Rimfire Suppressors
These smaller diameter suppressors (1 ¼” / 32mm) are especially designed for managing the reduced volume of propellant gas in rimfire cartridges, and are scaled down to not only remove excess volume (which may cause louder ‘first round pop’), but to also reduce the weight and overall length, as well as being more in keeping with the generally lighter weight and aesthetics of rimfire sporting rifles. (i.e. there is no point in having a mis-match of a very light rifle, fitted with an unnecessarily large, heavy and bulky suppressor, especially if it isn’t going to actually make the sound signature any quieter compared with a smaller, more compact and efficiently designed suppressor.)
We currently only produce two rimfire suppressor models now – the ‘Monocore’, and the ‘Varminter’. Both of these are ‘muzzle can’ (muzzle-forward only) style suppressors. We don’t make an over-barrel suppressor for rimfire, for two main reasons.
- Firstly, you don’t really need the extra expansion chamber area over the barrel for the small rimfire cartridges in order to reduce pressure or make the sound signature significantly quieter – if anything it can actually make the ‘first-round-pop’ effect a bit louder, if there is an excessive area of oxygenated air for the exiting propellant gases to combust with.
- Secondly, an over-barrel suppressor design is more complicated to manufacture, and it may not be as easy (or in fact impossible) to be able to pull it apart easily and on a regular basis for cleaning. For rimfire suppressors – especially with .22LR – this is an extremely important function that you need to be able to perform on your suppressor, with hopefully the least amount of hassle possible.
Both of our rimfire suppressor models are designed to be able to be pulled apart very easily for cleaning. The Monocore model is incredibly easy to pull apart, and it is impossible to re-assemble it incorrectly. It really is a great design, very effective, yet simple to use and service.
The Varminter model does require a special takedown tool to remove the front end piece, and some care and attention is required in order to correctly reassemble the baffles and rubber spacer-rings in the right order after cleaning. (Instructions for this are available with the suppressor, and are also listed on the Varminter Use & Care page – see our SUPPORT section of this website.) However, provided that you follow the reassembly instructions closely, then anyone with reasonable mechanical ability should be able to manage this task effectively.