Suppressor on Hunting Rifle

[rjthehunter]

You are typically a person on this forum that I highly respect. I’ve learned a lot from what you’ve written on this forum and usually appreciate your contribution but I must say, you sound like a f***ing moron right now. Nobody is talking about going deaf. There are thousands of people with firearm related hearing loss that are not deaf and I’d just about put money on the fact that you’re one of them. You may not notice it, but chances are you have some hearing loss due to your time afield. There are a lot of parts on our body that can be fixed, but not our eyes and ears. Why would we not want to protect them the best we can?

This ^

I'm 22 years old. Whether my hearing loss is from hunting or not, it sucks. Fire couldn't have said it better. You can break a leg and heal it, you can't fix your hearing. Doc told me not to worry about it coming back because it wont. That sucks. I regret not wearing hearing protection. The ringing is enough to drive me insane. I just hope it becomes less noticeable after awhile.

Ear plugs and safety glasses are cheap. They CAN and WILL save you in the long run. Whether it's now or 20 years from now. Just remember, I've never heard anyone say they wish they didn't wear ear plugs when hunting.

 

[devon deer]

With literally thousands of guns going through my hands and my business...I have never seen this....except with corrosive surplus ammo.

Well I hope the information helped
Cheers
Richard

 

[HuntTalk Freak]

I’ve been using one on several different rifles for three years now and enjoy how quiet it is. Mine does add weight but I bought a cheap one. With a shorter barreled rifle balance isn’t much of an issue. I will probably break down and get a titanium one strictly for hunting purposes as mine is heavier being full auto rated.
My hearing is really bad and I’m not even forty years old yet. I have been totally deaf several times in my life from various issues but the worst was when a buddy shot off about six rounds out of his MK18 just a foot or two away from my head. Years later and I can still notice a huge difference in my left ear compared to my right.
I am required to wear ear pro at work but there isn’t much point anymore as I can’t hear people when I have plugs in.
Suppressors have their time and place that’s for sure. I didn’t bring one on my first western hunt this year but I use one almost 100% of the time here at home. I do urge everyone to at least carry some cheap ear plugs especially the younger folks.

 

[HuntTalk Freak]

I think if a guy builds his rifle right, you wouldn’t notice any change in balance of the rifle. 30338 is on the right track with his. I don’t carry my suppressor into the woods often but I sure love shooting with it one there. I keep toying with the idea of cutting on my 6.5 barrels down to 16-18” just for this reason.

That’s what I did. 16.5” 6.5 creedmoor. My wife is hunting with it this year and hasn’t complained about balance.

 

[fishing4sanity]

I'm 22 years old. Whether my hearing loss is from hunting or not, it sucks. Fire couldn't have said it better. You can break a leg and heal it, you can't fix your hearing. Doc told me not to worry about it coming back because it wont. That sucks. I regret not wearing hearing protection. The ringing is enough to drive me insane. I just hope it becomes less noticeable after awhile.

I have severe tinnitus, years ago when I first had to go to hearing aids I found they helped reduce the severity of the tinnitus. The ringing hasn't stopped in many many years, only varies in intensity and is truly maddening. If you don't have hearing aids, look into them, they might help with the ringing. For me, I feel the suppressor is worth it, even though most of the 'water is under-the-bridge' already. Good luck!

 

[Jeremyc_1999]

The suppressor adds weight and length and does suck in the timber, but it is so nice to not have to wear hearing protection while staking through timber or hunting. It's a definite plus. I'm not sure of anyone who went through getting a suppressor (yes, that's the most painful part) and doesn't hunt with them. I did a hunt over Thanksgiving weekend and didn't have the ability to mount my suppressor on that rifle, took a couple of shots and regret them not being suppressed. It definitely plays into my rifle purchases now and I plan on using it for many years to come. As for follow up shots, it may help some, but they still hear it. It isn't silent.

 

[BuzzH]

You are typically a person on this forum that I highly respect. I’ve learned a lot from what you’ve written on this forum and usually appreciate your contribution but I must say, you sound like a f***ing moron right now. Nobody is talking about going deaf. There are thousands of people with firearm related hearing loss that are not deaf and I’d just about put money on the fact that you’re one of them. You may not notice it, but chances are you have some hearing loss due to your time afield. There are a lot of parts on our body that can be fixed, but not our eyes and ears. Why would we not want to protect them the best we can?

Cant hear you...did you say something?

JFC, glad at least vikingsguy got it...

 

[mtmuley]

I have tinnitus and some hearing loss. I guarantee that big game rifles fired while hunting aren't the culprit. The almost 30 years I spent fIring pneumatic nail guns is. I bet I 've fired them over a million times. As far as a suppressor on a hunting rifle? Not for me. mtmuley

 

[Irrelevant]

I have tinnitus and some hearing loss. I guarantee that big game rifles fired while hunting aren't the culprit.

...it's sitting in a duck blind with three other dudes going through boxes of ammo with ported barrels trying to fill a limit of public land birds flying too high to be shooting at in the first place. Or shooting a box a trip on chukars. I am really trying to get better about wearing protection when I hunt, but I've still found the stereo aspect sucks

 

[onpoint]

As an answer to the original question - an absolute waste of money.
If I wasn't such an under achiever, maybe I coulda' come up with ways to make money like sell this kinda' stuff to willing buyers.
"There's a sucker born every minute" P.T. Barnum...........

