Thread: Effect of suppressor on performance of a given load...

Originally Posted by sneeze

Heres a thought though, the harmonics theory has puzzeled a me a little. If a suppressor changes the harmincs of the barrel why do most tuned loads continue to be well tuned loads? and why generally do they shoot lower when fitted? that seems a little odd if its harmonics. I can see it having a damping effect maybe so it dosnt change it as such just reduces but Iwonder if its more of a weight issue as well making it more stable like a heavy barrel.

You need to look at the barrel like a cantilever. In terms of vibration most things tend to measure their vibration against their natural frequency (i.e. the frequency at which an object will vibrate itself to death at). For an object as simple as a cantilever its natural frequency is based on its weight, the objects stiffness and the distribution of that weight. Increasing the weight reduces an objects natural frequency and would almost certainly increase the difference between the excitation frequency generated by the bullet flying/bouncing/spinning down the barrel and the barrel’s natural frequency. The bigger the difference between the excitation frequency and the natural frequency the less the amplifying affect of the vibration. Increasing the overall weight of the barrel (i.e. heavy barrel) would also do this.

Because the weight of the suppressor is not a large percentage of the weight of the whole barrel its effect of the grouping performance of any individual load is often very small.

Tiny variations in the barrel dimensions and within the barrel material I think accounts for the direction of the suppressor “flick”. This would explain its consistency as well I think i.e. it always flicks shots to about the same location.

I have a theory about the size of the suppressor “flick” but not one I feel like trying to write down. Also all of the above are simply my theories on it and they are certainly not backed up by my own research. Feel free to pick them to pieces and together we might come up with something believable!

Also actual results will be much better than my crackpot theories so go and try it out!