How to make buckmark quieter

[cpc989]

I just got my sparrow in today. Tried it on my buckmark. While it was quiet it wasnt as quiet as I had hoped for. I know that a spring upgrade to the recoil rod may help. Anyone have suggestions on what spring to get? Its on a 4inch trail lite barrel using standard velocity so it should have stayed subsonic.

Thursday I'll try it on my dedicated ar upper ( i know this wont be amazingly quiet either)

My buckmark is the old type (pre 1999 I believe is the cutoff) and the firing pin is held in place in a housing with a roll pin rather than the plastic casing that comes out easily when you take it apart.

[RJT]

Don't know if you can do much for a Buckmark, from what I've read on here, they have a loud action due to "slide" weight(or lack thereof). Other than possible FRP, it may be hard to quiet it down much more. Hopefully someone will tell me I'm wrong.

[David Hineline]

hold the slide shut on the pistol and fire, then you will know if the pistol needs work or the silencer is louder than you like.

[cpc989]

hold the slide shut on the pistol and fire, then you will know if the pistol needs work or the silencer is louder than you like.

Good idea I'll try that tonight.

[cpc989]

That was a good idea - it was just louder than I had expected, even when holding slide closed. Its really not much quieter than my evo 9 on my glock with subs. There was a loud crack almost - maybe the standard velocity I got was hot and its going super sonic? The barrel is only 4 inches so I didn't think that would be an issue but maybe I'll get some slow stuff to see if that changes anything.

I was shooting it into the ground close to me so maybe the projectile hitting the ground is what I was hearing.

[a_canadian]

Try stuffing a box with a bunch of old clothes and rags and firing into that, not hitting the cardboard, just shooting down into a foot or so of cloth. Not a lot of noise there so you'd be sure to hear just the action, or just the blast if you're holding the slide.

[Bradpierson26]

Not to be an ass and I'm sure you know this but sparrow = FRP.

[yondering]

That was a good idea - it was just louder than I had expected, even when holding slide closed. Its really not much quieter than my evo 9 on my glock with subs. There was a loud crack almost - maybe the standard velocity I got was hot and its going super sonic? The barrel is only 4 inches so I didn't think that would be an issue but maybe I'll get some slow stuff to see if that changes anything.

I was shooting it into the ground close to me so maybe the projectile hitting the ground is what I was hearing.

What ammo? Some standard velocity stuff does have a sharp crack to it, not necessarily from going supersonic, but more propellant noise. I have a bunch of old Remington standard velocity that does this, it's subsonic but pretty loud suppressed even from a rifle. It seems to use a slower burn rate powder that makes more muzzle pressure (and more ejection port pop too of course).

Try a little water in the can, see if it gets quieter. If the rounds are supersonic it won't help, if they are subsonic but loud propellant it should make it quieter.

[cpc989]

Not to be an ass and I'm sure you know this but sparrow = FRP.

no worries - yes I've taken this into account. Although I thought sparrow had normal FRP, just like pretty much any can on a pistol.

[cpc989]

That was a good idea - it was just louder than I had expected, even when holding slide closed. Its really not much quieter than my evo 9 on my glock with subs. There was a loud crack almost - maybe the standard velocity I got was hot and its going super sonic? The barrel is only 4 inches so I didn't think that would be an issue but maybe I'll get some slow stuff to see if that changes anything.

I was shooting it into the ground close to me so maybe the projectile hitting the ground is what I was hearing.

What ammo? Some standard velocity stuff does have a sharp crack to it, not necessarily from going supersonic, but more propellant noise. I have a bunch of old Remington standard velocity that does this, it's subsonic but pretty loud suppressed even from a rifle. It seems to use a slower burn rate powder that makes more muzzle pressure (and more ejection port pop too of course).

Try a little water in the can, see if it gets quieter. If the rounds are supersonic it won't help, if they are subsonic but loud propellant it should make it quieter.

Thanks I'll try this as well, maybe it does just need to get a bit dirty too.

[Capt. Link.]

