Practical Suppressed Rifle for Roe deer through Whitetail

[Mekaniks]

Excellent rifle @Red Leg

I own several suppressed rifles. They range from .22 lr through .308. All are on AR platforms and work fine for their intended purpose which is dealing with squirrels and armadillos at one end of the spectrum and feral hogs at the other (we have pecans). One is equipped with a thermal and one is thermal capable with a Leica clip-on.

However, I have never fully appreciated the value of a suppressor on a true hunting rifle that would be used for any sort of spot and stalk application. A recent roe deer hunt in Hungary where I lugged around a suppressed Mauser in .300 Win Mag with the field balance and maneuverability of a surf rod merely reinforced those impressions.

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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But theoretically, I could envision the advantages of a more ergonomically useful version of such a rifle particularly stand hunting whitetail or hunting much European game. So, I decided to create one. Fortunately, the R8 makes that a very easy process. I am a great fan of the 6.5 - not the Creedmoor - but the its century old ancestors the 6.5x55 and 6.5x57 which have been doing the same thing only a little better for a century.

I had a sporter weight 6.5x55 barrel without sights that looked like an ideal candidate. After threading, a Nomad Dead Air suppressor was fitted which added six inches and only 14 ounces to the front of the rifle. Thanks to the short action of an R9, even with a full length barrel (which the 6.5x55 appreciates), I was left with a rifle of 46 total inches. That is a bit longer than I normally prefer, but exactly the same length as one of my pre-war .318's. In other words, usable. Oh yes, it shoots 6.5x55 140 gr Hornaday Superformance loads into a single ragged hole.

I have great hopes for it this season out back.

View attachment 714566

 

[WAB]

Excellent rifle @Red Leg

Agreed, a classy and highly functional piece.

 

[MacJenkins]

I have almost the exact setup and was using the SilencerCo Omega and just recently bought the new Scythe titanium from SilencerCo and that weight reduction made a world of difference in balance

Own both the ScytheTi and the banish backcountry. Very nice to carry with excellent balance.

 

[Ruraldoc]

I use a Kimber Adirondack with a Sillencerco Harvestor. In 6.5 Creedmoor.

Weighs about 6.5 pounds with Swarovski 4-12x50 in Talley Lightweight ring mounts.

I use 120 grain bullets in increase velocity in the short 18 inch barrel..

Works on deer and wild hogs.

 

[Red Leg]

@Red Leg
Interesting post. I'm looking forward to reading the hunting report with this set up!

One question: How do you see an integrated suppressor on a rifle, which makes a thicker barrel, but without an extension, as an option? Is it worth looking at it?

I wish the R8 so configured was available in this country. I would guess the Feds here have no idea how to manage licensing it. Also, due to the diameter of the barrel, it will likely have be a dedicated rifle rather than an action hosting a number of alternative chamberings.

 

[BeeMaa]

I wish the R8 so configured was available in this country. I would guess the Feds here have no idea how to manage licensing it. Also, due to the diameter of the barrel, it will likely have be a dedicated rifle rather than an action hosting a number of alternative chamberings.

Unless all the other barrels are also the same configuration with the integrated suppressor. Time to sign up for more paperwork and tax stamps…

 

[Red Leg]

Unless all the other barrels are also the same configuration with the integrated suppressor. Time to sign up for more paperwork and tax stamps…

It would have to be a one off with that barrel diameter configuration. However, the approval process is like 24-48 hours now and the actual tax goes away in January.

 

[WAB]

It would have to be a one off with that barrel diameter configuration. However, the approval process is like 24-48 hours now and the actual tax goes away in January.

Yep, I see more suppressors in my future!

 

[Green Chile]

I am over packing what ends up being a 10-13 pound Blaser R8 over hill and dale. Maybe just dale, but damn sure not hill.

I traded rifles with my guide in Slovenia in September. His was a Mauser M12 in 308 with a 6 series Swarovski. Shot my stag with it.

I am going to build a sub 7 pound gun when I get back silenced. I don't know what that will be or anything about the components. I am done packing heavy rifles in the mountains.

The problem with really lightweight rifles in the mountains is holding them steady after climbing up to your shooting position. If you don’t have time to slow the heart rate, they are hard to hold steady. Sometimes you can see your heartbeat through the scope. Pros and cons with most things but I have found lightweight rifles harder to hold steady. There is a balance in between extremes.

 

[WAB]

The problem with really lightweight rifles in the mountains is holding them steady after climbing up to your shooting position. If you don’t have time to slow the heart rate, they are hard to hold steady. Sometimes you can see your heartbeat through the scope. Pros and cons with most things but I have found lightweight rifles harder to hold steady. There is a balance in between extremes.

