Wildcat panther
- Thread starter Sniper308
- Start date
I find it on par with the SAK in terms of noise reduction. The main difference I've noticed between the two is the first round pop is a bit louder from the Wildcat than the SAK, but it's not a deal breaker. The SAK is easier to disassemble after a period of use and is easier to clean. The Wildcat has a few rubber o-rings inside that will inevitably need replaced at some stage, but I've been using the Wildcat for years and haven't had to replace them yet even after a number of deep cleans.
I prefer the aesthetics of the Wildcat and the fact that it keeps the length down by a couple of inches compared to the SAK, but if you're only concerned about noise reduction then the SAK is the one to go for. The additional cost of the Wildcat doesn't translate to extra suppression in my experience.
I prefer the aesthetics of the Wildcat and the fact that it keeps the length down by a couple of inches compared to the SAK, but if you're only concerned about noise reduction then the SAK is the one to go for. The additional cost of the Wildcat doesn't translate to extra suppression in my experience.
I’d agree with the above. I’ve tried the wildcat whisper, Panther and even the Evo on the .17 HMR . Whilst to my ears they surpress the crack a little better that the SAK the difference isn’t worth the extra money. Aesthetically the over barrel mods look better and will provide more weight if you need it for balanace.
Fit a panther and a SAK on a freshly cut thread (in the lathe) and put an indicator on the exit hole. You will see a massive difference in concentricity. Machining, materials and finishes are worlds apart. SAK is good value, Panther is best quality.
This is the correct answer.
I have used both. The Wildcat is miles better. Better made, maybe marginally better sound attenuation. I personally find it easier to strip and clean than the ancient SAK i used on a .22 and an HMR years back but maybe more modern ones have improved. I don't love over barrel mods to be honest and this is the only one I have on all the rifles I own but there is proper utility in this particular rifle being as short as possible as it is sometimes used in a vehicle, so it is worth bearing that in mind as well if that provides benefit to you.
The other thing is longevity. I used to shoot A LOT of HMR on rabbits. My HMR (and therefore the Wildcat) has somewhere around 10,000 rounds down it. The internals are discoloured with some baked on soot but the actual condition of it is very very good still. Just make sure it is cleaned every 100 rounds or so as the HMR is a filthy little cartridge. I can also say that after that many shots, there is no issue with any of the O rings at all. It is the only mod I regularly strip and clean though. I don't bother with CF mods which achieve full burn and create much cleaner residue than the HMR.
Interesting observation. There's no doubt the Wildcat is a better engineered moderator in terms of materials and build quality, but in the years I've been using SAK moderators I've never once had any problems arising from concentricity tolerances. No baffle or end cap strikes, no visual concerns in terms of alignment and no problems where the moderator has worked loose. At roughly 4x the cost of a SAK it's hard to justify buying a Wildcat when the core function of sound suppression is so similar.
If using a more concentric moderator manifested itself into a reduction in shot dispersion could you justify buying a more expensive moderator? Not saying it would every time but its a thing. Better mod, smaller groups (there are other factors involved). Anyway, nothing wrong with a SAK, as i said, good value. I had a really expensive mod on my comp .22 (calibre innovations) and it made groups worse, changed it for a panther and groups improved. Didn’t try a SAK.
Similar threads
