Do silencers help or hinder accuracy?

[osprey]

I have played around with a couple silencers on .22lr guns and my 458 socom pistol and rifle but have never really used them on my main hunting rifles in the field. I have noticed a definite shift in poi but group size has stayed relative consistent in my limited testing. I am now going to utilize a can full time on my hunting rifles and want to hear your thoughts. I like the sound reduction and recoil reduction which certainly can't hurt accuracy. Putting 8-16oz out at the end of the barrel certainly has the potential to negatively or positively impact group size, so let's hear your experiences!

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[ilikegunspdx]

No change in accuracy. May have a point of impact shift.

 

[SamBrown]

Yes, it will.
Perceived? probably not.

Outside of a dozen or so rounds, my experience is to pistols and rimfire rifles, but I am in the same boat and done a fair amount of research.

This really depends on what you current have and what your trying to achieve.
Set up correctly you can improve accuracy, reduce noise and recoil.
Savage or Sako, your barrel will determine a lot, google 'barrel harmonics'.

For most shooters, common setups, scenarios,, I would agree with the above- resight it in, may have to change the cartridge, you won't be able notice a difference in accuracy and have a more enjoyable experience.

 

[edzz]

No change in accuracy. May have a point of impact shift.

Unless you have a baffle strike.


Just teasing.

 

[CountryGent]

What @ilikegunspdx said. I have one .22LR can that significantly changes the POI. Beyond that, no major issue on any centerfire firearms with a silencer on it. Point of impact may change a little, but not seeing any real change in accuracy. I shot a Beretta 92FS with and without a suppressor yesterday and couldn't tell any real difference, for example.

 

[BlindedByScience]

My limited experience is the same as the other guys; minimal to no POI shift, no degradation in accuracy. Rimfire and center fire rifle.

 

[OrPackrat]

Most often caliber suppressed for me, 22lr, no change in accuracy at 50yds...

My bolt action still stacks bullets.

 

[tac]

Many professional markspersons* in the military use suppressors on their tactical firearms to exercise the so-called 'Thumb of G*d' on an enemy.

I often get to shoot rifles with suppressors fitted that make 3/4 MOA all day long as a matter of course - taking them off makes - initially - a few clicks of elevation to compensate for the harmonic variation at the moment of shot ejection when that weight is removed.

I don't have any such items on any of my rifles, since I'm already deaf, and as I fully expect those around me to be similarly afflicted, I'm rarely disappointed.

*I got a snottogram from one moderator on another forum for mentioning 'marksmen'. I resplone that in MY Army, we had yet to use ANY snipers that didn't stand up to pee. I got a three-week ban for that.

 

[Buddy1211]

I've yet to see any negative impact on accuracy myself. If one of my given rifles shoots roughly moa it continues too with a silencer.

 

[dplev4]

I haven't shot suppressed enough to have an opinion yet. But…this question has been discussed ad nauseam by hunters on Rokslide. By far and away the majority opinion expressed was that suppressed rifles actually helped increase accuracy due to less recoil and noise.

 

[Ben B.]

In all I've tested, I've seen at least some POI shift.

I've seen slight improvement in accuracy in CF rifles and one striking improvement in a .45-70.

In .22 rifles, no apparent change that I've noticed.

No idea in pistols as I never carefully test pistols. If I can hit the small 4" steel at the end of the bay with most shots, it's good enough.

 

[awags_86]

You will more often than not shoot better groups suppressed with a long gun or sbr type gun/shoulder fired weapon. As stated there may be a point of impact change vs. non-suppressed

Handguns I have zero experience suppressed

 

[TTSX]

If you use a big enough bullet, you won't notice

 

[osprey]

Well I am in the final stages of load development with two of my hunting rifles, one in 7prc and the other in 7mm-08. I was only changing seating depths on bullets to find the sweet spot. I shot all rounds through my new Scythe Ti can. I am happy to report accuracy was stellar on both rifles. The heavier barrel 7prc experienced a slight poi shift of 3/4". The slender barreled 7mm-08 had a pretty healthy poi shift of around 2.5". Both rifles shot .5" 3 shot groups at 100yds with the seating depths they liked. I am using barnes copper lrx bullets in both. Recoil reduction is stellar with this can which is what I was hoping for! I did notice the can certainly heated up the barrels faster.

 

[manga206]

I have played around with a couple silencers on .22lr guns and my 458 socom pistol and rifle but have never really used them on my main hunting rifles in the field. I have noticed a definite shift in poi but group size has stayed relative consistent in my limited testing. I am now going to utilize a can full time on my hunting rifles and want to hear your thoughts. I like the sound reduction and recoil reduction which certainly can't hurt accuracy. Putting 8-16oz out at the end of the barrel certainly has the potential to negatively or positively impact group size, so let's hear your experiences!

I haven't noticed much of a notable difference... But my consecutive shot groups are way tighter now.

 

[SavageGerbil]

Little POI shift on my 22 pistols, but the added weight makes for some more stability

 

[Deavis]

POA/POI shift obviously.

Throw another variable in the mix:

Change JUST the can.

I have seen definite accuracy changes can to can on the same set ups.

I have two different .30 cans and 3 .300 BO rifles I shot one day, switching about.

Can to can there is POI/POA shift as well as group size. I think harmonics comes into play here.

EX:

I zeroed a .22 rifle /can / load the other day (10" Kidd barrel/10/22/CCI #056/Gemtech Outback II)

See attached photo with tape over 3 shot group in center at 50 yards.

I then removed the can and replaced with a SIG rimfire can and got a much smaller group with POI shift.

I thought it was a fluke so I repeated it. Not a fluke.

 

[orygun]

I'm not one that's given any consideration to a muffler on my hunting rifle, but I like to keep up to speed with what's going on.
From what I can gather, and what I see in this thread, is that it can affect grouping, but not to any measurable degree or consistency and POI will change, also not usually with any consistency. Sounds like what happens any time you hang something off of your barrel.
But the comments about making one a "better shooter" leave me with more questions than an answer.

My reasons for not considering a suppressor on my hunting rifle have to do with length and weight. When hunting big game it's likely that I fire less two or less shots a season. Shots I don't ever recognize hearing...
If I put one on for testing, then I will have to re zero before I hunt, cuz it wouldn't be on the gun then.


So I'm on the opposite side here, but I'd like to know, does a can affect velocity in any way?

 

[Buddy1211]

I've read 10-60fps is typically picked up. Out of curiosity I need to get Chronograph and see for myself. I imagine if you're already getting a good full powder burn there wouldn't be a huge difference but if you have a barrel what's on the shorter side for a given load it could make a pretty good difference. Maybe not game changing but perhaps measurable for sure.

 

[osprey]

I did not consider a can for my hunting rifles based on sound suppression, although it is a nice benefit. My main reason was to reduce recoil without a muzzle brake as I still deplore them despite their effectiveness. The sythe ti can I chose reduces recoil very effectively and is quite light and fairly short. I find that I have gained 10-15 fps of velocity with the suppressor vs without, so not much change.