Interested in learning which caliber (centerfire or rim) you think is most effectively suppressed and why...(as it pertains to a Nuisance Wildlife application.)

Feel free to PM me if not comfortable in open forum.
I might not be able to get back to you as I don't check that often.

Thanks,
HJ

HJ, the only people that I've heard of to legally use noise suppression in our area are the deer shooters. I would really like to meet one of these guys because I've heard that their equipment is superb and they shoot right in the middle of subdivisions so it would have to be. Our shooters come from Chicago so you might want to Google companies that shoot deer in that area.

Not going in depth but here are the facts

.22 rimfire with silencerco sparrow ss is very very quiet.
300blk for big game with a quaility suppressor take your pick from top companies. .

Oh and I will add...there is not a company on earth that makes a suppessor that is movie quiet, its a thing of myth.

One thing you need to account for is the crack made on super-sonic ammunition when it breaks the sound barrier. For instance, the 5.56mm or .223 breaks the sound barrier after 32ft.

So we're talking about a much longer silencer in that case?

HJ, Have worked with a variety from .17 and .22 for things you'd imagine, to .223 and others for feral hog etc....

I agree wholeheartedly with Dale, if the movie version is what is in anyones mind, go ahead and pass this by!

Ultimately you likely have an idea in mind for what type of wildlife damage situations you'd like to use this for. If it
is small furbearer species you'd be in one bracket (check out the amphibian from AWC in AZ), I can say that having
been around that one in many settings it is the closest to the "movie" effect. You will hear the action of the pistol and
that is about till impact.

On the rifle end if you are looking at big game (deer, hogs), ultimately the advantage of the suppressed isn't so much
in being "silent" but rather related to the effect of where the sound goes. The AWC products are mostly what I've seen
and used as they had pretty much a sole source deal with my old agency for quite some time. The "thundertrap" was the
model on most large caliber.

If you are looking to do small game and want silence at a bargain, using .22 shorts is good way to go for many up close
situations without being too specific.

Spending the dollars for the tool always has to pay off or at least should if making a business decision. Though I'd love
a suppressed .22 pistol and a light rifle like a .223, I don't have any contracts that require this type of tool and therefore
I haven't purchased any of them.

I would call one of the manufacturers and speak with them about your specific needs in detail and they can help guide you
based on the thousands of these they sell.

(disclaimer - naturally we all know that our state and federal laws pertain to any purchase or use of these tools for our industry)



Justin

Having the barrel of the firearm about a foot inside your car or house window really does a great job of silencing the noise outside.

I have just walked off 32 feet in case I get a .223. ( I would have to seated at the kitchen table to quietly shoot out of the patio door )

As noted, the SUB-SONIC loads will give you a big head start on quiet. I have some WW22lv's (no longer made wouldn't you know) that ARE as quiet as a movie gun when shot out of a long barrell rifle, and will kill small game reliably to 100 ft or better. (I'm Bogarting them as best I can). If you need a center fire rifle to shoot quietly, try handloading to low Velocity's.
Speed of sound is roughly 1100 FPS depending on air temp, humidity etc.

I have been able to shoot a couple of suppressed 22 rifles that were very quiet, much less noise then any pellet gun, also a 44 mag rifle that was fairly quiet. The key is to shoot subsonic ammunition. Some guys just "load down" a gun to keep it subsonic and that will work also. A good suppressed high power rifle will be reduced enough that a shooter doesn't need ear protection.

I disagree my friend.

It is all in the load, so if you are a hand loader you have an advantage

For factory ammo,,,,cb 22 quiets are 60db at the shooters ear without a can with a 40 gr bullet

For wildlife work I would recommend a 22 cal can
Threading runs 35-60 dollars here depending on who I take it to.

Make sure you purchase a thread protection cap, it will save you some trouble in the long run

For the money I believe the 22lr is probably the best buy of suppressed rifles. I use an AWC integrally suppressed 22lr for Urban work on Beavers, Coyotes and Hogs. This has been a great piece of equipment. I have also had favorable experiences with a 17hmr suppressed. But the 22lr finds its way in my bag more and more these days.

Has anyone compared noise and ballistic differences between a PCP .22 and .25 to a .22 with suppressor? This is a great thread for those with experience to write an article for WCT.

I think that the .25 caliber Benjamin air rifle should also be put into the mix. It sounds like a fun experiment. With my keen sense of hearing I would be the perfect guy. No ear protection necessary and if I can hear it all, it's too loud!

I think a quality crossbow should be put in the mix. This tool can get you around firearm laws in some cities

Throw this one in too! Lots of utility and versatility have used these for bird and rat project in dairy barns, very very quiet.

http://www.airforceairguns.com/TalonSS-s/38.htm

HDW: Those Talons look interesting. The link you gave says nothing about price, and what kind of ammo do they shoot, Regular pellets? And do you know what kind of operating preasure is required?

Terminal ballistics need to be in the discussion as well. For instance while many of the air rifles are already legally suppressed and require no paperwork the smaller weight of an airgun pellet versus the same caliber but heavier subsonic long rifle round have different impacts on target.
Prime example is the 300BLK cartridge. This round was designed from the get for suppressed work on larger targets, man sized and similar. The standard suppressed loading uses the heavy 200+ grain projectiles to retain enough mass at low velocity for penetration.
A similar loading is the Aguila 60 gr Sniper Subsonic 22lr load. This one though runs into stabilization issues needing a tighter rate of twist than is common in standard 22lr barrels.

Hey BigBob,

If I remember right the outfit with an extra air tank (so you can head afield with two charged tanks at the ready) ran somewhere under $700.00.

Not necessarily cheap, but an excellent tool. They shoot pellets, we used the "crow magnum" if I remember right, though any pellet does work in them. They have a couple of choices in caliber.

Operating pressure I am not aware of, when I worked with these the technician on the project kept an air tank with him that he had refilled at a local shop. I think in the manual they list what the pressure of the can is and how its filled, there is a little kit for filling them. I was going to buy one when we launched our shop for bird work needs but ended up saving my dimes for other tools as I do mostly exclusion with very little outright removal.

The dairy projects were related to starling and norway rats and I can't tell you the last time being covered in cow manure and being up 18+ hours straight finishing with performing necropsy on over 100 of each species for disease samples was so enjoyable.

With the scope they sell (or you own add on) you can get amazing results from the accuracy. The air is adjustable on the rifle as well, so you can modify the pressure based on the limited area you are working in, for example if you would prefer not to blow a tiny hole in a tin roof, you can dial down but still remove pigeons, starlings, rats, etc...

Was one time I can say that work shouldn't be that much fun, plus the tech who was a good friend of mine till his passing was about the best guy you could spend time with in the field, just loved what he did and the people he did it for.

Justin