Silencers and Competitive Shooting
Silencers and Competitive Shooting
Cormac McQuarrie
Shooting suppressed rifles has become increasingly popular lately with the ease of getting a suppressor. ATF eForms and online distributors have made silencer ownership easier than ever. Bringing home a suppressor for your carbine or pistol is only a few clicks away in today’s world. In competitive shooting sports, more and more shooters are competing suppressed.
What are the benefits of competing suppressed?
- A suppressor can improve precision and performance
- Suppressors help extend the longevity of your gear. Suppressors dull the impact of wear and tear on your gear while on the range, while also reducing the sound of live fire to safe levels for everyone.
- It’s more enjoyable to shoot suppressed due to the decreased sound signature, concussive forces, and impact on the environment around you. Shooting under barricades in dusty conditions can be detrimental to your sight.
- Suppressors help with recoil reduction, which helps speed up sight acquisition when engaging targets. Competition is all about speed and we look for any competitive advantage that helps our standing on the leaderboard.
- When used properly, suppressors can provide excellent protection for your hearing long-term health.
Let’s examine which suppressors are a competitor choice for different shooting disciplines and calibers.
What competitions are suppressors used in?
You will often find competitors shooting suppressed in two disciplines, 2gun/3gun (Multigun) and PRS. Competitors usually shoot AR-15 patterned rifles chambered in .223 and 5.56 in Multigun carbine matches. Some competitors prefer to shoot other carbine styles like AK pattern rifles and Galil’s. Typically competition guns have 12 to 18-inch barrels, are gas-operated, and run 20-60 round magazines. Multigun is a fast-paced, run-and-gun style of shooting.
PRS stands for Precision Rifle Shooting. PRS is a much slower-paced style of shooting. Most competitors use bolt guns and large actions chambered in rounds like 6mm Dasher, 6.5mm Creedmoor, and other high-pressure, flat trajectory cartridges.
These disciplines are vastly different, and they require suppressors that meet their specific requirements to maintain optimal performance in their respective competition shooting events.
What is the best suppressor for Multigun competition?
The new Velos LBP is designed with performance in mind, which is why it’s the best suppressor for Multigun Competition. It is specially made for 5.56, so attaching this to your Multigun carbine is a match made in heaven. Several design features make the Velos LBP suppressor optimal for competitive shooting, from its diminutive size to its baffle design and durable construction.
At only 5.98 inches, this is one of the smallest suppressors in its class. The best attribute of the Velos LBP is its ability to minimize gas blowback while still offering impressive sound performance. The core is 3D printed from Inconel with a baffle design that allows the Velos LBP silencer to run efficiently without adding back pressure to the operating system. That means the shooter can sustain a rapid fire without worrying about breathing in harmful gases. This is especially helpful in Multigun matches, where it is common to be shooting within confined areas.
As for durability, it is vital to have a suppressor that can withstand the heat of intense fire. Some stages at matches may have you shooting 60-80 rounds in less than a minute. Add in environmental factors like 100° F temperatures (or higher) while shooting and it can be very hard to cool the suppressor down. The 17-4 stainless steel and Inconel 625 construction allow the Velos LBP to withstand anything you throw at it.
All of these features combined make the Velos LBP our top choice for 5.56 Multigun matches.
Which is the best suppressor for PRS competition?
Our choice for PRS Competition shooting is the legendary Omega 36M. Precision Rifle Shooting (PRS) is very different from Multigun, and shooters look for distinct characteristics in a suppressor for their precision rifle. Specifically, they want to keep suppressor weight to a minimum, while achieving maximum sound suppression, all the while being able to handle the high-pressure calibers that PRS competition demands. That’s a tall order, and the SilencerCo Omega 36M does it all.
The Omega 36M is rated up to .338 Lapua Magnum, which can hit pressures up to 60,000 PSI, making it one of the highest-pressured rounds. No question, the Omega 36M can handle high pressure rounds like 6MM Dasher and 6.5 Creedmoor.
Another benefit of this suppressor is its modularity. With the Omega 36M, you are getting two cans in one so you can decide whether to focus on the sound suppression with the long configuration or focus on overall weight with the short configuration, all the while without comprising either.
The Omega 36M is the clear choice for PRS competition.
Why does shooting suppressed matter in competition shooting sports?
The answer is very simple. You want to protect your hearing. Competing suppressed can allow you to keep enjoying the sport well into your life. One of the most common injuries recreational shooters face is hearing damage. Rifle calibers can be some of the loudest firearms. Suppressors can provide excellent hearing protection for your long term health, and are even more effective when properly paired with over-the-ear hearing protection.
I’ve seen many rifle shooters whose hearing abilities have declined over years of shooting. I hope to see the trend of competing suppressed increase in the coming seasons. You only have one set of ears, so do everything in your power to protect them.
Whether behind an AR or a precision bolt gun, it’s a wise choice to equip your gun with a suppressor. Although these recommendations are performance-driven and aimed at competitive shooting sports, it applies to any recreational shooting.
The Velos LBP is the ideal candidate for your 5.56 caliber host. The innovative baffle system keeps from adding back pressure to your gun, which makes for a cleaner, healthier shooting experience.
The Omega 36M is the best versatile suppressor you can own. It’s rated for pistol calibers like 5.7x28MM and 9MM. This suppressor is lightweight, compact, modular, and durable enough to withstand the pressure of some of the highest-pressured rounds on the market. The Omega36M will satisfy most competitive shooting needs.
Between these two suppressors, you will be set for whatever practical competition shooting match you attend. Do yourself a favor and protect your hearing by shooting suppressed.
