A common question I get asked when someone sees a suppressor on the end of my gun or in a photo is why? It’s a very reasonable question and answers may surprise you
Noise Reduction- shooting can be hard on hearing along with those around you. The last thing any of us want is to be hard of hearing when we get older due to all our time spent shooting. Suppressors reduce noise by an incredible amount; the Banish 30 from Silencer Central that I shoot reduces the sound of my 300 Win Mag by 34 decibels. This not only is helpful to me as a hunter, but if I’m with a cameraman or guide they really appreciate it. Kids and new shooters are also often afraid of the loud sound of a gun, so a suppressor readily removers this as an excuse not to try target shooting or hunting.
Recoil Reduction- along with sound reduction, you also get recoil reduction. The lower the recoil, the better the shooting as a rule. This is incredibly important for not only super precise first shots, but it helps you see where you hit the animal. And because you don’t have big recoil, it allows for faster follow-up shots if needed. The second thing most kids and new shooters are afraid of is recoil, so this reduction in recoil is also helpful to them.
Multiple Shot Opportunities- this is super important when coyote hunting, but often times animals you are hunting do not either know where the shot came from or what the sound was. This allows you to harvest more doubles coyote hunting and is also super helpful for deer hunting. If you’re sitting over a food plot and decide to take a shot, instead of blowing out the entire field, often times deer will continue to feed or walk slowly across the field. This helps put less pressure on your hunting property and keeps deer from associating your shooting blind with a hunter or danger.
For years many people just assumed suppressors were illegal. They are now legal in 42 states and are made for rifles, rimfires, pistols, shotguns and even big bore guns. The best part in my opinion is suppressors are now super versatile. I had always been under the assumption you need a different suppressor for every gun. Now, there are options that work with all rifle calibers from 17 to 30 caliber magnums in one can. Good news about that is they easily swap from gun to gun as long as your rifle is threaded. And because of this, you only have to buy one suppressor and one tax stamp.
Before you know it, your waiting period will be over and you’ll only wish you had done it sooner!