22lr for Suppressed Pistol

MaverickNH

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I've got a good while to learn about ammo for a suppressed 22lr pistol, as my paperwork for a Q Erector 22 suppressor https://liveqordie.com/product/silencers/rimfire-silencers/erector/ goes in this week. It will go on my new Ruger Mark IV 22/45 Tactical. Vortex Venom red dot and Crimson Trace Railmaster green laser are attached and cowittnessed to a laser bore sight at 25yd.

I see there are cartridges sold branded as "suppressor" and others as subsonic, with bullet weights 38-45 grains and as high as 60 grains. I'll probably get a collection of many to try but would appreciate any sage advice.

Bret/N4SRN
 
First off, I shoot nothing with a suppressor, so I'm hardly the one to give advice about these things.
That said, I have run the CCI "Quiet-22" in a Ruger Mk3 22/45. They are rated at 710 fps with a 40g LRN bullet. They do not have enough strength to cycle the pistol. They do make a decent report in the pistol; probably less than full-strength .22 LRs.
In the Remington 12C pump rifle, I can shoot these rounds without ear protection, as they make very little noise in the longer barrel. This is what this round is designed for (that is, non-auto-loaders), I suspect.
Information printed on the packaging states that they may not function reliably in auto-loaders. $3.27 a box at my local Wal-Mart.
 
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Your paperwork will be back sooner than you think ;)

In my experience the lighter-weight subsonic-22 doesn't cycle reliably in a semi-auto. YMMV.
 
CCI Standard Velocity is my go-to round for suppressed 22s

CCI "Standard Velocity" is the best subsonic .22lr ammo I've found for use in a suppressed semi-auto. It's inexpensive, consistent, and cycles reliably in most guns (I have had issues with it in a Ruger Mark IV 22/45, but YMMV)

In my experience the lighter-weight subsonic-22 doesn't cycle reliably in a semi-auto. YMMV.
There are very few semi-auto firearms which reliably cycle with Quiet-22; it's really meant more for use where you can't have a suppressor but still want reduced noise.

Specifically, Quiet-22 will not cycle any Ruger with factory stock springs & bolt.


I see there are cartridges sold branded as "suppressor" and others as subsonic, with bullet weights 38-45 grains and as high as 60 grains. I'll probably get a collection of many to try but would appreciate any sage advice.

Whatever you do, do not use Aguila 60 grain Sniper SubSonic (aka "SSS") with a suppressor on your 22/45. SSS can be hazardous to suppressors, requires a long barrel and 1:9 twist to stabilize. In a shorter barrel and slower twist, it will keyhole and leave a lot of unburned powder in your suppressor.

The difference between CCI's "SV" and their "Suppressor" is 5 grains, 100fps, and a 50% jump in price. The Gemtech "silencer" ammo (also made by CCI) kinda splits the difference. I'd try all three, see which works best for your gun, suppressor, and ammo budget.
 
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CCI "Standard Velocity" is the best subsonic .22lr ammo I've found for use in a suppressed semi-auto. It's cheap, consistent, and cycles reliably.

+1 - the prices on it are back to about $7-$8/100 and it just works; almost never a failure to fire or extract in my experience, and out of a pistol, it definitely isn't going supersonic.

Shooters had 500-rd bricks of it for sale last time I was there at reasonable prices. The 22LR drought appears to be over for now.
 
...In my experience the lighter-weight subsonic-22 doesn't cycle reliably in a semi-auto. YMMV.

...There are very few semi-auto firearms which reliably cycle with Quiet-22;

... The Gemtech "silencer" ammo (also made by CCI) kinda splits the difference. ...

Do people use suppressors on revolvers? Sounds like that would be a good solution. (pardon the pun)
 
Do people use suppressors on revolvers? Sounds like that would be a good solution. (pardon the pun)

If I recall correctly, the gap between the cylinder, forcing cone, and frame of the typical revolver will render a suppressor irrelevant, but there is/was at least one wheelgun specifically designed and manufactured that would work with a suppressor.
 
Do people use suppressors on revolvers? Sounds like that would be a good solution. (pardon the pun)

Indeed!

The Nagant revolver is perfectly suited for suppressor use due to the gas sealing nature of the cartridge and cylinder action.
I have loaded some ammo for a friend that has such a beast. Fired a few rounds in his basement and could really just hear the dropping of the hammer and the bullet spiraling down the bullet trap.

Not the best picture, but the crimped mouth extends beyond the cylinder and enters the forcing cone forming a seal when fired.

