Is it folly to bother with anything else but the 10/22? I’m starting with that assumption, and it isn’t a complaint, I’m just wondering if there’s any “I can’t believe I didn’t know about this other one” type choice out there. I keep thinking an SBR’ed Ruger Charger would actually be the way to go, and a whole barrel of giggles, but that’s basically the same platform, just a barrel length question.

Oh, the can will be a B&T Tiger 22 whenever the shutdown ends and the ATF gets to me. Three days ahead of the shutdown wasn’t enough time to squeak this one in.

Is the purpose just to make noise (well, not make noise ) or is it shooting for some specific purpose? If the latter, most specific purposes involve at least some degree of precision and accuracy, and unless one is willing to upgrade a 10/22 to the point that it’s hardly a classic 10/22 any longer, there are bolt action rifles available these days that will usually produce better results. Ones that come to my mind are Bergara, CZ, and Tikka. There are many online video reviews of the three, and the forum has a couple of relatively recent threads that offer some discussion:

https://sigforum.com/eve/forum...0601935/m/3560077615
https://sigforum.com/eve/forum...0601935/m/4070042615

This one is fun --> https://hk-usa.com/product/hk416-22-lr-rifle/

I have the earlier/original Quard-Rail version, which I purchased as a Christmas Gift in 2011 for my now 21 YO son. It is a legit replica, and sports genuine HK furniture; Adjustable Stock and Pistol Grip. I removed the Flash Hider and replaced it with a threaded adapter (purchased from HK Parts) to mount a Silencerco Sparrow.

In stock for $449.99 here --> https://www.cdnnsports.com/hk-416-22lr-rifle.html

I got my first suppressor last month. Rugged Oculus 22 (ordered 9/4 from Capitol Armory, delivered to my door via UPS 9/26). I didn't have any threaded 22's so I put a factory threaded barrel on my 10/22. Very fun. Very quiet. You get more noise from the pop coming out of the ejection port and the cycling of the action than you do from the business end. Wanting something a little quieter I put a CZ 457 Scout on layaway. Threaded 16.5" barrel with iron sights. I have a CZ 457 Lux and it is a beautiful rifle but the barrel isn't threaded. The scout should be fun.

My 10/22.

I put my Mask on my CZ 457, "Tick" is all you hear.

Ok if your goal is quiet plinking for fun (i.e. shooting misc. stuff with modest requriements for accuracy or range) then the best answer is an AR in .22lr. and the really best answer is slapping a short barreled one on your SBR lowers.
It really doesn't get much better than that.
Everybody who shoots mine is happy and I still smile every time I pull the trigger thousands of rounds later. It runs well enough and accurate enough to use in steel plates and steel challange for fun competitions.
The 10/22 is another option due to the aftermarket which lets you turn it into anything you want, but there is one aftermarket that's much bigger and better. And getting a short barrel on 10/22 is a bit of a project as you note. Build a real .22lr AR upper not a conversion gun. 7-8" barrel to have a decent handguard (I won't do the full explanation but burying the suppressor while doable is annoying for maintenance). I mostly run the BDMachine mags with good luck, but there are others that run as well. I promise you will be happy.

NOW if your goal has some aspect of precision or range in it you want a bolt action .22lr. For example around here they regularily play this 300y .22lr game on small steel plates. I have several CZ's and can vouch for them across at least a half dozen examples. I have friends with the bergara who are equally happy. Sigfreund can vouch for the Tikka in this caliber. any of them will be fine unless you have some very specific and weird requirement.

I have a B&T 22 which I guess is the same as the Tiger now but was half the price then. I use it on my Savage MkII FV-SR bolt action. The only aspects of the rifle I don't like are the flimsy stock and magazines, but otherwise it's a very inexpensive and quiet setup. I shoot lefty and it's light enough to be held to my shoulder with my left hand on the grip/trigger and cycling the bolt with my right hand, so I'm not interested in making it heavier with a proper stock, and there's a more expensive target/varmint version if you want a better stock from the factory. Dispatched several groundhogs and squirrels around the house using it as well, which is why I emphasize the noise level - I shoot CCI subsonic .22LR in a few flavors through it, and my auto guns struggle to cycle on those loads. I would compare it to a normal handheld staple gun in sound level.


