Let's talk suppressed handguns...

Status
Not open for further replies.

IMTHDUKE

Member
Joined
Aug 27, 2004
Messages
1,022
Location
Sweet Home Alabama
Tell me what you know about a suppressed 22LR. :)

I think I may want one just for fun. Shooting varmint off the porch without the neighbors coming out.

How loud is a suppressed 22LR? What would you recommend? Thanks
 
Deja Vu.

I'm still fond of the Sparrow from Silencerco. ;)

For plinking fun, the Wather P22 is a fine host.
 
The SilencerCo on my Marvel .22 conversion sounds like, and is about as loud as a pneumatic stapler. The action cycling, and the bullet hitting the backstop can easily be heard, with a "pffft" in the middle. This is using subsonic ammo. I've shot it indoors without ears with no discomfort, but its not like the movie silencers. The neighbors are gonna know you're up to something.
 
I suppose if you used a Thompson Contender, as it being a single shot could be a bit quieter with no action to cycle.
 
A ruger mark 3 is pretty quiet suppressed. That p22 is nice too since it comes threaded already. Saves a trip to the shop.

I really like the sparrow as well. I also have an outback 2 that has been great. The first one is made to be taken apart and cleaned. The second one can be cleaned as well, though it is not designed to be user cleaned.

I agree with the contender being very quiet. My bolt is by far quieter than either handgun. By far.

If you are looking at handguns only, check out the ruger charger. Pretty much a 10/22 pistol. Sounds like some great suppressed varmint medicine there lol.

Max quiet? bolt or break action rifle or that contender setup.
 
If you are looking to get a supressor or a supressed weapon, try talking to David, at "Going quiet", I'm sure there are plenty of posts in the for sale section. He takes care of the entire process for you. He sells 2 or 3 brands. If I were going that route, I would look at a 9mm rather than a 22. Or perhpas both. the 22 is cheap, but the Ofsprey is going to run you close to $800.00. So you may as well get a 9 or better. Also it depends if you are going for a rifle or pistol. The 22 is very quiet like a keyboard.
 
Suppressors

If you are looking at .22 only, there are many options out there, consider the overall length and diameter of the suppressor are going to be determining factors in what level of decibel reduction you can expect, and you have to factor in what type of host weapon you will be using, barrel length, semiauto, bolt action, pistol, rifle, etc. ammunition is another determining factor, typically subsonic, the heavier the better, as long as it will cycle the action if you are using a semi auto.
Walther, Sig, ISSC, and GSG all make a .22 caliber pistol with a threaded barrel, all require thier own adaptor to accept a standard 1/2X28 thread pitch suppressor, the S&W M&P series .22 A.R. type rifle is already threaded at
1/2X28 and will accept a suppressor as easily as threading the flash hider on/off.
Threading of the Ruger rifles often requires the complete removal of the front sight and can cost up to $100 for this service which should include a thread protector at that price, a must have item. The Charger having no front sight is easier to machine. I have experience shooting all the above mentioned weapons suppressed, my personal recomendation would be the GSG 1911 style .22 from American Tactical Imports. Yankee Hill and Gemtech make good suppressors, I am told Surefires new line of suppressors are very good.
If you are interested in suppressors for larger caliber pistols, I would advise you to look into Osprey, I was very impressed with the one I saw demonstrated a few weeks ago and had a chance to try myself, they also have multi-caliber units which broadens your options even further.
 
Notice that skipsan mentioned it being quiet with subsonics , if I were shooting in proximity of neighbors , I wouldn't use anything but subsonics. Keep in mind you still have the sound of the bullet striking the backstop.

** this is of course assuming it is legal to shot in your yard in the first place**

:)
 
I really like the sparrow as well. I also have an outback 2 that has been great. The first one is made to be taken apart and cleaned. The second one can be cleaned as well, though it is not designed to be user cleaned.

Gemtech now offers re-builds of the Outbacks that turns them into take apart cans. You can pick what material you want the baffles to be made out of. You can also mix and match the baffle material and do something like stainless steel for the first baffle and titanium for the rest.

http://www.gem-tech.com/store/pc/OUTBACK-UPGRADE-6p456.htm



For the OP. I think that 22lr is the best place to start with suppressors. They are the quietest of them all. They are usually the least expensive. It is a great way to find out if suppressor use is for you. I use my suppressed 22's all the time for teaching new shooters since they get basically no noise. this allows them to learn good technique before having to experiance muzzle blast. Out of all the calibers I have suppressors for, I still shoot my 22's the most often.

You asked about noise levels. I usually tell people that my 22's are about the same noise level as an air rifle. Different tone to the sound but overall about the same volume. First thing is to check on if it is legal to discharge a firearm in your location. If legal and you have a good backstop the neighbors will probably not even hear you dealing with varmints.
 
Last edited:
Isn't that a kick in the nutz. I have an Alpine. I would have loved to have all stainless baffles. You can chemical soak them in peroxide to remove the lead, but not such a good idea with aluminum.
 
To rjrivero: After I got my can, my next best purchase was an ultrasonic cleaner. I bought one at Harbor Freight for $25. An AAC Prodigy just fits in there, but it cleans it up great.
 
