Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Barrett Fieldcraft 21” + silencer

I wanted to post this in case someone else is surfing the web wondering if they can mount a suppressor on a Barrett Fieldcraft with a 21” barrel. Allow me to make a short story longer...

This past fall I got the buck tag that had eluded me for 5 years. I filled that tag and was very happy with both the buck and my rifle. It was the first time I’d ever hunted with a suppressor and it was life changing. Never in my life have I heard the “thwack” so clearly and with such certainty that I’d reached my target. AND MY EARS WEREN'T RINGING!! But there was a problem: weight.

I hunted relatively mild pasture and it’s a good thing I did. The rifle I used was a Remington 700 Milspec 5R, .308, 24” bbl, Leupold VX-6 3-18x44, with a Silencerco Omega. Total loaded weight with sling was just over 12 lbs. The weight wasn’t so terrible, but the balance was atrocious for an over-the-shoulder rifle. Imagine hiking with a 12 lb top-heavy flagpole. So my goal became clear: I need a shorter, lighter suppressed hunting rifle.

This winter, I stumbled across a dream rifle at a price I couldn’t pass up: a Barrett Fieldcraft 6.5 Creedmoor with 21” barrel. I snatched it up and began researching mounting a silencer on a lightweight barrel. I inquired here at the campfire and elsewhere. Early on I concluded that it was a bad idea to put a silencer on such a lightweight barrel unless it were shorter and had a wide shoulder. So, the best approach would be to simply trade a 21” fieldcraft for an 18”. I had no luck trading, so I finally bit the bullet and had the barrel threaded.

Long story short, I had the 21” barrel threaded to 1/2”x28 and mounted a suppressor on it and now my Barrett Fieldcraft rifle is an absolute dream to shoot.

Full disclosure: I don’t hunt much. I am a poor shooter. Lightweight rifles are my kryptonite. I shoot them with the finesse of a dog dragging his ass across a rug. Before adding a silencer, I went through a box of Hornady 140gr ELD Match barely able to keep a group under 3” with this rifle. After threading the barrel and adding a silencer, I picked up another box of the same 140gr ELD -M. I put together one 5-shot group @ 100 yards and it was 1.16”. A friend who is a much more experienced shooter shot a single 5-shot group at 200 yds and it was 1.55”. (I edited the group sizes after taking to the targets with calipers.)

For guys looking to analyze details, here are some stats:


- 7 lb 12oz is the total loaded weight of rifle with silencer. The scope is a Leica ER 2.5-10x42 (~15oz) on Talley rings.
- The silencer is a Silencerco Omega 300 (14.5 oz) directly threaded to the barrel (as opposed to a quick detach mount). I don’t know if I’d mount a silencer on a 21” featherweight barrel with a heavier silencer.
- I believe the fact that the Barrett barrel is fully bedded to the end of the forend helps to reduce harmonic imbalance and barrel droop that may have been more pronounced with a free floated barrel.
- Recoil was cut by 30-40% with the silencer. Muzzle flip was all but eliminated. No joke.
- My silencer has a brake (of sorts) on the end of it. I believe this brake combined with the 14oz weight on the end of the barrel are the reason for the incredible reduction in recoil. A silencer without this brake would likely still help quite a bit, but not as much.


I’d post pics but the website and my phone don’t seem to speak the same language.

Thanks for your post. Great info. Only thing I might add is that I have the same suppressor and opted for the flat front cap instead of the break. It shaved off around an inch in length and I noticed next to no decrease in suppression of muzzle jump/recoil. Not sure if it helps much in weight. I can weigh them if anyone is interested in the diff...

I have the flat cap as well. The “brake” cap seemed effective with other rifles so I went with it here. You make a good point, I should try the flat cap with the Barrett to compare.

Good post. Why’d you choose the Omega? I see they make one model that’s a little lighter.

It’s very versatile. It has an interchangeable base that allows you to mount it on multiple thread sizes or a quick detach base. It’s also rated for full-auto and magnums so it can handle a lot of use. I use the same suppressor on a 308 AR, multiple 223 ARs, and a couple bolt guns. I bought it a year ago when Silencerco was having a fire sale. I paid less than my dealer’s cost and got a $200 silencerco store coupon that I used to purchase 3 QD muzzle brakes. For under $1100 (including the $200 stamp and $125 transfer fee) I got the silencer, 5 QD muzzle brakes, and ball cap. I picked up a 1/2x28 direct thread base and flat end cap later for about $120. And 14oz is pretty stinkin’ light for a can that can handle all that.

I am thinking of having a Barrett Feildcraft threaded like you did and I have a few questions. Just getting into the suppressor game.

What length did you cut your barrel down too and what caliber is your setup?
Have you had any issue since threading it?
Accuracy still holding?
Who did you use to thread the barrel?

I have a SilencerCo Hybrid-46. Mounted on a 308, it reduced recoil and muzzle flip considerably. Without the suppressor, the rifle was a very easy shooter, but still had the muzzle flip that made spotting impact difficult. With the suppressor, it is very easy to see the impact and seemed like it slowed down the recoil. And hearing the wack of the bullet making contact is pretty cool. Even a suppressed 22 makes a loud wack that is very noticeable when hitting stuff. Folks at the range will notice and comment on that.

I used that suppressor on a AR-15 in 6.8spc this year to take a deer. To me, it did not seem that loud, but I was behind the gun. My friend who was 400 yards away clearly heard my shot. So it is not as quiet on an AR as it is in a bolt gun, but seems to be hearing safe.

That 308 I used it on prior is now at the gunsmith getting another barrel installed which will be 22" threaded for a bench gun. I recently picked up a Rem 700 stainless in 308 that I plan on getting chopped to 20" and threaded.

Yep. Huge bonus of suppressor is hearing the hit, no ears ringing, less recoil, and nearly no muzzle flip.

I would buy a fieldcraft right now if I could get one with 18” barrel in 6.5, 243,22-250 at non covid crazy prices. Kick myself for not buying one when I had the chance