Hunting with a suppressor

[Snowbird]

Do any of you hunt with a suppressor? I'm just starting to do some research but thought i'd ask here first. I've been hunting without much in the way of ear protection all my life and over the last decade or so it, plus my job has started to get to my hearing. my work exposes me to loud noises regularly, including 164 db w/o muzzle break and other 2-5lb close distance detonations. i use ear pro for most of that but the human skull can only keep out so much. so, that has me thinking about last hunting season where i took a couple shots without ear protection. i definitely noticed a day later that my hearing was off...even over the usual tinnitus.

now, i'm interested in reducing the decibels as well as muzzle jump from my sporter barrels. so far i've come across the thunder beast 7 and a couple others. is an over the barrel model reasonable for a bolt gun or only an AR? i'd like to keep the weight light and length short due to maneuverability.

 

[WeiserBucks]

Absolutely do it ! Go straight to the TBAC suppressors for lightweight and precision. Pick the longest one you're willing to put up with . It's a game changer in every way, start now .

With the ATF wait times , buy one or 5 now and get the ball rolling. Every day you wait is another day you're not suppressed.

 

[snox801]

I stated using the sound gear hearing protection for both work and hunting I have hearing loss already and the hunting version amplifiers sound so I don't miss animals.
But yes get a can or two I like the harvester

 

[dfanonymous]

suppressors can be good.

I can probably speak on the detonations. If there's no policy put on by whoever you work for by a qualified industrial hygienist then default to double ears if you can. So over ears like muffs or electronic ear pro and foamies inside the ear cannel.
I didnt have complete control of my hearing loss in most sense, but there's been a lot of times where I sure haven't helped it. it's never to late to start. Also if you get immediate damage to the ear, if you have the ability to talk to an audiologist sometimes they can give you a steroid suspension to mitigate damage.

 

[MudRunner2005]

TBAC, Energetic Armament VOX, Dead Air Nomad, Liberty Sovereign... All are good cans to look into.

 

[birdiemc]

I've got one of the sorriest home built on a form-1 you could imagine, just freeze plugs in a tube that threads onto my barrel. 308 win. Drilled 3/8" bore with a drill press that had so much run out the holes are pyramid shaped. It's amazing how well that thing reduces felt recoil and take the sound down. So I can only imagine a better design would likely improve on the sound suppression, but I wanted to tell you about my awful homebuilt to maybe help you worry less about which one to buy. I comfortably shoot it without hearing protection and dont have any complaints.

 

[Mach 1]

I've hunted deer coyote elk and rabbits with a suppressor for years. I don't know how light of a can your going to get while being reliable with any magnum claibers. I have a yhm 30 cal can that I use on everything from a 300wm and 300wsm down to 300blkout 223 and even 22lr. Unless your running a piston driven upper, suppressors just dirty the crap out of the receiver bolt and bolt carrier awfully quick. I bought a sonic cleaner just to throw the upper parts in to clean them.
Suppressors do act as a muzzle break but but are not quite as efficient at reducing recoil as a good break is. I also noticed that some of my group sizes reduce a tiny bit on average shooting suppressed. I contribute the additional accuracy to improved barrel harmonics and maybe reduced barrel whip. I've read some other people have noticed the same deal. At any range over 500 yards shooting suppressed with one of my 300wsm guns, alot of the time I can take two does out of the same group of deer just because they have no idea what's going on when fired on. Years ago I missed a coyote 2 times before hitting him at 585. I shot just over him twice and every time he ran closer to me. He had no idea where the shot was coming from and all he heard was the shot impacting the ground. Suppressors are awsome.

 

[Elk Hunter 338]

I run the TBAC CANS and they are absolutely the best ive found for all aspects and ive even started shortening my barrels to keep length to a manageable length … you be surprised how well a 300 norma or RUM performs in a 22" barrel !!

 

[WeiserBucks]

Shorty suppressed might surprise some folks! My longest magnum barrel is 23.5" .

 

[smokey3]

I've hunted deer coyote elk and rabbits with a suppressor for years. I don't know how light of a can your going to get while being reliable with any magnum claibers. I have a yhm 30 cal can that I use on everything from a 300wm and 300wsm down to 300blkout 223 and even 22lr. Unless your running a piston driven upper, suppressors just dirty the crap out of the receiver bolt and bolt carrier awfully quick. I bought a sonic cleaner just to throw the upper parts in to clean them.
Suppressors do act as a muzzle break but but are not quite as efficient at reducing recoil as a good break is. I also noticed that some of my group sizes reduce a tiny bit on average shooting suppressed. I contribute the additional accuracy to improved barrel harmonics and maybe reduced barrel whip. I've read some other people have noticed the same deal. At any range over 500 yards shooting suppressed with one of my 300wsm guns, alot of the time I can take two does out of the same group of deer just because they have no idea what's going on when fired on. Years ago I missed a coyote 2 times before hitting him at 585. I shot just over him twice and every time he ran closer to me. He had no idea where the shot was coming from and all he heard was the shot impacting the ground. Suppressors are awsome.

I also have a YHM 30 cal Phantom. It is a little heavy but is also rated full auto. They make a titanium version that is a lot lighter, along with a bit costlier. But they are awesome. Plenty of good brands available out there.

 

[Elk Hunter 338]

Shorty suppressed might surprise some folks! My longest magnum barrel is 23.5" .

Ive been contemplating a 338 of some sort in a shorter barrel and my 338 ultra can!! should be fun.. there so nice to hunt with and pack around its hard not to hunt with them anymore .. now they are makin them hearing safe down to a 5" titanium can!! awesome

 

[yorke-1]

Take a good look at your style of hunting before deciding that a suppressor make sense. The extra length was a deal breaker for me because of where and how I hunt. Even with a 20" barrel I'd end up with what I would consider a long and cumbersome weapon with a suppressor on there. Plus, for the cost of a suppressor you could buy two pairs of excellent electronic hearing protection to wear in the field.

 

[WeiserBucks]

Ive been contemplating a 338 of some sort in a shorter barrel and my 338 ultra can!! should be fun.. there so nice to hunt with and pack around its hard not to hunt with them anymore .. now they are makin them hearing safe down to a 5" titanium can!! awesome

I'm going to do a shorty 338 Norma, a guy I shoot with makes 2700+ with a 21" . After shooting with him I'm on board.

 

[aaronoto]

Take a good look at your style of hunting before deciding that a suppressor make sense. The extra length was a deal breaker for me because of where and how I hunt. Even with a 20" barrel I'd end up with what I would consider a long and cumbersome weapon with a suppressor on there. Plus, for the cost of a suppressor you could buy two pairs of excellent electronic hearing protection to wear in the field.

This right here.

Personally I leave mine at home. All of my hunting is hike in backcountry out west, the extra weight and longer barrel (with said weight hanging off the end) doesn't make for a very comfortable setup to pack, and I only have a 20" barrel. If I was going to set up a dedicated suppressed hunter though it would definitely be a 16.5" and probably a .308 at that so you don't lose too much ballistically by going with the shorty barrel.