Suppressed Questions

**Normrep55** · 07-31-2023, 10:17 AM

Wondered how to get started shooting suppressed in break action platform. I've been a Contender / Encore shooter for over 30 years. Still have private land to hunt with supersonic loads in both platforms but want to keep shooting at home range without making so much noise. I live in the country and have a 120 yard range with safe backstop on six acres, but people have been moving closer as adjoining farms have sold and the noise of center fire shooting has become a nuisance for some although I am completely surrounded by woods and no one can see my range. These days, folks live close enough to be fairly well annoyed when I want to spend extended time at the bench. Lately I have been thinking about 300 BLK, 350 Legend, or even 357 Maximum carbine suppressed, but don't have much of a clue how to get started other than surfing the web. None of my shooting buddies shooting suppressed yet so no experience to draw on there. Local gun shop says they can set me up with the stamp and suppressor process, no problem, but what I really want to know is how quiet is shooting subsonic suppressed really. Is it truly quiet enough that my nearest neighbor won't hear anything. Their back door is 200 yards from my back door with a solid 15 year old tree field in between. Wondering which of the three calibers is easiest to set up for and reload for in terms of available components, accuracy, and etc. Which caliber would be quietest. Which suppressors work best. Lots and lots of questions. Haven't decided if Encore or Contender is best platform for me yet. Would probably get a custom barrel from Match Grade Machine, or possibly SSK, but not sure which length. Would probably use this for year round target shooting and plinking at the home range for fun mostly. Not sure I would hunt deer since I have so many supersonic barrels and calibers, but might give it a try if subs really work well out to 75 yards in the Indiana woods. I would be glad to hear any of your thoughts, experiences, advice, caliber and platform suggestions that have worked well for you when going down this road. I'm retired and like to shoot a lot and don't want to have to travel an hour plus to go to a range all the time when the back field is perfect except for the noise factor. Thanks for any and all input.

**BobT** · 07-31-2023, 10:16 PM

Hey Norm,
I shoot suppressed quite a bit, the .300 Blackout is the only one of the calibers you mention that I can shoot with the can because it's a .30 caliber (Banish 30) with subsonic ammo it's very quiet and very accurate. I shoot a good amount of supersonic ammo through my can also and it's not obnoxiously loud either, the sound of the bullet hitting a deer in the ribs seems louder than the report from my .277 Wolverine. As far as loading, the .300 BLK brass can be made easily from .223/5.56 brass and there are lots of .30 caliber bullet options, subsonic loading is a little different in that you typically work down from the starting load. If you go with the .300 I have a superb load I'll share with you using the 200 grain Nosler Accubond. As far as suppressors go I really like my Banish 30 and Banish 22 from Silencer Central, they are 100% titanium construction and user serviceable.

**D. Sanders** · 07-31-2023, 11:09 PM

Any decent suppressor probably wont be heard at 200 yards when firing subsonic ammo. Supersonic ammo will sound somewhere between a supersonic air rifle and a .22 LR. Most anything you might want to shoot out of a Contender will be safe to shoot without hearing protection. As far as deer hunting out to 100 yards, any caliber large enough to send 240-300 grain bullets downrange at 1000 FPS will take deer at any angle that presents itself and be pretty quiet as well. How far away can it be heard depends on many variables. An 8"-10" 45 Colt barrel is about perfect for this application. You don't need a long barrel for 1000 FPS and an 8" barrel with an 6"-8" suppressor is still pretty handy, especially if you get a tax stamp for the frame to legally shoot short barrels with a rifle stock.
If and when you decide to buy, go to the Silencershop website and find the nearest dealer that has one of their electronic kiosks. These kiosks make all the red tape of buying a suppressor a breeze. Basically all you need is your ID, funds, and an idea of which suppressor you want. Silencershop and most of their dealers are very knowledgeable about what would best suit your needs and price range.
Go for it. Get one, get it all set up, & have somebody ready to take a picture of the big grin on your face after you take the first shot. You'll be hooked.

**HotRodAl** · 08-01-2023, 11:14 AM

I have 5 barrels I shoot with a suppressor; I have 2 Gemtech 30 cal suppressors, you can shoot smaller calibers through them very effectively. I have 22LR, 5mm Rem mag, 22 hornet, 25-20 and 300 BLK. The 22LR sounds like an air rifle even through the 30 cal suppressor. The number one thing the suppressor does with subsonic loads is get read of the supersonic crack of the bullet and the blast of the fired round. With supersonic rounds you will still get the supersonic crack of the bullet as it breaks the sound barrier but elimates the crack of the fired round. If you choose the 300 BLK all powder manufactures have subsonic load data for it, if you want to hunt with it, I recommend 220 round nose either Sierras or Hornady's, from shooting the 300 Whisper and then the 300 BLK since the late 80's it performs much better than the pointed bullets, the round nose bullets will tumble and cause massive internal damage whereas the pointed bullets just drill a hole with much damage. On broad side shoulder hits the deer mostly just drops right there or maybe take a couple steps then piles up using those round nose bullets.

You just can't keep reducing minimum loads to get subsonic speeds, some powders you can't reduce the minimum loads more than around 10%, check your reloading manuels to make sure of the powders you can use in subsonic loads. Some powders have subsonic loads listed in their manuals.

**Iowa Fox** · 08-01-2023, 10:07 PM

Norm I know exactly what you are faced with. We had 160 acres in country in the middle of no place, we shot anything anytime. We were gobbled up by urban sprawl so we sold that two years ago. 45 years ago we bought 5 acres in the middle of no place that our house currently sets on. Yep! you guessed it they are packed tight on all sides of us. If some of them see you outside with a firearm they will phone it in. I can tell you this the dead air mask with cci quiets and the BO with the silencero omega 300 using cast bullets and a light charge of Trail boss are very quiet. The nice thing about the break open platform you don't have to worry about sticking one. Your biggest worry will be backstop.

**Normrep55** · 08-02-2023, 10:23 AM

I am appreciating all these excellent replies. And who knew - even in wide open Iowa. Love traveling through on US 34 on my way to the in-laws in Nebraska. Iowa is scenic especially if you get off I-80. So is Nebraska. In-laws live in Strang - population 29. I've thought about moving out there but all our grand kids are in Indiana - so probably a no go. Behind my tree field and range backstop is a one acre pond with a 10 foot high side wall. So I've got the backstop, then trees, then a 10 foot pond berm and more trees beyond that. So all that is good. I don't think I needed much encouragement to go the subsonic route, but all of this is helpful. Still wondering if any of you are shooting the 350 Legend with subs and how that compares to the Blackout for sound suppression. Haven't seen a lot of load data online for it and I don't cast my own so still pondering where to find the right bullets and other components. Seems like the 300 would be the easiest way to start. Looks like a research project...