Suppressors on hunting rifles??

[Rob01]

Smarter. Not softer.

 

[Cervus]

Doesn't look like a bazooka to me, but I must agree that suppressors seldom makes guns look better.

 

[drop_point]

Makes one wonder how the gunwriters in the old days, like Jack O'Connor and Elmer Keith, or any of the African PH's survived all that noise... Or muzzle brakes.
I have been blessed to make three trips to Africa, and the PH's universally did not allow clients to have a brake on their rifles.
We must be softer these days...

Rich

Huh? I can't hear you! Preventable hearing loss doesn't make you "hard", it makes you weak. Maintaining your hearing makes you intelligent and more in-tune with your surroundings.

 

[Orr89rocz]

If i hunt with my muzzle braked guns i use electronic ear muffs. Gain hearing advantage with the sound enhancement and protect my ears when it goes off.
2 braked guns have barrels 26-28” long so i will not run a suppressor on those. Even though they are field post up guns that dont need maneuverability lol. One is 24” which may be ok with one.

The main thing i want a suppressor for is my 19-20” 458 win mag i use for my woods gun. Just put a brake on it and its loud and i wont touch off rounds without protection. But its length is better for a supressor. They just are so expensive

 

[TC260]

Huh? I can't hear you! Preventable hearing loss doesn't make you "hard", it makes you weak. Maintaining your hearing makes you intelligent and more in-tune with your surroundings.

I used to hunt with some "one shot won't hurt" guys. It was shocking sometimes how much they couldn't hear when we'd be walking in the woods. They had no idea how much they were missing.

 

[Rob01]

If i hunt with my muzzle braked guns i use electronic ear muffs. Gain hearing advantage with the sound enhancement and protect my ears when it goes off.
2 braked guns have barrels 26-28” long so i will not run a suppressor on those. Even though they are field post up guns that dont need maneuverability lol. One is 24” which may be ok with one.

The main thing i want a suppressor for is my 19-20” 458 win mag i use for my woods gun. Just put a brake on it and its loud and i wont touch off rounds without protection. But its length is better for a supressor. They just are so expensive

Nothing wrong with a suppressor on a 28” barrel. I have two 28” barrels that I use them with in matches and no problem moving around with them. I wear electronic plugs and muffs as well as others are using brakes.

 

[snert]

I'm a farmer and a lot of my shooting now is varmint hunting. I plan to use a suppressor for most of my hunting from now on after last year. It seems most of the people moving to the country feel like they should have a say on what people do in their own property. While hunting last year I was approached by two people and asked to not shoot on my farms and had the cops called on me by another. I was probably 300-400 yards away from their property shooting in the opposite direction but they didn't like me there. Everyone now has an opinion and thinks that they need to share it. I go out hunting to get away from people and relax so that's the last thing I want to deal with. Some of the newer suppressors are only 5-6" long and weight less than 10oz. If it helps me stay under everyone's radar and enjoy my time it's well worth it to me.

Hmmm...neby nosey on my property telling me what to do? You are a saint. I respect my neighbors because i live in close proximity without choice. But if I had land...let's just say I would love you as a neighbor and I would NOT be telling you to not shoot. Being the polite sort you are I think you would be a great neighbor though. Me...not so much in your shoes.

That said, I too am old school and all my rifles are bare. I have considered a 22 can just for the quiet, but I can't be spending at my age.

 

[Lee Whitsel]

I’m 70 and pretty old school. Not gadget oriented, etc. A long time buddy has gotten into suppressing his hunting and varmint guns. He swears by them. The lack of a loud report is nice, but his guns look like bazookas and he has a large investment in “cans” as he calls them.
Not trying to start an argument but looking for a consensus on these.

Here in Montana hunting in Grizzly Bear, Lion, Wolves I and others want no silencers on my rifles. I had Grizzley charge me and I want all other hunters near me to hear my shot if I have to defend myself and come to my rescue in case I need it. It's like bell bottom pants of the 60's it's a fad and to be cool you got to look like the crowd. Not me I never got with the crowd.

 

[Eagle1899]

If you've never spent time(not just one time, but that could be all it takes) shooting suppressed, you really don't know what you're missing. I'll be at the range shooting everything I brought with a suppresor and someone will set up a few benches away and it's literally startling when they shoot(yes, I wear ear protection). I always get questions and always make the offer to shoot what ever I'm shooting suppressed.

 

[Orr89rocz]

Nothing wrong with a suppressor on a 28” barrel. I have two 28” barrels that I use them with in matches and no problem moving around with them. I wear electronic plugs and muffs as well as others are using brakes.

View attachment 1719466

Maybe. Just a little too long for my taste but i guess depends on the suppressor. Already have 4” brake for 32” total. Guess 3-4 more aint hurt much. Lol

 

[Ken]

Do it, Wish I had bought some 50-60 years ago. Hearing aids are a PIA.

 

[Rick Richard]

Here in Montana hunting in Grizzly Bear, Lion, Wolves I and others want no silencers on my rifles. I had Grizzley charge me and I want all other hunters near me to hear my shot if I have to defend myself and come to my rescue in case I need it. It's like bell bottom pants of the 60's it's a fad and to be cool you got to look like the crowd. Not me I never got with the crowd.

