Advice on .22lr barrel selection

[jrafols]

Greetings,

I'm attempting to build a light AR-15 .22lr plinker out of a polymer lower and a carbon 15 upper. I intend to shoot subsonic .22lr ammo, using my gemtech multi-mount. I'm going with a 10" or 7.5" on the upper.

So I face the following issue, my concern is bullet stabilization. 40 gr bullets are not an issue, but the 60gr .22lr is.

When it comes to stabilizing bullets from a short .223 barrel, is it better to have a 1/7 twist or a 1/9? would 1/7 be too fast of a twist for .22lr?

 

[wally]

using my gemtech multi-mount

I'd worry more about fouling your suppressor with lead bits from shooting .22LR more than anything else, unless your can comes apart easily for cleaning.


Here is a photo of my Sparrow .22LR can after its first 1000 rounds (its designed to be very easy to take apart to clean out the lead crud).

 

[rcmodel]

If it's for .22 rimfire, you want a .222" barrel as used on rimfires, not a .224" barrel as used on .223 rifles.

1/9 twist is usually recommended for the SSS load.

rc

 

[jrafols]

do they make 1/9 barrels for AR uppers?

I think I might get a 1/9 .223 bbl, cut it to 10" and re-thread. -Do you think this will stabilize a 60gr enough?

 

[jrafols]

Wally,

Were you shooting lead bullets? I hope the inside of my G5 doesn't look like that, although I shoot plated bullets. Is it easy to clean it off?

 

[wally]

Is it easy to clean it off?

Its scrapes off pretty easily after soaking in penetrating oil for a couple of hours. I made a tool with a wooden dowel and a copper pipe reducer fitting for scraping, and use a brass brush on the baffles with some help from a dental pick.

I was shooting copper coated .22lr ammo, in Walter P22, & Ruger 22/45 pistols which were the only .22LR hosts I had at the time of the photo.

I would not advise shooting .22LR ammo through a suppressor that does not come apart for cleaning. Some are cleaner than others but none are plated thickly enough to behave like a jacketed or plated centerfire bullet.