TBAC Ultra 5 for Hunting

[zimagold]

Does anyone on the board have first hand experience with the new Thunderbeast Ultra 5?

I've been considering picking one up strictly for a big game moutain rifle. The goal is to keep the weight and length to minimum, as I already have a full length Ti suppressor and its going with a 7 lb rifle. Suppression capability is not as big of a concern as load testing and practice would be with plugs. Maybe 1-2 shots a year without and it looks to provide 18-22dB of reduction, similar to low quality ear plugs or Howard Leight Electronic Muffs (one of my current hunting solutions).

Thoughts, Impressions, anyone with the same idea?

[Not_A_Llama]

The Ultra 5 actually shed the "moderator" moniker that its predecessors held. Been thinking the same for my day-in-day out rifle can. Considering that no can I've ever used truly gets 5.56mm carbines down to hearing-safe, I figure it'd be nice to increase maneuverability.

[Kaiser.Shooter]

My buddy Andy runs the ultra5 on his 6.5 creedmore AR, he can answer all your questions and sell/order you one if you want to. Phone: 303-522-4354
Email: Andy@303ARms.com

[jmg8550]

Give Thunder Beast a call. I'm sure they would beglad to help. And they could probably give you decibal ratings for your application. Zak, Shane, and Ray are all great people to talk to.

[vossman]

I just picked mine up yesterday. I'll let you know how it goes.

[packratt75]

Any update, was considering one myself?

Thanks,
Rob

[Tim K]

I have a non-ultra 5" TB. It's not hearing safe with anything but subsonics, and even then only for a shot or two. I wear hearing protection with it on everything except a .22LR.

The 3-4 db improvement of the Ultra over the old design advertised by TB is likely to be nearly undetectable. Before someone chimes in here with the old business about a 3db reduction being equal to a reduction in acoustical energy of 50% (a true statement), what's really at issue is perceived sound levels. The human ear doesn't hear like a microphone, so our perception of a 3-4 db reduction is likely to be that's it's hard to tell the difference. Most listeners need a change of 5db to be truly noticeable, and 10 db before halving (or doubling) the perceived sound.

All that was to say this: it's still going to be painfully loud. I think. I'll bet. Maybe.

[Not_A_Llama]

Does it fill the role of blunting the abuse? I have my Ultra 5 on order. I've never felt comfy running can-only, and always have plugs. I just want something to take it down to pistol or lower levels of concussion.

Frankly, in a 223 role, I've never found a can that I felt was hearing safe; might as well lose some of the weight.

[Tim K]

Does it fill the role of blunting the abuse? I have my Ultra 5 on order. I've never felt comfy running can-only, and always have plugs. I just want something to take it down to pistol or lower levels of concussion.

Frankly, in a 223 role, I've never found a can that I felt was hearing safe; might as well lose some of the weight.

I think it will do that well. Mine spends most of its life on a .223 in exactly that role, it it does it well enough. Yours will only be better.

I'd love to hear them side by side.

As an aside, when my 9" Ultra clears, I'll do the side by side test with my 30P. Ought to be interesting to see if the difference really is detectable.

[zimagold]

I ended up buying an Ultra 7. Its still 6.6 ounces lighter and 2 inches shorter than my TBAC 30CB9 (30P Baffle Stack). Although, I still think the Ultra 5 may have been the optimal choice for my application. I decided I didn't feel like risking the sound performance for another 2 inches and 2.1 ounces.

Sounds like we need to have a meetup and do some side by side comparisons.

Edit: My Mini-4 is easily my favorite 556 suppressor, makes the SBR pleasant to be around. It started me thinking about the Ultra 5. The Mini is rated at 22db reduction vs 32-34 for the M4-2000. Most people I have demo'd the silencers to agree the M4-2000 is noticeable quieter. However, most want to use plugs either way and then choose the smaller and lighter mini to finish the day.

[Great-Kazoo]

I ended up buying an Ultra 7. Its still 6.6 ounces lighter and 2 inches shorter than my TBAC 30CB9 (30P Baffle Stack). Although, I still think the Ultra 5 may have been the optimal choice for my application. I decided I didn't feel like risking the sound performance for another 2 inches and 2.1 ounces.

