View Full Version : Compare and Contrast .22 Supressors.
I would like to hear what someone thinks of the Huntertown Arms g22 and how they sound on a Ruger 22/45 mk3. Compared to other cans you have bought.
I have no idea, but I'll share with you my reasoning when it came to selection of a .22 suppressor:
After the initial excitement of looking at the dB ratings of a bazillion .22 suppressors, I decided to be pragmatic and realistic. First step was to acknowledge that my day job wasn't being a secret mall-ninja assassin. This led me to the realization that quietness, though important, wasn't the only thing to consider so I started to look at maintenance as well.
This caused me to settle on the SilencerCo Sparrow (https://silencerco.com/silencers/sparrow-22/). It graces my Ruger MkII most of the time, especially when I have a very nervous student - I get them started, then take it off and it's just a baby step. Then we move on the to the .460 S&W Magnum (kidding).
I find the Sparrow very quiet and it's a piece of cake to disassemble. I'm sure there are quieter suppressors out there, but the Sparrow is an excellent balance of sound vs. maintainability.
Yhea, it probably costs a bit more, but in this case you get what you pay for.
O2
I have an AAC Pilot 2 if I were to do it again I would have gone with a sparrow. It just feels like better quality
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I’d get one that can be used on 22lr 22 mag maybe even a 17hmr
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
TBAC 22TD , Recoil did a suppressor shoot out with rimfire cans and no suprise it was #1 .
Batteriesnare
03-07-2018, 14:19
I've used a Sparrow and the new TBAC TD version on a MkIII 22/45 and the new MK IVs. I like the Sparrow a lot on rifles, not super great on pistols due to its weight and FRP compared to other cans.
The TBAC TD is one of the best .22 cans out there right now, right alongside the Dead Air Mask, especially for handguns. FRP is negligible (compared to a Sparrow which is extremely noticeable), and takedown and cleaning is simple.
If I were in the market, I'd go for the Mask or TBAC. If forced to chose, I'd take the TBAC over the DA without hesitation.
SouthPaw
03-07-2018, 14:30
Love my Spectre II
Great-Kazoo
03-07-2018, 15:56
I would like to hear what someone thinks of the Huntertown Arms g22 and how they sound on a Ruger 22/45 mk3. Compared to other cans you have bought.
You should do more internet searching about them. Took me 1x to find this, combined with some previous reviews of crappy CS etc.
http://www.guns.com/2018/01/03/huntertown-arms-closes-shop-due-to-softness-in-suppressor-market/
on their website says that production, repairs, sales, and upgrades are halted but cautions that those whose suppressors are currently being serviced will be completed and returned.
Wolfshoon
03-07-2018, 18:51
HunterTown is closing shop eh? I almost bought one of their integral 10/22 barrels. So glad I went with screw-on cans I can use on any host.
.22 is the best round to suppress easily, for Subsonic loads. That said, they get DIRTY DIRTY DIRTY and literally pack up the innards with lead and carbon, so a can that can be EASILY disassembled for cleaning is a must. Almost all 22 cans can be taken apart, but the design features to do this vary across brands and it matters. That carbon/lead buildup will make taking a can apart very difficult to impossible for conventional "K" baffled suppressors. The easiest to clean and take apart are the click together cup type baffles that slide as an assembled stack into/out the can.
Can material construction is also a BIG DEAL! Aluminum should not be used for a .22 can, period *. Here is where I get all sorts of crap of "my alum can works great and never has problems and does this this and this wonderfully adn is very lightweight". That is fine for you, I'm sorry you made the wrong choice. .22 Cans should be make out of stainless steel, inconel, titanium, stellite or steel. Aluminum construction rules out one of the most popular means of cleaning, using a ultrasonic cleaner. A ultrasonic cleaner can be used on alum IF the proper cleaning solution is used and you dont care about the finish. It will destroy a nicely polished or anodised surface in a fairly short order and it will look like micro-pitting on the surface. http://www.zenith-ultrasonics.com/ultrasonic_damage.htm . Plus, aluminum expands at a much quicker rate than steels, leads to sealing problems with prolonged firing. Third, it is softer and more susceptible to cracking and getting dents. 4th, it will corrode faster in the nasty environment of a suppressor. You are essentially buying an NFA item for your lifetime, pick one that will last the test of time. Cheaping out on $$$ here is not a good longterm decision.
