22 Mag Suppressors: Your Tool for Optimal Shooting

Even though the 22 Magnum is a small cartridge, it packs quite the punch into such a compact case.

Shooters who use the 22 Magnum are often doing high-quantity varmint or pest control. When you’re shooting a lot of rounds in a short period of time, the repeated report from the gunshots can be incredibly harmful to your hearing – yes, even from a “small” cartridge like the 22 Magnum.

As such, it’s a good idea to add a suppressor to your 22 Magnum before you head out to shoot it again. In this post, we’ll go over everything you need to know about making an informed decision before you decide which suppressor is right for you.

Here’s what we’re going to cover:

• Understanding the 22 Magnum
• The 22 Magnum Cartridge
• Is Suppressing the 22 Worth It?
• What to Look for in a 22 Magnum Suppressor
• Top Suppressor Models for the 22 Magnum
• Things to Consider When Buying a Suppressor
• Suppressors are an NFA Item
• The Silencer Central Buying Process
• Enhance Your Shooting –Shop 22 Magnum Suppressors Now!

Understanding the 22 Magnum

There have been a wide variety of .22-caliber cartridges over the years. From the anemic .22 Short blackpowder rounds of the 1850s all the way up to the 22 Magnum and beyond, this little caliber has come a long way.

The 22 Magnum has proven itself to be a popular choice in rifles, revolvers, and combination guns.

The 22 Magnum Cartridge

What is commonly called the 22 Magnum is actually the 22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire, or 22 WMR for short. It dates to the late 1950s, but gained popularity in the 1960s as more guns were chambered for it.

The 22 Magnum cartridge case is bigger than the 22LR, both in length and diameter. This allows for more powder and higher internal case pressure, resulting in a bullet that’s faster and more powerful than the 22LR.

Is Suppressing the 22 Worth It?

Without a shadow of a doubt, suppressing guns that shoot .22-caliber bullets is absolutely worth it. In fact, they’re probably worth it the most because they have the most potential for being the absolute quietest.

Aside from unrivaled sound suppression, using a suppressor with these small rounds gives you even less recoil than before. Granted, rimfire rounds don’t have a ton of recoil to begin with, but that’s the point here. If you’re introducing a new shooter to the sport, less recoil is always a good thing to ensure that they have a good time and want to shoot again and again!

What to Look for in a 22 Magnum Suppressor

Choosing the right 22 Magnum suppressor involves a lot of different factors, but two of the most important are caliber compatibility and overall design.

When it comes to the 22 Magnum, caliber compatibility is incredibly important because not all .22-caliber cartridges are the same. While all .22-caliber suppressors can handle .22LR, not all are rated for 22 Magnum. Of course, all of the ones on this list can do it, but make sure you’re checking the compatibility.

Rimfire suppressors are designed to come apart for cleaning because the ammo is inherently dirty, so make sure you know how the components go together so that you can be sure that you’re not buying something that will be a huge pain to disassemble and reassemble.

Category	Name	Caliber	Weight	Length	Price
Best Overall	BANISH 22	Up to 5.7 x 28	4.4 oz	5.375"	$549
Shortest	SilencerCo Switchback 22	Up to 5.7 x 28	3.7 oz to 6.9 oz	2.8" to 5.75"	$539
Most Durable	Rugged Oculus22	Up to 5.7 x 28	4.3 oz or 6.9 oz	3.75" or 5.75"	$515
Most Affordable	SilencerCo Sparrow	Up to 5.7 x 28	6.5 oz	5.08"	$349
Easiest Maintenance	Dead Air Mask	Up to 5.7 x 28	6.6 oz	5.1"	$469

Top Suppressor Models for the 22 Magnum

Caliber compatibility is just one of the many things that goes into choosing the top suppressor for the 22 Magnum. We look at overall price, build quality, host gun compatibility, price, and more.

Without further ado, here are out picks for the top suppressor models for the 22 Magnum.

Best Overall: BANISH 22

The BANISH 22 suppressor is designed for use with rimfire pistols and rifles chambered in .22 caliber and smaller. This includes .22 Magnum, .17HMR, and even 5.7×28. It’s even rated for full-auto!

The BANISH 22 is made of lightweight titanium, weighs just 4.4 oz, is 1” in diameter, and is only 5 ⅜” long. Tests have shown that the BANISH 22 brings sound down to about 120 decibels, which is just 10 decibels more than a BB-gun. Essentially, this is as close to “Hollywood quiet” as you can get.