Taking it to the range is always worth a laugh. With hearing protection on it's almost inaudible, and so to someone a lane or two away on an active range it looks like you're shooting a silent rifle

I have a Ruger 10-22 that hosts a can, it’s fairly quiet.

I also have a savage MKII bolt 22. And it is Hollywood quiet. With subsonic ammo the impact is louder than me moving the bolt-where the ruger has a pop due to the action.

I agree with Mike. My savage MKII is Hollywood quiet, the firing pin striking the rim is louder than the report, as is the bullet ripping through the paper target down range.
You get more pop with a semi, but the 10/22 is the perennial favorite

I have two rifles in 22lr I really like. One is an M&P15 22 that’s an SBR. It started life as a braced pistol from S&W. Second is a CZ 457, it’s a tack driver. Both are loads of fun and reliable.

Ruger Charger, 10” barrel, Mack Brothers Tango can, FastFire 3 RDS, Franklin binary trigger…one of the most enjoyable contraptions I have to turn .22LR into smiles!

My Savage MKII is a treat!
Dropped mine in a Boyd’s Varmint stock and have a Nikon rimfire scope.
It is an absolute treat and cost less than $500 with the scope and stock.

I also have a braced Ruger charger with a Kidd barrel in a niece little PMACA aluminum chassis

Thanks for all the replies. There's some good points and suggestions I hadn't considered, that's why I asked.

To clarify a bit more, I guess it makes sense to say what I already have as far as .22's.

Model 52 with Lyman globe sights.
Winchester 9422.
Ruger 10/22 standard.

I can do a lot of ".22 things" with these, but I can't do "suppressed .22 things" with them. None of these have a threaded barrel, nor would I do such a thing to the first two. I guess I could just swap out a threaded barrel on the 10/22, but... it almost makes more sense to just buy something that's just meant to be suppressed.

For my purpose, I'm not looking to see what kind of groups I can print at 300 yards or anything of the like. The purpose is general plinking, and target shooting and rifleman skills development with my son. I'm almost thinking that a bolt action would be the best for this. I have sworn off CZ, so I will look into the other options.

I really, really do like the idea of an SBR'ed Ruger Charger with a really short barrel, a folding 1913 stock, and some sort of compact low power variable optic like a 1-3 or so. I think for a backpacker/plinker setup, that would be a total gigglefest. Tell me it wouldn't! You'd be wrong.

Email sent

Saw this one locally.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Z06,

Given your situation I can't imagine why you don't just get a threaded barrel for the 10/22 you already have for openers. aftermarket can be found for under $100 if you shop around and the factory ruger one (that's what I use) is around $130. Now your shooting while you gather money and parts for what's next.
As for something to spend real money on I just don't see the attraction of the charger as a real sbr. But maybe when they are free it really won't matter much (I'm still not convinced that is going to happen). With a brace ok now you have a barrel length that makes sense for your suppressed 10/22. As my wife says I have an addiction problem and .22's are one of the areas with a whold bunch of them, and still the one that is the most fun to me is the ar one. Maybe its my attraction to that platform in general, but even in this caliber I think its fantastic.
YMMV of course, as for me I have SBR lowers so its just an upper build.

I'm very much on your wavelength here, so a few comments from experience. I have a 10/22 with a threaded lightweight bull barrel and 3-9 scope. It was my first .22 I suppressed, it is handy and lightweight, but the problem I run into is the mags get fouled really quickly, and I basically have to clean them after every range session or else they just don't work. But, this is my wife's single favorite gun.

I'm also down on your Charger vibe and have a build that is almost done (albeit with a folding brace). The thing I ran into is I wanted the look a of shorter barrel and the can being semi-recessed into the chassis. But... all 10/22 chassis are based around a 0.94" bull barrel while suppressors are typically 1.0" or larger. So, I've had to bubba-gunsmith my chassis with a Dremel. I just need to finish painting the thing and take it out to the range.

