Building the world's quietest .22 LR rifle

concepthomes2

concepthomes2

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I am wanting to build the quietest .22 LR rifle as possible.

Some things I think I'm already aware of:

Bolt action would be the quietest
Suppressor length dictates decibel reduction(?)
Key item - Black colored rifles are the quietest so it has to be black
Subsonic rounds are key to maintaining down range quietness

Anything I'm missing?

Realistically, if my neighbor is in his backyard and tinkering around, I want either the bolt cycling sound or the impact down range to sound like incidental noises.

I'm leaning to either the Ruger American Ranch in .22 or the Ruger Precision Rifle in .22
 
My suppressed FVSR with CCI Quiet fits that bill, the click of the firing pin, impact of the bullet, and movement of the bolt is all you hear. It’s quieter than snapping your fingers.

The downside of course is CCI quiet is like 750fps. If you want to use SV, it’s still super quiet.
 
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concepthomes2 said:
Realistically, if my neighbor is in his backyard and tinkering around, I want either the bolt cycling sound or the impact down range to sound like incidental noises.

I'm leaning to either the Ruger American Ranch in .22 or the Ruger Precision Rifle in .22
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Last week, my CZ457 Pro Varmint shooting 45gr CCI Supressor rounds through a TBAC 22 Takedown killed four squirrels, all within an approximate 75' circle, without any of them getting spooked and running off.
That seems like what you might be after?

Years ago, originsl setup was a FVSR like mentioned by a few. It had severe extraction problems that Savage never could get right. Since then I remember reading that the extractor was redesigned amd more reliable, but I had already gotten rid of it and settled on the CZ.

And yes to the comments about barrel length upthread. There is a noticable difference bewteen the same rounds through the same supressor out of the CZ (16.5") and my Bergara (18")

Jerzsubbie said:
The downside of course is CCI quiet is like 750fps. If you want to use SV, it’s still super quiet.
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Oh, yeah...CCI Quiets are stupid quiet out of a bolt gun, but you are right, they are super slow. I use mine to introduce newbies to supressed 22 fun shooting some steel at 25 yards. Crazy fun and always gets a giggle, even from me.
Their drop over distance is crazy, though. Aiming center on a six inch plate, they still hit halfway to the the bottom edge and the drop over the next 25 yds is insane, too.
I use CCI Supressor 45gr in mine for rodent eradication. Slightly faster and louder than the Quiet (~970fps vs 750fps), but the drop is much more managable, especially on such a small, twitchy target like squirrels. Even then, they not quite as fast and loud as SV or most other subs.



OP, whatever you end up with, Im sure you'll love it like we all love ours 😁
 
Only thing I can add would be "Sub-Sonic" ammo is needed. Not necessary pay extra money but you want 22 LR ammo that travels less than the speed of sound out of the length of barrel you are using. Stay away from the semi-auto firearms as they will always make more noise.
 
FVSR and CZ452 are both quieter than my PCP pellet gun, but once you know what the thwack of lead on squirrel sounds like you imagine everyone would immediately recognize it…but they don’t.
 
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Average Joe said:
I have a Ruger American Rimfire (model link below). It shoots accurately with and without the can. With CCI SV, CCI Quiet, or CCI Suppressor ammo, it’s scary quiet. A kids nerf gun makes more noise.

Ruger American® Rimfire Standard Bolt-Action Rifle Model 8334

ruger.com ruger.com
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If I was to buy another one, this would be it. I have a different model, but this one doesn’t even fool with sights and has an oversized charging handle IIRC. Mount a scope and a can and you’re in business.
 
Not to get too far off topic, but what about 22mag.?

I've often thought about getting the barrel on my 25MN threaded.
 
1075tech said:
Not to get too far off topic, but what about 22mag.?

I've often thought about getting the barrel on my 25MN threaded.
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Is there such thing as subsonic 22mag ammo? I wouldn’t think so…but I’ve never owned anything in that caliber.
 
Lucky63 said:
Put mine in a Boyds and pillar bedded it. It’s eliminated many squirrels in my back yard with no neighbors ever hearing it. 👍🏻
Also shooting 45 gr CCI suppressor.

View attachment 613058
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Good looking rifle you got there!
 
BigWaylon said:
Apparently there is…

View attachment 613059
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Average Joe said:
I was today years old when I learned they made .22 Mag subsonic ammo. While I have owned a couple, they were not threaded and used for hunting only. So it never crossed my mind.
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Google-fu finds that although Winchester has been selling this in Australia for years, it wasn't introduced in the US until 2017. By 2019, it was discontinued.
 
