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No matter what religion you practice or holiday you observe, I’m asking everyone to pray that 2017 will be the ‘Year of the Silencer’. But we have to do more than just hope and pray. One good start would be to join the American Suppressor Association, a group that is helping to move the Hearing Protection Act through congress. If passed, the new law would essentially deregulate suppressors out from under the control of the National Firearms Act.
How else can you help? Pick up your suppressed .22LR rifle or pistol and take some friends and family shooting. There is nothing more awe-inspiring in the shooting world than a suppressed subsonic rimfire setup. After about ten rounds, they will all be hooked and want a silencer of their own. So be a good friend or family member and give the gift that keeps on giving – ‘Hollywood Quiet’. Want to be an even better friend? Pick up the $200 NFA transfer tax while you are at it.
Here’s the bad news: With NFA wait times starting to peak, there’s a good chance that this will be a 2017 Christmas gift. Consider the purchase something to look forward to all year long and take comfort in the fact that everyone will be waiting right along with you.
Listed below is a sampling of some of the best rimfire silencers currently available. These aren’t paid sponsorships – just my personal opinions and observations from the 2016 marketplace. Have a rimfire silencer you love? Tell us about it in the comments section below.
2016 was a roller coaster ride for suppressors. Let’s hope that 2017 is a steady roll of positive news.
NEW! – q El Camino – $400 to $450 (EST):
Although, it has yet to debut publicly, the El Camino by Q, LLC will be available in two builds: one made from stainless steel that will weigh in at 4.2oz and the other made from titanium that will hit the scales at 2.2oz. Owner Kevin Brittingham and crew have designed the El Camino to be accurate, light weight and easy to disassemble. Q’s first official silencer offering will be available exclusively through Silencer Shop so check in at the above link to stay up to date on order availability.
UPDATE 12/17/2016: The El Camino is now in stock at Silencer Shop.
DEAD AIr Mask – $449 (EST):
What sets The Mask™ apart is its marvelous performance and the ease with which it can be disassembled. It provides balance of performance, weight, and extraordinary cleaning intervals that are unmatched by the competition.
This isn’t a “me too” compulsory foray into the .22 suppressor market. We wanted the best and we delivered. The performance speaks for itself. Our .22 suppressor features a blend of titanium and 17-4 PH stainless steel construction for direct thread applications
SilencerCo Spectre II – $400 (EST)
The Spectre™ 22 has the quietest first round “pop” of any rimfire silencer and is made of durable stainless steel construction, which enables it to handle a range of ammunition from .22LR to 5.7mm. SilencerCo’s unique CTA™ (Click Together Assembly) baffle design makes the Spectre 22 equipped to handle the harshness and debris of rimfire ammunition with ease. After heavy use – even full auto .22LR – the Spectre 22 will remain exceptionally quiet, reliable, and user-serviceable.
Thunder Beast Arms Takedown 22 – $395 (EST):
This multi-purpose, heavy-duty small-caliber suppressor works great on pistols and rifles chambered in .22 LR, .22 WMR, .17 HMR, 5.7×28, and similar calibers. It is user serviceable and may be taken completely apart. The 22 TAKE DOWN is 5.6 inches long by one inch in diameter and weighs 5.9 ounces. The 22 TAKE DOWN has 17-4 stainless baffles and a Grade 9 titanium tube. The 22 TAKE DOWN suppresses the typical .22 LR rifle down to approx 114-116 dB.
Bowers Paradigm – $395 (EST):
These wonderful little cans are small, very high performance .22 LR silencers for pistols and rifles. The Bowers Group Paradigm .22 silencer is machined primarily from billet aluminum and comes standard with an ATAS™ mount and one included insert of your choice.
CGS Hydra – $300 (EST):
3.53 ounces. Aside from being the weight of a standard deck of cards, it is also how light the Hydra suppressor from Chaos Gear Supply (CGS) is. As far as silencers go, it does not get much lighter than this groundbreaking .22LR rimfire unit. Needless to say, its maneuverability is unmatched. Moreover, its ease of disassembly makes the Hydra’s maintenance beyond convenient, which affords more time actually running the can instead of cleaning it.
Innovative Arms Slingshot Micro – $400-$480 (EST):
Coming in at only 3.9″ the SLINGSHOT MICRO is constructed with a Stainless Steel outer tube body and a one piece monocore that’s machined from billet stainless steel bar stock. The core design and durable material choices allow the SLINGSHOT MICRO to be .22lr full auto rated and can also be used with multiple rounds, such as .17HMR, .17 Mach II, .22 Magnum and 5.7 x 28. Maintenance is a piece of cake. The SLINGSHOT MICRO has only three parts, that’s it! Just unscrew the retaining nut and pull the core out. The colors options are Black, OD Green, Flat Dark Earth or Brushed Stainless.
The SLINGSHOT MICRO is available with a Titanium outer tube bodyand also in the 4.5″ full-size for optimal sound suppression. The Titanium Slingshot Micro has the option of staying the natural titanium color.
Davinci Arms Bambino – $340 (EST):
The Bambino suppressor from DaVinci Arms is their super-tough rimfire unit created from the evolution of the team’s baffle technology developed during a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant awarded by the U.S. Navy. This silencer is manufactured to withstand any/all abuse that you can muster, so put it to the test during your next gun-run visit. Moreover, its ease of maintenance is assured due to the retention/takedown tool being built into the pioneering design of the can.
Based in Ludlow, MA, DaVinci Arms is an up-and-coming silencer manufacturer that has ties to the U.S. Navy, which their parent company (FloDesign) initially developed an M4 integral suppressor system for in 2008. Employing cutting-edge ideas, the Bambino option is a new addition to the rimfire category.
