As technology advances, hunters have to keep up in order to maintain any kind of edge that they may have over their competitors when it comes to shooting the biggest bull elk or mule deer buck. AAC has released the Jaeger 30 suppressor in order to cater to the needs and unique style of use that hunters have. This means that the can is made to be rugged, lightweight, compact, versatile and have little or no first round pop. As a hunter myself, I am very excited to have something like this available to add to my many other tools, especially at the modest MSRP of $449.99!
Before diving into the review, I will address why suppressors are beneficial for hunting, followed immediately by specs of the can, performance, and my overall impression of the Jaeger 30.
Why Hunt Suppressed?
Undoubtedly, there are many old-school hunters out there that will be asking this question: “Why do I need a suppressor when what I have works fine?” If this is you, do whatever you like but here are some reasons why I find hunting with a suppressor is advantageous;
- Suppressors protect your hearing.
If you grew up hunting, you will agree that the many years of getting muzzleblasted by a rifle has damaged your hearing irreparably. Take the time now and get a suppressor to not only preserve whatever hearing you may have left but that of your child or hunting partner.
- Suppressors make shot location more difficult from downrange.
Contrary to what Hollywood would have us believe, using a suppressor does not totally mask the sound of a gunshot. However, if you are shooting at an animal, it makes it much harder for the animal to identify where the danger is located. This few moments of confusion can afford you a follow-up shot in the event of a miss, or an opportunity of a second kill if the hunt allows.
- Suppressors enhance the accuracy of most rifles.
Suppressors are known to increase the accuracy of any given rifle due to the increased weight on the end of the barrel which leads to less barrel harmonics and more repeatable results from shot to shot. I have also found my concentration easier to maintain while focusing on the fundamentals of pulling a trigger if I know I am not going to get battered by gas from a muzzle brake or startled by the sharp crack of a high powered rifle.
Construction of the Jaeger
The Jaeger 30 is built to be rugged and lightweight. This lead to the decision of AAC’s engineers to use a combination of titanium and aluminum. The mount and blast baffle of the Jaeger are constructed from grade 9 titanium in order to provide the most strength possible in this area of abuse. Because of this, the Jaeger 30 is rated for use on 30 cal and smaller up to the 300 Win Mag. The outer tube and the monocore are made from 7075 T6 Aluminum, maintaining strength but also providing further weight savings. This unique design allows AAC to replace the outer tube and monocore in the event of most failures while keeping the original, serialized mount which leads to shorter turnaround times for repairs. This idea comes in handy when there are so many hazards on the mountain for hunters. In the event that the gun is dropped, stuffed in the mud and fired, rolled over by a horse or any other accident, you will be able to get the repaired suppressor back ASAP.
This suppressor is threaded for 5/8×24 TPI, matching that of most 30 caliber rifles. All of the components of the Jaeger 30 are anodized. The mount is anodized black. The aluminum outer tube and monocore are hard coat anodized in an attractive OD green. The length on this suppressor is a balance of maximum suppression and maneuverability coming in at 9.28″ long. The diameter of the Jaeger is around average at 1.47 inches.
Performance
You can watch a video of me using the Jaeger 30 on 3 different rifles here:
I took the Jaeger 30 out to the local gun range and used it on a 7 WSM, 6.5 SAUM and 308 Winchester. Because of the background noise and the consequent need to use hearing protection, I had a hard time listening for a first-round pop. That said, this hints at the Jaeger 30’s incredible performance. After reviewing my range day with the can, I still can not hear any noticeable first round pop even after reviewing the audio and video many times! I’d describe the tone of the can as mid-pitched. It was neither high and sharp or low and hollow. This is likely because of the Jaeger’s average internal volume. It is still plenty comfortable to listen to while shooting.
Because of the Jaeger 30’s aluminum components, it is recommended to keep strings of fire limited to 10 and then letting the can return to ambient temperature. While shooting this can, I did notice its tendency to heat up very quickly, but it cooled down just as fast it seemed. This suppressor can index off of either the shoulder of the barrel or the crown of the muzzle, allowing it to be used on small profile barrels that would otherwise not be compatible with 5/8×24 TPI muzzle attachments. The Jaeger indexed off of the shoulder of the barrel on all of the rifles that I brought with me on this day.
Overall impression:
I had a very good experience shooting the Jaeger 30 . Its sound suppression performance was great, especially in the area where it was meant to shine: on the first shot. The can is lightweight, coming in at 13.9 oz and boasting a modest price tag of only $449.99 MSRP, so I expect to see it in store for around $400. This can would not make the range warrior/gunfighter happy due to the need to limit your strings of fire, but for its intended audience of hunters, it is more than enough. I would highly recommend the Jaeger 30 to anyone that may be interested in hunting suppressed.
Specifications:
- Caliber: 30 cal and smaller
- Rated for up to 300 Win Mag
- 13.9 oz weight
- 9.28″ long
- 1.47″ diameter
- hard coat anodized
- reduces sound to 127dB – 138dB
- grade 9 titanium mount and blast baffle
- 7075 T6 aluminum outer tube and monocore
- $449.99 MSRP
Looking for suppressing for hand guns, spefically springfield 45
And if so are they able to be taken apart and cleaned?
This would be a very bad suppressor for that application: specifically because it is 30 caliber in your case. Also, it being a rifle suppressor, this can has the incorrect thread pitch for handguns.
Wear can I buy one in the Houston Texas area?
Great price,just looked at Sig suppressor cost a lot more,
If not double
Tried one recently at a long range hunting school. Worked well, didn\’t feel clunky on the barrel, but you need to let it cool after about 5 shots. It is NOT for AR/AK/Semiautomatic rifles! Once your bolt action is sighted, this would work well for a hunting rifle
Like this suppressor, looks like a winner.
just watched review of Jaeger suppressor not really for me I don’t hunt I love to go to range at least once a week and as stated it wouldn’t be my best option looks like quality product will pass it on to my hunting friends