My Hunting Suppressors

[Tom Leoni]

I either hunt with vintage rifles or with modern reinterpretations thereof. A suppressor on any of them would look as sexy as curlers and orthopedic shoes on a beautiful woman. Not for me.

But I don't deny they have their advantages for those who like to take advantage of them. Better a suppressor than a muzzle brake. I'll pass on either one, though.

 

[Alaska Luke]

A Thunderbeast sounds just slightly heavier than an extra 5 inches of barrel. Much better than my 28 oz steel suppressor. That is definitely what I'd look at if money was no object. Maybe some day.
One issue is I don't personally hunt with a 308 much because I like my bear rifles in Alaska. If I lived in the lower 48 I'd probably sell everything and hunt with just a pair od 308s with that suppressor. A long barreled one for long range and a short carbine for brush.
Suppressing my 375 would be a whole different can of worms. I think for that an investment in electronic ear protection might make more sense.

 

[Inline6]

A Thunderbeast sounds just slightly heavier than an extra 5 inches of barrel. Much better than my 28 oz steel suppressor. That is definitely what I'd look at if money was no object. Maybe some day.
One issue is I don't personally hunt with a 308 much because I like my bear rifles in Alaska. If I lived in the lower 48 I'd probably sell everything and hunt with just a pair od 308s with that suppressor. A long barreled one for long range and a short carbine for brush.
Suppressing my 375 would be a whole different can of worms. I think for that an investment in electronic ear protection might make more sense.

The cans are not cheap, that said. You are marking more of a life time commitment with cans. Might as well get the ones that are built the best.

Like others have said, until you shoot suppressed you don't know what you are missing. Once you do, you will try to figure out how to do it as much as possible.

I personally use electronic ear plugs all the time. When we were in Africa, would step out of the cruiser, put in plugs and grab my rifle. They have 3 volume settings, they work well.

 

[Kalthoff]

Suppressors for hunting rifles have become legal where I live, within recent years.

I now use suppressors on all my rifles and would be sad if I was forced to shoot without them.

The most recent purchase is a so-called telescopic suppressor. That is a suppressor that slides over the muzzle, the threaded part is situated roughly halfway up the inside of the suppressor.

The rifle with that suppressor balances better with that suppressor than without one. No big wonder as the rifle and suppressor comes from the same manufacturer and was designed to work well together.

 

[JGRaider]

My buddy at the LGS says lead time for EFile is around 200 days now, a far cry from the 90 day promise (what a surprise). They have spoiled me though, as I have the SCO Harvester, YHM Resonator, and YHM Resonator K. I'll be getting more.

 

[Philip Glass]

I wish it was 4 months now, I had 4 come in the being of the year. Average wait time is about 80 days on those 4. I 2 more that have been waiting 140 days with the average wait time now being over 200 days.

I'm hoping things get better after all the paper forms get worked through.

 

[Philip Glass]

I wish it was 4 months now, I had 4 come in the being of the year. Average wait time is about 80 days on those 4. I 2 more that have been waiting 140 days with the average wait time now being over 200 days.

I'm hoping things get better after all the paper forms get worked through.

Yea it is hit and miss but not 14 months anymore. A few here have had luck and got them in 60 days!

 

[Philip Glass]

@Philip Glass thanks for the video!

If you were to buy a suppressor today that could work on a Blaser R8 in either .270, 7 mag or .300 win mag, what would you recommend getting? What company do you suggest using for the purchase?

Also, for a .22 cal or .17hmr do you have any suggestions?
I am a believer! I have two suppressors (.300 and .22). I’d like to get a smaller, lighter one though.

I would get with silencer Shop and set up an account. The Thunderbeast Ultra 5 is what I would use as I find it to be the best available now. The SilencerCo Sparrow is still the best all around .22 suppressor for the most part. I am currently using it on a .17WSM. I have it and the ultra light Warlock. I have not shopped .22 suppressors in a bit but see video reviews still showing these to be hard to beat.
I just bought 2 Ultra 5 6.5cal cans just because I love them so much!