The BANISH 22 was designed specifically to maximize your time shooting and minimize your time cleaning. Inside the tube are eight baffles that are engineered for a precise fit to keep lead debris and carbon buildup at an absolute minimum. This prevents the debris and buildup from reaching the tube, which causes components to fuse together.

If you’re looking for the perfect first-time silencer purchase, the BANISH 22 is a great option. It’s ideal for varmint shooting, small game hunting, target practice, and more.

Advantages:

• Design is less susceptible to first-round pop
• Titanium construction is super lightweight
• Great sound suppression

Disadvantages:

• Not modular in length

BANISH 22 Specs:

• Caliber: Up to 5.7×28
• Weight: 4.4 oz
• Length: 5.375″
• Price: $549

Shortest: SilencerCo Switchback 22

According to SilencerCo, the design for the Switchback 22 was “inspired by technology used in rocket and jet propulsion, when oriented in one direction the front section exhibits the most competitive sound reduction on the market for pistols, but when the orientation is flipped the result is unprecedented sound reduction on rifles.”

Tests for the Switchback 22 show that the report is brought down to as low as 108 decibels in its long configuration on a rifle, and down to 142 decibels in its short configuration on a pistol.

The Switchback 22 can be configured at 2 ½”, 3.59”, or 5 ¾”, is just 1.07” in diameter, and weighs 3.2, 4.3, or 6.5 ounces.

Like the BANISH 22, the Switchback 22 can be used on calibers as small as .17WSM and .17HMR and up to the 5.7×28 cartridge. As an extra bonus, it’s rated for full-auto fire, so go ahead and send it!

Since rimfire ammo is notoriously dirty, the ability to completely disassemble this suppressor is a big plus. Instead of using solvents or foams and hoping that you get all the nooks and crannies clean inside a sealed suppressor, the SilencerCo Switchback can be taken completely apart.

Advantages:

• Three different lengths for ultimate modularity
• Fantastic sound suppression
• Incredibly short and light in smallest configuration

Disadvantages:

• Tied for heaviest on the list

SilencerCo Switchback 22 Specs:

• Caliber: Up to 5.7×28
• Weight: 3.7 oz to 6.9 oz
• Length: 2.8″ to 5.75″
• Price: $539

Most Durable: Rugged Oculus22

Constructed from 100% 17-4 stainless steel, the Rugged Oculus22 is extremely durable and capable of being cleaned by almost any cleaning method. You don’t have to worry about solvent interaction if you choose to use an ultrasonic cleaner instead of elbow grease.

Equipped with Rugged’s ADAPT modular technology, that means that you don’t have to choose between a long 22 caliber suppressor and a short one. You can switch it up depending on your needs. Go longer with 22 Magnum and shorter with .22LR to optimize the size-to-sound ratio.

This Oculus22 has baffles with indexing tabs for a repeatable return to zero after cleaning. The keyed baffles create a gas seal to prevent carbon and gas build-up.

The Oculus22 is belt-fed rated for .22LR and is full-auto rated for 5.7x28mm to 22 Magnum.

Advantages:

• Stainles steel construction is extremely durable
• Modular design
• No discernable first-round pop in full configuration

Disadvantages:

• Tied for heaviest on the list

Rugged Oculus22 Specs:

• Caliber: Up to 5.7×28
• Weight: 4.3 oz or 6.9 oz
• Length: 3.75″ or 5.75″
• Price: $515

Most Affordable: SilencerCo Sparrow

SilencerCo’s Sparrow is super simple, which also makes it super affordable. Inside is a monolithic core baffle covered with two half tubes that cover and separate it from the outer tube. This design helps the core stay as clean as possible to prevent buildup or fusion – it also makes it easier and less expensive to manufacture.

Tests for the Sparrow show that the report is brought down to 112 decibels, which is also just a tiny amount louder than a BB gun.

Like most .22-caliber suppressors, the Sparrow is small. It is only 5.08” long, is just 1.06” in diameter, and weighs 6.5 ounces.

You’re not limited just to .22s here since the Sparrow can be used on calibers as small as .17WSM and .17HMR and up to the 5.7x28mm cartridge. As an extra bonus, it’s rated for full-auto fire.

