I sent a stainless model 70 SA into a gun smith about a month ago. I was going to have him make into a light weight whitetail rifle for hunting in the dakotas, and also for caribou and black bear. Well I got talked talked into buying a suppressor at the last gun show I went to. Buy one and get a 22LR suppressor for just the tax stamp. Well I think that a suppressor 22 would just be a lot of fun. Anyways I called the smith today he hasn't started with the build yet. I asked him about the can ect. We came up with a sendaro contour carbon wrapped cut to 18" threaded with thread protector, for the stock a McMillion a hunter carbon stock, Talley rings with a VXIII 2.5x8 in the caliber of 7-08. The only thing that he wants to do that I'm not a big fan of is he would like a mag well with a 5 round mag and I prefer just regular old model 70 hinged floor plate which I was going to get one from pacific tool and gauge aluminum one. Im not a fan of mags, because I have forgotten my mag before. I have never had a suppressor gun before and was a little worried about loosing FPS with that short of a barrel, but he said the Suppressor will actually help with that and gain me about 150 fps. Im hoping to keep the rifle at 8lbs or less. Anyone have any input on a build like this. My ultimate goal is a suppressed handy rifle shooting 140TTSX at 2700FPS. Anyone with experience think this is achievable in weight and FPS.

Some info I left out. The Suppressor is a banish 30 TI and can be either 7" weights 8 ounces or 9" and weights in at 13 ounces

I don't have any experience with this one but my friend's son hunts with a 7-08 + is in the process of suppressing his M1A so I know he would be interested. Please post your results.

I would re-post this in the new Zealand/Australia hunting section.

Americans don't use a lot of sup err mufflers except on their cars.

Suppressors are very popular here in NZ, I don't know the stats but just through observations it could be up to 80% of hunters now use them.
Two of my sons who hunt both use suppressors on their 7mm-08 rifles. The original 24" barrels cut back to 20" and threaded for the cans. You don't lose a lot of velocity from the medium cartridges when chopping barrels so a suppressor makes a nice shooting rifle out of them without any real measurable loss of performance.
I'm a bit old school and not keen on the extra weight hanging off the barrel or a bipod, another very popular accessory here, also adding weight up front, but the younger shooters seem to accept these accessories as just a normal part of a firearm.

My younger boys Weatherby Vanguard in 7mm-08 doesn't suffer from velocity loss, still has enough clout to knock these hardy animals down at good range.

quote:

was a little worried about loosing FPS with that short of a barrel, but he said the Suppressor will actually help with that and gain me about 150 fps.

Hmmm . . . I hope your gunsmith is better at using a screwdriver than he is with basic physics.

First, I've hunted with a full 24" barrel with suppressor added and didn't find it all that ungainly. However, any suppressor will add length and weight to your barrel -- and the shorter your barrel the less effective the suppressor is due to the greater pressure of the gas at the abbreviated muzzle. Well, perhaps "less effective" isn't exactly right, but the report it starts with will be louder the shorter the barrel, thus the same dampening effect leaves you with a louder report than with a longer barrel.

I'd suggest that a good compromise is around 20", which will result in only around 50 fps off of the normal 22" of most 7/08's. I think you'll be happy with that length, which is still okay should you wish to shoot the rifle without the suppressor.

Of course, once you use the suppressor I doubt you'll ever go back. Not only does it tame the roar, but it also has the effect of softening the recoil a bit. Usually, the suppressor also has the effect of dampening the muzzle vibrations, so you'll often find better accuracy with it in place than not. However, be sure to re-zero whenever switching between suppress and non-suppressed since its presence can move the point of impact several inches.

Yes don't know where your gunsmith gets the idea that a suppressor will actually help to get you another 150 fps, haven't heard anyone putting forward that idea before. I don't see how a suppressor could possibly increase bullet velocity. Accuracy can show improvement but this could also be related to just a sweeter easier rifle to shoot i.e. the shooter improves, rather than any actual ballistic change.

As I did mention in my earlier post the 7mm-08 is one cartridge that doesn't give up too much as the barrel is shortened. The Weatherby Vanguard with 20" barrel shown in the photos above still gives an average 2884 fps with reloads using the Hornady 139gr SST bullet and Varget powder and my own Marlin XS 7mm-08 with a 22" barrel produces 2900 fps with Hornady Superformance factory ammo using the same bullet (advertised 2950 fps in 24" barrel). I don't use factory ammo but shot a couple of rounds out of curiosity to see just what improvement in velocity the Superformance 7mm-08 ammo gives.

You can get a velocity increase with some designs/configurations but never heard of getting 150fps.
Google "suppressor freebore Boost"

I had a SIG 551 SWAT with a B&T suppressor and remembering getting about 20-25fps extra on one load I tested. But the testing wasnt extensive or scientific.
I have not done any velocity testing on my current suppressors or guns. Might do if I find a particular consistent load

If it's input you want, here's my 2 cents:

I love your idea but I'd go with something like a 20" or 22" barrel. With a carbon fiber wrapped barrel, you'd better decide quickly since it's not like it can be simply "cut down" like a standard barrel.

I use my Harvester can on most all my rifles from 16" to 26" and while some might look LOOOOOONG, they carry in the open west just fine.

I love to hunt with and shoot suppressed rifles!

Zeke

I have an Ultra Light Arms 20 in 7-08. In the first two 24" and the current 25" barrel it chronos 140 TTSX at my elevation of 6800'+ at just over an average of 3000 FPS. The rifle is light. The barrel is threaded for my Gemtech suppressor. It quiets and reduces recoil nicely. There is no appreciable difference in accuracy or velocity. There is a huge difference in rifle balance. So much so I have sighted and hunted without the suppressor this season.

Unless in bad bear country this is my go to rifle. Light, accurate (5/8" groups) and able to do a pass through on an elk at 352 yards. The X bullets just keep going.