I have a sico sparrow , spectreII and have a Dead Air Mask in jail. All 3 of these cans have stainless or better materials in there construction.
Cleaning: 3 methods, chemical agents, mechanical hand cleaning, or ultrasonic. I refuse to make "The Dip" cleaning chemical solution as it creates a nasty toxic waste goo called lead acetate which is a nightmare to properly dispose of. I've used a couple of commercial ultrasonic cleaners, they do ok but you again have a lead contaminated liquid to clean up, but at least it isnt classified as toxic waste. I've gone to cleaning everything by hand with some custom made scrapers and standard brushes and picks. I absolutely hate cleaning the sparrow. It's a lot tougher to mechanically clean with hand tools or brushes since it is a monocore design and it's always a 5-6 attempts of trial and error to get it put back together with the sleeve properly clocked and lined up. Cleaning and re-assembling the SpectreII is way easier, even more so once I made a couple tools to mechanically scrape carbon/lead out of the baffles. I re-assemble the baffles with a coating of silver anti-seize, that made cleaning a lot easier since the carbon/lead buildup doesnt stick as strongly now.
I get first round pop out of the sparrow, not noticeable in the spectre. Sparrow looks cooler, slightly lighter and is an inch shorter. I get less POI shift with the spectre, almost none.
I was on the the fence weather or not to get the TBAC, another spectreII or the Mask as they were the top 3 choices for my criteria (my criteria = click cups, Stainless or better metal, no FRP, minimal POI change, weight, size). Mask went on sale, solved that problem.
*I do have a pistol caliber can with an aluminum sleeve, but it doesnt get subjected to the cleaning a .22 can does. IF I were to do it over, I'd get one with a Ti or SS sleeve.
Great-Kazoo
03-07-2018, 23:01
Interesting.
I've been running a TAC-65 with Al K baffles for some time. Disassemble after use, run in ultrasonic cleaner using Hoppes #9 for 10 min. Rinse in fresh water, air dry then light lube of PB blaster with wipe down after . The cylinder gets internal cleaning with same gun cleaner and nylon brush. Light coating of 30w syn oil on threads and put away till next outing. The outer finish is immaterial to me, it's a gun part not a beauty contest.
I have no idea, but I'll share with you my reasoning when it came to selection of a .22 suppressor:
After the initial excitement of looking at the dB ratings of a bazillion .22 suppressors, I decided to be pragmatic and realistic. First step was to acknowledge that my day job wasn't being a secret mall-ninja assassin. This led me to the realization that quietness, though important, wasn't the only thing to consider so I started to look at maintenance as well.
This caused me to settle on the SilencerCo Sparrow (https://silencerco.com/silencers/sparrow-22/). It graces my Ruger MkII most of the time, especially when I have a very nervous student - I get them started, then take it off and it's just a baby step. Then we move on the to the .460 S&W Magnum (kidding).
I find the Sparrow very quiet and it's a piece of cake to disassemble. I'm sure there are quieter suppressors out there, but the Sparrow is an excellent balance of sound vs. maintainability.
Yhea, it probably costs a bit more, but in this case you get what you pay for.
O2
Made me chuckle a little. I have had one noobie girl shoot the .44 mag. Only because her husband was too chicken to try it. Some soft loaded .44 spl in my ruger super black hawk with 7 inch barrel. I'm sure it was as pleasant to shoot for her as it was for me. Her husband was going to get the Hornady or Buffalo Bore .44 mags though. It talks smack about my mustang and thinks honda are the best. I agree in powerwashers and generators for sure, not on the road though. Tee Hee.
You should do more internet searching about them. Took me 1x to find this, combined with some previous reviews of crappy CS etc.
http://www.guns.com/2018/01/03/huntertown-arms-closes-shop-due-to-softness-in-suppressor-market/
on their website says that production, repairs, sales, and upgrades are halted but cautions that those whose suppressors are currently being serviced will be completed and returned.
I haven't googled them in a while. At least since 2016 when I put it in jail. This must have just happened? However, this was my first attempt at NFA stuff so I wanted the cheap route. Mistakes were bound to happen.
I do sometimes use the ultrasonic cleaner that I picked up from HF. The one with a 5 minute timer. It seems to work great on jewelry. I will have to be careful with the can and hand clean it. I only use Dawn as a cleaner. It does the job without damage. Simple Green is a second choice. I only have some since that is what those guys in all the ATI videos use. Its a whole new world. Depending on when they send back the paperwork?
