whats the most quiet .22LR ammo available?

Looking for something subsonic....the more quiet, the better.

also source, mfg type, price?  thnx

Seems to depend on the gun, and even more importantly, if the gun's an auto keeping it reliable.

What's your application?

I have some CCI CBs.  The report sounds like an air rifle, but they won't cycle semi autos.  I forget how much they were though.

I am also interested.  What will cycle a p22 or a 10/22, with or without a can?

Quoted: I am also interested.  What will cycle a p22 or a 10/22, with or without a can?

I can tell you that the CBs will not cycle a P22 or a Marlin 60.

Those Aguila SSS with the 60 or so grain bullet are pretty darn quiet.

I usually use Eley subsonics when I used to go squirrel hunting as it doesn't spook the other squirrels when you make the shot

The Aguilla 20gr IIRC is very quiet in a rifle but pretty loud in a revolver.

If you shoot the short rounds much, you MUST CLEAN THE CHAMBER before attempting to chamber a long rifle round. BTDT.

tag for info

Quoted: Those Aguila SSS with the 60 or so grain bullet are pretty darn quiet.

+1

+1 On the CCI CB's for noise. But what you going to use them for?

Snap caps

I'll third the Aguila SSS.  From a rifle, they're very quiet - there's not much powder in that tiny little case, so it burns pretty quick and the pressure is pretty low by the time it reaches the muzzle.

I'm honestly considering having a custom .22 bolt rifle built with a faster twist barrel, just for this round.

I use the remington SS in my pistol.

They will cycle the action most of the time.  They are dirty as hell though.  $20 a brick or so.

I use remington subsonics and it runs fine in all my semi autos. The agula with no gun power and is powered by just the primer is queiter, but won't cycle in my semi's of course. And of course the longer the barrel the better, my rifle is much quieter than my pistol.

Quoted: I am also interested.  What will cycle a p22 or a 10/22, with or without a can?

The Remington Subsonic will cycle a 10/22 and they are pretty quiet.

How noticeable is the sound difference if you run subsonic through a non-suppressed rifle, as compared to say, high velocity 22lr?

I did an extensive test on several different types of .22 ammo this summer.  From the cheapest Walmart Federal .22 to the 13 bucks for 50 Eley Match.

What I found were the quietest were:

1. CCI CB Short.  Does not cycle the action but is SOOO quiet
2  CCI Green Tag precision is quiet,  very quiet
3. Remington SubSonic was pretty quiet but not accurate at all.



The real surprise was the CCI Green Tag Precision,  it was *damn* near as accurate at the Eley Match at 13 bucks a box.  I mean like the just under 1/2" with the Eley and just *barely* over 1/2 " with the CCI Green Tag Precision

The Remington Subsonic was like 2 1/2" at 50.


Those CB Longs are spooky quiet.  like hollywood  quiet.  you literally just hear the firing pin hit the case.

Aguila Super Colibri is extremely quiet.

CCI Subsonic does the trick when shooting with a can on my rig (Pac-Lite 22/45).  CCI Standard Velocity isn't much louder, however -- just a hair.

The best going is the Aguilia SSS... Its quiet and also has the weight.

Quoted: Seems to depend on the gun, and even more importantly, if the gun's an auto keeping it reliable. What's your application?

shooting in my backyard with out people calling the police for "man with a gun".  I shoot BB/pellet guns regularly, even shot paintball guns before.  Its not the sight of firearms thats the issue, its the noise/sound report.

Would be shot out of my TOZ-8M rifle, which already makes even Federal bulk pack ammo sound like a pneumatic staple gun at the most.

He wants to be an assassin.

The quietest without a CAN...

Is a closed bolt rifle ( pump, lever, bolt action ) with a long barrel... 24" or more is really good.
Semi autos blow too much pressure out the breech to be QUIET, and have unreliable feed problems.

So... you may want to dedicate or get a closed bolt 22 rifle for quiet shooting.
Pistols are too loud... you'll still need earmuffs.

I use a Marlin 39A (24 inch ) lever action. It handles Short, Long, and LR. ( although it does have a problem cycling Aguilla ammo due to the thickness of the base of the case .. It's .001 thicker).
Generally I'll use Eley subsonic Hollow Xtra ( 40 grain HP lead ).
Rifle holds 20 rounds of LR.... somewhere around 25 rounds of shorts.