.......he typed on an web forum made possible by paying for internet accessibility

 

[Fire_9]

I have tinnitus and some hearing loss. I guarantee that big game rifles fired while hunting aren't the culprit. The almost 30 years I spent fIring pneumatic nail guns is. I bet I 've fired them over a million times. As far as a suppressor on a hunting rifle? Not for me. mtmuley

I agree there are many culprits for hearing loss. I wear hearing protection more often than most and even wear it if I vacuum the house. I know, a little overkill, but why not? That’s the point I’m trying to make. I’m not saying suppressors are the answer but what am I saying is why not promote some type of hearing protection. For someone to say “nah, you don’t need ear plugs to fire a high power rifle” is absolutely insane to me. Shooting 6 critters a year without ear pro isn’t going to make you go deaf but it sure as shit isn’t going to help any...

 

[mtmuley]

I agree there are many culprits for hearing loss. I wear hearing protection more often than most and even wear it if I vacuum the house. I know, a little overkill, but why not? That’s the point I’m trying to make. I’m not saying suppressors are the answer but what am I saying is why not promote some type of hearing protection. For someone to say “nah, you don’t need ear plugs to fire a high power rifle” is absolutely insane to me. Shooting 6 critters a year without ear pro isn’t going to make you go deaf but it sure as shit isn’t going to help any...

Understood about hearing protection. It's a personal choice. I choose not to while hunting. Besides, 26 inch barrels get real long with one of those things on it. mtmuley

 

[huntin24/7]

Speaking of suppressors/muzzle brakes, any recommendations on brakes that aren’t as loud? I know they’re all louder than without having them.

 

[HighDesertSage]

I did a write up here. My summary is the last post:

SilencerCo Supressors

Curious if anyone here has any experience on the Silencerco suppressors. I am seriously considering putting one in jail for my 7 Mag and 300 WM. The two I am looking at are the Omega 300 and Harvester 300. I'm having a tough time figuring out what the difference between the two are, other than...

www.hunttalk.com

 

[mdhunter]

My hearing is below average for a guy that is 52. Was is the Black Sabbath concert when I was in 9th grade? Was is it the 30 hours a week behind a lawnmower every summer starting at age 12? Maybe it was all the bird hunting with my grandfather. Unfortunately like most, becoming a proficient shot took practice.

All I can tell anyone is your hearing will never be as good as it is today. I now wear hearing aids as they help save the hearing I still have as when it’s gone, it’s gone. The amplified hearing exercises the ear drums as when you are not wearing them (as it was explained to me) you are not hearing sounds and therefore slowly going deaf.

My go to rifle is a .300 wsm with a break. To all you that either shoot a rifle with a break or have a buddy that does (when you are not wearing ear protection)...good luck.

Would I wear ear protection when shooting with just a suppressor? Yup.

 

[HandgunHunter]

Speaking of suppressors/muzzle brakes, any recommendations on brakes that aren’t as loud? I know they’re all louder than without having them.

Radial....spiral ported will generally be less loud.

It’s not so much that the brake makes it louder but it directs the gasses which in a nut shell makes the noise to the side, thus closer to your head...so it’s gets to your ears faster.

Without a brake the noise and gases go more strait forward and take a little bit more time to hit the ears.


No mater which way you go...protect your ears.

 

[Anschutz]

I used to walk live fire lanes as a dumb LT with no ear protection. My buddies didn't wear it so I didn't either. Luckily I didn't suffer much hearing loss but now I wear electronic muffs and carry them hunting. For small game and bird hunting it's great. For deer hunting, if I don't have time then so be it but if I have time they're going on.

 

[turbobrick]

I was into guns well before my adult onset hunting problem. My first year hunting, I shot a deer with my 30-06, and it took 3 days for my hearing to return to normal. The next season, my dad and I doubled on speed goats with my Savage LR in .260 Remington with my minty fresh Advanced Armament 7.62SDN-6 suppressor. I felt 100% normal, and now I shoot and hunt almost 100% suppressed (other than handguns).

Ultimately, I decided that the POI shift with a really heavy suppressor like the AAC (20oz) and the thin, long barrel on the Savage weren't workable for me. I had a custom titanium action with 22" Proof barrel and carbon fiber stock built in 260 with a Griffin Sportsman suppressor (13oz). This worked awesome, and was very packable.

I've settled on a Christensen carbon in 3000WM with the newer Griffin Ultralight (12oz) and am super pleased. Its a little on the long side, but I've carried it all over creation with great success. I built another identical one for my wife, and she loves it.

I have my original Griffin can on a 300BO for coyotes, multiple .22 cans, a 12GA Salvo, .46 Hybrid on my 1895 45-70, 45 Ghost on a PCC, and a couple .223 cans, once you experience reduced volume shooting, its almost impossible to go back. Ironically, my only hunting rifle that isn't suppressed is the 30-06 that started all this, maybe someday I'll have it threaded.

 

[CForest]

I have a couple friends that have got into them in the past couple years, and it's making me seriously consider one for myself with the results they have seen from them. If I owned a single gun that was threaded I would likely do it. But I don't so I have that major obstacle from the get go.
Predator hunting is where the biggest benefit is, getting multiple kills off a single call set is almost the norm for them now.

 

[VikingsGuy]

I have a couple friends that have got into them in the past couple years, and it's making me seriously consider one for myself with the results they have seen from them. If I owned a single gun that was threaded I would likely do it. But I don't so I have that major obstacle from the get go.
Predator hunting is where the biggest benefit is, getting multiple kills off a single call set is almost the norm for them now.

It takes a year to process the NFA stamp, you will have plenty of time to thread a barrel. (and depending on election, you may see some real bureaucratic foot dragging to slow down any NFA approvals under a new administration - so now is the time to buy one)