Suppressor effects down range?

[Lonewolf McQuade]

I dont have a suppressor but I'm entertaining the idea for my RPR 308 bolt action..  I know prices are higher than they used to be, I know there are ridiculous wait times and paperwork. What I DONT know are the effects on bullet trajectory down range. How does it change POI? Does it change other characteristics, accuracy,  stability etc..... if anyone could share some basic information and shed the little light on the unknown to me I would very much appreciate it. Thank you in advance.

Edited July 7, 2019 by Lonewolf McQuade
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[Belt Fed]

@jtallen83

[Armed Eye Doc]

@Rsquared

[jtallen83]

58 minutes ago, Lonewolf McQuade said:

What I DONT know are the effects on bullet trajectory down range. How does it change POI? Does it change other characteristics, accuracy,  stability etc..... if anyone could share some basic information and shed the little light on the unknown to me I would very much appreciate it. Thank you in advance.

One basic effect is a slight velocity increase, varies from suppressor to suppressor though. Most all of this varies. You will generally get less POI shift when using direct thread but QD makes it easy to share one suppressor with many rifles. I notice more POI shift on my 308's versus 5.56 guns but that is my SDN6 and rifle, other mileage can vary. All my tax stamps are for AAC products so my opinion is skewed that way. They are top notch in customer service, you can fuk up one of their cans with an improper installation and they will send it back to you working with a new paint job, fixed an end cap strike on mine and did it quick. 

For accuracy assessment I would do some reading at 

https://precisionrifleblog.com/

Sure wouldn't say using a can made me less accurate, doesn't help as much as a good barrel though. 

One big positive for me was the kids wanting to shoot the suppressed P716, it was always politely declined at the range before I had s can for it. They are kid friendly 

One big downside that is usually laughed off is the carbon crusted firearms you will be cleaning. I rarely cleaned weapons before getting suppressors now I have these barriers to both AR function and round count without cleaning. Shot too many rounds before cleaning my pistol can and paid the price with hours of work. I've put a lot of time into speeding it up with an ultrasonic cleaner but in reality a good cleaner, brush, and elbow grease is the best so far as time goes. I spend more time prepping for the handwork in the ultrasonic cleaner but you still have to scrub. Rifle suppressors are easier to maintain but I did have one puke a pile of jacket scraps back down the barrel so they still make a mess. Even my piston powered P716 gets messy fast with the suppressor on it, no real slack there for the piston guns I have seen used.

Best advice I can give is when you think you have one picked out read on the topic everyday for a month before you put out for it. Like barrel length and ammo choices it's all about your expectations and intended use. 

[Matt.Cross]

1 hour ago, Lonewolf McQuade said:

What I DONT know are the effects on bullet trajectory down range. How does it change POI? Does it change other characteristics, accuracy,  stability etc..... if anyone could share some basic information and shed the little light on the unknown to me I would very much appreciate it.

As had already been stated, you'll benefit from a bit of additional muzzle velocity, how that will translate downrange will depend on the overall ballistic properties of whatever round you've chosen. POI shift may or may not occur, there's many factors that affect it, but in direct thread applications it's typically consistent enough that it can be easily factored in to your dope. Over-the-barrel suppressors that align on a collar (like my Ops Inc 12th model) have very little or no POI shift apart from the miniscule difference in velocity gains.

[Lonewolf McQuade]

Thank you @jtallen83 & @Matt.Cross . for the great information & advise! It's exactly what I  needed to know. The rifle is a tack driver now with 168gr match ammo from Federal & PPU. The hybrid brake/comp that came on the rifle from factory is MAGNIFICENT in reducing recoil, movement, & displacing sound (sound for my ears) but royally & violently screams "Fuc% You!"  to those around me, lol. I would like to be able to shoot without ear plugs and help reduce sound while hunting as to not spook game with missed/ indirect shots. Example, Today friend & I were ground hog hunting, had multiple targets out in the field. I popped the 1st hog at 450 yards, but the shot sound sent the other two in the vicinity hauling a$$ for their holes immediately, not allowing a 2nd shot on the next potential victims.