Suppressors...what am I missing?

[MeatMissile]

I’ll start off with this: I shoot suppressed at work. It’s at the detriment of velocity and adds weight and length to my 11.5 AR. But, almost all of the situations I’d have to use this rifle would be indoors and/or very short ranges. I’m simply not going to be in a situation where I can identify deadly threats at 300 yards (or even 100 yards) with a 0x optic. Its not exactly “quiet” but makes life more bearable for those around me when firing hundreds of rounds in a day.

That said....

I can’t see a scenario where I’d want/need this on a big game rifle. I’ve never hunted anywhere where I could shoot multiple big game animals in one spot, so hiding the signature of my rifle means little. I prefer taking advantage of the terminal performance gained by a longer barrel (seems like most suppressor-ready rifles are shorter in the barrel). For hunting thick places where I’d use a shorter rifle, I wouldn’t want to add 6 inches and a half pound on the end of the gun.

Does the decrease in sound/signature make up for the lost velocity, increased weight, increased length, and change in balance?

I can totally see the benefit while varmint hunting where there is a high volume of shooting. Maybe even while predator hunting where doubles aren’t uncommon.

 

[Lawnboi]

For me it’s about not having to fumble with ear plugs.

And recoil reduction

And my suppressors are not causing any loss in velocity.

 

[Sled]

I don't lose velocity in mine. If anything I gain 10fps. I don't notice it out to long distance target ranges.

The benefits are reduced volume, concussion, muzzle flip and game confusion. I'll take all those any day over 10oz, 7" and 30 extra decibels.

 

[MeatMissile]

Are you guys chopping your barrels down? Seems like everyone wants an 18 or 20 inch barrel for suppressed shooting. How can they not lose velocity? The shortest barrel I have is 22”, while most of my rifles have have 24”-30” barrels.

I’ve honestly never noticed the noise while shooting at game and I’ve never seen anyone that’s that fast at running a bolt and shooting at an alerted animal. Seems like the loss of sight picture in recoil is inconsequential if you have to reposition to shoot anyway.

 

[jhm2023]

I gain velocity with a suppressor attached, not much but still a gain. Obviously if you cut your barrel down you will lose velocity, but the sake barrel unsuppresed will be slower than that barrel with a can. The cartridges efficiency will also determine the amount of velocity loss as the barrel gets shorter so that is something to consider. I just ordered a 7 sherman max in a 20 inch barrel for this reason vs something like a 7 rem mag with a 20" barrel

The key advantages for me hunting suppressed are hearing protection for myself and family as I hunt with my daughter a lot.

Also for shooting multiple animals or follow up shots. For example last season I missed a sheep slightly low but all the ram likely heard was the bullet impact a rock behind him. He stayed in an opening and gave me another shot instead of hauling but in the the cliffs. Another time my wife and I were set up on caribou, she took one then I took another without having to worry about a spooked herd.

Yea they do add weight but 8-12oz is surely worth it to me considering the other benefits a can provides. Everyone I have ever hunted with while I used a suppresor now owns at least one too.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

 

[Sled]

Are you guys chopping your barrels down?

I’ve honestly never noticed the noise while shooting at game and I’ve never seen anyone that’s that fast at running a bolt and shooting at an alerted animal. Seems like the loss of sight picture in recoil is inconsequential if you have to reposition to shoot anyway.

Some of mine are cut. I have 17-26" barrels suppressed. The 26 is one long sob and reserved for truck hunting.

Again, noise is only one piece of the benefit. For me, the overpressure is a concern. I spend a lot of time close to explosives and artillery. I want to limit those mini concussions as much as possible so the big ones don't rock me as hard.

Have you ever shot your magnums with head cold/sinus infection? It's a lot more fun to do when suppressed.

 

[MeatMissile]

I think part of the issue I have is I’ve never hunted anywhere I could shoot at multiple big game animals. That, and it’s pretty thick around here and shots are often pretty quick with little chance at a follow-up. It seems like the woods seems to soak up the noise. It sounds almost like a dull “pop”.

 

[Stalker69]

Couple buddies have them, I personally don't care for them. I always wear ear plugs while shooting any way, and I won't ever cut a barrel down, and I hate the looks of them. The "cool factor" is high though, I guess.

 

[Lawnboi]

I think part of the issue I have is I’ve never hunted anywhere I could shoot at multiple big game animals. That, and it’s pretty thick around here and shots are often pretty quick with little chance at a follow-up. It seems like the woods seems to soak up the noise. It sounds almost like a dull “pop”.

Whether you care to admit it or not your damaging your hearing every time you shoot an unsuppressed center fire rifle without hearing protection.

 

[MeatMissile]

Some of mine are cut. I have 17-26" barrels suppressed. The 26 is one long sob and reserved for truck hunting.

Again, noise is only one piece of the benefit. For me, the overpressure is a concern. I spend a lot of time close to explosives and artillery. I want to limit those mini concussions as much as possible so the big ones don't rock me as hard.

Have you ever shot your magnums with head cold/sinus infection? It's a lot more fun to do when suppressed.

This will sound dumb, but I’ve never had a sinus infection in my 39 years. It’s another thing that I wouldn’t have considered. It makes sense.

I live near an artillery impact range, but it’s probably not nearly as bad as being next to the gun! We use flashbangs from time to time, but not nearly at the rate that artillery is fired around here.

 

[colby12]

I’ve got a .30-06 that I hated shooting for recoil and what not. Chopped the barrel to 18” put a can on it and I’m getting the same velocity as advertised in the Berger manual which used a 26” barrel for the test.