The Eley rounds are about the same noise as a paint ball gun.
The CCI CB ammo is about the same noise of a 22 cal. pump pellet rifle.
NONE of the above sound like a " gunshot "... except the occasional short round...

CCI CB SHORT (29 grain bullet ) is great for even lower levels of noise, but the case does not reliably seal the pressurized chamber, and occasionally you'll get one loud enough to ring your ears.

CCI CB LONG ( 29 grain bullet ) these work great... ultra quiet, no fail chamber / gas pressure.

Both the CCI CB shorts and longs clock out at about 850 FPS in my rifle.
The Eley HP Xtras run about 1150 FPS... With a little more noise, and good small game kill power.

I did not try the Remington SubSonics due to loud reviews and the 38 grain bullets.

Quoted: Quoted: I am also interested.  What will cycle a p22 or a 10/22, with or without a can? I can tell you that the CBs will not cycle a P22 or a Marlin 60.

I " believe " you can push the bolt lever IN on the Marlin 60 and cycle the bolt by hand.

Check it out, and re-post ... K?

I shoot Aguila 60gr SSS through my 77/22 comfortabley without ear protection.

Quoted: I'll third the Aguila SSS.  From a rifle, they're very quiet - there's not much powder in that tiny little case, so it burns pretty quick and the pressure is pretty low by the time it reaches the muzzle. I'm honestly considering having a custom .22 bolt rifle built with a faster twist barrel, just for this round.

A friend told me he had bullet stabilization problems with the 60 grain bullets..
Printing SIDEWAYS at 25 yards.
He was shooting a 10/22.

Edit : They did cycle okay.

Quoted: The quietest without a CAN... Is a closed bolt rifle ( pump, lever, bolt action ) with a long barrel... 24" or more is really good. Semi autos blow too much pressure out the breech to be QUIET, and have unreliable feed problems. So... you may want to dedicate or get a closed bolt 22 rifle for quiet shooting. Pistols are too loud... you'll still need earmuffs. I use a Marlin 39A (24 inch ) lever action. It handles Short, Long, and LR. ( although it does have a problem cycling Aguilla ammo due to the thickness of the base of the case .. It's .001 thicker). Generally I'll use Eley subsonic Hollow Xtra ( 40 grain HP lead ). Rifle holds 20 rounds of LR.... somewhere around 25 rounds of shorts. www.championshooters.com/store/files/images/thumbnails/hunt3.gif The Eley rounds are about the same noise as a paint ball gun. The CCI CB ammo is about the same noise of a 22 cal. pump pellet rifle. NONE of the above sound like a " gunshot "... except the occasional short round... CCI CB SHORT (29 grain bullet ) is great for even lower levels of noise, but the case does not reliably seal the pressurized chamber, and occasionally you'll get one loud enough to ring your ears. CCI CB LONG ( 29 grain bullet ) these work great... ultra quiet, no fail chamber / gas pressure. Both the CCI CB shorts and longs clock out at about 850 FPS in my rifle. The Eley HP Xtras run about 1150 FPS... With a little more noise, and good small game kill power. I did not try the Remington SubSonics due to loud reviews and the 38 grain bullets.

anyplace I can find the Eley rounds online?   Would they be available locally you think or probably not?  Price approx?

Aguila Super Colibri

The hammer dropping on my NEF .22 makes more noise than the round going off does.

Quoted: Aguila Super Colibri The hammer dropping on my NEF .22 makes more noise than the round going off does. img163.imageshack.us/img163/1989/44749763sc7.jpg

nice

how is accuracy and bullet drop?  what range is this good to?   Id only be shooting at 10-15 yards max really.

Quoted: Aguila Super Colibri .22 With a silencer, it's amazingly quiet. However, it does not cycle the action.

Aguila Super Colibri is so quiet that from standard unsuppressed rifle length barrels, practically all you can hear is the hammer drop a lot of the time. Sometimes you will get a tiny little pop with shorter rifle barrels, but it's still no louder than a BB gun. They do pop a bit from a pistol barrel though (unless you have a registered suppressor).