I just got into the suppressed game myself. The whole process so far has been easier than I expected. Yes it's a hassle to get paperwork signed off, printed, passport photos taken, not to mention $200 bucks a peice but I feel it is worth the hassle. With that being said I have not actually received either of my suppressors yet so yes the waiting is the biggest PITA.

I was originally going to get an AAC Element for it's quietness and because it steel baffles so I could use the dip. I ended getting two suppressors for a little more money, one for pistol's and another for rifles, both Thompson Machine's the Zephyr XL and the CHD. They were in stock locally and the price is great. They both are aluminum but since I'm already set up with a blast cabinet and an ultrasonic cleaner I don't feel I will need to use the dip. There are a lot of great suppressors on the market now so do your research and decide for yourself what you need or expect out of it. NFAtalk is a good place with some decent reviews and pictures.
 
As far as hosts go, do you have any already or anything in mind?

On somewhat of an impulse buy I picked a brand new Sig Mosquito. They look great and I felt I would go well with my p226. After the first couple of trips to the range my impressions may have changed. I really like Sig's and own several but the Mosquito was a little finicky with ammo. Not horrible but with anything other than Mini Mags I would get fte every four or five rounds. I polished the chamber, changed springs, tighten the barrel, even tried a little case lube on some bulk bullets but it just didn't like any bulk pack stuff. Sig's solution? Only shoot Mini Mags. In my mind that kinda defeats the purpose of shooting suppressed not to mention price of Mini Mags over bulk.

Also the trigger just plain sucked, even in single action it's heavy and gritty feeling. I should have also looked at magazine prices, it only came with one and new metal ones go for about $40 bucks. One last thing to consider is the threaded barrel, it's not threaded for 1/2-28 tpi you will need an adaptor.

The next time I went to the shop, they had the new Ruger 22/45 with a threaded barrel and removable grip panels. I originally was looking to get a pac lite for my mark 1 when I bought the Sig. I drove straight back home picked up the Mosquito and traded it in for $65 loss. I don't consider it a loss at all if you factor in I don't need an adaptor, the Ruger comes with two magazines, and will eat anything.

Like I said I like Sig's quite a bit but was not too impressed with the Mosquito. I have had the exact opposite experience with the 522. It is by far my favorite .22lr rifle now and I have several. This thing not only looks cool, the trigger is great, it's surprisingly accurate, it will eat anything without a hiccup, and it takes Black Dawg mags. I would highly recommend the 522 to anyone.

If your wanting the quietest set up you should consider a bolt action rifle. I picked up a Savage Mark II FVSR. The factory syn stock is kinda flimsy feeling to me so I picked up a Tacticool stock from Boyds. I think it looks and feels great. I also think it will look really cool with the CHD, kinda like the old school police sniper rifles with the big fat suppressors on the end lol.
 
I'm shopping around for my first rimfire suppressor as well. There is no cut and dry consensus about which is the best buy. I am leaning towards the Silencero Sparrow made with steel.

FWIW, the gun itself has a lot to do with the sound as well as the suppressor. ;)
 
Thanks guys....this is good info. I have a Class III dealer that can handle the transfer...the Ruger looks like what the doctor ordered with threads.
 
the Buckmark "Whisper" model has a threaded barrel. Another option if you want something threaded from the factory. It's not listed on the Browning website, but google up easily enough.
 
My quietest setup is a Savage MkII with an old aluminum K-baffle can shooting Wolf Match Target ammo. The bullet hitting the berm is quite a bit louder than the report. My Ruger MkII and GSG 1911-22 are also threaded. I haven't done a side by side comparison to see which of those is quieter, but I'd guess the Ruger.

Innovative Arms is making the Apex .22 can. It is a take-apart design and comes with the takedown tool. I've got plenty of time behind these, they are top notch.

www.innovativearms.com
 
One of the biggest problems you run into with suppressed .22 pistols is that there just aren't that many good platforms out there.

My advice is to stay clear of both the P22 and the Mosquito. Both are designed to a price...and it isn't high. So quality suffers.

The Ruger/Buckmark fight? They are both fair guns, but again are designed to a price point. One advantage of the Ruger is that you can get Volquartsen drop-in parts to upgrade the trigger.

Personally, I like the older steel pocket .22s. You'll pay top dollar for a .22 Walther PPK or PPK/S, but a PP in that caliber won't break the bank. The Beretta 70 and 70S are solid and inexpensive - and the Beretta 87 is currently in production. Threading a .22 conversion unit for a Cz75, P226, or 1911 is also a good option.

That being said, I've got my own project gun. I happen to own a Walther OSP...which is no longer useable for Olympic Rapid Fire pistol due to rules changes. One of these days I plan on getting a threaded barrel for that beast.
 
Here is a great .22 platform that I came up with and enjoy highly. Advantage Arms .22 conversion kit on a Glock 23 with a YHM Mite aluminum suppressor. It's super reliable with just about any ammo you use in it and deadly quiet using subsonic loads. Remington subsonic plus a little squeeze of wire pulling gel and the thing sounds like a toy!
 

Attachments

  • Advantage Arms Mite.jpg
    Advantage Arms Mite.jpg
    133.9 KB · Views: 17
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top