Using Suppressor in ELR matches?? (KO1M, Spearpoint, Nightforce etc)

[harry_x1]

Hi All,
I am looking for feedback from people who participate in KO1M, Spearpoint (light) and similar light (338 cal) ELR matches.

Are some competitiors in such matches using suppressors? If yes, what are the pros/cons of suing suppressor in 338 caliber match guns? Any other related information or guidance on this topic?

Appreciate your time and assistance !


PS: I plan to shoot a 33xc with a 338 Ultra thunderbeast from my AI AXMC.

 

[moondog]

I shot my 300PRC, 30" barrel with a TBAC 338 can at the Niteforce ELR match last year. To be honest, it was a pig to carry over 2 days! I'm signed up this year, same gun, new chamber, different bullet, brake instead of can. If I'm shooting square range, I'd shoot with a can. The blowback from the brake is annoying to say the least. A big brake offers more recoil reduction in my testing, but at a price.

 

[harry_x1]

I shot my 300PRC, 30" barrel with a TBAC 338 can at the Niteforce ELR match last year. To be honest, it was a pig to carry over 2 days! I'm signed up this year, same gun, new chamber, different bullet, brake instead of can. If I'm shooting square range, I'd shoot with a can. The blowback from the brake is annoying to say the least. A big brake offers more recoil reduction in my testing, but at a price.

thanks for the details...I am enrolled for the light hunter div(16 lbs and under)...do you have some idea about that division? How much walking is involved overall in the match?

 

[moondog]

Don't really know about that division. Same targets as everyone else just in that division score wise. Definitely some hiking involved. They do have a staging area with a flatbed to get groups to different ranges.
I wasn't digging my 27lb rig at the end!

 

[gkotlin]

No reason not to shoot a suppressor. A suppressor with a brake is even better.

I think the biggest reason most people don't use one is for cost. Those big brakes aren't cheap.

A few of my teammates have them.

 

[SKWERLZ]

No reason not to shoot a suppressor. A suppressor with a brake is even better.

I think the biggest reason most people don't use one is for cost. Those big brakes aren't cheap.

A few of my teammates have them.

Big brakes run 250-500$
Big suppressors run 1250-5000$ and you’ll you will be fighting more recoil than a brake.

 

[762plinker]

yes the big suppressors need bigger internal brkes...i was talked out of a 338 suppressor for my edge.
i shoot a 875-2000 yd match at raton that is suppressed MATCH...MAG RIFLE MATCH

 

[moondog]

On my 300 PRC, The brake is more effective at recoil than my 338 can

 

[Ryan Schams]

Just an FYI, TBAC told me that I should not use my 338 Ultra on my 28" 33XC. Below is a quote from the email response I received from them.

"We do not recommend the 338 Ultra for use with 33 XC. The uncorking pressures generated by the 33 XC are beyond the design parameters of the 338 Ultra."

 

[SKWERLZ]

It would be interesting to know their designed muzzle pressure limit.
With a 34” barrel and 20N29 and a solid 33XC would be appropriately 12500ish psi.
My 338 edge with a 30” barrel is approximately 11500.
Both are at pressure levels that doesn’t destroy brass.

 

[Benchrest Braxton]

On my 300 PRC, The brake is more effective at recoil than my 338 can

on any rifle, any cartridge, a properly designed brake is more effective than a suppressor. I would say, around the 30 cal magnum area, is where the effectiveness of a brake over a suppressor becomes much more apparent.

it is definitely deceiving though, because the added weight at the muzzle and reduced impulse dynamics from a suppressor can make recoil seem alot softer than it actually is.

for ELR comps I can’t recommend a suppressor unless you are trying to solve a very specific problem. A suppressor IMO is just one more thing to worry about (coming loose and shifting harmonics as well as enhanced mirage).

 

[Benchrest Braxton]

Just an FYI, TBAC told me that I should not use my 338 Ultra on my 28" 33XC. Below is a quote from the email response I received from them.

"We do not recommend the 338 Ultra for use with 33 XC. The uncorking pressures generated by the 33 XC are beyond the design parameters of the 338 Ultra."

i know a few people running them with no issues.

I would love to see the engineering thoughts behind TBAC’s reasoning on how a 16” 338 lapua is fine (minimum requirement per tbac’s website) is fine but a 30”+ 33xc is not fine

 

[dantiff2]

Sure you could! This is still America and if you wanna run a can, do it! My .02 cents- I'd want a big ole' monster, kickin' son of a B**ch that would push a big, nasty streamlined bullet as fast a possible, so I'd opt for the biggest brake I could get to tame her punishment. Just like the brake that was on my BMG when I had it. Very pleasant to shoot (recoil wise). I cannot imagine a can having anywhere near the same amount of recoil reducing qualitites.

 

[harry_x1]

ok...firstly thanks to all those who pitched in. I have been using the new tbac suppressor on my 33xc now for last 400 rounds and it has performed exceptionally well. The felt recoil is less as well as no ringing pain in ears. I am cursing myself for not going suppressor route earlier. Now putting on suppressors on all my rifles as standard from now on.

 

[dcali]

It's worth considering that the bigger the gun, the lower the frequency of the sound of the muzzle blast. Below a certain level, hearing protection does not help because the sound travels through your skull. The only way to mitigate it is with a suppressor. I don't know where that cutoff is, but I'd bet the big ELR cartridges are creeping up on it.

 

[harry_x1]

Thanks everyone for your inputs. I have been running 338 Ultra on my 33xc for the 4 ELR matches I participated this yea. Total 400 rounds through the barrell as of now. 300 grain bergers at 3113 fps. Till now I have not seen any deterioration in accuracy. In fact I feel suppressor for some reason has added to precison. I frequently get all single hole 3 shot groups at 100 yards. With less anticipation of the loud blast, I seem to be jerking the trigger less at time of pull. That might be adding to the precision.

In terms of recoil I feel more comfortable with suppressor on. Again, this could just be a perception vs reality, driven by lower blast. For someone shooting ELR first time, my respectable rankings at spearpoint make me believe that suppressor does not degrade precision. My only fear is, that in some stage it might come loose or the cover go over the muzzle without me knowing it. However a good cover with a solid pre stage SOP can help calm these fears.

Overall, I cannot imagine now shooting magnum calibers without suppressor. All my guns will have one from now on, even my AKs and ARs.

 

[blundby]

I seem to always get unexplainable effects shooting long range with a can. No baffle strikes, thread on. AXMC 300NM. As an example: Last range session. 230 berger @ 3100fps. 100m 1/2 inch groups with can (silent steel, finnish brand, + heat cover). Actually no POI change with/without can, maybe a click to the right. Shooting groups at 300m the problem with the can appears. First: POI is 0.2 mil lower than Kestrel predicts (8 clicks up). Also 5 shot spread is around .4 mil (80cm). There is no horisontal spread. Take silencer off and shoot with brake (can threads on it) and POI is correct except for 0.1 mil to the right. I return the scope to zero and shoot at 100m and POI is correct, both with and without the can. I have talked to a lot of other people here in Norway having similar experiences with vertical stringing using cans. Any thoughts or other solutions than just shooting braked?

 

[Benchrest Braxton]

i wouldn't recommend a can personally for ELR comps....more recoil vs a proper brake, more mirage effects, and potential for coming loose.

 

[Outrider27]

Just as a humorous aside, I shoot a .338LM that came with a brake. The recoil is about the same as a my .308 Wins, but the noise is far louder than anything else I own. Fortunately, I'm retired, so I can get to the local public range when no one else is usually there to be battered by the sound.