Average Joe said:
I was today years old when I learned they made .22 Mag subsonic ammo. While I have owned a couple, they were not threaded and used for hunting only. So it never crossed my mind.
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1075tech said:
Google-fu finds that although Winchester has been selling this in Australia for years, it wasn't introduced in the US until 2017. By 2019, it was discontinued.
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I’d just assumed subsonic 22mag was 22LR…kinda like subsonic 357mag is called 38 special. 🤣
 
If you want quiet…

I started my kids shooting Colibri rounds from a suppressed rifle.
22_COLIBRI_20_GR_1_B222337_36ad4df130.webp

https://www.aguilaammo.com/products/22-colibr-i-long-rifle-subsonic-powderless-lead-bullet
 
This is my CZ 455 with a now discontinued CZ-USA 23.6” (600mm) SP profile barrel. The 23.6” is way quieter than the 20” Varmint (I had TB thread it for me) without a suppressor using SV ammo … but put a can (TB 22 Take Down) on them and compare it is hard to tell the difference. Now I can tell the difference when some shooters are using a suppressor on 16.5” barrels though. Personally I think at least an 18” barrel minimum if not a 20” for SV ammo … that 23.6” barrel is nice but to long most of the time.

01A3CF35-E752-4625-89DC-527A25F38496.jpeg



45F0A6B5-0742-4B6B-93F6-9ECABE5BCC5F.jpeg
 
Integral if you want to shoot bulk LR or get a Dead Air Mask with a bolt gun (CZ452, FVSR, Vudoo). For all those mentioning CCI quiet, have you shot it, its accuracy S-U-C-K-S sucks and I've shot it through a bunch of guns and still have cases left. Not close to minute of squirrel at 50 yrds, maybe minute of watermellon.... and at 100 yrds LMFAO some hit the target and some are who knows where the heck it landed could be the ground or next property over. It is inconsistent as hell. I do keep a mag loaded with quiets when folks are around and I want to show off the AAC Element 2 (not made anymore) but its just for show not go.

I run cases of SV for plinking but they have an excess lube problem which causes a lot of fouling and 2-4 MOA fliers. Still SV is an ok subsonic round, it just goes "squirrel" sometimes.

So after that rambling what do you want the quietest 22lr to do?
 
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My neighborhood varmint gun is a pump 22LR loaded with CCI CB Shorts and a ECCO Machine Salamander. It’s sighted in at 40’ with a fixed 4X scope.
 
JohnFreeman said:
The longer the barrel the quieter.
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Beat me to it... longer barrels allow the exiting gases more expansion, giving the suppressor less to do.

0724/1030 said:
I started my kids shooting Colibri rounds from a suppressed rifle.
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With a 20" barrel, there is very little to suppress from a Colibri. Just a Click from the firing pin, and Whap! from the squirrel.

tod0987 said:
For all those mentioning CCI quiet, have you shot it, its accuracy sucks...
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Clean the barrel often. Carry a bore snake. Treat it like a BP rifle. Then you will see better results.
 
MacEntyre said:
Beat me to it... longer barrels allow the exiting gases more expansion, giving the suppressor less to do.


With a 20" barrel, there is very little to suppress from a Colibri. Just a Click from the firing pin, and Whap! from the squirrel.


Clean the barrel often. Carry a bore snake. Treat it like a BP rifle. Then you will see better results.
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Would you also suggest a Twinkie for a silencer in this scenario? 🤔
 
My two very quiet rimfires are a TC Contender and a DIY integral CZ 455.

The CZ has about 10” of rifled barrel. The other 6” are aluminum flashlight reflectors in a K cup config. Lol.

The Contender has about a 6” barrel and any of my .22lr cans work very well on it. DIY F1 cans up to my old Outback II. I can shoot shorts in it and not have to worry about feeding like the mag fed CZ.

Both have a little click at your ear when you shoot and then the impact down range.

FYI, a Cricket does not handle shorts and a suppressor very well. It’s actually louder with a can than without. Wrong chamber. So sad.
 
Here's the question of the day. For quiet Why not have 4" of barrel and 12" of suppressor on a bolt rifle? It'd stay subsonic then and look really stupid.
 
Squanchy said:
Here's the question of the day. For quiet Why not have 4" of barrel and 12" of suppressor on a bolt rifle? It'd stay subsonic then and look really stupid.
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You pretty much described an integrally suppressed barrel.
 
Bought a henry frontier tpsr a few years ago. Has a 24 inch barrel already threaded and a 10 round tubular mag. Still havent got around to buying supressor but from you tubes it is absolutely quiet except for the noise racking the lever. And a beautiful gun to boot.
 
GymB said:
I do want to get a fast twist barrel for the 60gr Aguila SSS. Wonder if it’s even available any more.
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Green Mountain used to make fast twist barrels for Ruger 10/22. They are 1:9 twist rate. Online twist rate calculators say that 1:11.25 is best for 60gr SSS. Green Mountain does custom runs of barrels (minimum 100). I found a company online that had some of these 1:11.25 so I bought one. I can't shoot anymore and only shot it a few times so I don't have a report on the barrel.
 
BigWaylon said:
Would you also suggest a Twinkie for a silencer in this scenario? 🤔
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Always!

It's the only suppressor I use! 🤣



I like a relish spreader taped under the barrel for a Twinkie rest. Cover the spreader with peanut butter, so the Twinkie doesn't fall off inadvertently.
 
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