RPP 9mm/45/40 lever Marlins, or other options

[westtxrocket]

Hi all. I own a Sico Hybrid and I hear it does well with pistol calibers. I have never tried it.

The most fun I have ever had just plinking was shooting a henry .357, using .38s at reactive targets. It is pure shooting joy.

I am looking for a lever gun to suppress to have even more fun with. My questions are as follows:
If you could have a .45acp/9mm/40s&w lever action rifle to wear a suppressor (either 16" or a sbr, undecided), which would you buy and why? Will standard 180gr 40 stay subsonic from a rifle? Will standard 230gr 45 stay subsonic? Will 158 .38's stay subsonic from a factory .357 without having to be converted?

Is it worth paying 1500 bucks to Ranger Point Precision to have have a levergun converted to one of the auto pistol calibers and threaded, or should I stick with a .357 and get it threaded and use .38s? I want to shoot non-lead ammo and be able to find ammo that stays subsonic easily and without spending 20+ per box. This will likely be my most shot rifle. I am also in the process of doing a 9mm AR, so I am aware of the easier routes to pistol caliber carbines. But I want a lever action. Considering having a 39a threaded also for my dead air masks, but that is a different topic. I just want to recreate the fun of a .357 lever gun with easy ammo and quieter.

Thanks for the tips,

rocket

[John A.]

I have a 357/38 single shot break down NEF that I cut down to 16 inches and threaded and use my 9mm can on.

With 38's, it's very quiet. 357 obviously is supersonic.

Not sure what the velocity of 40 cal would be through the longer barrel. But most all is subsonic out of handguns. I suspect it would remain subsonic with most powders, but is just an educated guess. You wouldn't want to load it with longshot powder though. I get 1400 fps using 155 gr bullets out of my 40 XD with 5 inch barrel when I push the load data near max.

45acp will stay subsonic, but 45's are louder, even with a can. That's why so many guys run their 45 cans wet.

[fishman]

I have a 357/38 single shot break down NEF that I cut down to 16 inches and threaded and use my 9mm can on.

With 38's, it's very quiet. 357 obviously is supersonic.

Not sure what the velocity of 40 cal would be through the longer barrel. But most all is subsonic out of handguns. I suspect it would remain subsonic with most powders, but is just an educated guess. You wouldn't want to load it with longshot powder though. I get 1400 fps using 155 gr bullets out of my 40 XD with 5 inch barrel when I push the load data near max.

45acp will stay subsonic, but 45's are louder, even with a can. That's why so many guys run their 45 cans wet.

45 will shine in a long barrel relative to 45 in a short barrel. Every inch of barrel gives the gasses a lot of extra volume to expand before entering the silencer. Use a fast burning low charge weight load and you're in the money.

Personally, if I was silencing a lever gun, it would hands down have to be a 45-70 whisper. You could lob some 500+ grain bullets subsonic with no action port noise. Ultimate deer hunting brush gun.

45 or 38 would probably be better for plinking.

[westtxrocket]

Thanks guys. This will solely be shot at reactive targets for fun using peep sights or a red dot. I have other hunting rifles. This is an attempt to duplicate the fun of a .357 lever gun, but suppressed with more plentiful subsonic ammo.

[John A.]

45 will shine in a long barrel relative to 45 in a short barrel. Every inch of barrel gives the gasses a lot of extra volume to expand before entering the silencer. Use a fast burning low charge weight load and you're in the money.

Makes sense.

[westtxrocket]

Looks like Henry rifles are all out due to being tube fed.

[John A.]

More likely because Michigan has revamped their deer hunting laws.

http://blog.mlive.com/sponsored/2016/11 ... rm_la.html

[westtxrocket]

Wrong thread:-)

So figured out what to do about a levee rimfire, but it is looking like either a conversion or a marlin .357 is the easy way to accomplish this.

[fishman]

More likely because Michigan has revamped their deer hunting laws.

http://blog.mlive.com/sponsored/2016/11 ... rm_la.html

I immediately got a 450 upper when I heard about that law. When I heard about silencers being legalized for hunting, I immediately put a form 1 in and put a reflex silencer on it.

Do you live in Michigan too, John?

[John A.]

No sir. Much further South. But I have several friends in upper Michigan.