Just wondering, why is .22lr subsonic more expensive than .22lr supersonic?

[SavageOne]

I love shooting my Ruger Take-Downs. I have the regular Ruger Tac take down and I just put together a Ruger Charger take down w/folding pistol brace. Both shoot great and are threaded to take my Huntertown Arms suppressor, but since I also like using my GSG 110 rd drum, both eat a lot of ammo. This isn't a huge problem since bulk is back to practical prices, but I do enjoy "running silent" as well. Anyone who runs .22s knows that target, match and subsonic ammo is more expensive, and my question is...why?

While I could, conceivably, see where match, and to a smaller extent target, requires greater quality control on components and even though they are subsonic, might require a different, more reliable burn recipe of powder, that should not be the case with plain subsonic ammo. Plain subsonic ammo should be using the same components of  bulk ammo, just with a little less powder. So, why is it more expensive?

I know this isn't a  10mm question, but the members here know ammo and I could think of no where else I might find a more informed answer. I appreciate any insights. Have a great day.

[The_Shadow]

My thought is that they use smaller amounts of powder which is probably measured as apposed to just a full case swept level full...
Then again they probably don't sell as much Sub-Sonic and packaging and marketing to a specific shooter.

[gandog56]

More people without silenced .22's than ones that do have silencers, where subsonic stops the little sonic booms of the reports?

[sqlbullet]

I guess I don't "know".  At the same time, I can draw some informed conclusions.

The tl;dr answer to this is with less velocity, everything else about the ammo has to be better to make up the difference.  The cost is the "everything" else.

Velocity:  Powder charge goes up at an exponent to velocity.  This means in "full" velocity ammo for a given cartridge a small variation in powder charge has less impact than the same percentage variation of powder at a 75% velocity ammo.  In order to deliver small extreme spreads in velocity, they maker needs additional precision in powder dispensing.  This is compounded in 22LR by the already miniscule powder charges.

Accuracy:  This is actually a win that is a loss for the manufacturer.  Generally the best accuracy is found in lower velocity/power loads.  This is the win for them.  The loss is that the consumer has come to expect this.  A subsonic load is going to be held to a higher accuracy standard than the standard or hyper velocity 22LR cousins.  Howe many ammo reviews have we read where the author comments that best in class velocity comes at the cost of a bit of accuracy.  And, if you aren't paying for velocity, you expect accuracy to be top notch.

Terminal ballistics:  If consumers are using the ammo for game, they want good terminal performance of the ammo even though they have sacrificed some of the energy budget for less noise.  This creates to opposite problem that we 10mm guys have...Most 22LR game projectiles are designed to perform at standard or Hyper velocities, and they may not expand or otherwise perform terminally in game as needed.  So the manufacturer has to engineer subsonic specific projectiles to meet that need.  And, those projectiles have a more narrow performance envelope, so they have to be made to better tolerance. 

Internal ballistics:  Chances are you avoid ammo that won't cycle your Ruger rifles.  I know I don't have much use for ammo that won't run my Sig or Ruger pistols and my 22 LR Conversions kits for my AR's.  Again, the reduced velocity means a reduced local energy budget internally to operate the recoil action of semi-auto 22's.  In fact, the CCI stuff that runs at 750-800 fps (I don't recall exactly) won't run most semi-autos.  Extra engineering effort goes into the ammo so help ensure it will cycle as many different platforms as possible

Those are my initial thoughts about why the ammo is likely more money.

[Trapper6L]

Sub Sonic is more critical to load than a high velocity where the actual terminal speed is semi irrelevant, to a point. Sub sonic is loaded to a specific speed, usually 1050'ps, sometimes 1080'ps. Miss that mark by 60'ps faster and it's now super sonic(1126'ps). In a small case like a 22LR, that a fine, fine line. Buying sub sonic is more akin to buying match ammo. I assume you folks know there are 3 different chamberings of a 22LR. I assume you know that hyper velocity ammo uses a bullet of a different diameter than that of sub sonic. You can't hardly get a hyper velocity round in a match grade or Bentz chambered 22 rifle. Not all rifles are created equal. My Ruger 10/22 loves sub sonic ammo but then the only part of it that is original is the receiver. Everything else is custom including the Bentz chambered Green Mountain bull barrel. Even the bolt has been modified to be square with the chamber and slightly lightened. Yeah, it shoots ragged holes at 25 and 50 yds. On a good day, 1" groups at 100yds. The disparity at longer distance is more to do with the variances in the loading of the ammo than the rifle.