S0Tu26Tl.jpg
 
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...There are very few semi-auto firearms which reliably cycle with Quiet-22;
Do people use suppressors on revolvers? Sounds like that would be a good solution. (pardon the pun)
Single-shot and bolt-action guns make great suppressor hosts, as does a semi with a bolt lock or gas shutoff.

The Nagant revolver is perfectly suited for suppressor use due to the gas sealing nature of the cartridge and cylinder action.
I have loaded some ammo for a friend that has such a beast.... the crimped mouth extends beyond the cylinder and enters the forcing cone forming a seal when fired.
Nagant's gas seal relied on the unusual design of the 7.62x38R cartridge; a modern equivalent would require special ammo to get the same results.
 
I have a Ruger Mark IV 22/45 with a Silencerco Sparrow. Running the CCI Subsonic 1050 fps 40 gr the Ruger runs perfectly. Haven't shot it yet in my 10/22 takedown.
 
Good call on the Erector, if I didn't already have a .22 can, that is exactly what I would buy. I have an older AAC Pilot2, it pretty much lives on my 22/45 and I love it.

13585087_1755331704691596_3942042883718840188_o.jpg


From what I have read, anything shorter then a 4.5" barrel will make any "standard velocity" ammo subsonic. I don't have any real data to back that up except that I have shot A LOT of bulk pack ammo through this set up and it is all pretty quiet. Occasionally I will hear the crack of one or 2 breaking the sound barrier, but it is few and far in between. With a pistol, shoot what ever you have, it will all be quiet. Rifles are a different story, particularly 10/22's. I have a 16" threaded barrel on one of my 10/22's and it is quite a bit snappier given that it is likely pushing supersonic out of the barrel, and not a whole lot quieter to the ear then shooting it without the can. I was actually a bit disappointed with the performance of my can on the rifle and had a little buyers remorse until I picked up that 22/45. I do not have a bolt action .22 rifle yet, but I would expect them to be quieter then a semi auto action given the locked action.
 
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Good point. I've shot a ton of CCI SV and it is consistently subsonic out of several different 16" barrels I have, no problem. But yeah, some "standard velocity" ammo is really variable (and thus not the best target ammo) and will occasionally have one break the sound barrier. Some ammo is just louder than one would expect even tho it's subsonic (Eley Target is considerably louder than CCI SV out of my suppressed CZ, at all of - nominally - 20 fps faster, but it's still not supersonic; probably has more to do with powder burn rate than anything else).

CCI SV out of my threaded CZ bolt is indeed a bit quieter than out of my 10/22, but overall, it's more from the action cycling than from the pop from of the opened chamber (and I have a bolt buffer, too, of course).

From what I have read, anything shorter then a 4.5" barrel will make any "standard velocity" ammo subsonic. I don't have any real data to back that up except that I have shot A LOT of bulk pack ammo through this set up and it is all pretty quiet. Occasionally I will hear the crack of one or 2 breaking the sound barrier, but it is few and far in between. With a pistol, shoot what ever you have, it will all be quiet. Rifles are a different story, particularly 10/22's. I have a 16" threaded barrel on one of my 10/22's and it is quite a bit snappier given that it is likely pushing supersonic out of the barrel, and not a hole lot quieter to the ear then shooting it without the can. I was actually a bit disappointed with the performance of my can on the rifle and had a little buyers remorse until I picked up that 22/45. I do not have a bolt action .22 rifle yet, but I would expect them to be quieter then a semi auto action given the locked action.
 
Good point. I've shot a ton of CCI SV and it is consistently subsonic out of several different 16" barrels I have, no problem. But yeah, some "standard velocity" ammo is really variable (and thus not the best target ammo) and will occasionally have one break the sound barrier. Some ammo is just louder than one would expect even tho it's subsonic (Eley Target is considerably louder than CCI SV out of my suppressed CZ, at all of - nominally - 20 fps faster, but it's still not supersonic; probably has more to do with powder burn rate than anything else).

CCI SV out of my threaded CZ bolt is indeed a bit quieter than out of my 10/22, but overall, it's more from the action cycling than from the pop from of the opened chamber (and I have a bolt buffer, too, of course).

This is what I figured it was, as it seems louder to me as the shooter then it did to the folks standing around me. I have a 4.5" .22lr AR upper as well that is pretty quiet, but kind of uselessly small. I am collecting parts to build a .22 clone of my night gun so I can shoot under NODs without being a noisy ******* all night. It will be interesting to see how different the report is with that same can on a 9.2" AR barrel vs. a 16" 10/22.
 