As mfingar states, they won't cycle the action though. Probably the most quiet stuff you'll find that will cycle the action are any of the various sub sonic rounds out there. The Aguila SSS or Remington sub sonics come to mind.

Quoted: Quoted: Aguila Super Colibri .22 With a silencer, it's amazingly quiet. However, it does not cycle the action. Aguila Super Colibri is so quiet that from standard unsuppressed rifle length barrels, practically all you can hear is the hammer drop a lot of the time. Sometimes you will get a tiny little pop with shorter rifle barrels, but it's still no louder than a BB gun. They do pop a bit from a pistol barrel though (unless you have a registered suppressor). As mfingar states, they won't cycle the action though. Probably the most quiet stuff you'll find that will cycle the action are any of the various sub sonic rounds out there. The Aguila SSS or Remington sub sonics come to mind.

i plan on using a bolt gun, so doesnt have to cycle any action.

so the Aguila Super Colibri is my best bet....time to hitup local shops tomorrow and see if they have any.

know of an online source?

Try some Aguila LR sub-sonic rounds, HP or SP. Imo, they are even quieter than the SSS loading.

be careful with the Aguila Super Colibri they dont always exit longer barrels. i have a 20in 10/22 and one in ten gets stuck.

Quoted: Quoted: Aguila Super Colibri The hammer dropping on my NEF .22 makes more noise than the round going off does. img163.imageshack.us/img163/1989/44749763sc7.jpg nice how is accuracy and bullet drop?  what range is this good to?   Id only be shooting at 10-15 yards max really.

That's pretty short range..
You may do very well with the CCI CB " long ", remember the shorts don't always seal well and you may get 1 in 10 that pops pretty loud.

Here's what I found for Eley Hollow Point 40 grain.
The price has gone up over a buck per 100 since I ordered last:
Graf & Sons ( per 100 rnds, shipping included )
Midway per 500

Oh yeah, I have not tried the CCI Long Rifle subsonic rounds yet.
If the bullets are 40 grains and around 1050 FPS they should be good.

Be sure and post back after you shoot ... K ?

Quoted: Quoted: Aguila Super Colibri The hammer dropping on my NEF .22 makes more noise than the round going off does. img163.imageshack.us/img163/1989/44749763sc7.jpg nice how is accuracy and bullet drop?  what range is this good to?   Id only be shooting at 10-15 yards max really.

I get about 1" - 1 1/2" 5 shot groups at 15 yards.  It shoots fairing flat out to 15 yards, after that it drops a lot.

And it does say on the box to use only in pistols, but I have never had a bullet stick in the NEF barrel.  But I do check it after each shot, the break open action makes checking it easy.

Interesting eval on subsonic 22 ammo: LINK


Subsonic 22 Rimfire Ammunition

by Peter Cronhelm

Subsonic .22 Rimfire Ammunition

Performance Test

What is the quietest possible shot using a conventional weapon and ammunition?  The lowly .22 rimfire, bolt-action rifle fitted with a modern suppressor and subsonic ammunition wins the contest with sound pressure levels (SPL’s) hovering around 110 dB depending on the ammunition.

Action noise is nothing more than the fall of the firing pin, the long barrel helps mitigate gas pressure and temperature and the suppressor is left to peel off the remaining muzzle signature.  The shot is effectively reduced to the noise of the firing pin drop, which is as quiet as it gets.

With this class of weapon, bullet impact is the dominant sound associated with firing a shot.  From behind the butt, the experience of squeezing off a shot is surreal.  Without any type of hearing protection, all the shooter hears is a soft “click” as the firing pin crushes the case rim … and then the distant thud of the bullet hitting home.

The only real variable in this recipe is ammunition.  And as most shooters are aware, not all .22 ammunition is created equal.  This goes doubly so for subsonic .22 ammunition.  

For this article, a variety of commercially available subsonic-labeled ammunition was tested for accuracy, velocity and consistency.   Most serious rimfire shooters undoubtedly know that all .22 rimfire Match ammunition is inherently subsonic.  However Match bullets are generally solids, which are not always appropriate for taking small game or tactical targets.  Subsonic ammunition generally employs conventional hollow point projectiles more suited to live targets.

