Are there benefits to using a suppressor for plains game hunting

[Doug3006]

Don't know why everyone doesn't use a suppressor. I wish I had gotten into them decades ago. From noise reduction to much less recoil a suppressor is a great hunting tool. Second shot attempts happen from time to time if there is an unfortunate miss.
In the pics it is easy to tell if it is a RSA suppressor or a clients own. The RSA suppressors look like a 2' piece of 2" pipe sticking out from the barrel! I shoot the Thunderbeast Ultra 5 which is 5" and 6oz. By far the best I've found.

I don’t believe that everyone should use suppressors….anymore than I believe that no one should. Although in honesty I lean more to the latter. Some thoughts for what they’re worth:

1. Using good quality electronic earplugs eliminates the need for a barrel mounted suppressor.
2. Suppressors are ugly on bolt action rifles. I know this is a subjective thing, but still…..
3. I don’t see the need to moderate recoil on any gun caliber less than 375. In the field, most don’t people I know say they don’t even feel it when hunting.
4. They’re ugly.
5. You must choose between cutting down the barrel, and thereby reducing performance, or mounting the suppressor on a full length barrel. winding up with an arm that’s long and unbalanced.
6. Did I mention that they are ugly?

All of the above are just my views. Everyone is free to make their own choices. One last thing. If anyone is considering cutting down the barrel of a pre-war Rigby so they can add a suppressor, please PM me. I’ll buy it from them and replace it with a Ruger of their choice.

 

[NIGHTHAWK]

On a properly balanced rifle they could be quite nice for plains game. What I despise is one tacked onto the end of a normal length rifle. The result is something with properties more akin to a surf rod than a hunting rifle.

Yup.

Reduces recoil. I don’t bring mine out of the country. I have used them on rented rifles.

A lot to manage if you are walking and carrying it in the hills or mountains, or any long distances and best shot prone.
Ask me how I know…

 

[BeeMaa]

Blaster R8 integrated suppressor bbl and stock

That's about the only way I would do it. Keeps the rifle the proper length and with proper balance.

 

[analog_peninsula]

If you want to experiment with suppressor use pick up a Steyr THB with a 16” factory barrel and a decent 308 5/8x24 direct thread suppressor. It’s a quick and easy way to get your feet wet with a setup likely to produce satisfactory results. The THB isn’t a lightweight, but that’s the only negative.

 

[Red Leg]

Yup.

Reduces recoil. I don’t bring mine out of the country. I have used them on rented rifles.

A lot to manage if you are walking and carrying it in the hills or mountains, or any long distances and best shot prone.
Ask me how I know…

View attachment 695453

Same experience - different setting.

Thread 'HUNGARY: Roe Deer On The Hungarian Plain And Mouflon Of The Bakony Mountains - Or, How I Came To Despise A Bolt Action Equipped With A Suppressor'

Apr 24, 2025

Not wishing to drive off any Gen X, Z, or tacticool readers immediately, I’ll withhold my rifle evaluation until later.

I had visited Budapest twice before over the last twenty-five years, but I never had the opportunity to see anything of the country. However, thanks to the Cold War, I at least was very familiar with its terrain from map studies and exercises. We had concluded back in those days that it represented excellent tank country once our formations moved east of the Danube. It was to this area, the Great Hungarian Plain (lföld or Nagy Alföld), that a local friend, Rick, and I...

• Red Leg
• Replies: 49
• Forum: Hunting reports Europe

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[Donnachaidh]

One thing I noticed when stalking red hinds in Scotland was a moderator seems to make it harder for deer to locate the source of the shot, which is useful when culling.

 

[Green Chile]

I will probably take a suppressor with me next year when I'm going for klippie and Vaal rhebok. It also helps a little bit on baboon control. They have their place.

 

[HankBuck]

I don’t believe that everyone should use suppressors….anymore than I believe that no one should. Although in honesty I lean more to the latter. Some thoughts for what they’re worth:

1. Using good quality electronic earplugs eliminates the need for a barrel mounted suppressor.
2. Suppressors are ugly on bolt action rifles. I know this is a subjective thing, but still…..
3. I don’t see the need to moderate recoil on any gun caliber less than 375. In the field, most don’t people I know say they don’t even feel it when hunting.
4. They’re ugly.
5. You must choose between cutting down the barrel, and thereby reducing performance, or mounting the suppressor on a full length barrel. winding up with an arm that’s long and unbalanced.
6. Did I mention that they are ugly?

All of the above are just my views. Everyone is free to make their own choices. One last thing. If anyone is considering cutting down the barrel of a pre-war Rigby so they can add a suppressor, please PM me. I’ll buy it from them and replace it with a Ruger of their choice.

@Doug3006 - Your points are ALL well stated and I Agree….but You “mentioned” Suppressors are UGLY iin 3 of your 6 Points —— Why didn’t you mention that in ALL 6 points???

 

[Doug3006]

I was exercising restraint!

I’m not known for that.

 

[Wyfox]

I use them on most my rifles. The rifle on the left is a 22" 300 win mag with a Thunderbeast Ultra 5. Rifle weighs 9.5lbs total with optic and can, barrel is 26.5" total length and it balences like a dream. Shoots a 180gr bullet at 3050fps.
This gun will be going to Africa with me.

Rifle on the right is a 20" 6mm Creed with a 5.5" Deadair K can. 105gr at 2900fps

 

[fourfive8]

@crossfire3006,
Fairly common in Africa. Positives far outweigh negatives! Consider the reality of PHs and trackers standing next to muzzles and having their hearing damaged. They appreciate them much more than the shooter. The complaints about adding barrel length rendering a rifle “pert near” unusable are grossly over-cooked… but make for trendy internet and campfire debate. I’ve hauled around heavy MLs with 40”+ barrels enough miles in the mountains and in the woods to know better.

 

[Philip Glass]

I don’t believe that everyone should use suppressors….anymore than I believe that no one should. Although in honesty I lean more to the latter. Some thoughts for what they’re worth:

1. Using good quality electronic earplugs eliminates the need for a barrel mounted suppressor.
2. Suppressors are ugly on bolt action rifles. I know this is a subjective thing, but still…..
3. I don’t see the need to moderate recoil on any gun caliber less than 375. In the field, most don’t people I know say they don’t even feel it when hunting.
4. They’re ugly.
5. You must choose between cutting down the barrel, and thereby reducing performance, or mounting the suppressor on a full length barrel. winding up with an arm that’s long and unbalanced.
6. Did I mention that they are ugly?

All of the above are just my views. Everyone is free to make their own choices. One last thing. If anyone is considering cutting down the barrel of a pre-war Rigby so they can add a suppressor, please PM me. I’ll buy it from them and replace it with a Ruger of their choice.

To each his own and I agree with the sentiment partly. I have my pretty gun for safari (double) and then the functional (R8 scoped and suppressed).

 

[Philip Glass]

I agree with Phillip. Lightweight and smaller cans like the banish backcountry do not change the balance much on rifles. I’ve hunted the last three safaris with suppressors for plains game and tiny ten. The PH and the trackers appreciate the reduced noise and the audible animal impact is clear when using a suppressor. All of my rifles were built with shorter barrels for the cans.

But it still seems the naysayers think all cans are 2’ long! Like the old adage of the ostrich with the head in the sand I suppose.