Dealing with mirage from suppressors

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pac-man-10

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Anyone out there have any creative ideas on how to deal with the mirage from suppressors? After a few rounds through my suppressed .308 Remington 700 I begin seeing that annoying mirage through my scope. I know there are mirage covers that are sold on the internet but I'm not very impressed with their performance.

At a military/LEO sniper concentration about 6 months ago I had the opportunity to fire an Army Ranger's SR-25 and he had his suppressor wrapped in about 1/4" of tape. The tape absorbed the heat to the point that it melted and formed a home made absorbtion system that appeared to work very well. I didn't have a suppressor at the time so I didn't ask many follow up questions. Has anyone seen anything like this done before or have any creative solutions to the problem?
 
I am curious... what type of license/certification is required to make or own a suppressor? I know one of my ex-neighbors is still in the pen for his collection of suppressors and automatic conversions.

I am very curious because I love tinkering, and have several potential suppressor designs I would love to play with, without going to jail.
 
In Benchrest mirage "shields" are used. We take a piece of stiff paper/x-ray film/store bought "strip" about 3 inches wide by about as long as the barrel. We use velcro to hold it on top of the barrel. The heat from the barrel goes up, hits the "shield", which deflects it around the sight path through the scope.
 
I just shoot through my mirage, but it is annoying. I've been told that mirage will cause you to shoot high if it's excessive. Though, I haven't noticed that myself.

The israelis apparently affixed a leather strap to the SR99 for that purpose. I wonder how effective that would be. And if it is effective, I wonder how hard it'd be to rig something like that on my own gear.

http://www.israeli-weapons.com/weapons/small_arms/sr-99/sr99-a.gif
 
I've been told that mirage will cause you to shoot high if it's excessive.
It can cause shots missed in all directions. ;)

Mirage displaces the image you see in your scope. It fools you into moving the cross hairs off target. How much depends on how bad the mirage is running. It has to be taken into consideration just like the wind. It is a booger when it is bad.
 
Rifles Only sells the TABGear thermal suppressor covers. I found these to work not quite as well as the JET suppressor covers, but JET has been extremely hard to do business with for the last about two years.

Keep in mind that the thermal mirage shields keep the heat IN. Eventually the can has to cool. When not shooting, slip the cover back over the barrel to let the can cool-- put it back when you need to shoot again.

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I don't know how you guys do it. I was shooting an AR15 with a suppressor in about 60F and I was getting mirage looking through a 3.5x ACOG. I can't imagine what it must be like with a larger caliber, higher mag and longer distances.

Of course, I'm still new enough to suppressors that I haven't got over the foolish urge to go "Man, I don't want to dig the nomex gloves out of the case. I wonder if that suppressor is cool enough to touch yet? Ssssssssssss! <insert smell of burning flesh here> Guess I better get the gloves." The first time I did it I felt a bit stupid; but by the third time you REALLY feel stupid.
 
I get bad enough mirage shooting with irons to double the target image with my AR. The waves seem bigger through a 10 power scope, but seem somehow, less annoying.
 
+1 on header wrap, although the suppressor covers Zak mentioned are probably made out of something similar and easier to slip off for cooling.
I wonder if anyone has experimented with ceramic coating like JetHot? Problem is those are designed to keep heat IN though which might damage baffles, change POI, etc.
 
I am not a lawyer. I do not have a legal degree. I am not licensed to practice law anywhere in the world.

My respect for you has risen. :D

But why is this disclaimer added to your posts. :confused:

Sorry for the hijack.
 
As I read the thread title and clicked I said "Zak will be along eventually".

:D
 
Man, I don't want to dig the nomex gloves out of the case. I wonder if that suppressor is cool enough to touch yet? Ssssssssssss! <insert smell of burning flesh here> Guess I better get the gloves." The first time I did it I felt a bit stupid; but by the third time you REALLY feel stupid.
I've, err, "graduated" to doing this with gloves on. It gives the "advantage" letting you get a good hard grasp on the can and the heat can really soak into the gloves before it hits your flesh. Youch. Now I borrow some welding mits.

-z
 
I was thinkig the same thing as doubletapdrew, I know custom bike builders have used it in their pipes, they become coll to the touch as soon as the bike is turned off.
 
I've, err, "graduated" to doing this with gloves on. It gives the "advantage" letting you get a good hard grasp on the can and the heat can really soak into the gloves before it hits your flesh. Youch. Now I borrow some welding mits.

Yes, I've done that a few times myself. You grab it with the gloves and everything is just peachy at first until just about the time you've got it off your rifle and in your hand when you realize that the heat is soaking through the nomex quite nicely.
 
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