Suppressors coping with changes from my cans

heydavemd

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Aug 11, 2009
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SW Colorado
Am I the only person who is kind of disappointed by switching to cans. My recoil got worse, making it all but impossible to watch the target at impact. The mirage after 5 shots makes we wish I had brought a book with me (and I have a cover on them). And my POI changed on all weapons but 1. my 308 was off 12" at 100yards. most were off an inch or two. I use my 338 can on my 338 and 300WM, and my 308 can on my 308, 260, 6.5x47, 243 and 22-250. I still need to use ear pro on every weapon too. if there is a way to reduce recoil to at least close to what it was before cans, I'd really like to know the secret. At least it made my neighbors happy.
 
What kind of suppressor did you buy?!

I have a home grown one from here in AL made by a small mfr. and it does all that it's supposed to...reduces recoil, suppresses sound so that no ear pro is needed, and my POI change is about 3 MOA at 6 o'clock.

I had an issue with it recently on subsonic rounds, but I hopefully have remedied that. I really like it and would buy a spare if I had the $$$ laying around.
 
If we're talking about typical "snipershide" type rifles...

The biggest reason I've seen that a person cannot spot his own hits is that the rifle fit is not good. Take for example an AI-AWSM or AX 338, or TRG-42, in .338 LM once it's been adjusted to fit the shooter and his technique is sound, he will be able spot his own hits with a suppressor or brake.

Suppressed recoil on cartridges .300WM or smaller is typically comparable to a good brake performance, although the impulse takes longer due to the physics.

12" shift on one rifle only suggests the barrel shoulder was not cut straight.
 
If going from a brake to a can; recoil will go up..........you should experience what a can does to a 50BMGs recoil. The titan-qd has a 2moa drop on my trg in 338lm. The 90tooth ratchet isn't perfect and will let it loosen a degree or two after a few shots whch turns the thing into a shotgun. If kept tight, will consistantly keep 5 shot strings on a 12" plate out to 1000yds (1.2moa); more of an operator limitation. It gets pretty warm after 5 shots.
 
Thanks for the reply's. They are great cans, Thunder Beasts (338BA and 30BA). My accuracy is what it was with brakes, so that has been repeatable, just took a bit to dial them in. Not sure why my 308 took so much to get back to zero. My frustration is with the cans is mirage, so early in the string, and the change in recoil, preventing my ability to track impact as I had been able to do pre cans. And my weapons are quality. Barrett, AICS, FN, Beanland/Surgeon. I just believed the hype, and hadn't anticipated a few of the the less than positive changes I'm experiencing. I was wondering if I'm alone in my frustration, If there is anyone who can help me to reduce my loss of ability to see bullet impact, I'd really appreciate it (and I have good glass, USO or Leupold ER/T). Thats been my biggest frustration. And they are defiantly quieter, just not ear pro free quiet. At least my neighbors dont hear my long guns anymore. I was wondering if anyone had tried those reflective heat shields that go over the barrels of bench rest rifles to decrease mirage. thanks in advance.
 
First thing, get a mirage cover, I have a couple made by TAB and they make a huge difference in how many shots you can take before it becomes an issue. Slide it off when you are between strings to allow the can to cool faster.

For the recoil- it certainly is different than with a brake. I do prefer the recoil pulse, especially on a heavy recoiling rifle, with a can as opposed to a brake. I find that it is less violent, and while longer, it is much more manageable. Psychologically I shoot much better without anticipating the massive blast produced by a brake as well. But when it comes down to seeing your own hits, Zach was spot on. Position is paramount to spot your own hits. Your body needs to be relaxed to "ride" the rifle through recoil.if your position is good, your crosshairs will be where they were before you pulled the trigger. Because the recoil impulse takes longer, you don't have as much time as with a brake to make corrections before the bullet hits, so your position needs to be good.
 
heydavemd,

With those guns, if you work on your position on the rifle, especially the quality of cheek weld, you should have absolutely no problem spotting all your hits. This is something that is pretty hard to do over the phone but we'd be happy to try to walk you through it. Those are basically the same guns we shoot over here in calibers from 6mm up to .338LM. Also, scopes with a smaller "eye box" (ie, exit pupil diameter by tolerable eye relief range +/-) make it harder to maintain because your eye has to stay is a more precise position to keep seeing through the scope. Shooting at higher magnifications do not help this.

On the mirage issue, we've had very good results shooting with the new Armageddon covers or the TAB covers, shooting extended strings. I wonder in your case if it's coming off the barrel or suppressor. In any case, we'd be happy to help you figure it out.

thanks
Zak
 
Zak, while we are talking about mirage, have you tried one of the Bowers silicon covers on your Ti cans? I recently got an AAC Cyclone and have been shooting with the silicon cover on. After 20-30 rounds of supersonic 300 BLK through a short barrel, or 10 rounds through my 6.5 Swede, The cover is just slightly warm. No mirage, and I can screw/unscrew the can easily. The only negative I see so far is that it adds about 5 oz. to the weight of the can.

My worry is about how much heat is being held in. When I take the cover off, the can is obviously hotter than it would be naked, but I'm not sure if it would be enough to damage a Ti can, and if so, how long it would take. Do you guys have a Ti can that you could use for a "torture test" and try one of the silicone covers on?

Regards,
-Dan