Agreed. The same is true of shotguns. The rig Red Leg has put together seems perfect. The weight is just right, the overall length is manageable, and the caliber more than capable. I am looking forward to field reports.

 

[Green Chile]

Yes his setup looks great to me.

 

[BryceM]

I had an opportunity a few years back to have a particularly gifted gunsmith make me one (and only one) rifle. His options were 6.5 CM and .300 WM on a 700 Rem action. I thought about it long and hard and settled on a 21" .300 Win Mag and an Ultra 5 Thunder Beast supressor. It's not necessarily a pretty rifle, with a plastic stock, stainless barrel & action, but it sure is effective. I'm shooting 190 gr bullets at 2865 fps, which isn't too terrible considering I'm missing 3" of barrel. It balances well enough to shoulder carry and point at things, but it probably wouldn't fit in a standard scabbard very well. It's about 9 pounds, all-in, and settles in just fine on the quad-sticks or bipod. I decided long ago that light rifles weren't really my cup of tea.

Earlier in the week I put all 10 shots in a 10" target at 500 yards, so hopefully I'm good to 300 or 400 on elk this fall. The tag I drew is in wide open flat country with little cover other than broken volcanic topography, so getting in close isn't always an option.

 

[Muskox]

I am not sure where I am going to end up with this idea.

I am moving back to America next year.

Single shot or repeater?

Single shot is easy, get a k95 with a plastic stock and a silencer and you are at 8 pounds neat.

Repeater? Maybe a titanium short action in 308 with a 20 inch barrel, a silencer and a carbon fiber stock.

I have some hunts in mind for when I start coming back to Europe. Some combinations that would be multi-country multi-species that I have done and want to do again.

Like an August roe, chamois, marmot, and fat stag hunt in Slovenia and Austria combined.
Of course then you have the problem of needing multiple calibers.

I have an FBT stock for my R8, but I am not sure if that is what I want to do or not. Still makes for a heavy package.

 

[Rubberhead]

Hey @Red Leg where'd you get that sling in your OP?

 

[AZDAVE]

@Red Leg Really like your setup.

I haven't shoot any of my rifles with a suppressor, as i just felt the prices were to high and didn't want to do the paperwork to own one. But with the tax stamp going away and hopefully there will be enough competition and demand for prices to go down.

Since this is for a roe/whitetail deer kinda rifle I have a howa mini in 6.5 gendel that is in a boyds stock with a standard bottom metal from Oregon gunsmithing LLC (That plastic bottom metal/magazine combo isn't my favorite) it is threaded for a suppressor/ muzzle brake. Give's me a few ideas.

 

[Muskox]

Not sure about all European nations. Here in German you have to have 1000 Joules at the target for Roe deer.

6.5 Grendel would make it roe legal to 300 yards with most bullets. Problem would be finding replacement ammo for it here in Europe. Frankonia has one load.

They have 34 243 Winchester loads, and 37 6.5 Creedmoor loads.

I would think every gun shop in Germany would have 243, 6.5 CM, 6.5 Swede, 6.5x57, 6.5x57R, 7x57R, 270, 7x64, 7x65r, 308, 30-06, 300 Win, 8x57, 8x57R,8,5x55 Blaser, 22-250, 222, 223 and 7mm Rem Mag.

 

[8 x 60]

My Steyr with 4" lopped off the barrel (so now 20") and Dpt supressor. A game-changer.
.243

 

[Green Chile]

@ Red Leg...love your choice of 6.5x55 for the application. That's a cartridge that I've been meaning to spend more time with as well as the 6.5x54 Mannlicher. I've spent more time with the 6.5 PRC but the Swede is a real classic and very effective in it's heavier bullet range.

Spicy!

 

[Bonk]

I have a Ruger Guide Gun 30-06 that I’ve wanted to try with a suppressor but for some dumb reason Ruger threaded the barrel to 1/2x24. I recently found a 1/2x28 adapter and was finally able to mount my SilencerCo 7.62 SpecWar to the rifle. The stock barrel is only 20” so even with a relatively long suppressor the OAL is still around 47”. The laminated wood stock is heavy but with the suppressor hanging off the front the rifle balances just in front of the floor plate.

 

[Brandon.Gleason]

I've been running a Banish30 and Banish Backcountry on a Christensen Ridgeline .308 Win 20" barrel for a few years now. It's a really nice set up. The Backcountry, particularly, adds minimal length to the rifle, and shoots lights out with most bullets still. The Banish30 now lives on a RAR .300BO set up for my 9 year old. He'll be hunting hogs with it this weekend.

Can't seem to get 180gr accubonds to shoot with either suppressor, though. Frustrating. Shoots fine without the cans.