SYSS Sportac Moderator

Among the growing pool of sound moderators, is anyone offering anything really different? As sound moderators become almost mandatory to fox and vermin shooters, desirable among stalkers and even granted for target shooting, we are starting to learn there is no magic solution to the quandary of weight, size and effective moderation. A compromise, like many tasks within engineering, is the only solution and although some are making that decision more efficiently than others, the prices often reflect this.

The Sportac is a Reflex design, extending 106mm backwards and 170mm beyond the muzzle. A centrally knurled, 2mm wall thickness aluminium tube contains 6x 3D machined stainless steel baffles with the front aluminium locknut acting as a seventh. A modular build means the barrel mounting spider and stainless insert appropriate to your muzzle thread can be retrofitted along with calibre specific baffles. A tool is supplied allowing disassembly for cleaning and the back end of the spider is a 40mm hexagonal profile allowing it to be rotated using a large wrench. Assembly is simple but as always, I would recommend a smear of ‘Copper Slip’ anti- seize compound on threads and then re-tighten firmly when hot.

Evolution of the Species

The design has echoes of older A-Tec models but shows a couple of design modifications including a small 3mm grub screw locking the muzzle thread insert into the spider. This prevents over tightening of the mod from effectively dismantling its innards. I would have specified a larger screw had it been my design (I similarly modified an A-Tec thus a few years ago) or perhaps a left hand thread could have been used as a simple solution to the problem?

KISS

The `keep it simple (stupid)` solution has worked well here. The unit I tested was equipped with baffles suitable for a .30 calibre rifle and threaded 5/8” UNF, so I was able to run it on 243, 308 and 300 Win Mag rifles, all showing a significant amount of noise and gas to disperse. Overhanging the barrel by 170mm means most of the moderator and hence baffles are ahead of the gas blast, and as we have seen with the growing popularity of non-reflex moderators, the simple physics of doing this means more effective moderation, although at some cost of remaining compact. Here I think a good balance has been struck as moderation was first rate; I want moderators to be effective for their primary purpose if I’m bothering to carry one!

A re-zero was required to allow for altered barrel harmonics but the fitted rear bushing was simple to change with a pair of circlip pliers. I would caution anyone to make sure everything fits snugly as any `play` will lead to inconsistency. Noise reduction is about dwell time, not just the peak dB levels, and upon disassembly it was clear to see how residue - and probably the gas that carried it - had dispersed evenly throughout the can which showed no erosion or corrosion after 200 rounds. The solid build and thickly walled tube certainly deadened any ringing during rough handling or shooting.

The Sportac goes to show that a simple design, when done well, can pay dividends - and it’s at available at an excellent price… and UK made too! GM

PRICE: £195