[Bunny]

I love shooting my Ruger Take-Downs. I have the regular Ruger Tac take down and I just put together a Ruger Charger take down w/folding pistol brace. Both shoot great and are threaded to take my Huntertown Arms suppressor, but since I also like using my GSG 110 rd drum, both eat a lot of ammo. This isn't a huge problem since bulk is back to practical prices, but I do enjoy "running silent" as well. Anyone who runs .22s knows that target, match and subsonic ammo is more expensive, and my question is...why?

While I could, conceivably, see where match, and to a smaller extent target, requires greater quality control on components and even though they are subsonic, might require a different, more reliable burn recipe of powder, that should not be the case with plain subsonic ammo. Plain subsonic ammo should be using the same components of  bulk ammo, just with a little less powder. So, why is it more expensive?

I know this isn't a  10mm question, but the members here know ammo and I could think of no where else I might find a more informed answer. I appreciate any insights. Have a great day.

This has puzzled me as well, I think they charge the extra money because people with suppressors can usually afford it.  I used to buy the CCI subsonic "suppressor" ammo at $7.80 a box, I now buy the CCI SV 40 gr. it is less than a third the price, subsonic and just as quiet and more accurate.

[blaster]

does anyone here know what powder is used in .22 rim fire ammo?

[The_Shadow]

In past years I think I saw Bullseye as being the 22LR powder for several makes.  I haven't opened any lately but suspect they are using fast burning powders for these small wonders...

[Trapper6L]

Generally speaking there is no one powder used for commercial loading of 22 rimfire ammo. The criteria though is that the powder can not be a stick or any large granule. Otherwise it won't go thru the loading plate of the machine that drops it at the factory. It obviously has to be a relatively fast burning powder. One of the techs at Vihtavuori let it slip that their 3n37 was specifically designed for rimfire ammo. It also works in most pistol cartridges. You can assume that the load is some where around 1.25 to 1.5 gr of powder. The max accepted pressure for the 22LR and interestingly, the 22 magnum, is 24,000 PSI, not CUPs. The 22 mag bullet is not the same diameter. It is a .224 diameter bullet, same as most of the 22 caliber centerfire cartridges. While some of the pistol powders will work, like Bullseye, Unique, etc for at home reloading, the factory loaded powders will be non-canister that is not available for public use.

[Pablo]

Just wondering, why is .22lr subsonic more expensive than .22lr supersonic?

My guess it's a volume proposition. 22LR is pretty much a huge commodity item. Running 24/7, lowest cost possible. Anything else is "specialty", different and costs lightly more - changeover, lower volume less price breaks.

[sqlbullet]

As I recall, though I can't find the stats right now, subsonic accounts for about half of the 22LR production.

[Pablo]

50%? That is astonishing.

[Graybeard]

50%? That is astonishing.

WOW! I concur. Considering the past shortages and the fact high velocity and standard velocity still aren't fully stocked in many stores, I'm shocked. Didn't think there were enough suppressor toting .22 shooters out there to drive that level of demand.

[The_Shadow]

What ever powder they are using given the manufacture most of the Military specs called for 2.5 grains of smokeless powders to make specific velocities with bullet designs and weights;  COL is 1.00" for each.

52 grain 22LR Ball @ 1100 fps (@15') 24,000 psi
40 grain 22LR Ball @ 1185 fps (@15') 24,000 psi
48 grain 22LR TRACER @ 990.75 fps (@15') 24,000 psi

ChuckHawks has a nice history here
https://www.chuckhawks.com/history_rimfire_ammo.htm

Just pulled down a Federal and a Remington
Federal 38 grain small HP with 2.0 grains of powder similar to Bullseye (these are range pick ups)




Remington 40 grain solid lead with 2.0 grains powder also (old and may have been wet or damp)

[sqlbullet]

I have to amend my statement.  I finally found the article I had read.

It spoke of cataloged items at Midway USA.  50 Subsonic loads versus 49 Supersonic.  So, not more than half sold, but more than half the cataloged ammo.

Browsing the list, it is notable that most "standard" velocity 22LR ammo is rated as subsonic.  All the Eley I have is so rated.