 

[Philip Glass]

I have a Dead Air Sandman-S that fits the 300WM barrel I just bought with M15x1 threads. It uses an adapter (looks like a flash hider) from the rifle threads to the suppressor.
View attachment 501931

I'm not sold on using a suppressor for stalking. It throws off the balance of a rifle IMO. Best used for ambush hunting from a blind or hide.

Respectfully, one of the points of my video is that the Ultra 5 Gen 2 does not throw off the balance of the rifle due to its minute size. No one knows this unless they have one. My R8 actually benefits in its balance from the suppressor.
Philip

 

[Philip Glass]

Even a 7" long titanium suppressor capable of 300WM weighs about 16 oz...a full pound hanging off the end of your barrel. It does significantly effect the balance of a rifle, along with the added length. I know this because I've hunted with (and without) one.

I get it. I'm pro suppressor too, but there is no free lunch. There is a price to be paid for the noise reduction. Weight, balance and length are the big ones. Secondary would be shifting of zero with the suppressor vs without. It's a useful tool in the right situation, but for my purposes it's very limited.

Beemaa you are missing the point! The Thunderbeast Ultra 5 Gen 2 is far, far different than anything else on the market.
IT DOES NOT AFFECT THE BALANCE OF THE RIFLE IMO.

 

[Philip Glass]

My buddy at the LGS says lead time for EFile is around 200 days now, a far cry from the 90 day promise (what a surprise). They have spoiled me though, as I have the SCO Harvester, YHM Resonator, and YHM Resonator K. I'll be getting more.

There is still a backlog of paper applications out there. When those are finally worked through it will get better.

 

[BeeMaa]

Beemaa you are missing the point! The Thunderbeast Ultra 5 Gen 2 is far, far different than anything else on the market.
IT DOES NOT AFFECT THE BALANCE OF THE RIFLE IMO.

I will concede that because it only weighs 6 oz, the change in balance is minimized. But to say it has NO affect is to defy the laws of physics.

 

[rinehart0050]

@Philip Glass thanks for the video!

If you were to buy a suppressor today that could work on a Blaser R8 in either .270, 7 mag or .300 win mag, what would you recommend getting? What company do you suggest using for the purchase?

Also, for a .22 cal or .17hmr do you have any suggestions?
I am a believer! I have two suppressors (.300 and .22). I’d like to get a smaller, lighter one though.

I had my Blaser R8 barrel in 300 win mag threaded for my Silencerco Omega. Works great.

The shorter length of the R8 is nice too- makes the supressor less unwieldy.

 

[Inline6]

Yea it is hit and miss but not 14 months anymore. A few here have had luck and got them in 60 days!

That was in the beginning. Not once they started working on the March dates which they are still working on... they are receiving 32k applications a month right now.

 

[Philip Glass]

I had my Blaser R8 barrel in 300 win mag threaded for my Silencerco Omega. Works great.

The shorter length of the R8 is nice too- makes the supressor less unwieldy.

View attachment 502323

Awesome setup!

 

[Boyd Brooks]

I had my Blaser R8 barrel in 300 win mag threaded for my Silencerco Omega. Works great.

The shorter length of the R8 is nice too- makes the supressor less unwieldy.

View attachment 502323

Isn’t the bolt handle on the wrong side?

 

[rinehart0050]

Isn’t the bolt handle on the wrong side?

I'm left handed. It's a lefty R8.

 

[jduckhunter]

I've been hunting with a Thompson Machine 30 cal. can since 2015. I can't imagine hunting without one. Mine is the steel model which weighs in at almost 2 lb. but I never noticed it messing up the balance of my rifles. I've had that can on my 30-06, 308's, 300Blk, 6.5 Cr, and even on my 22LR. My rifles have barrel lengths from 16 to 20 inches so I guess that may help with the balance issues.

 

[WAB]

I had my Blaser R8 barrel in 300 win mag threaded for my Silencerco Omega. Works great.

The shorter length of the R8 is nice too- makes the supressor less unwieldy.

View attachment 502323

Nice setup. Which stock is that?

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

I really don't like the look of the things. Fortunately, shooting double rifles I need not worry.