Suppressor problems - would you cut the bbl?

[Ocnandmtns]

Need advice from people with more experience in this area than I have.

- I bought my first suppressor(zero experience with them before this)
- bought a 30 cal Banish backcountry Ti(reputable manufacturer and light)
- Planned to run it on my 2 rifles: a Kimber Mtn Ascent in 300WSM w/ a facotry threaded 24" barrel and on a Barret Fieldcraft w/ non threaded barrel that I'd cut
- Planned to see how it shot and felt on my Kimber before deciding how much to cut it back.

My Kimber shoots terrible with the can on! It was driving me nuts trying to figure out what the problem was. After burning through about a 80 rnds I realized that w/o the can it would group fine at 200 yds and then I'd put the can on and it would immediately be off paper, about 12" or more off and not really grouping. Shot several different factory rnds all with similar results. Checked can for baffle strike and not seeing any. Talked to Silencer Central who i bought from and to Kimber. SC says all signs point to barrel harmonics. Kimber says they've never heard of this issue.

I have very reputable local gunsmith that I planned to have cut both barrels so I took rifles to him to discuss. He immediately said it was prob barrel harmonics and that the super thin and fluted Kimber barrel is prob the issue. Since I wanted to cut the barrel back 4" anyway I asked if it would be likely to fix the issue- he said he can't guarantee it and that I might just end up with a shorter barrel with the same issue. Of course he doesn't want to guarantee it and I wouldn't ask him too. But, do any of you with more experience have thoughts on whether this will likely address the issue? I'm not a long range hunter, I'd like to be able to shoot out to 500 but prefer shots <300 yds. So, if I lose a little velocity but end up with a little lighter and easier to carry rifle it's not the end of the world, but if I knew it wouldn't fix the issue I'd probably leave the barrel unmolested.

Cutting will allow us to go from 7/16 threads to 1/2" which the gunsmith says is the min dia he likes to run for a can. Fieldcraft has a heavier barrel that shouldn't be an issue.

 

[KyleR1985]

If the rifle shoots at stock length, it’ll almost certainly shoot cut down.

You can guess pretty easily with searches here and google on velocity expectations at whatever length you’re cutting to. Then you’re just doing ballistics calcs to see if that satisfies whatever you’re going for.

Fluted barrels sometimes can’t be threaded.

Not exactly what you’re looking for, but some things to consider.

 

[Ocnandmtns]

Thanks. Yep but this barrel can be threaded- front 10" or so is non fluted so we'd be in there. Mainly looking for thoughts on whether cutting is likely to help w/ harmonics issue.

 

[HNTR918]

Need advice from people with more experience in this area than I have.

- I bought my first suppressor(zero experience with them before this)
- bought a 30 cal Banish backcountry Ti(reputable manufacturer and light)
- Planned to run it on my 2 rifles: a Kimber Mtn Ascent in 300WSM w/ a facotry threaded 24" barrel and on a Barret Fieldcraft w/ non threaded barrel that I'd cut
- Planned to see how it shot and felt on my Kimber before deciding how much to cut it back.

My Kimber shoots terrible with the can on! It was driving me nuts trying to figure out what the problem was. After burning through about a 80 rnds I realized that w/o the can it would group fine at 200 yds and then I'd put the can on and it would immediately be off paper, about 12" or more off and not really grouping. Shot several different factory rnds all with similar results. Checked can for baffle strike and not seeing any. Talked to Silencer Central who i bought from and to Kimber. SC says all signs point to barrel harmonics. Kimber says they've never heard of this issue.

I have very reputable local gunsmith that I planned to have cut both barrels so I took rifles to him to discuss. He immediately said it was prob barrel harmonics and that the super thin and fluted Kimber barrel is prob the issue. Since I wanted to cut the barrel back 4" anyway I asked if it would be likely to fix the issue- he said he can't guarantee it and that I might just end up with a shorter barrel with the same issue. Of course he doesn't want to guarantee it and I wouldn't ask him too. But, do any of you with more experience have thoughts on whether this will likely address the issue? I'm not a long range hunter, I'd like to be able to shoot out to 500 but prefer shots <300 yds. So, if I lose a little velocity but end up with a little lighter and easier to carry rifle it's not the end of the world, but if I knew it wouldn't fix the issue I'd probably leave the barrel unmolested.

Cutting will allow us to go from 7/16 threads to 1/2" which the gunsmith says is the min dia he likes to run for a can. Fieldcraft has a heavier barrel that shouldn't be an issue.

I'd run 1/2x28.
Pencil barrels will never shoot good with more than 3 rounds at a time. Get a barrel cooler from magneto speed.
I have a kimber at 19'' and it shoots 10 shots, 2 shots then cool between, under 1.5''.

 

[HandgunHTR]

Pencil barrels will never shoot good with more than 3 rounds at a time.

That is a fallacy. Shitty barrels won’t shoot good. Neither will shitty shooters.
Good barrels will shoot good regardless of how many rounds are shot before letting the barrel cool.
90% of the time when I hear this, it is based on someone shooting a light rifle chambered in a medium to heavy recoiling cartridge and the group opening up isn’t the rifles fault.

OP, cut the rifle down to 20”. If it still doesn’t shoot to your liking, try to borrow a DT can of another make to see if it really is an issue with the weight of the can, or if it is just that suppressor.
I shoot multiple cans on “pencil barrel” rifles and don’t have that issue.

 

[ResearchinStuff]

It's probably not harmonics. Companies love blaming stuff on mythical things that can't be proven.

The low impact is because your barrel is now bending due to the added mass at the front. Poi shift with the can on vs off is normal, a stiffer barrel will typically be less affected. Likewise, the bend in the barrel is probably showing either insufficient free float, poor bedding loose action screws, or some combo of those 3 things.

Cutting my tikka barrels had no accuracy effects. Unless your barrel has a fat or narrow spot, it should affect yours either.

 

[AZ_Hunter]

It's probably not harmonics. Companies love blaming stuff on mythical things that can't be proven.

The low impact is because your barrel is now bending due to the added mass at the front. Poi shift with the can on vs off is normal, a stiffer barrel will typically be less affected. Likewise, the bend in the barrel is probably showing either insufficient free float, poor bedding loose action screws, or some combo of those 3 things.

Cutting my tikka barrels had no accuracy effects. Unless your barrel has a fat or narrow spot, it should affect yours either.

That is most likely. Also sometimes strikes aren’t obvious because it’s an ever so slight kiss, that doesn’t show up until eventually there is a little copper deposit. Been there done that.

Get an alignment rod and check your can alignment.

I have been a can convert since 2015, have a couple dozen and have built a few.

 

[False_Cast]

Regardless of what you're observing can-on/can-off, the FIRST thing I'd be doing is checking/cleaning/Loctiting all fasteners, especially ring & base mounts and action screws. Many Kimber "barrel issues" were cleared up when base and/or action screws were found to be too long and bottoming out or loose. The easiest fix of all time.

 

[Maverick1]

TLDNR.

Doesn’t matter what you typed, anyhow.

The answer to your question or issue is: Tikka.

And the answer is - and always will be: Tikka.

 

[Ocnandmtns]

Thanks everyone! What I learned today: This rifle stuff is a beast and I should just go back to archery. Kidding, shooting right out of the box would have been nice but I don't mind a good technical challenge. I'm feeling better about cutting the barrel and I'll also look into all the other suggestions you guys gave.