I have also never been in a situation to shoot multiple big game animals at one time. Coyotes maybe, but not big game. The benefit I have found is the shock factor for the animal isn’t there. They don’t seem to take off like they would with no can. If you miss they seem to be much less startled than if you didn’t have the can. Ears not ringing after the fact is good too.

 

[MeatMissile]

Whether you care to admit it or not your damaging your hearing every time you shoot an unsuppressed center fire rifle without hearing protection.

Maybe I am. I’m not too old, 39. Maybe I’ll pay for it someday. I wear earpro when hunting ground squirrels since there is more volume of gunfire. Never worn it while hunting rockchucks, coyotes, or big game.

 

[Lawnboi]

Maybe I am. I’m not too old, 39. Maybe I’ll pay for it someday. I wear earpro when hunting ground squirrels since there is more volume of gunfire. Never worn it while hunting rockchucks, coyotes, or big game.

I didn’t either for a long time. Wasn’t a thing. My ears ring almost constantly now. I and guys I hunt with have become much more aware of shooting without and have done what we can to avoid it. Yet I don’t have the self control to always put in plugs, especially when I’m trying to use my ears before the shot.

A suppressor takes all that off the table. Some can still be loud suppressed but it’s not bare muzzle.

If you havnt shot a precision rifle suppressed I’d give it a try. It makes the whole shooting experience better, with and without plugs.

 

[MeatMissile]

I didn’t either for a long time. Wasn’t a thing. My ears ring almost constantly now. I and guys I hunt with have become much more aware of shooting without and have done what we can to avoid it. Yet I don’t have the self control to always put in plugs, especially when I’m trying to use my ears before the shot.

A suppressor takes all that off the table. Some can still be loud suppressed but it’s not bare muzzle.

If you havnt shot a precision rifle suppressed I’d give it a try. It makes the whole shooting experience better, with and without plugs.

Just ARs and MP5s. I’ll have to give it a shot.

 

[justinspicher]

Shooting 556 suppressed is mainly for the containment of the flash, its hard to suppress that round unless its subsonic. You’re probably using M855 ammo so a suppressor isnt doing much other than making your gun hot. I shoot thousands of 556 rounds and its rarely suppressed. Ive done plenty of work in a house shooting with no suppressor, no issues there either, but that was several years ago when I did cool shit for work.

As far as hunting with a suppressor, until you’ve done it, you dont know what your missing. Ive not shot a suppressed rifle bigger than a 6.5CM, but it sure is handy to not have to worry about earplugs and be able to actually talk to your buddy who is helping.

The beauty of having first world problems like using a suppressor or not is pretty awesome.

 

[Lawnboi]

Shooting 556 suppressed is mainly for the containment of the flash, its hard to suppress that round unless its subsonic. You’re probably using M855 ammo so a suppressor isnt doing much other than making your gun hot. I shoot thousands of 556 rounds and its rarely suppressed. Ive done plenty of work in a house shooting with no suppressor, no issues there either, but that was several years ago when I did cool shit for work.

As far as hunting with a suppressor, until you’ve done it, you dont know what your missing. Ive not shot a suppressed rifle bigger than a 6.5CM, but it sure is handy to not have to worry about earplugs and be able to actually talk to your buddy who is helping.

The beauty of having first world problems like using a suppressor or not is pretty awesome.

556 is plenty quiet out of a bolt gun!m
ARs will never be quiet due to port pop

 

[MeatMissile]

Shooting 556 suppressed is mainly for the containment of the flash, its hard to suppress that round unless its subsonic. You’re probably using M855 ammo so a suppressor isnt doing much other than making your gun hot. I shoot thousands of 556 rounds and its rarely suppressed. Ive done plenty of work in a house shooting with no suppressor, no issues there either, but that was several years ago when I did cool shit for work.

As far as hunting with a suppressor, until you’ve done it, you dont know what your missing. Ive not shot a suppressed rifle bigger than a 6.5CM, but it sure is handy to not have to worry about earplugs and be able to actually talk to your buddy who is helping.

The beauty of having first world problems like using a suppressor or not is pretty awesome.

We use Federal Tactical Bonded 62gr. Same weight as M855, but different construction. The only benefit to our suppressors is cutting flash signature and blast out to the side....unless you’re not using the suppressor and you’re to the right of the muzzle adapter/comp.

Edit: And it cuts down a bit on dust when shooting prone or some other modified position on the ground.

 

[MeatMissile]

556 is plenty quiet out of a bolt gun!m
ARs will never be quiet due to port pop

Maybe I’ll have my bolt action 223 threaded and I’ll screw on an adapter for my suppressor. Hmmmm....

 

[Lawnboi]

Maybe I’ll have my bolt action 223 threaded and I’ll screw on an adapter for my suppressor. Hmmmm....

I use a little 5” can on my 223 bolt rifle. It’s quieter to the shooter than an 8” gemtech on my 6.5 creedmoor. Less blast, noise and concussion let’s me keep my eyes open through the shot. All around a better shooting experience.

Good for varmints too. Similar to shooting prairie dogs with a rimfire, it just dosnt scare them as much. Couple unsuppressed shots and an uneducated town figures it out pretty quick.

As for barrel length, if you build a rifle around it understanding what your probably getting for velocity out of the barrel length you want, there is not much of a downside. You can buy a 8oz, 5” suppressor now adays.

I still think a brake is more appropriate on a match rifle, or a big magnum, but with those comes hearing protection and needing the ability to not let that noise and blast effect your mind, easier said than done.

 

[CoStick]

Maybe I am. I’m not too old, 39. Maybe I’ll pay for it someday. I wear earpro when hunting ground squirrels since there is more volume of gunfire. Never worn it while hunting rockchucks, coyotes, or big game.

Get a hearing test, they can show you what you have already lost. It is an eye opener.