Now, as many above indicate, there is something special about a bolt action .22 suppressed. I went with a Ruger American Rimfire, because I could get it threaded with iron sights. I replaced the sights with some nice target peeps and a new wood stock. Now, that is fun.

quote:

Originally posted by hrcjon:
Given your situation I can't imagine why you don't just get a threaded barrel for the 10/22 you already have for openers. aftermarket can be found for under $100 if you shop around and the factory ruger one (that's what I use) is around $130. Now your shooting while you gather money and parts for what's next.

Yeah, totally reasonable. I do also have a High Tower Armory P-90 chassis I stumbled into years ago that I've never put the thing in. It has a mock suppressor shroud that would totally cover a barrel with a can mounted. Sounds like a goofy setup as I type it, yes, but it could also be a fun way to build a trainer up for my son to mess around with, since there's also a real suppressed PS90 SBR in the stable. Yeah, $100ish to just be shooting suppressed .22 and figure out the next move doesn't sound bad to me.

quote:

Originally posted by hrcjon:
As for something to spend real money on I just don't see the attraction of the charger as a real sbr.

Admittedly, I have some unusual tastes in firearms. I like my space guns, I like some funky fringe stuff. A suppressed or even integral Charger of some sort just seems fun to me. Silly compact, quiet. I dunno, just seems fun.

quote:

Originally posted by hrcjon:
YMMV of course, as for me I have SBR lowers so its just an upper build.

No, I get it. I've also had the thought that I need to put together a dedicated .22 upper. I have two SBR lowers and hate shooting unsuppressed these days, so the 6933 just sits in the safe. The last time I shot an 11.5" 5.56 unsuppressed, it was jarring. I think I could be totally ok with setting up a little shorty suppressed .22 of some sort. I had already been thinking about just sticking my .22 conversion in that upper and leaving it.

quote:

Originally posted by Shackelford:
[...]the problem I run into is the mags get fouled really quickly, and I basically have to clean them after every range session or else they just don't work.

Definitely something to consider. I know .22 is filthy, but hadn't really thought about it. I guess I'll be using my ultrasonic a lot more.

quote:

Originally posted by Shackelford:
I'm also down on your Charger vibe and have a build that is almost done (albeit with a folding brace). The thing I ran into is I wanted the look a of shorter barrel and the can being semi-recessed into the chassis. But... all 10/22 chassis are based around a 0.94" bull barrel while suppressors are typically 1.0" or larger. So, I've had to bubba-gunsmith my chassis with a Dremel.

Also something I hadn't really considered. Looks like the Tiger is 1.2" in diameter, so some fitting may be in my future. Hmmmm.

quote:

Originally posted by Shackelford:
Now, as many above indicate, there is something special about a bolt action .22 suppressed.

I've done very little of it, but the bit I have done, it wasn't really any louder than dry firing.

I did all that talking about not having any interest in precision rimfire shooting, and then I go and bring home a PRS rifle. Now I'm looking at Bergara .22 bolt guns. I guess the punchline is I really don't know what the hell I want, I just like shooting, and especially enjoy shooting suppressed. The idea of going out in the desert and doing some ultra-quiet plinking at longer ranges for cheap is suddenly very appealing.

I built up a charger from a Brownells BRN-22 receiver, a beyer 6" aluminum barrel, and an AGP folding pistol stock.

Mine looks like this, but has the shorter handguard for short bull barrels. It's an UGLY 40$ option. AGP crap looks home-made by the way. I only like it because it wasn't $400 like some other chassis out there.

https://agparms.com/agp-arms-l...gned-for-22-charger/

I've gone averse to posting pics of my guns. I put a holosun RMR style dot(it's the cheapo that PSA sells) on it.

Internals are all Ruger and it's really fun. It's a small handy package that shoulders quickly and just works.

I also have a 16" CZ452 American bolt action that I have enjoyed for a long time. I would LOVE to find someone that can chop it down to 10" or so. Would be the ultimate in handy+quiet+accurate.

My latest wish-gun is a short bolt action 9mm with a 10" or so barrel that I can use with my Alaskan. Nobody makes a bolt action 9mm, but with the popularity of cans as of late, I'm sure one is coming.

It's funny, with all of the retarded legislation from my retarded state government, all of my attention has been on building up AR platforms. If my state was actually free, all I'd be interested in right now would be quirky manual action guns with suppressors.