Silencer Central Banish Backcountry Suppressor: Shhhhhhhh!

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The improved access to suppressors is one of the best things to happen to shooters and hunters in a long time, but some big game hunters are understandably concerned about the added length and weight. Enter Silencer Central’s Banish Backcountry $1,099. Able to handle chamberings up to and including .300 Rem. Ultra Mag, it is just 5.5 inches long and weighs only 7.8 ounces. By comparison, the Backcountry’s Banish 30 stablemate, which has a similar caliber range, is seven inches long and weighs 11.2 ounces without its extension. That may not sound like much, but it makes a huge difference.

The Backcountry ships with a direct-mount hub with a 5/8x24 thread pitch. That is going to fit the vast majority of barrels in big game chamberings, but if you have a barrel with a different threading, Silencer Central sells a variety of direct-mount hubs in different pitches that will fit the Backcountry—including 1/2x28, 11/16x24, M13x1LH and more. (As an aside, if your current rifle doesn’t have a threaded muzzle, the company also offers a barrel threading service for rifles other than lever actions. Visit Silencer Central’s website for details.)

This suppressor was designed with hunters in mind. One of the rifles I tested the Backcountry on is a Ruger American Predator in .308. That gun sports an 18-inch barrel, and with the Backcountry installed its overall length is just 43 inches—only an inch longer overall than your typical bolt action with a 22-inch barrel.

If you spend a lot of time hunting heavy cover, with the Backcountry you get the hearing-saving benefits of a suppressor without sacrificing handling. Similarly, my wife—who’s on our suppressor trust, which Silencer Central will set up for free if you want one—used the Backcountry on a whitetail hunt last year. She loved the shorter length for hunting out of various blinds, where manuevering a rifle to get a shot can be difficult.

Noise Reduction

Obviously the big reason to get a suppressor is noise reduction. Sure, we all use hearing protection at the range, but it’s just as important in the field because every gunshot irreparably damages our hearing to some degree.

The Backcountry’s sound suppression is 30 dB. That translates to a reduction in decibels of a .308 Win. to 135 dB; 137 dB for the .300 Win. Mag.; and 138 dB for .300 RUM.

There’s definitely a reduction in recoil as well and, obviously, muzzle blast. Accuracy? I’ve seen groups shrink significantly by spinning on a suppressor. My Ruger American Gen 2 in 6.5 Creedmoor shot better with the Backcountry with two loads I’ve tried so far. Hornady’s Precision Hunter 143-grain load turned in a 0.42-inch average with the Backcountry, compared to 0.58 inch without. Remington’s 129-grain Core-Lokt Tipped ammo improved to a 1.01-inch average from a pedestrian 1.29 inches.

However, suppressors aren’t a magic bullet. I’ve also experienced loads that didn’t change or didn’t shoot as well with a suppressor aboard. One thing is certain, though. Your point of impact will change, so once you’re zeroed with a can, if you decide to shoot without it you’ll need to rezero.

Handling

And suppressors do change how a rifle handles due to the added weight at the muzzle. For me, the less weight I have out there the better my hold is from unsupported positions. I know—everyone is using bipods and tripods these days. But I think it’s still important to be able to shoot unsupported because you never know when that’s going to be necessary.

I don’t have any empirical evidence to back this up, but in shooting the Backcountry and the short form of the Banish 30 side by side on both Rugers, my holds were much more stable with the Backcountry from offhand and sling-assisted sitting and kneeling.

The Backcountry is made of titanium and has a Cerakote finish, in your choice of black, OD green or tan. The specs list the Backcountry as “not self-service,” meaning you can’t disassemble it down to individual baffles. But that doesn’t mean you can’t or shouldn’t clean it.

In fact, the company recommends cleaning every 50 to 100 rounds and adds that you should avoid lead or plated bullets. The manual indicates that one way to clean it is to plug the muzzle end and fill with solvent, although be sure the solvent you use won’t hurt the Cerakote finish.

Cleaning It

It also says you can soak it in soapy water. Since that’s how I’ve always cleaned my flintlock, I decided to try that method. I grabbed one of those plastic containers that lunchmeat comes in, filled it with dish soap and water, and let the Backcountry soak for a couple of hours. Then I ran a nylon twist-wire brush that happened to be the right diameter through it to help loosen the carbon. A nylon .30 caliber bore brush on a pistol-length cleaning rod would’ve worked just as well.

Prior to this I’d removed the hub with an adjustable wrench and thoroughly cleaned the threads with Bore Tech carbon cleaner. After the body of the suppressor was dry, a process speeded along by a heat gun, I gave those threads a good wipe-down with the same solvent and reassembled.

If you’ve been reluctant to take the suppressor plunge, as I was initially, Silencer Central makes it oh-so easy. The company handles all the paperwork, and with the exception of the fingerprint kit it provides for $10, all of it is done electronically. This makes it not only low stress but speeds up the process. Between that and the reduced approval times at ATF, the process takes a lot less time than it used to.

While you’re placing your order, do yourself a favor and pick up a suppressor cover. Suppressors heat up quickly, and after multiple shots you’ll get a lot of heat mirage coming off it—to the point it can obscure your view of the target. A cover reduces this significantly. Plus you’ll grab a bare, hot suppressor only once—ouch. Silencer Central offers its Devour line of covers, including a 5.5-inch version designed specifically for the Backcountry.

Perceived Value

The cost of the suppressor and the $200 federal tax stamp puts you squarely in the realm of buying a new rifle. But the benefit of saving your hearing is priceless, and the Backcountry can be used on multiple rifles because of its wide caliber range. If your piggy bank is lighter than you wish it was, Silencer Central offers interest-free financing options that won’t increase your wait time.

I own several suppressors now, and the Backcountry one stands out as the most versatile of the bunch. For most hunters it’s going to cover all the bases and is well worth the investment.

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