Two rifles were employed for the testing to ensure that one did not favor any specific brand.  The rifles were a nearly new, factory spec, Anschutz 64M and a lightly modified Valmet (Finnish Lion) Standard ISU rifle.  Both rifles are heavy barreled target models with light match triggers.  These rifles are capable of excellent accuracy with a variety of ammunition, ensuring that any loose groupings are the result of the ammunition and not the rifle.

Both rifles mount identical optics setups.  Tasco 3-9x40 MIL Dot scopes wearing a Stoney Point target knob on the elevation turret.  The scopes are mounted in Burris Signature Zee rings.

Tactical operators often utilize handguns as well so additional accuracy and velocity data were gathered using a Ruger MKII target pistol.  The Ruger is the defacto industry standard against which all other target pistols are compared.

Velocity was measured with a Chrony chronograph and is the average of ten shots.  Rifle velocity data was collected from the Valmet with its 20 inch barrel.  The Ruger pistol was the 5.5 inch barrel model.  Both average velocity and standard deviation were calculated for each ammunition type.

Standard Deviation is a statistical measure of the consistency of the measured velocity.  That is, ammunition with very uniform velocities will have a low standard deviation.  Velocity spread is an indicator of accuracy, especially over longer ranges.

Rifle groups were shot off a benchrest grade rest and bags at 50 yards.  Average group sizes were calculated from three, five shot groups per rifle.  Five shot groups are a much better statistical indicator of consistent accuracy than the more commonly quoted three shot groups.

Pistol groups consisted of a single, ten round group fired at fifteen yards.  A benchrest was utilized to ensure groups were as tight as possible.

Three fouling shots were fired at each ammunition change to give the bore a chance to acclimatize to the new round.  Rimfires can be sensitive to ammunition type.  The Anschutz proved to be especially sensitive to bore condition.  In several cases it was possible to see the groups shrink as each was fired.  In this case, the first group was thrown out of the accuracy data.

Ammunition tested includes:  Remington Subsonic, Lapua Subsonic, Eley Subsonic, PMC Moderator and Aguila SSS.

Remington Subsonic is the old man of the test as it has been available for years while the others are relatively new to the scene.  The Lapua is by far the most expensive ammunition of the test.  PMC Moderator is the newest kid on the block while the Aguila SSS is the weirdest kid in the neighborhood.

Being unlike any of the others, the Aguila SSS deserves its own paragraph and a bit of an explanation.  This is truly specialty ammunition designed to take larger game with less muzzle report.  It has a very large 60 grain bullet (50 percent heavier than a normal .22 bullet) stuffed into a .22 short case, only leaving room for a small powder charge.  The result is a very quiet round with the ability to carry hitting power far beyond that of conventional .22 rimfire ammunition.  The large bullet can penetrate deeply enough to take deer sized game out to 100 yards with proper bullet placement (Paulson).

The major issue with this ammunition is rifling twist rate.  The large bullet typically requires faster than normal rifling twist (1:16) to be properly stabilized.  Meaning accuracy can be a problem unless a custom barrel is employed.

Aguila SSS will function all semi-automatic actions yet it is spooky quiet through a suppressor.  It can be difficult to find in stores and a bit expensive when it is found but is worthwhile tracking down if the quietest possible shot is the ultimate goal and the cost of a custom barrel is not an issue.

The Finnish “Gunwriters on the Web” website notes the following about Aguila SSS:  A notable fault of .22 SSS is too thin (if any) lubrication of the extra-long/extra-heavy bullet. The projectile acts as a "compression bullet". A sudden thrust of chamber pressure expands the bullet into the bore. It is beneficial for accuracy of shooting, but tends to cause leading of the bore; especially in the muzzle end of barrel with a length more than 24" (61 cm).  Lead fouling may cause the "precession" (yaw) of bullet, already just marginally stable because of too slow rotation. If the rifle shoots nice round holes to 50 yards/meters when cleaned, but starts to produce the "keyholes" after a dozen shots, lead has accumulated in the bore. You may try to "dip lube" the bullets in a melted bullet lubricant.  Bullets of .22 SSS have ample "cannelures" or lube grooves knurled around to receive the dip lubricant.  Worthwhile information for those who want or need to use this ammunition in quantity.