When it comes to cleanup after shooting notoriously dirty rimfire ammo, you can clean more easily since the SilencerCo Sparrow can be taken completely apart.

Advantages:

• Most affordable option on the list
• Rated for plenty of other calibers besides .22 Magnum
• Great sound suppression

Drawbacks:

• Monolithic core harder to clean in nooks and crannies than separate baffles

SilencerCo Sparrow Specs:

• Caliber: Up to 5.7×28
• Weight: 6.5 oz
• Length: 5.08″
• Price: $349

Easiest Maintenance: Dead Air Mask

With little to no first-round-pop on both rifles and pistols, the Dead Air Mask provides a balance of performance, weight, and extraordinary cleaning intervals that are unmatched by the competition.

The Mask’s stainless steel baffles feature proprietary stand-offs, minimizing surface area contact with the titanium tube. This makes complete disassembly easy even on the dirtiest of specimens that have had tons of rimfire ammo through them. It’s also why the Mask takes our top spot for the easiest maintenance.

Advantages:

• Baffle stand-offs aid in disassembly
• Rugged titanium and stainless steel construction
• Second shortest of the fixed length suppressors on the list

Drawbacks:

• Second heaviest on the list

Dead Air Mask Specs:

• Caliber: Up to 5.7×28
• Weight: 6.6 oz
• Length: 5.1″
• Price: $459

Things to Consider When Buying a Suppressor

Even though a suppressor performs just like any other firearm accessory, the law doesn’t treat them that way. In fact, they’re regulated more like guns (moreso actually) than the accessories that they actually are.

Unlike a gun, you can’t just walk into a store, pay for it, fill out a 4473, undergo a background check (and maybe a state-specific waiting period of a few days), and walk out.

Instead, buying a suppressor takes a lot more time to complete. Thankfully, most of that time doesn’t require you to do anything other than wait.

There are specific laws and processes that have to be followed for buying a suppressor – but don’t let that scare you out of getting one! We’ll explain more below.

Suppressors are an NFA Item

Suppressors fall under the regulations set out in the National Firearms Act (NFA) of 1934. This makes them NFA items, which lumps them in the same category as short-barrel rifles, short-barrel shotguns, and machine guns. If that sounds silly, it’s because it is. Nonetheless, it’s the law and we have to abide by it. Because they’re NFA items, there’s a bit more involvement in the buying process, which we’ll go over right now.

The Silencer Central Buying Process

Buying a suppressor – 22 Magnum or otherwise – through Silencer Central couldn’t be more easy! We walk you through the entire process and handle every bit of the paperwork for you. Here’s a brief overview of how it works:

1. Find out whether silencers are legal to own in your state.

As of 2023, suppressors are legal in 42 of the 50 states. The eight that do not are California, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, and Rhode Island – and the District of Columbia.

2. Pick the suppressor that’s right for you.

The suppressor market has never had so many good 22 Magnum options to choose from! Thankfully, Silencer Central has a top-notch team who know suppressors that can handle that caliber forwards and backward to help you pick the right affordable suppressor.

3. Buy your silencer and tax stamp.

When you buy your suppressor, you’ll also buy a $200 Federal tax stamp as requred by the NFA. If you buy more than one suppressor, either at the same time or in the future, then you’ll need another stamp.

4. Silencer Central handles all the paperwork.

After our staff gathers all of your information, we will email you your application pre-filled with your info to review and digitally sign. After you sign the documents, we will send your application to the ATF. Once your background check is finished by the FBI and the ATF issues your tax stamp, we can mail your new 22 Magnum silencer directly to your front door.

5. eZ-Pay: Pay while you wait.

Buying a 22 Magnum silencer has never been easier than it is right now with Silencer Central! We submit your ATF paperwork first and then let you pay your silencer off over three months while your application processes. Just pay 25 percent down, and 25 percent a month for the next three months, and pay your silencer off while you wait for ATF approval.

Enhance Your Shooting –Shop 22 Magnum Suppressors Now!

The market for suppressors has never been bigger than it is right now, and narrowing it down to the right one for you and your specific needs can be confusing. Thankfully, our staff has been shooting and selling suppressors for more than 15 years. As such, we’ve got a pretty good handle on which silencers stand out in this big crowd. If you’re having trouble deciding, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We’ll happily talk you through the options and then, when you’re ready, get you on your way to 22 Magnum silencer ownership and suppressed shooting in the most affordable way possible!