So I'm starting to seriously think about a suppressor, and was reading some of the articles at silencer research (just got the premium to check things out).  I notice that .22 pistols all pretty much hover around 120db suppressed.  Now, if you look at a db chart, i've seen: jackhammers, being at an airport or rock concert, etc.. as examples of a 120db noise.  That doesn't seem to compute, as I've been near all those things and a silenced p22.  To me.. it sounded like you could only hear the action clicking.  A jackhammer on the other hand, you can hear from multiple blocks away.  If I have a silenced p22 and shoot a squirrel, is a neighbor 3 blocks away going to hear that?  (It's just an example).  This is all assuming subsonic ammo.

High intensity, short duration noise like a gunshot is a different experience.

Bottom line = no, they won't hear it IF you use subsonic ammo.

I have that P22 and a CZ452 rifle.  Whisper quiet using Aguilla subsonic.  CCI went supersonic in the rifle and normal ammo is like you have no can at all.

Had I a mind to, I could pick off animal off my deck - I don't so . . . .

Most standard velocity .22lr ammo will be sub-sonic when fired through a 4-5" pistol barrel.

My Browning Buckmark with a 4" Tactical Solutions barrel and SWR Spectre sounds like a BB/pellet gun when firing Remington Golden Bullet ammo.

But fire the same ammo/can through my 10/22 with minimal noise reduction if any.

Normal Remington "525 Bulk Pack" is what I shoot in my Sig Mosquito and 5" .22lr upper.  So far, it has stayed subsonic 100% of the time.  The action noise is what you gotta deal with.  The other thing that will make some noise is the "first round pop" phenomenon.  I'm guessing since there's air (containing oxygen) in the can before/as you fire the first shot, it contributes to the combustible gasses.  I could be totally wrong on why the FRP happens, but I know it does.  My Mosquito with an Outback-II is pretty quiet shooting the Remington standard velocity bulk pack because it all stays subsonic; but that first shot is definitely the loudest.  

You could potentially use a "household cleaner sprayer" and very gently moisten the inside of the can; I'm guessing that would bring the sound signature of all the shots down quite a bit. I sometimes use a little wire-pulling gel in my Osprey 45, but I've never tried any ablatives in a rimfire can.  Usually, folks will tell you not to use them in rimfire, or if you do, use a tiny amount, due to most rimfire can's small internal volume.

That pistol/can combo sounds kind of like a nail gun or some other air-powered tool.  Without the bullet going subsonic (assuming you've got a can on there), it just doesn't sound like a gunshot to me.  With a .22 pistol, if you can grip it right, you can hold the slide shut, thus minimizing any action noise; takes practice (with gloves) though.  My 10/22 eats Remington subsonics all day and they seem to work great.  When they are out and digging, I regularly get headshots on gophers out about 80 yards or so.  They'll pop their heads up just enough to peek around for a couple seconds, which is all it takes...  I'm fortunate that I live in the country, so there's nothing behind my targets that I don't wanna hit.  I'm not sure if I'd try it in a residential neighborhood though.  I do, however, know somebody that bought a rimfire AR and uses a can and subsonics to cull his local feral cat population, and he lives in a neighborhood...  He reports that nobody has ever asked him what the "noise last night" was.


cheers, Benji

Yeah short barrels will keep it subsonic, but rifles and certain ammo - not so much.

Thanks for the input.  I have no plans on shooting anything in my neighborhood, I was just trying to give a more concrete question than "how loud is it really."  I've only heard suppressed guns in rifle range, and after getting used to how loud all the other rifles are, it's kind of hard to tell exactly how loud it would be out of that context.  Really, it was more of a curiosity thing than anything after reading the actual dB values for the first time.

Have anyone close with cans?

Test them out and see for yourself.  dB is just a number - nothing like real life experience.