Velocity Data                        RIFLE                                                HANDGUN
Ammunition Average FPS Standard Deviation FPS Average FPS Standard Deviation FPS
Winchester Power Point 1269 22.2 1050 24.7
Remington Subsonic 1068 30.6 896 33.9
PMC Moderator 992 13.5 906 13.8
Lapua Subsonic 1038 9.6 907 13.1
Eley Subsonic 1042 11 939 20.9
Aguila SSS 866 18.3 796 22.5

Winchester Super-X Power Point was included in the velocity and accuracy data because it is the ammunition the author has used for small game hunting for the past several years and it is a good representative of standard high velocity ammunition.  It was chosen for use in the author’s rifle after extensive accuracy testing of many different types of hollow point hunting ammunition.

Accuracy Data
Ammunition Avg. Group Size (Valmet) Avg.Group Size (Anschutz) Group Size (Ruger MK 2)
Winchester Power Point 0.592" 0.952" 1.041"
Remington Subsonic 0.817" 0.799" 1.387"
PMC Moderator 0.528" 0.724" 2.077"
Lapua Subsonic 0.312" 0.301" 1.311"
Eley Subsonic 0.476" 0.445" 1.989"
Aguila SSS 1.267" 1.008" 1.448"

As can be seen from the velocity and accuracy data, you get what you pay for.  The Lapua is by far the most expensive ammunition and it shows with an average group size a third smaller than its best competition.  This is also reflected in the standard deviation, which is the smallest of all those tested.  However, if cost is a factor, the Lapua is 50% more expensive than the next most accurate ammunition.  The Lapua was quieter than its velocity might indicate.

The next most accurate ammunition was the Eley, which is a solid, and as such is not very appropriate for hunting any type of game.  The Eley also suffered from a tacky lube on the cases, which made them sticky in the test rifle’s match chambers.  Eley Subsonic is also saddled with being more than twice as expensive than conventional 22 hollow point ammunition.  Eley apparently makes a hollow point subsonic ammunition that is devoid of the tacky lube however a box could not be procured in time for this test.

For use with a suppressor, both the Eley and Lapua operate pretty close to the transonic range. The sonic crack is not generated at exactly the speed of sound.  The sound increases in volume across the transonic range starting about 92-93 percent of the speed of sound based upon research by Al Paulson.  Also keep in mind that a sound suppressor (silencer) may create about 30 fps of freebore boost.  Testing for this article was performed at over 4000 feet altitude where the speed of sound hovers in the 1050-1100 fps range depending on temperature.

PMC Moderator, the newest ammunition of the type, was third on the accuracy list and grouped slightly better than the Winchester Power Point control.  Price wise it is exactly the same as Winchester Power Point and Remington Subsonic.  Specifically designed for use through a suppressor, PMC Moderator clocked in at just under 1000 fps making it outstandingly quiet through a suppressor.  Shooting this ammunition through a suppressor never seems to lose its entertainment value.

Remington Subsonic was a known quantity going into this test as it had been used many times previously in both rifles.  The biggest complaint with the Remington is that even though it averages just inside the speed of sound; about 30-40 percent of the rounds are transonic out of a 20 inch barrel.  This is unacceptable for use with a suppressor because the sonic crack is as loud as a high velocity round.  A semi-auto action soaks up just enough energy to reduce the Remington’s velocity below the transonic range but then you have the clatter of a cycling bolt.

Aguila SSS performed less than optimally in the rifles due to the conventional 1:16 twist rate. Other tests, using faster twist rates have shown excellent accuracy from this round.  Actually, the performance captured in this test, particularly from the Anschutz rifle is remarkably good because generally the 1:16 twist rate doesn’t properly stabilize the bullet, resulting in terrible accuracy.  Performance of this round through a suppressor simply has to be experienced to be believed.

Handgun:

Pistol data generally followed that from the rifles but with a few surprises.  Remington Subsonic, which got nicknamed “Remington Transonic” in the rifles, was an absolute star in the handgun, only bettered by the ultra expensive Lapua and then only by a hair.  The Aguila SSS also performed much better in the handgun than it did in either rifle.  The Eley and the PMC Moderator just didn’t seem to like the Ruger pistol and both performed below expectations.

