Thread: Suppressor and load dev

New to reloading here. Basically contemplating (as in short on funds) about getting suppressors for couple of my rifles but also wanna do load development for them.
In your experience does suppressor affect load development much? Would the "optimal" load change once suppressor is added?
Thanks.

Yup, in general muzzle velocity is slightly faster with the suppressor on.

Depending on the barrel profile, the weight of the suppressor may also affect harmonics.

As with most things reloading related, it kinda depends how precise you intend to be...

Originally Posted by onlyhsh

New to reloading here. Basically contemplating (as in short on funds) about getting suppressors for couple of my rifles but also wanna do load development for them.
In your experience does suppressor affect load development much? Would the "optimal" load change once suppressor is added?
Thanks.

Get your barrels threaded the same and use one suppressor made for the larger diameter pill, instead of two. Just need to have a rear bush to suit each barrel.

Move to Australia, no suppressors allowed. Problem solved.

I think you could do the development with it on. I believe it will affect harmonics. That is it will change the point of impact with it on or off. But you might find it's just an inch up or down.

Suppressors seem cheap where there are no heavy restriction s on them. Premiums are added where you need special approvals, think upwards of $1000 in Australia if you can get a permit.

Not sure why it will gain velocity with a Suppressor. But my limited experience was using one in South Africa, like NZ they are supressor friendly. Like $200 for a supressor and many use them .

Cheers for the tips team, I'll hold off on load development until I acquire suppressor(s) then.
Meanwhile I'll also examine the possibility of moving to Aus

Originally Posted by onlyhsh

Cheers for the tips team, I'll hold off on load development until I acquire suppressor(s) then.
Meanwhile I'll also examine the possibility of moving to Aus

There may be good reasons to hold off, especially if its just for a short while until a suppressor arrives. To be fair, the difference in POI between suppressor and no supressor is likely to be accommodated by re-zeroing more than new load development. If the suppressor is not going to arrive for a while I'd go ahead with the load-dev. If you have the components. Component shortage, and cost, is certainly a factor. Where I used to be happy testing from min to max published charge inn 0.5gn increments, right now I just pick the two 1/2 grain steps below max. Because that's where I finish up 9 times out of 10. While I may find a good accuracy node in the two steps or so above min, they usually are not attractive to me for velocity reasons as I'm doing load-dev for hunting as the primary purpose. For target shooting velocity doesn't matter, accuracy reigns.

I haven’t done load development unsuppressed, but I have shot the load without it. The harmonics are definitely different and the POI shift was huge, ~10cm at 100m.

I have just had one fitted to my 300 win Mag , at 25 yds it was 2 inches low and an inch right with suppressor on using the load it was sighted in for without the suppressor. Point of impact is quite a bit but then all rifles are different.

I think @Jhon has the right idea. I feel that for a hunting rifle the idea of developing an ideal load is actually pretty pointless if anything you chuck down the barrel prints about 1 moa anyhow.
Federals blue box is an ideal indicator of what's going on.
Bench rest accuracy for hunting is usually wasted as your shooting position is usually less than optimum your target size anything up to 5 inches and the range around 50 to 300 yards. Virtually any bullet, charge weight and seating depth will do that.
Of course I stand to be corrected on this. (-:

Originally Posted by CBH Australia

Move to Australia, no suppressors allowed. Problem solved.

I think you could do the development with it on. I believe it will affect harmonics. That is it will change the point of impact with it on or off. But you might find it's just an inch up or down.

Suppressors seem cheap where there are no heavy restriction s on them. Premiums are added where you need special approvals, think upwards of $1000 in Australia if you can get a permit.

Not sure why it will gain velocity with a Suppressor. But my limited experience was using one in South Africa, like NZ they are supressor friendly. Like $200 for a supressor and many use them .

Honestly I find this bizzare, same as the suppressor restrictions in the US. I see it as an osh issue. Protecting the hearing of you, other shooters, or a dog.

Politicians that made these restrictions think that they are watching a Hollywood movie that suppressors make a firearm go "pew" and criminals use them. Fantasy bullshit.

I’ve done a lot of load dev for a heap of different rifles and calibres over the years. Yet to find one where the accuracy node and POI is much different with or with out suppressor. One point I have noticed is that you increase the rate or amount of carbon fouling with suppressor. Hence I do nearly all load dev with out suppressor and then fine tune load and POI with suppressor. Most of my suppressors are DPT, you may see something different with other brands, especially the heavier ones.

Cheers for the tips team, think I'll get on with developing and just adjust for POI once fitted then!

I have had two rifles, a Sako 85 .308 and a Tikka T3x 6.5 Creedmoor where the POI with a suppressor on was about 10 cm higher than without.