But on the other hand if those bears can’t hear the shot than they won’t come running in….NO DINNER BELL. Just saying.

 

[B23]

The pros and cons can be debated all day and good arguments can be made either way, that we know for certain, but I MUCH prefer to shoot everything I can with a suppressor on it.

My dad, now in his late 80's, used to flip me all kinds of crap about suppressors when I first started using them. He'd scoff and make some smartarse comment about my "Joe Cool or GI Joe" suppressors and tell me how they're just a bunch of bullsh1t nonsense and I how he isn't interested in any of that stuff. No problem to each their own right but every time we shot together he would ask more questions about them to the point where he finally did admit it is nice not dealing with all that muzzle blast and before I knew it at 80 some years old he had ordered himself one.

A hundred plus years ago cars were hand crank you had to manually adjust the timing and didn't have AC. I don't think anyone see's any of those conveniences as a fad or that they make you less manly if you don't jump out and hand crank you car to start it.

 

[CaptainMal]

That’s a training problem. Not a suppressor problem.

He has not hunted in 15 years. He was also clueless on hunting out of a tower or tripod with railing. The man did not think of climbing a ladder and getting under and into things with that silly extension on his rifle.

To use one effectively would take experience under hunting conditions in confined areas.

One thing I would regret is the sound of shooting would not tell you where or when might be around hunting. Firing three shots in the air for help is also a bit challenging unless you can take that thing off without tools.

Since they cost over $1,000 and also require someone to thread a muzzle plus all the extra tuning, it becomes quite a huge expense.

 

[Rob01]

He has not hunted in 15 years. He was also clueless on hunting out of a tower or tripod with railing. The man did not think of climbing a ladder and getting under and into things with that silly extension on his rifle.

To use one effectively would take experience under hunting conditions in confined areas.

One thing I would regret is the sound of shooting would not tell you where or when might be around hunting. Firing three shots in the air for help is also a bit challenging unless you can take that thing off without tools.

Since they cost over $1,000 and also require someone to thread a muzzle plus all the extra tuning, it becomes quite a huge expense.

If an extra 6” on the end of the rifle caused all that trouble then he had bigger issues. lol

You sound like you don’t know much about them either so just stick to what makes you happy.

 

[alf]

Firing three shots in the air for help is also a bit challenging unless you can take that thing off without tools.

Since they cost over $1,000 and also require someone to thread a muzzle plus all the extra tuning, it becomes quite a huge expense.

Direct thread is the way to go, screw on screw off, no tools needed.

There's some damn good suppressors out there for well under a grand, but there's still the cost to thread or buy one threaded already. Now I refuse to buy or build anything w/o threads.

I have never worked up any loads with the can on. I screw them on for final zeroing, & everyone has shot at least as good, if not better than w/o.

 

[alintx]

I'm a farmer and a lot of my shooting now is varmint hunting. I plan to use a suppressor for most of my hunting from now on after last year. It seems most of the people moving to the country feel like they should have a say on what people do in their own property. While hunting last year I was approached by two people and asked to not shoot on my farms and had the cops called on me by another. I was probably 300-400 yards away from their property shooting in the opposite direction but they didn't like me there. Everyone now has an opinion and thinks that they need to share it. I go out hunting to get away from people and relax so that's the last thing I want to deal with. Some of the newer suppressors are only 5-6" long and weight less than 10oz. If it helps me stay under everyone's radar and enjoy my time it's well worth it to me.

I would have called all my buddies and had a range day

 

[TC260]

He has not hunted in 15 years. He was also clueless on hunting out of a tower or tripod with railing. The man did not think of climbing a ladder and getting under and into things with that silly extension on his rifle.

Really who can blame him? Climbing into a tripod, with a railing no less, is one of the biggest challenges a hunter can face. Sheep hunters shudder at the thought of such a feat

 

[nakneker]

I first used a suppressor while in South Africa, loved it. Came home and purchased one which lead to many more. They make for a long bulky rifle but I’m using shorter barrels which helps a lot. I’m not losing much velocity in my 7 Saums and 6.5 PRCs. So much easier on your hearing, something that has been diminished over the years thanks to my young and dumb attitude early on.

If your looking for a good suppressor that won’t break the bank look at diligent defense, they offer a titanium version too. Excellent company. My favorite cans are thunderbeast and B&T but you’ll pay substantially more. The thunderbeast magnus is my current favorite on my Saum Improved, game changer.

If your after every ounce of velocity you can squeeze out of a cartridge and still trying keep the rifle manageable as far as length then you may just want to keep your current rigs as they are. The length a suppressor adds is the only con in my book.

 

[Knotwild]

Talked to a friend last week who asked me for advice on buying a rifle. Every time I tried to talk he drowned me out with internet info. He bought a CVA Long Range 6.5 PRC because Who tee who said it was the best thing out there. I finally was able to say you might want take that muzzle brake off to sight it in. His answer - “I’m already deaf anyway”.