I have a Dead Air Mask and Gemtech Outback II. Both are easy to clean and quiet for my purposes. I throw the baffles in my tumbler and they come out clean. If I was only going to have one, it would be the Mask.
Great-Kazoo
03-08-2018, 08:41
I do sometimes use the ultrasonic cleaner that I picked up from HF. The one with a 5 minute timer. It seems to work great on jewelry. I will have to be careful with the can and hand clean it. I only use Dawn as a cleaner. It does the job without damage. Simple Green is a second choice. I only have some since that is what those guys in all the ATI videos use. Its a whole new world. Depending on when they send back the paperwork?
Avoid simple green with Al.
So from what you guys are telling me the G22 from huntertown is going to fail and I will have to have it repaired at some point. It doesn't sound like I will be able to fix it myself or joe the local gun smith. How would I get it fixed?
Or say its a total loss how does something get removed from the NFA?
Wolfshoon
03-08-2018, 16:24
Avoid simple green with Al.
This^^^^ at all costs, avoid simple green with aluminum.
Simple green + alum piston for go kart rebuild + industrial ultrasonic cleaner at work = first alum part I destroyed in an ultrasonic cleaner. Since I wasn't smart enough to learn from the mistake the first time, it got repeated a couple more times before I researched why my various parts were ruined. We clean all sorts of hydraulic servo valve parts and guys are constantly cleaning their personal stuff like bike chains and jewelry. Problem is all that stuff was steel or non-reactive metals and done in short time intervals with the built in timer on the unit. Pop in a part in for a full overnight excursion and the results were a even black coating over the entire piston and once that was wiped or scuffed off the surface was completely pitted. The custom JE piston and VKE connecting rod were ruined and the most expensive things to replace in the Tecumseh Motorsports kart motor outside of the crank. Simple green is a citric acid cleaner, acids like to etch aluminum.
Finally read the instruction book for the ultrasonic at work and there was a big cautionary section on what can be cleaned without damage using which cleaners. I'll try to find that book, but that happened 15 years ago.
Wolfshoon
03-08-2018, 16:43
So from what you guys are telling me the G22 from huntertown is going to fail and I will have to have it repaired at some point. It doesn't sound like I will be able to fix it myself or joe the local gun smith. How would I get it fixed?
Or say its a total loss how does something get removed from the NFA?
You should be fine, hopefully. Sounds like you are all ready committed to it so just treat it well and use good cleaning techniques and make sure parts are dry before re-assembly. Don't use if for a hammer or prybar or get it wet without cleaning it after. 22 cans are a lot of fun
Repairing or working on NFA parts is another barrel of monkeys, and I don't have answers there. There was a can sent in for repair to a different manufacturer a few years ago, and that manufacturer pulled out all the guts and replaced with their current design back into the tube and the ATF went absolute bananas over that, saying that it would require new serial # and lots of rules were violated. However, current designs allow modular assembly and different thread/mount sections and different front caps, so probably best to talk to a SOT that can manufacture title 2 parts to find out what can and cannot be done.
EDIT ADD: found old threads relating to the "Gem-tax" where AAC "repaired" a competing customer's can with new AAC internals, Gemtech got butthurt , pointed fingers and the ATF brewha started : http://www.silencertalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=66692 and http://fnforum.net/forums/sbr-suppressors-nfa-items/33979-suppressor-damaged-3.html (http://fnforum.net/forums/sbr-suppressors-nfa-items/33979-suppressor-damaged-3.html)
I use an Axiom on my .22lr and really enjoy it.
Love my Spectre II
I love both of my Spectre II's [Tooth]
Acetylcholine
04-02-2018, 08:21
Dead Air Mask is my go-to for 22. It’s a great design, great materials, she’s quiet and easy to use on different platforms. I cant say enough about it. These cans get dirty! Like several other said above, clean it regularly and you will have years of enjoyment out of it.
I was told when I got my .22 suppressor to not clean it what ever I do. The folks at the shop had seen someone ruin one from cleaning it I think was the explanation. I'm seeing lots of conflicting advice here in terms of that. I've had mine for several years and put many 1000s of rounds through it and never cleaned it once. Granted I have the thunderbeast L-1 which is sealed, don't know how I'd clean it either way. Is this advice specific to my suppressor? Was the advice completely wrong?