A liability with the PMC Moderator was its tendency to cause the pistol to cycle incompletely when it got dirty.  This resulted in various jams and failures to feed or extract.  Not a problem if you clean regularly but a big problem if the gun goes a while between cleanings.  This is such a problem for the author that we don’t use Moderator in the pistol anymore because it takes the fun out of the shooting.

All the tested ammunition was subsonic from the short pistol barrel, even the high velocity Winchester Power Point, although it is a little too close to the transonic range for comfort.  Aguila SSS averaged less than 800 feet per second, which would be way too slow if it wasn’t for the huge 60 grain bullet’s ability to penetrate.

Conclusions:

The outright winner of the test has to be the Lapua Subsonic due to its outstanding accuracy and consistent velocity.    However, for shooters on a budget, PMC Moderator looks like the next best choice.  It is accurate enough to do the job and its sub 1000 feet per second velocity ensures it will not produce a loud ballistic crack just when a stealthy shot is required.  This stuff is specifically designed to be used through a suppressor and it shows.

An issue that afflicts all subsonic ammunition is the change in point of impact when changing from a high velocity brand.  With the more conventional subsonic brands, this is generally a matter of an inch or two at the most.  However the Aguila SSS tends to drop to a much greater degree due to its abnormally heavy bullet and very slow velocity.  A rifle really needs to be dedicated to this round to avoid a zeroing error when switching ammunition.  However, for the ultimate in rimfire stealth and hitting power, Aguila SSS has no competition.

Don’t forget the Golden Rule of rimfires.  Every rifle will like a different ammunition so they have to be tested together and once a good combination is found, buy a case or two.

Here is a copy of my range card for this rifle (Marlin 39A)  / Eley HP Xtra.
Correct my earlier post of the velocity at 1150.
Velocity averaged 1030 FPS on a day with 73F and barometric pressure of 29.93", & humidity @ 53%... Elevation is 253' MSL.
I can just about shoot honey bees at 25 yards.
 
Note the scope is 1.5" above bore, sight in range is 50 yards.

I've shot the Aguila and the Remington, but the quietest I've found is the Dynamit Nobel (yes, that Nobel). I first found it at gun shows, but it is also available locally at the better gun shops in my area.

Aguila shoots a heavier bullet to keep it subsonic, and so must have more powder because it's somewhat loud. Does a great job on raccoons, though.
Remington is next, OK sound level and subsonic.
The Nobel is a light enough bullet to get by with a small powder load and stay subsonic because it sounds about like a pellet gun, but it's in a long rifle case so you don't have to worry about fouling your chamber.  My rifle is a lever-action so I can't speak for cycling a semi-auto rifle, but it does cycle my Sig Trailside reliably. Will dispatch squirrels and raccoons just fine, without waking the neighbors.

Quoted: be careful with the Aguila Super Colibri they dont always exit longer barrels. i have a 20in 10/22 and one in ten gets stuck.

I've heard this before, but I've shot thousands of them from 5 different rifles and never ever had that problem. You either have a super tight barrel or you're using standard Colibri instead of Super Colibri (or so I would guess).

I've used Super Colibri in:

- a Romanian Trainer (which has a really long barrel I haven't measured)
- a Remington Nylon 66
- a Remington Nylon 77
- a Ruger 10/22
- a Henry lever action

None of these rifles have "target" barrels though, so I'd imagine that a new target style barrel might be tighter than these.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Aguila Super Colibri .22 With a silencer, it's amazingly quiet. However, it does not cycle the action. Aguila Super Colibri is so quiet that from standard unsuppressed rifle length barrels, practically all you can hear is the hammer drop a lot of the time. Sometimes you will get a tiny little pop with shorter rifle barrels, but it's still no louder than a BB gun. They do pop a bit from a pistol barrel though (unless you have a registered suppressor). As mfingar states, they won't cycle the action though. Probably the most quiet stuff you'll find that will cycle the action are any of the various sub sonic rounds out there. The Aguila SSS or Remington sub sonics come to mind. i plan on using a bolt gun, so doesnt have to cycle any action. so the Aguila Super Colibri is my best bet....time to hitup local shops tomorrow and see if they have any. know of an online source?

