Tikka 17 HMR suppressed and unsuppressed accuracy results

[Kisssofdeath]

Been wanting to do this for awhile now. This is mainly an FYI post but conversation is definitely welcome. I shot my Tikka 17 HMR in my Bravo KRG stock yesterday without a suppressor, suppressed with my AAC Ti-Rant 45M and suppressed with my Silencerco Sparrow. There was a point of impact shift everytime a change was made. Strange thing is every time the first five was high. Does that make sense? I have always believed anything shot suppressed with my Sparrow seen an accuracy increase, the Sparrow did not disappoint again. These were shot back to back to back to back with the same Lot / ammo, same day, everything being equal except for passing time and suppressed or not.

First group, shot unsuppressed.

Second group. shot suppressed with AAC Ti-Rant 45M.

Third group. shot suppressed with the Silencerco Sparrow.

Final group, shot unsuppressed again.

Side notes, both suppressors are easily hearing safe, Sparrow may have been a little quieter but both had their own distinctive sounds. At some point I will do this with my Tikka 22 LR. I didn't get a photo with the Sparrow attached but here is the Ti-Rant. The Ti-Rant is quite a bit larger than the Sparrow and being heavier the Tikka may not have liked that much weight out front?? Just a guess as to why it didn't do as well.

 

[Kisssofdeath]

Wanted to give an update about the suppressors used. Length, diameter and weight compared.

 

[Near miss]

Can you calculate the group averages for us as well?
What's the "6 or 8 of 10" marking on the plates?
Was there similar POI change between the cans as without the can vs canned?
Can you record it for each of them?
Like "no can: 1" up 0.4" left?

 

[Eoddave27]

When I shoot either one of my 22lr T1x’s suppressed my groups open up quite a bit. They are still under 1/2 but I get a lot more flyers. My suppressor isn’t a commercial suppressor. It is one I made and got a tax stamp for so I just figured that was the reason for the groups opening up.

 

[Kisssofdeath]

Yes, I can get an average.

The "notes/markings" on the plates are for my quick reference when comparing multiple plates. So 6 of 10 means I had 6 groups out of 10 that shot 1/2" or less. The "or 8" is the total 1/2" groups out of 10 if one shot could be eliminated from that five shot group. If the "eliminated shot" was caused by something I make note of it, if not and the shot was good I just put a question mark with circle around the shot. The "eliminated shot" does have requirements to qualify, the other 4 must be a decent cluster of at least 1/2" and there can only be one "eliminated shot". The distance of the "eliminated shot" from the other four must be significant. Notice the 2nd plate, 10th group, the "eliminated shot" was somewhat questionable here but since the location was lower than any other shots on the plate except for another "eliminated shot" on the 6th group, this made it qualify in my mind. It's just something I do.

Strangely, the POI shift between unsuppressed, suppressed and even between suppressors was the same. That doesn't make sense but it is what it is. Notice on every plate how the first 5 shots were high. The plates were shot back to back from top to bottom. You would think that at some point at least one setup would have shot low or had no change. This is interesting and I will do another test just to satisfy me and that is to shoot a 5 shot group unsuppressed, shoot 5 suppressed with the AAC and another 5 with the Sparrow. I may shoot 3 five shot groups then make a change.

 

[beetroot]

Are the suppressors clean?

I've had accuracy issues with fliers and random shots going supersonic with both my 22s which turned pit to be dirty suppressor.

After a thorough cleaning the accuracy returned to being the same as unsuppressed.

 

[Kisssofdeath]

Sparrow was probably not clean-clean, maybe had 200 or so rounds on it. Ti-Rant would have been fairly clean.

 

[JG26_Irish]

Interesting results. Being a supersonic rd, I suppose that the 17hmr still has a significant crack to it even suppressed. Does the sparrow make it quiet enough to tolerate?

 

[beetroot]

Interesting results. Being a supersonic rd, I suppose that the 17hmr still has a significant crack to it even suppressed. Does the sparrow make it quiet enough to tolerate?

A suppressor is a must have on a 17hmr.
Mine had quite a nasty crack to it, much much louder than a 22.
But suppressed it is very pleasant to shoot.

According to the stats basically no supersonic cartridges are 100% hearing safe when suppressed, but the 17hmr would be damn close.

 

[Kisssofdeath]

Interesting results. Being a supersonic rd, I suppose that the 17hmr still has a significant crack to it even suppressed. Does the sparrow make it quiet enough to tolerate?

The 17 HMR is too loud to shoot on a consistent basis without hearing protection unless you shoot it suppressed. Suppressed, to me, is totally hearing safe. Before I had a 17 HMR I had the same mind set as you, "how could a suppressor be effective ", well it is and very much so. As mentioned above in my first post, both the Sparrow and the Ti-Rant are quite with different tones of sound, both are hearing safe IMO "to my ears" to be shot consistently without hearing protection. Even suppressed it is still loud but the sound is more downrange than at the muzzle if that makes sense.

 

[Near miss]

The 17 HMR is too loud to shoot on a consistent basis without hearing protection unless you shoot it suppressed. Suppressed, to me, is totally hearing safe. Before I had a 17 HMR I had the same mind set as you, "how could a suppressor be effective ", well it is and very much so. As mentioned above in my first post, both the Sparrow and the Ti-Rant are quite with different tones of sound, both are hearing safe IMO "to my ears" to be shot consistently without hearing protection. Even suppressed it is still loud but the sound is more downrange than at the muzzle if that makes sense.

It is quiet yes. But I have been told that for example unsilenced PCPs do not make hearing safe sound, but we do not hear it very loud as it is too quick for human to register. With those you need many repetitions to make problems, but it is there.

I am guessing same with 17HMR. I like it very much suppressed but still keep prot on.

In fact I shot right into a snow pile in front of me (knowingly, and knew there was nothing but dirt under it) and it did not make any more sound than a rimfirish "zup". For some reason the supersonic pop did not come during the 10-15" of air flight, I was expecting atleast something.