Talk me into or out of buying a suppressor, please.

[RockyRandy]

I had a time where two buddies had their girlfriends at the range. They were shooting ARs in 223. The girls would flinch and were not that happy! I asked him if the brake would come off and he did. I put my can on it and you would not believe how it changed the girls ! They were now all smiles and giggles! Made the guys happy too.
I still find it very hard to accept that I can go into a store and buy a pistol and walk out with it. Why can't we do that with an inanimate object that can do no harm (unless you swat someone with it) ? Why do we still have to go through all the BS and wait for 9 months to a year to get it? The ATFE is so backlogged they need a lot of help. I just betcha the folks there would love to have it stopped so they could get on with the protections they could be doing and not wasting time on this insanity.

You can thank Hollywood for that, you know only bad guys use silencer Right! You can't fix Stupid and they run our country!!!!!

 

[PlumberEd]

I've got two sitting in the top of my safe. For me, and I know I'm in the minority, it was a waste of time and money. They have been in the top of my safe for 2-3 years. They're heavy, make the rifle extremely nose heavy and they are ugly as hell.. Never again.

I guess I belonged to the camp that didn't think I needed a suppressor, that was until I bought a used one, then I bought a new one and now have 3 more in jail. Now I don't wanna shot w/o a suppressor. Your points about suppressors making the rifle nose heavy and ugly are valid. Therefore, my barrels are getting shorter and my suppressors are getting lighter.

To answer the OPs original post my advice is not to buy a suppressor since most of us cannot stop at one.

 

[Citified]

Liberal! That one hurt. Do what you will, I'm out.

 

[RockyRandy]

Obviously you jumped on the band wagon and are now trying to justify your poor choice. All my points are true. Your points don't tell the whole truths for example saying you can buy a suppressor designed for a 338 on a smaller caliber is not totally true since a 338 suppressor on a smaller caliber does not muffle as well as one designed for the smaller caliber. You can also run Volkswagen tires on your hunting truck, but that doesn't make it correct. Your other points are also half truths like the ear bone comment. On a normal hunting rifle over 90 percent of the sound is projected forward away from the shooter like a megaphone. Only when a muzzle brake is added does it negatively affect the hearing bone. Sorry I hurt your feelings for your suppressor purchases. And don't tell me what I can post, I'll post my opinion just the same as you post your opinion. You need to be more objective.

I beg to differ with you. I'm 80% deaf in both ears do mostly gun blast, do to thinking if your 16 years old, 6"3" 180lbs, and thinking at the time I was invincible. Yes rifle blast are projected forward but the blast will still deafen you, ask me how I know? What I can't hear you!
In the last 40 years I have spent over $30,000 dollars on hearing aid and still can hear clearly.
I also witness a suppressor for a 338 lupa being shot on a 6.5 creedmoor that sounded just like the ones on the movie screen, couldn't believe how quite it was.

 

[dwcars]

Do it.
Govt already has you on file……
Get a TB

It takes a VERY long time for them to dispose of records they're not allowed to keep. I'm sure they still have a record of my 1995 cowboy Colt SA purchase~!!!

 

[dwcars]

Everyone is pretty good about wearing hearing protection at the range, but few of us wear it when hunting. How much is your hearing worth? I've also found that my groups tightened up when shooting with the can. You won't regret having one (or more).

My solution in any shooting scenario is to wear a pair of electronic hearing protectors that allow normal speech to be heard but reduce the 'crack' of rounds being fired. Less expensive than a can, no long drawn out wait to acquire, and effective.

 

[cajun]

My solution in any shooting scenario is to wear a pair of electronic hearing protectors that allow normal speech to be heard but reduce the 'crack' of rounds being fired. Less expensive than a can, no long drawn out wait to acquire, and effective.

This is what I do. But a short barrel mag rifle may still not be hearing safe with a brake it's not for sure. The in ear stuff is usually 29 db max. If you combine that with a can that is 25 or so it probably will be.

 

[Warrenoliver]

There are some good points made about what you end up deciding on, make and model wise. Unfortunately, you don't really know what you don't know if you don't have any experience with them. My first one is long, wide, and heavy. Works great. But now I wish I'd gone shorter (or at a minimum lighter) for hunting.

I have desire to shoot anything non suppressed... The only scenario for me now that is making me rethink that is essentially longer range sessions.

Suppressors get VERY hot VERY quickly and give bad mirage off into your scope's line of sight. If I was going to be shooting long(ish) strings at the range I may consider going back to a brake. I'd prefer that to be a separate rifle though to keep the suppressor on my hunting gun.

I agree that the suppressor heats up very quickly, causing mirage when bench shooting. I use a rechargeable battery operated fan that I got on Amazon. I just turn it on and point it at the suppressor and it takes care of any mirage issues. This prevents me from having to shoot with the brake only. I much prefer shooting suppressed even when hunting

 

[The_Whitetail_kid]

Once you start using it, you won't be able to go back.

 

[PlumberEd]

Once you start using it, you won't be able to go back.

Just like crack.

 

[Rum Man]

Once you start using it, you won't be able to go back.

Just Like Rum !!

I dont have a Can .
My Guns are to Heavy already right now !

Glad you got what you wanted !!

Rum Man

 

[Wendet]

Don't ever get one I got my first delivered last year it was a banish 30 and also had the deal where I got the 22 for free now I am ordering the banish 223 because I want it for the other guns I have and wil probably order more in the future the 223 also qualifys for the extra .22 which the first one is on a 17 hmr and works great so don't get one because then you will just want more

 

[JustMe2]

I beg to differ with you. I'm 80% deaf in both ears do mostly gun blast, do to thinking if your 16 years old, 6"3" 180lbs, and thinking at the time I was invincible. Yes rifle blast are projected forward but the blast will still deafen you, ask me how I know? What I can't hear you!
In the last 40 years I have spent over $30,000 dollars on hearing aid and still can hear clearly.
I also witness a suppressor for a 338 lupa being shot on a 6.5 creedmoor that sounded just like the ones on the movie screen, couldn't believe how quite.

Rocky, I agree with you. You should have worn ear protection even while hunting without a brake. My comment about 90 percent of sound is projected forward was directed at protecting the bone in your ear only, not protecting the more sensitive ear drum. To clarify, without a brake, electronic ear buds are adequate because there is not enough pressure being directed backwards to damage the bone, but there is enough sound pressure to damage the ear drum. Add a brake to your hunting rifle and now the sound is projected backwards toward the shooter and the ear bone is now receiving enough pressure to damage the bone & ear drum. In this scenario, ear plugs and ear muffs should be simultaneously worn for protection. Sorry you didn't wear protection and lost some of your hearing. Always wear protection even when using a silencer because silencers are not always silent, but with a silencer and no brake, you won't need double protection of buds and muffs. Some very short barreled rifles/pistols may be the exception to the above and will require double protection. There are always exceptions, so be smart about ear protection.

 

[THE1LAF]

Look at it like automotive world, would you go out to your car right now & cut the exhaust off?

A lot of us did it in our youth, but now have learned we don't want to listen to it for an 8 hr road trip, or every day to work.

I places the NFA doesn't exist it's considered rude & ungentlemenly to shoot without a suppressor.