Hunting suppressed vs brake 7PRC
- Thread starter Misfit_
- Start date
This is purely a personal choice. The brake mitigates recoil better, but is loud, the suppressor is quieter but longer/heavier. Theres very little nuance here imo
Hunting unsuppressed is for vermin swine
Brakes are for peasants or people who live in communist states. Don't be a peasant.
I’ll try and make this short. One deer season hunting out of an enclosed blind using my .308 with a thruster brake I had a nice buck walk out into one of my shooting lanes. I could tell he was going to go straight through so I put the crosshairs on him and pulled the trigger. I had earmuffs with me but had taken them off just to give myself a break. Once the buck came out my focus was completely on him and I completely forgot about my ear muffs. Needless to say it was a lesson learned the hard way. I now hunt 100% suppressed.
Depends on what you mean by “backpack style hunting”. Ounces equal pounds and pounds equal pain. For a back country hunt where you’re carrying your camp on your back and hiking double digit miles every day, ditch the suppressor. If you do it right, you’ll only expend one shot and may have the opportunity to put in ear plugs. Hunting with just a day pack . . . go suppressed.
yeah a bare muzzle is pretty loud and a brake is very loud. but i prefer the recoil and jump reduction of a brake over a can and do wear earpro. plus, unless it's a 22lr or some of the .223 cans, they're still loud enough where i want hearing protection. try a couple of hunting rifles with brakes and with suppressors and decide for yourself.
Suppressed is the only way to go
Suppressed if it is a social hunt for sure.
I'm not impressed by the guys who hunt with a brake and no hearing protection...that is permanent hearing loss.
I prefer a brake and ear-pro.
I'd also wear ear-pro if shooting suppressed a lot too. It doesn't make a standard rifle hearing safe, let alone a magnum.
I'm not impressed by the guys who hunt with a brake and no hearing protection...that is permanent hearing loss.
I prefer a brake and ear-pro.
I'd also wear ear-pro if shooting suppressed a lot too. It doesn't make a standard rifle hearing safe, let alone a magnum.
I have gone back and forth and enjoy both.
Stalking I just pop wired buds around my neck. I’ve yet to have a situation I didn’t have time to pop them in.
Stand/blind hunting I either do the same or use microphoned muffs.
Do whatever makes you happy, climbing trees with a can kinda blows.
Stalking I just pop wired buds around my neck. I’ve yet to have a situation I didn’t have time to pop them in.
Stand/blind hunting I either do the same or use microphoned muffs.
Do whatever makes you happy, climbing trees with a can kinda blows.
For a backpack hunt? Ditch the can, the brake, and the muffs. Drape this around your neck and your plugs are always in easy reach. The gel plugs don’t need to be rolled up to fit or expand to work. Just pop them in and shoot.
https://www.academy.com/p/radians-radband™-ear-plugs
https://www.academy.com/p/radians-radband™-ear-plugs
I have gone back and forth as well. I am moving toward a brake with big game. I had not been liking suppressors due to additional length, but then I got a folding chassis and am debating it again. When I use a brake, Salmon River Solution titanium brake is what I will go with.
An extra pound hanging off the end of your rifle on a hike in/hike out back country hunt is something to ponder- especially as a pair of foam plugs weighs essentially nothing. But, yeah, I’m not taking a braked gun hunting, and it’s a special circumstance that my rifle isn’t suppressed.
I was using shorter barrels until I got a folding stock with a folding stock I will use up to 24” and a suppressor
All 16" -20". If folks are trying to hunt with 16oz suppressors on the end of 24" barrels.... Yeah, obviously that sucks, but an 18" barrel topped with a 10oz can is a different animal.
Even 10 oz is other stuff you could be carrying- or not. I know “get stronger.” Fuck. Work smart. The rifle is arguably the least important piece of gear on a back country hunt. It is certainly used the least.
Hunting is supposed to be enjoyable recreation. We can buy meat at a market. Do what makes you happy. But, when choosing between a >1 ounce suppressor or a pair of <1 ounce ear plugs- specifically for a hike in/hike out back country hunt- it’s ear plugs for me.
16”,20” and 22” with a Ultra 9 but I don’t hunt anything larger than whitetail deer.
You do you, I've hiked many many miles with unsuppressed rifles and suppressed rifles, a few 30 mile weekends. Mine are no heavier or longer suppressed than many folks rifles without cans. All I'm trading for hearing protection during the shot, confirmation of the shot and situational awareness immediately afterwards is ~150fps and I know what I like. Totally worth it to me when it comes time to shoot, won't go back.
