best moderator for a .308 sako 85 varmit barrel?

jamesbilling

Well-Known Member
hey guys,

any ideas on a mod for my sako 85 stainless varmint? . 308?

have been looking at the ase ultra north star?

cheers
 
Depends on what your criteria are really. North Star is great for muzzle flip and dB reduction, they are heavy, but will stand up to some abuse. Incidentally I could sell you a stainless one with about 50 rounds through it in 1/2" UNEF....Ooops, no I couldn't, it's not suitable for .308, damn...
 
Northstar is bomb proof but very heavy. Have just switched to an Atec Maxim which I have on a heavy barrel Remington... Much better balanced, a great improvement. Going to get a neoprene jacket for it though as i get the feeling it will ding easily.
 
I've just spent the last couple of weeks researching this very thing, and incidentally I was shooting a .308 with a Northstar moderator only yesterday.

I suppose it depends on your needs or wants. . .
I have a bloody heavy rifle but tbh don't mind the weight, therefore another 500g hanging off the end dosnt really trouble me. .

I was more interested in the sound suppression, profile of the moderator, and longevity.

Ultimately I wanted something of slim profile that was going to last. . To my mind that ruled out any of the alloy offerings, as I'm lead to believe many of them suffer from gas cutting issues. This was evidenced by an RFD (who will remain nameless) who informed me that he wouldn't touch a particular alloy moderator with a barge pole due to the number of returns he has had. That speaks for itself.

Although in saying that I see Aimzonic offer a five year no quibble guarantee, which to my mind demonstrates a company with great faith in their product.

Anyway enough ramblings. . . The moderators which for my needs appeared to fit the bill were the SL5 the Northstar and Jet-Z.

I was also sorely tempted by the Aimzonic but just couldn't find enough information from shooters who were actually using it to sway me in that direction, I suppose they are still relatively new to the market so to be expected. I don't deny though from the information I did find nearly all was positive.

Leading me back to the Northstar, good looks, solid as the proverbial Clydesdale and excellent noise reduction, however when push came to shove I preferred the slimmer profile of the Jet-Z.

As mentioned above I was shooting a .308 yesterday with one attached and the reduction in noise and muzzle flip was fantastic. I could almost see the bullet strike the target and it really made the .308 a pussy cat to shoot.

The SL5 again gets a great write-up, solid and when examined appears to be bullet proof.
Admittedly I've never used one but I'm aware JCS talks highly of them so that's good enough for me.
Again the fatter profile of the SL5 pushed me towards the Jet-z however I'm lead to believe the sound reduction is on a par with the Jet-Z.

After much deliberation I decided to go with the Jet-Z, it's a tried and tested moderator offering excellent sound moderation and is of a slim profile. . It's designed for full automatic fire which to my mind points towards longevity and a well proven design. Its imported by Jackson's which is just down the road from me and it's supported by a two year warranty.

I suppose the downside to it is that it's made of mild steel and could rust if not cared for properly, and for its size it's a heavy little bastward if weights a concern.

I don't think you would go wrong with any of those lot, and as much as I decided on the Jet-Z I can also highly recommend the Northstar as it was a joy to shoot with on my friends .308
 
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I really like the look of Lawrence Precision kit light weight and apparently last a life time, below is from their website, downside nobody seems to know how much they cost ??

"By choosing these different grades for each part of the moderator, we have optimised its lifespan to make it as durable and as well made as any high quality rifle scope, and it is likely that your Lawrence Precision moderator will outlast several rifles.Titanium contains no iron , so it cannot rust , and so it will never rot or burn out !
Titanium is 40% lighter, stronger and much tougher than steel or stainless steel"




 
Hiya James! I'm still on the rig at the mo, then off to Scotland on a cull but will try to meet up with you around the 17 nov. Anyway have you considered a muzzle brake? I've got one on my 7 rem mag and apart from the artillery like noise, it is fantastic! Less recoil than my modified .243, seriously it barely moves. I'll be getting one on my .375h&h when I find one for the right money! Had the brake made and fitted by Dave at Valkerie rifles, amazing quality and service. £195 and weighs less than an air rifle mod. Plus reduced the overall length of the rifle hugely. You can have a pop on it when I see you.
 
I really like the look of Lawrence Precision kit light weight and apparently last a life time, below is from their website, downside nobody seems to know how much they cost ??

"By choosing these different grades for each part of the moderator, we have optimised its lifespan to make it as durable and as well made as any high quality rifle scope, and it is likely that your Lawrence Precision moderator will outlast several rifles.Titanium contains no iron , so it cannot rust , and so it will never rot or burn out !
Titanium is 40% lighter, stronger and much tougher than steel or stainless steel"





Posted elsewhere

I am having a stock clearance on our Titanium sound moderators, and wondered if you would put a post up for me.
All moderators are currently £300 , first come first served, until the end of November.
All the very best.
Simon

http://www.lawrenceprecision.co.uk/
 
Hi I have a zodiac on my rifle which is the same as yours. It looks the dogs. The sound reduction is average about same as T8 and it is not as light as a Ali model but will out last it. The big issue is it is not proofed do you will need to get it proofed before you should use it. This adds extra expense and time.
 
The only time I bother proofing mods is if a rifles going to the proof house I usually send a couple of mods to avoid the minimum charge surcharge

I'll wager a very high percentage of centrefire mods in use today aren't proofed with the exception of the Sonic's which you can buy already done
 
Hi jamesbilling. I've the same gun in 243 flavour. I've a Atec Maxim on mine. It's light, does it's job keeping the noise down and being reflex type, doesn't make the rifle much longer. I'm happy, in fact I have another on my Blaser 22 250 and that's in .30cal ready for the 308 barrel.... I won't say they are the best but, for the price you could do worse...
Hope this helps.. cjs
 
The only time I bother proofing mods is if a rifles going to the proof house I usually send a couple of mods to avoid the minimum charge surcharge

I'll wager a very high percentage of centrefire mods in use today aren't proofed with the exception of the Sonic's which you can buy already done
That may be the case but the law states that all firearms through which gasses of combustion pass must be proofed. I fell fowl when I bought a Lawrence mod and arranged transfer to my RFD. The RFD would not pass it on to me and put it on my ticket as it was not proofed. Likewise if you ever sell it again it is against regulations to sell an un proofed mod. Just passing on my own experiences and letting the OP be aware of what might be ahead.

BE
 
That may be the case but the law states that all firearms through which gasses of combustion pass must be proofed. I fell fowl when I bought a Lawrence mod and arranged transfer to my RFD. The RFD would not pass it on to me and put it on my ticket as it was not proofed. Likewise if you ever sell it again it is against regulations to sell an un proofed mod. Just passing on my own experiences and letting the OP be aware of what might be ahead.

BE

Very debateable subject as to whether sound mods actually need proofing or not and not been proved either way in a court of law as of yet :confused:

Just out of interest does your RFD insist on proofing all the moderators he sells or just the transfers ?
 
I have an ATEC Maxim on both my light barrelled Sako 85 .308 and varmint barrelled Sako 85 .243. Both very light, stripable for cleaning and good sound moderation.
 
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