Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Best suppressed hunting rifle set up

Guys,

What have you found to be the ideal dedicated suppressed hunting rifle rig. This will be for general purpose hunting from Africa to Texas (eland to hogs). Custom or not does not matter, I just need some guidance and direction from those with much experience as I transition my arsenal over to suppressors. Thanks in advance, R

I just got done building my "ultimate" suppressed rifle. It may not trip your trigger, but it is great for me.

Mine is a Tikka SS action, Bartlein 8.7" twist 7mm barrel, 20" Rem Varmint taper, 7 spiral flutes, chambered in 7-08AI, and threaded 5/8-24". I mounted it in a McMillan Game Hunter, edge fill, stock. It currently has RedSnake Tactical bottom metal and uses an AI MK1 magazine, but I am going to change that out for a Mountain Tactical OEM aluminum bottom metal and standard Tikka mags. The reason is that I don't like the magazine rattle (side-to-side) that I get with the current BM/mag setup. Finally, I have a Burris Veracity 3-15X50 scope on it. I like the Veracity because it has a good mix of hunting and "tactical" features. I like the capped turrets for hunting and the relatively clean reticle that is also pretty easy to use on 3X even though it is a FFP scope. As for durability, that remains to be seen, but I got it for a pretty solid price and if it ends up not working out for me, I will probably go with a NightForce SHV.

With a 162 grain Hornady ELD-X bullet, I would be comfortable shooting any North American game animal and all African plains game.

something something .308 with a 20" proof, Thunderbeast can, and Nightforce on top

Suppress your urge for suppressors.

Yup.
Sounds like what I would do.

Christensen Arms Ridgeline. 20" 308. Silencerco Omega. Leupold vx5hd 3-15. Case or two of 165 grain Federal Fusion.

I have got such bad tinnitus that I have to protect what hearing I have left. Also, having now hunted suppressed in Africa there is no way I can go back. I doubt if I will ever shoot/hunt with any of my rifles unsuppressed ever again. Really appreciate the comments from those with much more suppressor experience than myself.
R

I set up a christensen ridgeline 6.5 20” barrel with nxs 3-15 for a bud recently. Super handy rifle. Accurate.

My advice about suppressor purchase is this.

When you buy them( note them not one) go ahead and do them all at the same time on a trust. I have 4 at home with 2 more on the way. The rimfire can is just silly fun and quiet.

Rimfire can is necessity, 30 cal can necessity

Do you need to suppress a big bore? Handgun?

Just buy them all at once and be done! You won’t regret that at all. Trust me

I'd go 18" if you can. My Montana with a Hart, suppressed is my ideal suppressed hunting rig.
16" .308

19" Kimber 7-08AI

Do you like CRF or pushfeed?

A Shilen DGR (700 footprint) build using your choice of stock, trigger, barrel, magazine etc would be pretty easy to have dandy hunting rifles..

Buying more Tikkas is simpler.

Boomer,

As you know I love the tikkas but they don't seem optimal for shooting suppressed. The t3x lite would require an adapter to direct thread to my 5/8x24 suppressor. The CTR is heavy when attached to my suppressor with a decent scope. Probably could chop barrel, install lighter scope, or change out stock on the CTR. Just wanted to see what other guys are doing that primarily hunt suppressed. I will check out the shilen. Thx

You could chop your CTR to 17-18” and drop it into a lite stock, or a manners EHT, and run the plastic lite DBM. I doubt that setup would weigh much more than a proof barreled custom

I have a few tikkas right now, including a CTR at 18”. I also picked up a T3x SS lite in 6.5, but haven’t decided whether to chop and thread it or just run the CTR. My other two lites are 223 and a 243, at 16.5 and 18” threaded 1/2”-28. I run an adapter on them with a 6” long titanium can and that makes for a handy, light suppressed hunting rifle. I’ve had no problems with using the adapter, though like you I’d prefer to just have barrels that are threaded 5/8”

Guys running kimber montanas suppressed must be using adapters, to my knowledge the only ultralight rifle with 5/8” threads from the factory is the Barrett fieldcraft

If I was going custom I think I’d do something with a Bighorn Origin, a manners elite hunter stock, and a barrel in a Bartlein 3b or similar contour at 18” or so

Walter,
That is great information and gives me a couple ideas I had not considered--thank you. My T3X lite is a 30-06 and Thunderbeast, among others, says no go with a 1/2x28 adapter. Be interested to know if you end up with the chopped CTR or the t3's with adapters. The adapters seem like a suboptimal solution if I am solely going to hunt suppressed moving forward. Maybe I am wrong? Really appreciate the comments/advice.
R

You know, it was soooo close on that T3X, for going straight 5/8-24 threads. I wonder if cutting back to 18 or 19 would have satisfied the smith that insisted it needed to go 1/2-28?


I personally see zero issue using an adapter. I am on my Montana and FN15, without issue with the Octane30. But, why do it if not needed from the start....


Are you looking to build a couple or few identical rifles in different calibers? I sure wouldn't want to hunt a CTR, a slim sporter would be the way to go.. Did you like the SWFA 3-9? Lotsa of questions, been wondering!

The Montana is an oddball, 7/16-28. The only adapter to 5/8-24 I could locate was Kimber's $45 solution.

Bought several adapter items from a a guy in Kansas with zero complaints. https://www.downrangeproductsco.com

Chopping a lite back doesn’t gain you much diameter, still have to go 1/2” or possibly 9/16”. I understand Rhettsker’s dilemma, Thunderbeast clearly says that 1/2” threads aren’t sufficient for .30 cal bore. The reason they say this is the resulting thin muzzle walls when threading larger bores 1/2”. Not so much that using adapters is bad, though an adapter does add another component to the mix that could result in a suppressor not being as concentric to the bore as it should be.

But like you said Boomer Kimber Montana’s come with 7/16” muzzle threads and we’ve all seen that many guys are using 1/2” threads with 6.5, 7mm, .30 cal bores. So obviously opinions vary on the issue of small muzzle thread and larger bores.

As I mentioned earlier, I use 1/2” threads on T3x lites in 223 and 243. No problems at all as the adapter I use and The muzzle threads are cut straight enough that everything lines up properly.

Based on my measurements with the t3x lite, even if I chop the barrel to 16.5”, i can only go with the 9/16 adapter. If I could go 5/8 problem solved but I cannot. I wish someone would a Tikka press fit like the fieldcraft- would make a fortune. Maybe chopping the ctr and dropping in a t3x lite stock is the best I can do?

Ok, just not enough tapper. Thanks.

Just saw this. You like the Tikka stock, trigger, mags?
https://criterionbarrels.com/products/prefits/tikka-pre-fit-barrel/

The prefits are certainly an option worth exploring. I have heard they are way back ordered (not sure if thats true). Love everything about the t3x except the suppressor issues. Also like the ctr except for the overall weight and magazine hanging down (not ideal for hunting).
R

Those dB figures for the Thunder Beasts are impressive! Staying tuned.
Good luck.