The Benefits of Hunting Suppressed

The most recent instance that left a lasting impression was while on a hog hunting trip to Texas where just two or three shots from a sporting arms rifle on hogs resulted in ringing in my right ear and extreme muffling of hearing for the next 24 hours in my left. It was scary to say the least, and it changed the way I think about hunting safety.

Typically, when deer hunting with my kids, I outfit myself and them with ear muffs. But, I also recently purchased a suppressor as a way to lower the risk of hearing-damaging percussions from a single rifle shot.

First off, suppressors are not going to turn a gun blast into a whisper like things are portrayed by the film industry. But, they do make your hunt more enjoyable by lessoning the sound pressure levels, bringing gunshots to below the Occupational Safety and Health Administration recommended level of 140 decibels for exposure to impulsive or impact noises.

But, did you know there are other benefits to suppressors outside of just reducing the risk of hearing damage? If you are like me, you probably didn’t. Here are some things I recently learned after visiting the folks at Silencer Central.

As explained to me by the engineers at the Sioux Falls-based, direct-to-consumer suppressor dealer, the way a suppressor works is by diverting gas from exiting the front of a firearm’s barrel, similar to a muzzle break. However, the containment of gas and energy within the walls of the suppressor is what “silences” the shot and results in less recoil.

Using a suppressor, it is easier to shoot larger caliber rifles with increased knock-down power while maintaining the same out-of-the-box recoil level of traditionally lower-recoil rounds. Since lower recoil means less anticipation of the shot or target panic, and better recovery time in taking follow-up shots, shooters can improve overall shooting form.

Just as the hunter or shooter is a beneficiary of sound dispersion from shooting suppressed, wildlife also can benefit. Because of the diversion of gas and energy that suppresses sound, it becomes harder for wildlife to know from which direction the shot originated. The main sound they hear is just the bullet breaking the sound barrier. Also, less pointed noise disturbance means less stress on wildlife, especially on private lands.

With earmuffs off and lessened worries of hearing damage, there is a greater ability to communicate and find enjoyment in the woods. Low-volume conversations will be more audible when killing time in a blind with family or hunting buddies, and taking out first-time hunters becomes easier with less interference for crucial instructions needed for them to have success afield. With a wide range of benefits for hunting suppressed, and the availability of suppressors for nearly all hunting firearms (with threading of barrels taken into consideration), there really is no downside to exploring the addition of