Yes they are wrong , 50/50 hydrogen peroxide and white vinegar and soak it , rinse and repeat untill clean . Be forewarned that it is nasty shit after it reacts with the lead in the can and needs to be treated accordingly . Call TBAC and they can talk you through it or they can do the cleaning for you .
Welp, now my list of chores just got one item longer.
Wolfshoon
04-02-2018, 15:16
I was told when I got my .22 suppressor to not clean it what ever I do. The folks at the shop had seen someone ruin one from cleaning it I think was the explanation. I'm seeing lots of conflicting advice here in terms of that. I've had mine for several years and put many 1000s of rounds through it and never cleaned it once. Granted I have the thunderbeast L-1 which is sealed, don't know how I'd clean it either way. Is this advice specific to my suppressor? Was the advice completely wrong?
Which shop was that Izzy, they have no idea what they are doing if that is the advice they give. True, ultrasonics can destroy aluminum, but to not clean is asking for trouble.
SpectreII after about 1200 rds:
https://i.imgur.com/EADefp1.jpg
Wolfshoon
04-02-2018, 15:22
Eventually a .22 can will plug up if not cleaned! I refuse to mix peroxide and vinegar as it makes a hazmat material that is very toxic to both you and the environment. I either mechanically clean (hence the tools I made that work well) or use a ultrasonic cleaner. Hand cleaning is faster, less than 15 minutes now
Tools I made to clean it easier, the pointed tool gets both the cups and cones clean and the barrels hold the cups securely making them easy to separate without damage:
https://i.imgur.com/EMsPNhb.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/5uIU2u3.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/7v76kEz.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/ZRz00Wn.jpg
I just read the following post on the TBAC site and it confirms, for the most part, what's being said here.
https://thunderbeastarms.com/forum/threads/do-i-need-to-clean-my-suppressor-how-often.4/#post-11
The rimfire suppressors will collect some carbon/lead/wax buildup over long periods of time, but most people will never see any performance impact because of this. A moderately fouled .22 suppressor is usually quieter than a totally clean one, too. Eventually, you will see the weight of the suppressor increase slightly due to accumulated fouling. Long after this, you might be able to tell a difference in suppression due to decreased volume, but it will take a huge number of rounds to get to that point.
Unlike suppressors made of some other materials, our all-titanium silencers can be cleaned very effectively without taking them apart, by using one of two methods: (1) drop it in an ultrasonic cleaner for a few minutes, alternating with soaking the inside with ZEP, or (2) use the widely-known "vinegar and peroxide" method. Both of these will clean anything out that's in the suppressor.
For what it's worth, I never clean my personal or "demo" suppressors, even when shooting matches throughout the year.
TBAC 22TD , Recoil did a suppressor shoot out with rimfire cans and no suprise it was #1 .
I've only shot the one a bit, but love my TBAC 22TD.
DangerLee gave me a good deal on it too.
kidicarus13
04-02-2018, 20:28
Avoid simple green with Al.The Silencer Shop says, "Based on our experiences, we’ve found the most effective and safest method is also the easiest: Simple Green, a handy toothbrush, and a reliable toothpick for the stubborn spots."
https://www.silencershop.com/blog/post/how-to-clean-my-silencer
Undilute Simple Green, Greased Lightning, etc. have etching acids in them that is not good for anodized aluminum. Combine with ultrasonic cleaning and you're likely to damage the finish.
Just cause silencershop says so, don't make it true.
Pretty sure my can is made out of titanium. Do the chemicals that are mentioned as hurting aluminum affect titanium the same way?
TBAC L1 is all Ti and would be ok but those cleaners won't react with the lead deposits the same way that the peroxide / vinegar will .
And obviously since it is a sealed can you can't scrub with a tooth brush like is recommended above .
Any of the acidic cleaners like Simple Green , Purple Power , CLR , etc. are not recommended for aluminum and some stainless steels also .
Really the easiest thing to do is call TBAC and they will answer all your questions and explain the process start to finish or like said previously they can do the cleaning for you . At one time they would clean your can for no charge but shipping once a year , I do not know for sure if this is still the policy and you should contact them to be sure .
Thanks again. They will still clean if for just the cost of shipping once a year. I'll either clean it my self or send it in eventually. My list of firearms chores is so long right now that this probably won't happen for quite a while.
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.3 Copyright © 2025 vBulletin Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.