Silencing the silencer ?

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Salpalinja

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I have a problem with my silencers while hunting. They make rather loud sound when hitting tree branches while stalking. It is almost like tuning-fork :D

What can be done about this?? The silencer is a BR-tuote T-8 scout. Thanks in advance.

Timo
 
We aren't allowed to use silencers in the US and I'm not familiar with them at all. But can you wrap it with some kind of cloth to dampen the vibrations? George
 
Um, George, that's not entirely correct. Many of the western states (even those that do not allow other Class III items) do allow the use of suppressors. They are fairly common with the exception of CA.

A sleeve can be made of the foam rubber used for insulating water pipes. It is inexpensive, and should not melt too the "can" unless you are shooting a lot. It would be fine for the one or two shots normal in a hunt.

Another way to cover the suppressor would be to use a piece of automobile radiator hose. cut it to length, slice it the long way, and then just slip it over the can.

Both of those are very cheap, durable methods. I prefer the hose because of its lower profile but both will work.
 
Well, you learn something new everyday. That's something I never would have thought of. It's never come up and I don't think I've ever lived anywhere where it was allowed. It really doesn't make a lot of sense to me to have a silencer when hunting. I just can't think of a reason why you would. Never gave it much thought. Maybe someone can educate me. But it seems to me that if you were close enough to residential areas that noise would be a problem that you would be too close. I don't think you could silence a rifle enough not to spook the game you just shot at. I don't have any experience with shooting silenced firearms but I'd always heard that accuracy suffered. Again coming from lack of experience with silencers I thought only subsonic ammo could be silenced effectively. So I guess I'm asking what game, and in what situations are silencers an advantage? George
 
Squirrels

That's why I use .22 shorts to hunt the little critters. You can just sit still and pop them with very little noise and after you have your limit go pick them up. A silencers would be even better, but shorts out of a rifle aren't very loud.
 
George;

Most of the initial permits are for cropping or varmint control. If you own property on the outskirts of a town you're going to have visitors like coyote and the like. Deer also when they get to be excessive can be a problem. Also small stuff like badger, groundhog, etc.

Silenced .22 are popular, bigger stuff less so. I built one of my ex-bosses a 300 Whisper that he got suppressed. I know of at least one person who uses a supressed .223 TC for stray/feral cats and dogs (which are a problem also).
 
George, there are several reasons to use a suppressor in the field. On a centerfire rifle you won't hide the fact that a shot was fired (in most calibers and loads that is) but the protection to your fragile inner ear would be much appreciated. I know you can use conventional hearing protection but then you miss some of the game signs and one of the reasons to be out in nature. As to the accuracy, a good unit will not degrade accuracy. Some will actually improve accuracy in the same way the BOSS can.

Sorry, have to go now more important things just came through the front door. If you want sir I can continue later.
 
If I could suppress my rifle for hunting, believe me, I would. I'm hoping that later on in life my ears won't punish me for the punishment I've given them. However, regardless of how much I pay the BATF, MI won't allow me to own one. :confused:
 
So I guess I'm asking what game, and in what situations are silencers an advantage? George
Click to expand...

Well I can think atleast 3 reasons.

Reduced noise pollution in the area. This can be a great advantage here in Finland when hunting near residential areas, (minimum range from a house that is in use must be 165 yards).

Reduced noise pollution for the shooter.

Reduced recoil, cuts of recoil as well as muzzlebreak, and enables faster followup shots.

On the downside is different point of impact when the silencer is removed.

The use of supressors was introduced in the new hunting legislation in 1993. It was debated that poachers would benefit from this, but since silencers were not regulated for sport shooting it was not worth it to ban them for hunting.

Timo
 
Back in the days of the Great Depression, we had a bucket of used crankcase oil in the garage for lubricating machinery, etc. once the sludge settled to the bottom. We'd buy a box of .22 shorts (for 15cents) and dump them into the oil. After several months, we'd fish them out, clean them off with dry cleaning solvent and when fired there would be lots of barely audible sounds and a few pops. Guess you could say we made our own CB caps. Bagged a few quail therewith.
 
To answer Salpalinja:

The first of only two silenced firearms I've ever fired was a Mac11 in .380acp.
The supressor on it had a rubber sleeve that fit over it fairly tightly. I always thought that the purpose of it was to eliminate any resonants or the "vibration" you mentioned. The supressor was manufactured by the same company that made the supressor (whoever made the Mac in the early '70's)
I would suggest locating a tire dealer that has a varied selection of tire innertubes. Select one that is approximately the same diameter as the outer tube of the can and slide it over the device. The can on the Mac I shot were removeable and could be unscrewed from the threaded mounting plate for replacement of the fiber (asbestos ?) baffling. The rubber sleeve was then slid back over the silencer.
Hope this suggestion helps. The innertube rubber would withstand more heat than the pipe insulation foam.
The mac suppressor was about the diameter of a small motorcycle innertube ~2".
 
The supressor on it had a rubber sleeve that fit over it fairly tightly.
Click to expand...

Probably more to protect from burns than any vibration dampening. Suppressors get unbelievably hot when used on a full-auto gun (not to mention the gun itself).

One person I know uses a piece of leather around the can that laces up along one side (similar to a leather cheekpiece laced on a rifle stock). That way he doesn't have to worry about any rubber sticking to it and he can remove it to prevent rust once he's done.
 
If someone shoots in the forest, and it makes no sound, how do you know they actually shot? A twist on the "If a tree falls in the forest, and nobody is there to hear it, does it make a sound?" philisophical question...;)
 
I have a problem with my silencers while hunting. They make rather loud sound when hitting tree branches
Click to expand...
Try taking the rifle off of your shoulder. You will increase your chances of shooting something.

It really doesn't make a lot of sense to me to have a silencer when hunting.
Click to expand...
A silencer would be nice for secondary game. If you are hunting deer and a coyote, grouse or dog running deer, etc should happen to present itsself, you could take it without spooking any deer.
 
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