Barrels with Built In Suppression (Integral Suppressed Barrels)

[mwoolsey5]

One of the more interesting tidbits that came out of the recent Podcast between Ryan Avery and Cliff Gray was the discussion of barrels with built in suppression (Integral Suppressed Barrels). Even though it sounds like we are 2-3 years away from this being mainstream, I thought it was worth starting a conversation about because it really could shake up the industry again with what build/cartridge most hunters go with in the semi-near future.

Right now, there's a strong push for short barreled rifles, which I would consider to be the 16-20" range, so that users can add a suppressor on the end and still maneuver and hike without the gun catching on things. This has naturally pushed some of the overbore cartridges to the top of most builds because it ultimately boils down to velocity. If you want a rifle that is capable of shooting xyz yards, it has to be able to reach a certain muzzle velocity by the time the bullet leaves the barrel, so the bullet maintains sufficient fps to function appropriately at your desired target distance.

i.e.
You could have a 32" 6 Dasher or a 20" 6 UM both achieving the same MV and being capable of taking big game out to 1,000 yards, but nobody (that I know of) is going to haul a 32"6 Dasher around in the woods to hunt with. It's not practical, especially once you add a suppressor.

So, the question then becomes, if a suppressor is built into the barrel, and no longer needs to be an attachment to the end of the barrel, how does that change what cartridge and barrel length hunters will shift to? You'd essentially be able to go with up to a 26" barrel and still be the exact same length as what people we are getting now with their short barrels + 6" suppressors.

 

[omicron1792]

One of the more interesting tidbits that came out of the recent Podcast between Ryan Avery and Cliff Gray was the discussion of barrels with built in suppression (Integral Suppressed Barrels). Even though it sounds like we are 2-3 years away from this being mainstream, I thought it was worth starting a conversation about because it really could shake up the industry again with what build/cartridge most hunters go with in the semi-near future.

Right now, there's a strong push for short barreled rifles, which I would consider to be the 16-20" range, so that users can add a suppressor on the end and still maneuver and hike without the gun catching on things. This has naturally pushed some of the overbore cartridges to the top of most builds because it ultimately boils down to velocity. If you want a rifle that is capable of shooting xyz yards, it has to be able to reach a certain muzzle velocity by the time the bullet leaves the barrel, so the bullet maintains sufficient fps to function appropriately at your desired target distance.

i.e.
You could have a 32" 6 Dasher or a 20" 6 UM both achieving the same MV and being capable of taking big game out to 1,000 yards, but nobody (that I know of) is going to haul a 32"6 Dasher around in the woods to hunt with. It's not practical, especially once you add a suppressor.

So, the question then becomes, if a suppressor is built into the barrel, and no longer needs to be an attachment to the end of the barrel, how does that change what cartridge and barrel length hunters will shift to? You'd essentially be able to go with up to a 26" barrel and still be the exact same length as what people we are getting now with their short barrels + 6" suppressors.

Not really how it works. A 20” total length ISB would be like having a 14” barrel with a 6” suppressor. You get some barrel benefits of the extra length, but not like having 20” of actual barrel.

 

[TedO]

Pure Precision out of Grand Junction is making integral suppressed barrels/rifles.

 

[gbflyer]

I have one that's a .22 LR built on a 10/22. It's cool.

 

[BLJ]

Do you have to be fingerprinted to buy these rifles?

 

[loganwayne]

Do you have to be fingerprinted to buy these rifles?

Yep still would have a tax stamp

 

[mwoolsey5]

Not really how it works. A 20” total length ISB would be like having a 14” barrel with a 6” suppressor. You get some barrel benefits of the extra length, but not like having 20” of actual barrel.

Interesting. I may just have to do more research. The video I watched before posting had the entire barrel rifled up the to very end of the barrel, which made me think you’d get the velocity benefit of the full barrel length, but maybe I misunderstood.

 

[turbobrick]

Interesting. I may just have to do more research. The video I watched before posting had the entire barrel rifled up the to very end of the barrel, which made me think you’d get the velocity benefit of the full barrel length, but maybe I misunderstood.

Integrals are typically a certain length of barrel, then a suppressor that matches the OD of the barrel (or close to it), bringing you to a barrel OAL that exceeds 16” so it’s a single stamp gun. The most well known and commonly used suppressor that is like what you’re describing is the HK MP5sd, its purpose is a little different than what you’d want in a hunting rifle.

The MP5sd has ports in the barrel just forward of the chamber, and those ports vent into the suppressor, as does the end of the barrel like a traditional suppressor. Those ports are there to make standard velocity 9mm subsonic. The ports being inside the suppressor help quiet the whole thing down, and that would be the only way you could have a full length rifled barrel and an integral. It would still be loud, there is no free lunch.

I have an integral bolt action 22. It’s basically a 10” barrel and a 6” suppressor, but it looks like the typical heavy 10/22 barrel. The main advantage of an integral is that it flys under the radar if you value such a feature.

 

[loganwayne]

Interesting. I may just have to do more research. The video I watched before posting had the entire barrel rifled up the to very end of the barrel, which made me think you’d get the velocity benefit of the full barrel length, but maybe I misunderstood.

Outlier backdraft barrel sounds similar to what you are saying. The suppressor is still separate but can be much smaller as the carbor fiber "sleeve" acts as an expansion chamber.