When silence is golden

Sound moderators on rifles have become commonplace with all but the most traditionalist of shooters. While they do little to improve the elegant looks of a classic walnut-stocked hunting rifle, the obvious advantages to using one cannot be overlooked and the benefits greatly outweigh any aesthetic downsides.

It would be fair to say that a moderator adds weight to a rifle, and that it affects the balance, but with new lighter materials and moderator designs this is becoming negligible. The increased popularity of moderators over the past 30 years has led to a vast array of designs and manufacturers on the market, with both muzzle-mounted ‘cans’ or the more popular over-the-barrel ‘reflex’ styles available.

Reflex types are especially popular as only half of the moderator sits forward of the muzzle, while the rear half goes back and sleeves the barrel. These