Sounds like we need to have a meetup and do some side by side comparisons.

Edit: My Mini-4 is easily my favorite 556 suppressor, makes the SBR pleasant to be around. It started me thinking about the Ultra 5. The Mini is rated at 22db reduction vs 32-34 for the M4-2000. Most people I have demo'd the silencers to agree the M4-2000 is noticeable quieter. However, most want to use plugs either way and then choose the smaller and lighter mini to finish the day.

I have an U-7 if you'd like to make the drive. Also a M-4.

[Not_A_Llama]

Well over a year later, I finally have mine. It's pretty sweet; not really hearing safe in 223, but it cuts down on the abuse a LOT - exactly my purpose. If y'all wanna get together to do a side-by-side, I'd be happy to. Also have a 30BA and Hybrid to compare against.

[Not_A_Llama]

Fast forward another almost 3 years. Ultra 5 is pretty much all I use.

Other cans are quieter, but NOTHING is more maneuverable and impact on POI is still almost undetectable on my dope.

On the success of the stubby concept, I've recommended stubbies from other manufacturers to my friends, but none of them touch the Ultra. The concerns we have/had? They apply to the other makers, not the Ultra.

Perception-wise, noise reduction for supersonic 223 is not that much worse than a fullsize can. Can't recommend shooting unplugged, but that applies for fullsize, too.

It has been back for a cleaning, after a boneheaded inadvertent launch and light baffle and endcap strike. TBAC charged me what I consider a very reasonable amount to chase threads and assess. I think most other places would have done it free, but I'm fine paying for a mistake of mine.

Still down to do side-by-sides if anyone wants - I'm out at CRC most weekends.

[Little Dutch]

Fast forward another almost 3 years. Ultra 5 is pretty much all I use.

Other cans are quieter, but NOTHING is more maneuverable and impact on POI is still almost undetectable on my dope.

On the success of the stubby concept, I've recommended stubbies from other manufacturers to my friends, but none of them touch the Ultra. The concerns we have/had? They apply to the other makers, not the Ultra.

Perception-wise, noise reduction for supersonic 223 is not that much worse than a fullsize can. Can't recommend shooting unplugged, but that applies for fullsize, too.

It has been back for a cleaning, after a boneheaded inadvertent launch and light baffle and endcap strike. TBAC charged me what I consider a very reasonable amount to chase threads and assess. I think most other places would have done it free, but I'm fine paying for a mistake of mine.

Still down to do side-by-sides if anyone wants - I'm out at CRC most weekends.

I had this same quandary when I ordered a 30 cal ultra for my .308 hunting rifle. A lot of folks say they don't notice the shot when hunting, but I always did. Based on that I ended up going full size and getting the Ultra 9, assuming if it was too long I would just dedicate it to my AR-10 and get a shorter one for hunting. The sound level on the full size is manageable for hunting without hearing protection, and I just carry a longer rifle around when I hunt. I've hunted with it twice now and, while the rifle is noticeably longer, the extra length didn't present a problem for me. I can completely respect someone wanting a shorter length while hunting and hiking, and I suspect if I wasn't 6'2" in height the extra length might be more of an issue.

I've had hearing protection with me when I've hunted in the past, but I've never gotten them on/in before taking the shot, and I wasn't hiking with them on/in. I've been pleased with the longer model suppressor.

[Not_A_Llama]

I am also bothered by muzzle blast while hunting, and find this takes away the hesitation and dread. It is still loud, but manageable.

I also own a 9” 30BA. It’s difficult to appreciate just how nice the Ultra 5 is until you have it. I don’t think I’ve used the 30BA in at least the last two years.

[Little Dutch]

Maybe I'll get a chance to try one someday.

[zimagold]

Thanks for resurrecting the thread Not_A_Llama. I had forgotten about it and it's good timing.

