What it's all about ... in Laymans Terms

Is your Gun too Loud?

Is your gun too loud? Mine was. In the old days mods were taboo in Sussex but now they are a bit more accepted. As a professional agricultural vermin controller in the south of England, there is hardly enough room to swing a cat let alone shoot a high velocity rifle. I won't go out with an unmoderated rifle. The countryside is filling up with people from the towns, some don't understand the problems we have, so if you don't have to be noticed, don't be. Landowners and stockowners need to have good relations with neighbours, They can get a bit funny about seeing there prize livestock climbing a barbed wire fence every time you let one go. You will not be welcome. His crops and livestock will suffer. Another nail in the stress coffin (more nails than coffin at the moment). Oh that reminds me I must check zero on my 22-250, Bother it's Sunday, don't want to be a nuisance, I bet it will be raining and blowing a gale for the next 12 days, wish I had a quieter gun.

Do they Work?

There are those out there that can't get their heads round the fact that they do and work well. I still hear it today. The mod fits on the gun to moderate the noise from the gun and not the bullet. You can't silence the bullet from a supersonic round. You can silence the muzzle blast. If you fire a high velocity centre fire rifle the noise is horrendous. You get four sounds in quick succession:

1. Bang
2. Crack
3. Thud
4. A rolling echo. That lasts about 3 seconds

- The bang is the muzzle blast.
- The crack is the sonic boom.
- The thud is the bullet impact.
- The echo is in direct relation to the bang bouncing back off of trees and hills.

The bang and the crack are not often indistinguishable as they are so close together. If you muffle the bang you lose the echo and only hear the crack and the thud. To see this effect much better fire the gun into a sand bag or bank of stone free earth at about 5 - 8 feet, with and without a mod fitted. The difference is astonishing. The bullet should not create a sonic crack at this distance, so all you should hear is the effect the mod has on the muzzle blast. This is the best way to test any sound mod, and you can't confuse the crack with the bang. No crack just what's left of the bang!

How do they Work?

They all slow down the gases leaving the muzzle and cool them down, so all you get is a warm fart instead of a super sonic super heated blast. Very noisy. How well they work all depends on design, case capacity and not so much calibre. Small case rounds like the hornet, 222, 223, .17 and the PPC will silence well with most makes of moderator but the larger the case capacity the more difficult it is to get good results, i.e. 22-250, 243, 308, 6.5x55, 270 and so on. This is where a well-designed mod comes into its own.

There are four main types:

Single-point mounting

1. The conventional threaded onto the muzzle with baffles.
2. The conventional threaded onto the muzzle without baffles (dump chamber)
3. The combination of both the above.

The two-point mounting

4. The telescopic or sleeved over the barrel with a dump chamber around the barrel and baffles in front.

The two-point mount is by far the better way of attaching a mod; the joint is a lot stronger and can withstand the nocks it may get in the field better. It is also a lot more forgiving if there is a slight misalignment problem because the muzzle of the mod is closer to the muzzle of the barrel.

What will it do to my Rifle?

Well it will reduce recoil. Firstly because of a heavier gun and secondly the push back from the muzzle blast will have been reduced. This is a big plus point for accuracy. Less muzzle flip and no muzzle flash. When lamping, your target will stay in view and you will not lose night vision. Some people develop a flinch when firing a centre fire rifle; this will almost be eliminated when a mod is fitted.

What will it do in the Field?

Well it will totally confuse your quarry; foxes tend to run towards you after a shot. Deer just don't know what to do. If you want to move something closer try firing into something behind them, it usually works wonders.

What will I get?

Well you get what you pay for. This goes for the threading job as well, and this is where the whole project goes pear shaped. If the thread is not in perfect alignment with the bore (not the outside of the barrel, the bore) it will never be accurate. It is alright going down the road to your local industrial estate with £25, to find someone with a lathe, they may be very good with it, but if they are not a good rifle smith, specializing in barrel work, how will they no if they damage the crown or what to do about it if they do. DON'T CUT CORNERS. Get this bit right and you won't look back.

The moderator it's self can be made out of ally, steel or even better still stainless steel, I will explain! When the gun is fired the mod is flooded with damp, corrosive gas, so the better the material used in construction the longer it will last. This may add a little expense to the mod but it is well worth it. Why spend £500 plus on a rifle, another £200 to £300 on a scope? Then have it all ruined on a cheap mod and threading job. Get a good quality mod and threading job and don't ruin your rig.