Shooting Hunting Rounds

[BWSmith]

Just curious with a suppressor how much actual noise is reduced in a supersonic hunting round? Does it hurt the device running hot loads through it?

[glock17l]

Most of the Suppressors are for 308 rounds so the 300 is nothing for it regardless how hot.

[ncorry]

A 308 caliber suppressor on a normal hunting round (i.e. 22-2300 fps with 110-130 grain bullet)- I compare it to a Ruger Mark II 22LR pistol in terms of total "loudness". But, this is misleading because the sound is just different. The suppressor greatly, greatly decreases the initial boom of the powder exploding/ burning. The 130 grain projectile traveling at more than 2X the spoeed of sound is loud, but the sound peels off of it directionally. If you were safely standing behind a wall 100 yards down range and someone shot one past the wall, you would hear the bullet as it went past you- you'd hear the little bullets own sonic boom. A guy 20 feet behind you would hear it too, but the sound he'd hear would actually be coming from 20 feet down range from the sound that you heard.

I'm pretty sure you're sufficiently confused by now. Yes it makes a big difference. No it won't be anywhere as quiet as a subsonic (or even transonic) round. No, it won't hurt a suppressor RATED FOR 308/ 300 MAG ROUNDS, but WILL NOT BE GOOD FOR A suppressor made for a pistol (9mm/ 45, etc.).

[pvanwagner]

Thanks, Nic. Good answer. That helped me out a lot. I'm hoping the Georgia Senate passes the new state law to allow suppressors while hunting.

[ncorry]

Glad I could help. I don't get "good answer" very often.

[BWSmith]

That actually helps a lot. I see too many older hunters that are near deaf and if I can cut the sound in half, I wouldlike to do it. Because let's face it, when you are in the stand and have a bead on a nice deer or hog, you don't even hear the report consciously so you don't realize the damage it does over time.

[cconn]

I just picked up my 762-SDN-6 from the dealer yesterday so I can now post my thoughts on this. I got home and mounted it on a Micro 7. Shooting 220 grains subsonic is a blast. It is not silent, but sounds like a nail-gun going off. the loudest sound is the bullet striking the target.

Now shooting 125 grain supersonic pink tips is slightly louder. I would say it sounds like a 22 rifle shooting normal ammo. I don't know if it qualifies as OSHA hearing safe. But I had no problems sighting in my scope without hearing protection.