I have been hunting with the Ultra 7 for the last few years. It's been great, no going back to bare muzzles for rifle season. I also had my older TBAC 9 inch recored. It's now effectively a Ultra 9 but 2 ounces heavier.

The urge to buy an Ultra 5 as the optimal hunting suppressor never died. I finally bought one two months ago. It probably won't be in time for this year, but I will hopefully get to go hunting with it fall of 2021.

I now have all 3 lengths and have been experimenting with a bunch of hosts at the indoor 100yd range while I wait for it to clear. It's been fascinating. I always expected a small suppressors performance to be mostly influenced by gas volume and indirectly powder charge. Smaller cartridges with smaller powder charges would minimize the difference in volume between the different lengths. It's definitely not that simple.

The Ultra 5 seems to be the closest in performance to the 7 or 9 on longer barrels and larger diameter bullets. It seemed perfect on an 18" Aero M5 in 308, just like my Mini 4 on a 12.5" AR15 in 556. As the observer it was way louder, but as the shooter I could hardly tell. You'll still want to wear ear plugs, but I found it quite pleasant to shoot with most of the blast eliminated. It also only need 2 clicks vs 4 on my adjustable gas block to tune. It might even work without adjusting gas. With a 20" 260 Rem bolt gun the gap between 7 and 5 was more noticeable. Probably some combination of smaller diameter combined with no action or port noise like the semi auto. I would probably choose the 7 unless hunting. A 23.5" 7mm Rem Mag wasn't too bad, will have to try it outside but I think it will be ok for one shot a year hunting. I personally felt the 5 was terrible on my SBRs. Super load on 11.5" 556 and very loud on 12.5" 556, seemed way louder than the AAC Mini 4 which is similar in size but optimized for 556. 10.5" 6.8 SPC was laughably bad. Another member at the range 2 benches over leaned back after shooting, "I thought you had a suppressor... wait was that suppressed or unsuppressed." Pretty much sums it up on the shorty 6.8 as it still had a nice fireball out the end of the Ultra 5 and quite a bit of blast. 16" 556 was fine, not great and not terrible.

I look forward to getting it outside and hunting, but I will still be recommending an Ultra 7 to anyone if it's going to be their only rifle suppressor. It really seems to be the sweet spot for all purpose. My 9" doesn't really do much better than the 7 and lives on my 260 Rem bolt gun. I tell myself the extra length has better heat dissipation for that application, but really it's just nice not to swap around suppressors as much.

I'll try to post and update in a year or two once I get some outside time with all three.

[Hoser]

I have an Ultra 5 that I use for hunting and also on my M1A.

It mainly lives on my 6.5-284 Elk rifle and my 300 H&H everything rifle.

It is a perfect can for hunting. Very happy with the purchase.

[Zak Smith]

zimagold alluded to this with his post. On gas guns, there is potentially a LOT of sound pressure that comes back through the gas system. Just adjusting the gas port can have an effect at the shooter's ear of 8 dB, sometimes more. The suppressor that sounds quieter to the shooter on a gas gun might not be the one his spotter thinks is quietest. Also consider that piston-style semi-autos that have gas vent out of the guide tube (or whatever that system calls it) when the piston moves, will likely be a LOT louder than the more closed-system DI guns. For comparison to the Ultra 5 and 7, the newer Dominus CB has less backpressure, more recoil reduction, and more sound reduction than an Ultra 7, but is 0.3" shorter (but fatter).

[zimagold]

Ultra 5 cleared just in time to go out hunting Friday. Works great. Only thing that would be better is the new Gen 2 version that is lighter and quieter.

[Irving]

I hunted with my OSS Helix 7.62 first rifle. Never saw anything, but carrying it around all week and it was fine. Don't think I'll go back to shooting unsuppressed.

[Hoser]

Don't think I'll go back to shooting unsuppressed.

Welcome to the dark side.

We also have cookies.

[Irving]

I carried my 10/22 with the Bowers Bitty around for small game and did get some grouse and squirrels. It really helped take the edge off not seeing anything else. A lot of fun during "down time" and at under 4lbs for the entire set-up, not a lot of weight to lug around.