By Jeff Johnston, FE Hunting & Shooting Editor
Here’s the scenario: You want a do-all suppressor to use on multiple guns, but there’s so many models out there that you don’t know what to buy. Each year my No. 1 choice gets amended it seems, because each year suppressors get better.
Right now I like Silencerco’s brand-new Scythe-Ti, mainly because its titanium build makes it extremely lightweight and compact yet also strong enough for my hunting rifles.
After realizing that no practical-sized suppressor will make large rifles Hollywood-type quiet, I simply make sure a can will mitigate noise to under the dangerous 140 decibel level before focusing on its size and weight. Trust me, an 8-inch or longer tube on the end of a 22- or 24-inch barrel will make any rifle feel like a T-post with the flanged side forward. So I look for the shortest, lightest suppressors I can find that still allow me to forgo wearing hearing protection.
Consider the average rifle suppressor weighs roughly 14 ounces. The Scythe-Ti weighs just 7.3 ozs. and is only 6.1-inches long. This means any rifle I install it on will remain much closer to its original balance, and, more importantly, is less apt to dramatically shift its point of impact.
While there’s no guarantee that it will or won’t affect POI—as most rifles are sensitive to any weight being applied to the end of its barrel—throughout my testing I’ve generally found that the lighter the can, the less impact it has on POI. Yet despite its ridiculously light weight, it’s also strong; it’ll handle any caliber up to a 300 Win. Mag. Finally, an innovative, micro-sized muzzle break is integrally welded to the Scythe’s muzzle cap that further reduces recoil.
This can features a 5/8×24 direct thread attachment that tends to be more accurate than quick detach systems. While this is a “sealed can” that is not easily cleaned by the user and therefore not recommended for huge volumes of sustained fire with exposed lead bullets, it’s perhaps the perfect suppressor for hunting and long-range shooting. $1175
Pros: One of the lightest and most compact magnum rifle-rated suppressors on the market.
Cons: Titanium is an expensive commodity, so this is not a budget can; it shouldn’t be used for full-auto fire.
