Why Every Predator Hunter Should Consider a Suppressor

Suppressors for predator hunting have become one of my favorite additions to a coyote rifle. Once you spend some time shooting and hunting with a suppressed rifle, it's pretty hard to go back to shooting one without one.

For predator hunting, I don't look at a suppressor as just something that makes a rifle quieter. It changes the entire shooting experience. Less blast and concussion, better communication with hunting partners, easier follow-up shots, less disturbance on the property and, of course, less punishment on your hearing.

There are some negatives. You're adding length and weight to your rifle. But for me, the benefits far outweigh the negatives.

Choosing a Suppressor

There are hundreds of suppressors on the market now, and looking at all the specs can make choosing one seem way more complicated than it needs to be.

For most predator hunters, I think you can narrow the decision down to three major things:

Weight, length and price.

There are obviously other things to consider — sound performance, caliber rating, mounting system, construction and overall durability all matter. But weight, length and price are usually where I start.

A suppressor that's incredibly quiet but makes your rifle excessively long and front-heavy might not be the best choice for a hunting rifle.

On the other hand, the shortest and lightest suppressor on the market probably isn't going to give you the same sound performance as a larger can.

It's a balancing act.

For a predator rifle that's getting carried through the woods, put on a tripod, moved around in a truck and swung onto coyotes, I put a lot of value on keeping the overall package manageable.

More Money Doesn't Always Mean More Better

Suppressors are available at a huge range of prices, and just because one costs two or three times as much doesn't automatically mean it's going to perform two or three times better for what you're doing.

There are some incredible high-end suppressors available. Sometimes you're paying for lighter materials, more complicated manufacturing, specialized mounting systems or advanced internal designs. Those things absolutely have value.

But there are also very reasonably priced suppressors that work extremely well on a predator rifle.

I'd rather see somebody buy a suppressor that fits their rifle and the way they hunt than simply buy the most expensive can they can afford because they assume it has to be better.

Why Suppressors Work So Well for Predator Hunting

This is where I think suppressors really shine.

Coyotes don't always come in one at a time. You might call a pair or a triple, or have another coyote hanging back that you don't even know is there.

Not long ago, Jeremiah and I killed a double. It wasn't your typical double where two coyotes came charging in together and we shot within seconds of each other.

We killed the first coyote, and a few minutes later the second coyote came into the field and we killed it too.

Would that second coyote have stepped into the field a few minutes after an unsuppressed centerfire rifle went off? There's obviously no way to know for certain, but I seriously doubt it.

We've seen similar behavior plenty of times. After a suppressed shot, especially after a miss or when there are multiple coyotes, you'll sometimes see a coyote running around looking completely confused about where the shot came from.

They obviously know something happened, but they don't always seem to immediately pinpoint where it came from.

That can buy you valuable time for a follow-up shot.

A suppressor isn't going to make a .22 Creedmoor or .243 sound like a BB gun, and it isn't some magical device that makes coyotes ignore gunfire. You're still launching a supersonic bullet and creating plenty of noise.

But there's a huge difference between that and touching off an unsuppressed centerfire rifle in the middle of a quiet field at midnight.

Hunting With a Group

This is another place where suppressors really earn their keep.

If you've ever been beside somebody when they fired an unsuppressed centerfire rifle at night, you already know what I'm talking about.

I've become pretty spoiled hunting with guys who shoot suppressed. Once you've spent enough nights with everybody running cans, having an unsuppressed rifle go off beside you makes you hate life.

With everyone suppressed, there's less concussion, it's easier to communicate and it's easier for everyone to stay in the game when multiple coyotes show up.

When that first shot breaks and another coyote takes off, the reduced blast and concussion make it easier for everyone to stay focused, track the other coyote and get another shot opportunity.

For group predator hunting, I think it's one of the biggest benefits of running suppressors.

Don't Forget About the Landowner

Here's another benefit that doesn't get talked about nearly enough: the landowner sleeping in the house.

Predator hunters operate at some pretty ridiculous hours.

We're pulling onto farms late at night and sometimes calling at midnight, 2:00 a.m. or 4:00 a.m. That farmer or landowner who gave you permission might be sound asleep when you pull the trigger.

A suppressor doesn't make the shot silent, but reducing the muzzle blast and overall noise is simply being considerate of the people allowing us to hunt their property.

That's especially important if you want to keep getting invited back.

If I'm choosing between waking up a coyote and waking up the farmer, I'd much rather wake up the coyote.

Follow-Up Shots and Future Calling

Another thing I think about is what happens after the shot.

Maybe you missed.

Maybe you killed one coyote and another one got away.