Whatever you do, do not use Aguila 60 grain Sniper SubSonic (aka "SSS") with a suppressor on your 22/45. SSS can be hazardous to suppressors, requires a long barrel and 1:9 twist to stabilize. In a shorter barrel and slower twist, it will keyhole and leave a lot of unburned powder in your suppressor.

Thanks for that tip - I might just use them for backyard plinking until my suppressor tax stamp issues.
 
...
From what I have read, anything shorter then a 4.5" barrel will make any "standard velocity" ammo subsonic. I don't have any real data to back that up

... With a pistol, shoot what ever you have, it will all be quiet.

Rifles are a different story, particularly 10/22's. I have a 16" threaded barrel on one of my 10/22's and it is quite a bit snappier given that it is likely pushing supersonic out of the barrel, and not a whole lot quieter to the ear then shooting it without the can.

... I do not have a bolt action .22 rifle yet, but I would expect them to be quieter then a semi auto action given the locked action.

This goes against everything I thought about this. I thought the longer length allows the powder to burn inside, so there is less explosion happening outside the barrel. I'd say a 9mm carbine is a little quieter than a 9mm pistol, and I'd guess the same for .357 or .22 also.


Anyone?
 
This goes against everything I thought about this. I thought the longer length allows the powder to burn inside, so there is less explosion happening outside the barrel. I'd say a 9mm carbine is a little quieter than a 9mm pistol, and I'd guess the same for .357 or .22 also.


Anyone?

It's more about the sonic crack of the bullet breaking the sound barrier, the can catches the explosion. The shorter the barrel, the less likely it is to allow the bullet to get to supersonic speeds.
 
CCI SV has been solid for me in a 22/45 Lite + Dead Air Mask combo. Getting a bunch of different loads in this week to test out along with a Savage Mark II FV-SR to really quiet things down.
 
I like the CCI suppressor ammo. Works great with my cans & a ruger 22/45 lite.
I've also had very good luck with the fiocchi subsonic.

The CCI quiets do not cycle the action in a semi. In a bolt gun though, the firing pin dropping is louder than the report.
 
It's more about the sonic crack of the bullet breaking the sound barrier, the can catches the explosion. The shorter the barrel, the less likely it is to allow the bullet to get to supersonic speeds.

Right. If you're not suppressing, barrel length does reduce the sound signature. If you're suppressing, barrel length is a concern because borderline loads may go supersonic with the additional acceleration length. Mind, if you have a long barrel and a round that doesn't go supersonic in it, and you're suppressing, that's the best of both worlds. It's why some loads aren't suitable to suppress in a long barrel, because they go supersonic (and the sonic boom is exceptionally noticeable).

In case anyone wonders how much that difference is, I tested the sonic crack in an airgun that had its own baffle system, and it would put 28gr at about 890fps. I put one of those, then an 11gr pellet through it. We were out in some wide fields and the first shot was a vague pop like a balloon, the second sounded like maybe there was a storm coming.
 
CCI "Standard Velocity" is the best subsonic .22lr ammo I've found for use in a suppressed semi-auto. It's inexpensive, consistent, and cycles reliably in most guns (I have had issues with it in a Ruger Mark IV 22/45, but YMMV)

This.

The Gemtech orange box stuff is good too, but twice the price.
 
Got that Aguila 60gr SSS 22lr and put one round in the Ruger Mark IV 22/45 Tactical mag as a trial, somehow confusing it with the Aguila 20gr Super Colibri in my mind, and shot off the back porch at my backyard backstop without hearing protection. My ears are still ringing.

Me: "What did you say?"
Wife: "I didn't say anything."
Me: "What?"
Wife: "I said I didn't say anything."
Me: "Say again?"
Wife: "I SAID I DIDNT SAY ANYTHING!"
Me: "Well, if you're not going to say anything, you'd better speak up next time!"

Needless to say, I'm getting the silent treatment now ... I think.
 
With the shorter barrel, even "Quiet-22" is pretty darn loud in a pistol.

Got that Aguila 60gr SSS 22lr and put one round in the Ruger Mark IV 22/45 Tactical mag as a trial, somehow confusing it with the Aguila 20gr Super Colibri in my mind, and shot off the back porch at my backyard backstop without hearing protection. My ears are still ringing.
Yeah, SSS is not exactly "low-noise", especially in a pistol. The $200 question is, did the rounds keyhole?
 
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