Threading a barrel. Bad idea?

[Pond James Pond]

I've got a CZ550 Varmint .308 and I'm tempted to thread the barrel.

Although suppressors are not permitted for hunting, they do make shooting at the range less tiring.

Any disadvantages aside from the cost?

 

[Kimber84]

From my limited experience with suppressors I've noticed considerable POI changes when they are installed. I wouldn't call it erratic, but there was certainly a difference. If this is a hunting rifle you're trying to practice with then I wouldn't put it on as things will change when you remove it.

Edit:

You said it makes range firing less tiring? Are you referring to a sound suppressor or a brake?

 

[Pond James Pond]

You said it makes range firing less tiring? Are you referring to a sound suppressor or a brake?

Well, now that you mention it, a brake would be quite cool too!! I did mean a suppressor though. I shooting something quiet less tiring than something loud too. Ear muffs or not.

 

[TheBear]

threading a barrel is a good idea if:

-a professional does the job

-you know you have to use subsonic ammo if you want the silencer to make a real difference. that means buying it (expansive, pretty rare) or loading it yourself (a little tricky) and of course changing the setting of your scope because trajectory will be much different from your normal ammo.

 

[Been there]

Kimber84 is right, most supressors will change the point of impact ,but if your main use for the rifle is range shooting , as long as it is done by a good gunsmith, I can't think of any other issues. Just remember that any suppressor will require regular maintenance .

 

[Pond James Pond]

-a professional does the job

That would be a given.

-you know you have to use subsonic ammo if you want the silencer to make a real difference. that means buying it (expansive, pretty rare) or loading it yourself (a little tricky) and of course changing the setting of your scope because trajectory will be much different from your normal ammo.

Now all that sounds like 7 shades of PITA!!

I suppose a muzzle-break would be a nice feature even though .308 is hardly the strongest recoiler.
However, I am a bit recoil-shy and that affects my aim/concentration/groups...

 

[natman]

threading a barrel is a good idea if:

-a professional does the job

No argument there.

-you know you have to use subsonic ammo if you want the silencer to make a real difference. that means buying it (expansive, pretty rare) or loading it yourself (a little tricky) and of course changing the setting of your scope because trajectory will be much different from your normal ammo.

You're quire right if you want the accessory to act as a silencer, because a supersonic bullet will still make a quite audible crack. However, if you are content with the accessory acting as a moderator, it will reduce the amount of blast considerably even if the bullet is supersonic. This is especially true from the POV of the shooter.

The perception that in order to be of any use it must be silent is an American one, while it it is common in Europe to use a moderator out of consideration to the neighbors.

 

[precision_shooter]

The Brake on my Savage 10P-SR is great! Not only less recoil, but also a lot less muzzle jump allowing you to get back on target quicker. I am using the JP Enterprises Tactical Comp, and was amazed I had never tried one before. Takes the .308 down to a .243 as far as felt recoil.

My Rifle came from the factory with a threaded barrel, but there is nothing wrong with a quality gun smith threading a barrel expos facto.

 

[Mobuck]

Sound suppressor and muzzle brake are opposite ends of the noise spectrum.
The more powder burned, the better results from a muzzle brake BUT noise is increased exponentially(just my opinion). I have a brake on a 300 Win mag and it's very disturbing to anyone except the shooter and it does affect the point of impact by several inches at extended ranges.

 

[Pond James Pond]

The more powder burned, the better results from a muzzle brake BUT noise is increased exponentially(just my opinion).

If I have to choose between a more controllable gun and a quieter gun, I'll choose the former. And, luckily, at my rifle range, there are wooden partitions between bays.

That is at the 100m range. At the 300m range, there aren't, but then I have never tried to shoot there yet!!

 

[Art Eatman]

I stood nearby as a guy shot a suppressed bolt-action .308 at Whittington. The muzzle blast was very notably reduced. Quite impressive.

For hunting, remove the suppressor, screw on the thread-protective cap and check the sight-in for any change in point of impact. No big deal.

 

[reynolds357]

The whole "having to use subsonic ammo to make a difference" in a suppressed rifle argument is bogus. I have seen a suppressed .338Lapua that the can made a HUGE "difference" on.

 

[jglsprings]

Pond,

How expensive / available are suppressors?

 

[jimbob86]

The perception that in order to be of any use it must be silent is an American one, while it it is common in Europe to use a moderator out of consideration to the neighbors.

Pond,

How expensive / available are suppressors?

I dunno about where Mr. Pond lives, but in France and Germany, they were much cheaper than in the US, IIRC. Our stupid NFA laws make them expensive.

 

[Pond James Pond]

Pond,

How expensive / available are suppressors?

Well, rimfires are cheap: €50-70, but a .308 would probably reach something in the order of €350. I don't know about France or Germany, but here that is probably a bit more than they cold be bought for elsewhere. Small market - big prices, again...

Problem is that, unlike bullets, cases, mags and holsters, silencers are a little more controlled in that they probably can't be shipped across borders.

For example, here, I can buy one just like that but I have to be a sports shooter, not just a licence holder.

Hence, they would not ship abroad from here because they could not verify the buyers sports shooter status...

In other words, I'm likely stuck with local prices!!

I expect muzzle brakes to be €150 and above...

 

[Lark]

-you know you have to use subsonic ammo if you want the silencer to make a real difference. that means buying it (expansive, pretty rare) or loading it yourself (a little tricky) and of course changing the setting of your scope because trajectory will be much different from your normal ammo.

Not sure where you live or what kind of ammo you are using, but I could not disagree with you more.

A 308 can benefit greatly with a silencer with subsonic or supersomic ammo. the muzzle blast is diminished so much with a good silencer that they can be hearing safe without ear plugs when shot out in the open.

Reloading subsonic 308 is no more difficult than any other 308 ammo in my opinion. The only thing I do differently is use a reduced charge of faster burning powder like H110 with a magnum primer and test it over a chronograph to ensure it is near 1050 fps. I also use round nose bullets, 180 grain works well for 1-12 twist, 220 round nose is good for 1-10 and a 1-8 will handle the 240 hpbt.

I use a mil-dot scope. I can merely hold over for ranges of up to 100 yards when switching to subsonic ammo.