seen elk and deer both do the same thing. Loud bang, gone. With a suppressor, the rest hang around unaware of why their buddy hit the ground. Time and again.

I've experienced the exact same reaction of animals I've shot unsuppressed. Shot a bull elk at 100 yards that was surrounded by multiple cows. Some of the cows ran towards me stopping at 20 yards looking around trying to figure out what just happened. A suppressor on your rifle isn't going to silence other hunters shots.

 

[JustMe2]

Do you have any suppressors?

My friends own suppressors and constantly complain about them. I'm also next to them when they fire and they are still too loud for me without ear protection. They also wear ear protection to fire their suppressed rifles.

One of my buddies has an Army overpressure wound (explosion brain injury) and used to fire suppressed. Multiple doctors told him he needs to stop shooting even though he fired suppressed and wore ear muffs. That tells you they still are loud.

 

[marksman1941]

My friends own suppressors and constantly complain about them. I'm also next to them when they fire and they are still too loud for me without ear protection. They also wear ear protection to fire their suppressed rifles.

Man I've never met anyone who actively complains about owning a suppressor. That's odd.

For a range session, hearing protection is still a must. But for a couple of shots in the woods, a suppressor (for me) is the difference between a comfortable shot and tinnitus for 2 days after shooting my critter. To me at least, my hearing is well worth maintaining. I've yet to find ear pro that's comfortable enough to wear all day long in the heat, so a suppressor is the only option

 

[JustMe2]

Man I've never met anyone who actively complains about owning a suppressor. That's odd.

For a range session, hearing protection is still a must. But for a couple of shots in the woods, a suppressor (for me) is the difference between a comfortable shot and tinnitus for 2 days after shooting my critter. To me at least, my hearing is well worth maintaining. I've yet to find ear pro that's comfortable enough to wear all day long in the heat, so a suppressor is the only option

Obviously you have not bought a correct sized ear bud. I wear my Otto Noisebarriers all day for multiple days without discomfort. They also allow me to hear things in the woods I wouldn't have heard without them. Millions of people wear cell phone ear buds all day every day and hearing aids. For what you pay for a single suppressor, let alone one for each rifle, you could buy several custom fit ear buds.

They complain about cleaning them, POI shift after reinstalling, bullet strikes on suppressor, waiting times to purchase, cost of suppressor, heat of suppressor even with covers, mirage caused by suppressor, etc., etc.

 

[Joefrazell]

I agree that they're a bit of a fad but they are cool. They do complicate things a bit though. I don't regret buying mine but I definitely think I'll be hunting without it a lot. Especially backcountry stuff.

 

[duckhunter175]

Worth it-- when I went to larger caliber /longer range rifles I decided to run brakes and that I would get ear protection to hunt with. It briefs well and worked sometimes-- then I cranked off my 7RUM in a hurry and totally forgot them.... nothing to worry about when you are running suppressed.