Question about Silencers/Suppressors

[Gman535]

I watched this YouTube Video, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3b770t-dC9Y on Sig's silenced .308. Are silencers effective enough to be worth it, i.e. a military operation, when the .308 round goes supersonic anyway? And, as a side question do silencers/suppressors also act as a flash hider?

[RobertMW]

In simple video response

[Divernhunter]

They are nice. I shot one in SA on a 30-06 with normal ammo. Much better than my 30-06 for noise and recoil. Yes they reduce recoil also. Good for muzzle flash. They do throw the rife balance off but you get use to it. Especially if you have someone else carry it like in Africa

[audiophil2]

I watched this YouTube Video, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3b770t-dC9Y on Sig's silenced .308. Are silencers effective enough to be worth it, i.e. a military operation, when the .308 round goes supersonic anyway? And, as a side question do silencers/suppressors also act as a flash hider?

They are definitely worth it based on what ammo you plan to use and for what reason.

The only ammo I would suppress on a regular basis is .22lr and .45. I also shoot subsonic 9mm. Standard velocity .22lr can be used in pistols without getting the sonic boom. I run Gemtech subsonic in my FA ARs. >45 is naturally subsonic so that is a no brainer. I run subsonic 9mm in my Colt upper.
When I don't care about the sonic boom I run regular ammo.

Everything else is either expensive without reloading or creates the sonic boom.

There is flash suppression and recoil suppression from using suppressors.

I spray a little dust-off into my cans before the first shot to get most of the 02 out of it. This helps reduce the first round pop which is always a little louder.

[russ69]

Suppressors are really good at blowing all the combustion crap back into your action, getting really hot, and burning the crap out of you. Oh and they knock down the noise a bit. They have some trade-offs, that's for sure.

[NapalmCheese]

I wouldn't mind having one on my hunting rig.

However, please keep in mind that all of the rifles shown were still outputting 135 - 140 Db. That is still VERY loud and that can still cause hearing damage.

Honeywell has something called their "noise thermometer" and the space for 130 - 140 Db is taken up by such things as dynamite exploding, engines backfiring, pigs squealing and pneumatic drills.

[SonofWWIIDI]

In simple video response

That's a cool video.

[killmime1234]

I've shot a few. The few 5.56 I've shot still sounded like a standard .22lr when shot so it still was technically in the realm of requiring ear pro, even with subsonic ammo. I did shoot one .308 bolt action with subsonic ammo and a big can (Allen Engineering, I think) and that was about as loud as a BB gun. I was blown away by how quiet it was.

Really wish we could have them in CA.

[Gman535]

Thanks all, that pretty much answers my questions.