moderators

underthetumb

hey lads, was thinkin of gettin a moderator for next season(deer).
was wondering what your opinions are on the pros and cons of having one

jwshooter

you will not kill any more deer with one on .

weight on the rifle is the major con.

i like them as i get to see the strike and the dog can still hear me telling her not to eat all my lunch .

clivej

get a pair of ear plugs much cheaper.

270WIN

have to agree with jwshooter........a moderator ruins the balance of your rifle. you will throw it off after a few long hill climbs. i have/had one on my 270 but it never helped me get any extra deer. on the plus side its nice to hear the bullet strike

underthetumb

yeh found them to make a rifle top heavy. just from the few i held in various gun shops. is it much difference to the recoil, i have a .270

It wasn't me!

Balance is a big factor, but if almost all your shooting is prone or off sticks, you won't have any hassle. The reduced recoil is probably the biggest factor, as important as the noise reduction. You'll be able to see the shot hit with something like a .270, which you probably couldn't without it. It's an advantage. The noise reduction also means you won't be hearing whistles for the rest of the day after taking a shot.

270WIN

the moderator does reduce the recoil but you will never notice recoil when you shoot a deer. if you are on a range or zeroing your rifle the moderator will make life easier for you.i have never found the recoil from my 270 (without the moderator) troublesome anyway.

Jonty

270WIN wrote: »

the moderator does reduce the recoil but you will never notice recoil when you shoot a deer. if you are on a range or zeroing your rifle the moderator will make life easier for you.i have never found the recoil from my 270 (without the moderator) troublesome anyway.

Yeah but if you zero your stalking rifle on the range, and take the mod off for stalking, the POI will change, so I have found.

kerryman12

It wont get you any more deer, but I wont be going back. Yes it is a bit heavier and yes it changes the balance of the rifle. but most guys are shooting from the prone position or at least with the rifle resting on something, therefore not a issue.
It will protect your hearing, reduce your impact on the local enviorenment etc

Vegeta

clivej wrote: »

get a pair of ear plugs much cheaper.

Are you my Super by any chance?

On a serious note I don't like wearing ear plugs when hunting in case I miss an instruction or warning from a shooting partner.

imincanada

Moderators can reduce felt recoil by 30-35% IIRC..
Such a reduction might allow the shooter to see the target being hit and help him place a corrected follow up shot if its required:( All without the assistance of a fellow spotter.
Mods reduce muzzle blast which frightens off prey and livestock and damages your night vision.
Mods reduce the "bang" by 30-40%- help around livestock and other shooters
Mods help direct remaining noise to ward the target and away from non targets i.e. livestock or the next target.
In general they help protect ones hearing and reduce general noise pollution.

Threading ones barrel can effect the value, balance and appearance of a good quality rifle.
They do add extra weight which can lead to fatigue but the extra weight can help with stability if you have any muscle strength left.
They always change the POI(point of impact)
They can cost €30 to €300 plus! easy!
They seem to cause unnecessary alarm among the police force

When all said and done i wouldn't be without them on a 22lr or any hi speed calibers such as 204 or 220 or 17 remmy etc etc.

PS They only every really act as silencers with subsonic ammunition such as that available fro the 22lr. Other than that they seem to act simply as moderators

IMO silencers are not moderators but I know that the law makes no difference.

cavan shooter

I have a mod for a 22lr and yep its great for bunny bashing. I have a mod for the hornet which I must admit is sitting in the safe waiting for someone who is looking for a T4.:D It made the ruger hornet very top heavy and awkward, I dont like using it.

Its a bit like the deer your only going to shoot 1 fox, and in my case the report isn't too bad. Accuracy on the range appears to be tighter with the hornet and the mod.

underthetumb

thanks for all the info lads much apprciated. what is the law in regards to using them on coillte forestry?

murph226

I had to get a mod to get some of my permissions!

jwshooter

underthetumb wrote: »

thanks for all the info lads much apprciated. what is the law in regards to using them on coillte forestry?

none

Tackleberrywho

Vegeta wrote: »

Are you my Super by any chance?

On a serious note I don't like wearing ear plugs when hunting in case I miss an instruction or warning from a shooting partner.

I find reactive ear muffs very good for range work, but very hot in warm weather.
One rarely fires more than one shot on deer, unless they have a team of people to drag the feckers out of the brush.

I use an ASE on my .223, it does make it very like Dolly Parton.
Your arm can get used to the weight but on long hauls across rough ground it will only tee one off.

Maybe someday they will invent a mod that is as very light.
I find 4inches diff in point of aim mod on or off.

I have found peltor reactive very good, you can hear your feet touching the ground, but not the crack of a shot. But for rabbits in summer your ears would rot with sweat

welsummer

i shoot with a moderater and would noy go back to shooting without one and you will bag more deer with one.
if you fire off a shot from a centre fire rife first thing in the morning and your ground is small enought them you might as wel go home as you will clear the area. i have killed deer with a buddy tucked in a little over 500 yards a way with forestery and a wind blowing from him to me and he never hear the shot.
the only con to it is that it is top a little top heavy but after a short time you get use to it .
i belive it is also suppost to improve you grouping as you have much less barrel vibration.
all my buddys have them now, except one who had a full stock on his rifle and could not fit one.
he is changing his rifle this year due to being left behind as his rifle was able to clear the whole area of deer

cbrjohnthou

underthetumb wrote: »

hey lads, was thinkin of gettin a moderator for next season(deer).
was wondering what your opinions are on the pros and cons of having one

Its a great idea to have one if you are stalking with another person because you are less likely to startle the deer which gives your buddy a chance to get a shot off. the moderator does help keep the muzzle from rising when taking a shot which makes it that bit easier to see the deer when the bullet strikes. Some moderators can be heavy or very long so its really a matter of preference.