Maybe there was another coyote 300 yards back in the timber that you never knew was there.

Or maybe you're planning to come back and call that property again later.

The less disturbance I create on a property, the better I feel about it.

If its early in the stand we will keep calling after shooting in certain situations. The double Jeremiah and I killed is a perfect example of why I don't automatically assume the stand is over just because somebody pulled the trigger.

Suppressors don't eliminate the disturbance caused by shooting. Nothing does. But if I can reduce it, I'll take that advantage.

Hearing Conservation

This should probably be obvious, but it's worth talking about.

Suppressors significantly reduce the sound pressure reaching the shooter, and that's especially valuable for hunters because we're rarely wearing the same hearing protection we'd wear at a shooting range.

But suppressed does not automatically mean hearing-safe.

A suppressed centerfire rifle firing supersonic ammunition can still be loud enough to damage your hearing. A suppressor reduces the exposure; it doesn't magically eliminate it.

If you plan on hunting and shooting often, reducing that blast whenever possible just makes sense.

Titanium, Steel, Aluminum and 3D-Printed Suppressors

Suppressors are built from several different materials, with titanium, stainless steel and aluminum being some of the common ones you'll encounter.

Titanium has become extremely popular for hunting suppressors because it gives you a great combination of strength and low weight.

Steel is generally heavier but extremely durable.

Aluminum can be incredibly lightweight, although you'll see it more commonly used in suppressors designed for lower-pressure applications.

Manufacturing is changing too.

We're now seeing more suppressors produced through additive manufacturing, or what most of us simply call 3D printing.

Instead of being limited to traditional machined baffles, manufacturers can create extremely complicated internal geometries that would be difficult or sometimes impossible to produce with traditional machining.

Suppressor technology has come a long way, and it's continuing to change quickly.

Supersonic vs. Subsonic

This is another area that can confuse somebody buying their first suppressor.

A suppressor primarily controls the expanding gases leaving the muzzle. It can't eliminate the sonic crack created by a projectile traveling faster than the speed of sound.

That's why a suppressed rifle shooting supersonic ammunition still makes noise downrange.

Subsonic ammunition stays below the speed of sound, eliminating that sonic crack.

Combine the right subsonic ammunition with a suppressor and a firearm can become extremely quiet.

But quieter doesn't automatically mean better for hunting.

Keeping a bullet subsonic means limiting its velocity. That changes trajectory, energy and terminal velocity and will reduce the useful range of a hunting cartridge.

For the predator hunting we do, we're still shooting supersonic ammunition.

We're not trying to make a rifle Hollywood quiet. We're trying to reduce muzzle blast and concussion while keeping the velocity, trajectory and terminal performance we need to effectively kill coyotes.

That's an important difference.

There Are Trade-Offs

Suppressors aren't magic.

You're attaching something to the end of your barrel, so you're adding length and weight.

Depending on the suppressor and mounting system, that can be barely noticeable or it can completely change how the rifle handles.

There can also be a point-of-impact change when installing a suppressor. That's why you should zero and confirm your rifle with the suppressor installed if that's how you're going to hunt with it.

For me, none of those negatives come close to outweighing the benefits.

What's the Best Predator Hunting Suppressor?

I don't think there's one answer.

A guy carrying a lightweight calling rifle through the mountains might value a short titanium suppressor more than getting every possible decibel of sound reduction.

Someone shooting primarily from a tripod might happily accept another couple ounces or another inch of length for additional suppression.

And somebody buying their first suppressor might simply want something affordable, durable and proven.

That's why I keep coming back to weight, length and price.

Figure out what matters most for your particular rifle and the way you hunt, then find the suppressor that gives you the best balance.

You don't necessarily need the lightest suppressor.

You don't necessarily need the quietest suppressor.

And you definitely don't need the most expensive suppressor just because it's the most expensive.

You need the one that fits your rifle and preferences.

For me, though, the decision about whether to hunt suppressed isn't a question.

Once you spend enough nights predator hunting with a suppressor, shooting a rifle without one just isn't the same.

Looking for a Suppressor?

Alpha Outside is now stocking and selling suppressors from many of the most popular manufacturers, with different calibers, materials, lengths, weights and price points available.

We're predator hunters ourselves, so we're not interested in simply selling you the most expensive suppressor on the shelf. Tell us what rifle you're running, what caliber you're shooting and how you hunt, and we'll help you narrow down what actually makes sense for your setup.

Whether you're putting together your first suppressed predator rifle or looking for a lighter, shorter or better-performing can for your current setup, contact Alpha Outside and we'll help you find the right suppressor for the job.