I'd say there's a good chance you'll find some locally, but just in case...
I think there are quite a few places to get it online, but here's one of them: www.the-armory.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/Aguila_super_colibri_22_br.html

Quoted: Those Aguila SSS with the 60 or so grain bullet are pretty darn quiet.

The 60g tumble out of my 10/22 but they will slap the piss out of whatever you shoot.   I like the Aguilla 38g hp subsonics thru a gemtech better...they'll penetrate a 2 x 4 @ 40 yds and still plenty accurate. Neither will cycle  reliably for me. YMMV

For quiet shooting without a can I use Aguila Super Colibri 20g @ about 500fps.  Lots of fun to plink with and quieter than a pellet gun. I used them to teach the GF how to shoot.
www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=295321&t=11082005

Quoted: I have some CCI CBs.  The report sounds like an air rifle, but they won't cycle semi autos.  I forget how much they were though.

About 8 bucks per 50

Good info, my 5 year old daughter is bothered by the sound of a gun.  I will try a subsonic.

CB longs are quiter than CB shorts.  CB longs are about the same level as an air rifle.  They will exit the barrel of a remington 541s but will not cycle a 10-22.  Also, CB longs are pretty cheap and easy to find.

Quoted: How noticeable is the sound difference if you run subsonic through a non-suppressed rifle, as compared to say, high velocity 22lr?

Recently shot some Remington Sub-Sonic through my 10/22, just to see.  Still pretty darn loud.  Doesn't give you the ringing in your ears like supersonic does, but a definite bang.

CB caps through the 10/22 are almost silent, but as noted, they don't cycle the action (if that matters).

Also put the can on (Gemtech Outback II) and A/B'd subsonic and supersonic.  Some difference with the rifle, but not much.  With the pistol (Ruger 22/45) and the Outback, big difference between supersonic and subsonic.

Quoted: Quoted: I'll third the Aguila SSS.  From a rifle, they're very quiet - there's not much powder in that tiny little case, so it burns pretty quick and the pressure is pretty low by the time it reaches the muzzle. I'm honestly considering having a custom .22 bolt rifle built with a faster twist barrel, just for this round. A friend told me he had bullet stabilization problems with the 60 grain bullets.. Printing SIDEWAYS at 25 yards. He was shooting a 10/22. Edit : They did cycle okay.

You need a faster twist.  I was told 1/9.

The quietest .22 ammo I have used is the Remington .22 Short CBee caps, which will launch a 29gr bullet at around 700fps.  Only problem is, there are very few semi-autos that will reliably feed them.  My Rem 550-I will, but its the only one.  Remington 40gr and Aguila 60gr SSS .22LR loads are also quiet, but not as quiet as the CB caps.  

I like CCI subsonic ammo and my Ruger 10/22 with a suppressor.

Quoted: CB longs are quiter than CB shorts.  CB longs are about the same level as an air rifle.  They will exit the barrel of a remington 541s but will not cycle a 10-22.  Also, CB longs are pretty cheap and easy to find.

really?  damn....

I got a box of 100rnds the CCI Subsonic Shorts.  About $10 OTD for the box, kinda priccccccccey but oh well.

Shot them at the range today.   Through my P22, Romanian Trainer and Russian TOZ-8M.

-----P22 didnt cycle of course but was almost quiet enough to shoot without hearing protection.

-------Romanian Trainer was dead on with the ammo, about as loud as a party popper.

--------TOZ-8M was quietest of the bunch, but zero was a bit off (has a 4x installed) with this ammo vs what it was sighted in with.

Might try out the Long's and see how much quieter they are, though they are like $11 for 100rnds.

I think ill end up just shooting at the range still, but...yet its fun to at least test out and see just how quiet I can get my .22's to be

forgot to mention, shot the TOZ-8M with the CCI subsonic shorts....penetrated about 3/4 of an inch into it.  Pulled the  bullet from the book afterwords, thing was nearly 100% intact, except for the nose of it was a bit smushed/smooth.