Suppressors and Reloading

[Cottonfish]

Waiting on my first suppressor purchase to clear, I began to question the wisdom of working up handloads in the unsuppressed rifle, then expecting them to perform the same with a suppressor attached. I figure the can hanging on the end of the barrel will change harmonics, at a minimum. My search turned up little info, besides a recommendation to shoot paper before adding a suppressor to ensure bullets are not tumbling.

Basically, am I spinning my wheels to develop loads in an unsuppressed gun (6.5CM bolt gun 20"bbl) that I plan on using suppressed?

Stu

[150class]

I do not reload but can’t imagine any load data for a 6.5 surpassing the pressure limits of a majority of 30 cal cans on the market so you should be good there.

All you should really account for is whatever POI shift your suppressor may cause and you should be solid.

Someone please correct me if I’m mistaken

[txhunter90]

Mine shoot the same if not better (may just be me). Only thing you may experience is point of impact shift when putting the can on.

[Balcones_Walker]

After I work up a load I usually screw on the suppressor to make sure the zero is still good. I don't do load work ups with the suppressor on, but that's just me.

You're probably not going to have tumbling issues with a 6.5CM at normal power.

What your gun likes without suppression will be the same as what it likes with, so you aren't wasting your time.

[Outbreaker]

I always do workups with the suppressor on. It affects both barrel harmonics as well as pressure, which can all affect accuracy.

Do not use fillers or gas checks. Other than that.....have fun.

[Balcones_Walker]

I always do workups with the suppressor on. It affects both barrel harmonics as well as pressure, which can all affect accuracy.

Do not use fillers or gas checks. Other than that.....have fun.

They affect zero, not accuracy.

http://precisionrifleblog.com/2015/12/12/rifle-suppressor/

[Outbreaker]

They affect zero, not accuracy.

http://precisionrifleblog.com/2015/1...le-suppressor/

I have personally experienced group size changes with it attached and unattached.

I tend to go with what I have experienced in real life rather than what I read.

You can do as you choose though.

[zr2chevy22]

I work up a load without the suppressor. Then attach the suppressor. If the group opens up any I then load and shoot .1 grains higher and lower unsuppressed, check group and then shoot suppressed. It's worked for me so far.

What happens is you find a node your rifle likes unsupressed. If you're at the top end of that node and attach your suppressor you generally get more FPS suppressed putting your rifle outside that node. So loading .1 higher and .1 lower helps you find the center of the node so a small FPS shift in either direction wont take you outside the accuracy node.

[Balcones_Walker]

I have personally experienced group size changes with it attached and unattached.

I tend to go with what I have experienced in real life rather than what I read.

You can do as you choose though.

I'm not afraid of math, it's true. I'd be fascinated to see what load changes you'd make for suppressed and unsuppressed.

[meltingfeather]

Basically, am I spinning my wheels to develop loads in an unsuppressed gun (6.5CM bolt gun 20"bbl) that I plan on using suppressed?

You got it!

[meltingfeather]

What your gun likes without suppression will be the same as what it likes with, so you aren't wasting your time.

This is not my experience... nor does it make any sense. How can hanging a 1-lb. weight at the end of your barrel not affect harmonics?

They affect zero, not accuracy.

http://precisionrifleblog.com/2015/1...le-suppressor/

Call me stupid, but can you point to where in that article it says that, because I don't see it?

[ahlongslide]

You're not wasting your time working up a load. It will at least get you close. I wouldn't load up 100s of rounds though until you test it suppressed. Hanging a weight off the end of your barrel changes the harmonics, but it also reduces barrel "whip". It acts like a stiffener. I have 6 suppressors and some cause more POI than others. Which suppressor did you go with?

[Balcones_Walker]

You're not wasting your time working up a load. It will at least get you close. I wouldn't load up 100s of rounds though until you test it suppressed. Hanging a weight off the end of your barrel changes the harmonics, but it also reduces barrel "whip". It acts like a stiffener. I have 6 suppressors and some cause more POI than others. Which suppressor did you go with?

This - a hot vs cold barrel/suppressor are going to make more difference in real testing. A more extreme version is the way they talk about chopping barrels - what it likes at one length it will like at the other.

You'll get very (very) close on accuracy unsuppressed. POI may shift.

[DEADEYE1]

Reloading

Work up a load before you screw the can on then go from there. The can is going to make you shoot tighter groups anyways!!There is not much POI change anyways if you get a good can!!!!! Good luck!!!

[hoythitman]

Slight tweaking on all 3 of mine when I got my suppressor. My 308 I tried to tune but it was the same load as unsuppressed. The 7-08 I had to take about .4 grains out of it because of pressure. The 300 WM I had to mess with more. But it wasn’t very well tuned before the suppressor.


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