Try to find some old standard velocity or some match grade target ammo.A 22 gets real quiet when you slow the bullet down to 900-950 fps and are using a quality suppressor.I have not been happy with most subsonic ammo as its still too hot at 1050 fps.
-CL

[cpc989]

Try to find some old standard velocity or some match grade target ammo.A 22 gets real quiet when you slow the bullet down to 900-950 fps and are using a quality suppressor.I have not been happy with most subsonic ammo as its still too hot at 1050 fps.
-CL

Thanks I ordered some CCI Quiet 710 fps

[thebangswitch]

Try to find some old standard velocity or some match grade target ammo.A 22 gets real quiet when you slow the bullet down to 900-950 fps and are using a quality suppressor.I have not been happy with most subsonic ammo as its still too hot at 1050 fps.
-CL

Thanks I ordered some CCI Quiet 710 fps

FYI it probably won't cycle with cci quiets

[quietoldfart]

Probably won't cycle the slide, but they'll be quiet alright. About like a beer can being popped open with a decent suppressor in place. Unfortunately, at least in my old pistol, they also don't tend to be very stable. Perhaps the Buckmark has a higher twist rate to the rifling? My Unique D4 with the barrel cut down to 4" long won't stabilize the CCI Quiet bullets at all so they inevitably clip at the front cap. Not enough to damage the 7075 aluminum, just enough to leave a mark on the bullet and of course they tumble in flight making accuracy beyond about 10 feet non-existent. Fun though. I've managed to take one squirrel at that range with the Quiets and it was... quiet.

From my 4" barrel that ammunition is achieving 570fps. The Remington Subsonic comes out at 935fps and is definitely quite a bit louder, more like a quiet airgun. Federal Standard Velocity go at about 1117fps and are quite loud even with the suppressor, not a suppressor-friendly load at all. Gemtech Silencer Subsonic is about the same loudness as the Remington Sub and flying at 905fps. Similar with CCI SV, 925fps and about the same as the Remingtons for volume. I've found that with a decent K baffle suppressor my pistol is 'back yard friendly' even without my slide locked with anything shooting below 950fps.

[cpc989]

Try to find some old standard velocity or some match grade target ammo.A 22 gets real quiet when you slow the bullet down to 900-950 fps and are using a quality suppressor.I have not been happy with most subsonic ammo as its still too hot at 1050 fps.
-CL

Thanks I ordered some CCI Quiet 710 fps

FYI it probably won't cycle with cci quiets

I thought that might be an issue but that with the added pressure of the suppressor that it might cycle. Oh well thanks for the info.

[yondering]

No, CCI Quiet ammo won't cycle, with or without a suppressor.

[cpc989]

So is the jury out on whether it will stabilize? I definitely dont want to risk a baffle strike

[quietoldfart]

From what I have seen published, it seems the Sparrow uses a blast baffle bore diameter of 0.25", tapering larger towards the end cap which has a diameter of 0.27". Provided your barrel is precisely threaded such that the suppressor is perfectly concentric to the bore, the risk of a baffle strike with the low velocity ammunition should be minimal. And as I said, in my case there has been no detectable damage to baffles nor end cap. My own blast baffle and K baffles have a 0.25" bore. Alignment is excellent through the roughly 5.5" total baffle length. The slight scuffing of the recovered CCI Quiet bullets from putty or cloth taps shows a grazing contact, nothing too severe. Seems likely that the Sparrow should be safe enough, but of course I would recommend checking alignment with a truly straight test rod as well as careful visual inspection with a light shone through from the breech.

[cpc989]

Thanks for all the help and info everyone, really appreciate it.

[bnanaphone]

On a similar note, I have a S&W 22A pistol with 4" barrel (not sure of the twist rate). I regularly shoot this pistol with my Spectre II and have used CCI Quiet ammo in it. Not a single baffle strike for me in 30+ rounds. The Quiet stuff is ever so slightly quieter than any other subsonic .22, but the fact that it turns your semi-auto pistol into a single shot does get annoying. I only use the Quiet ammo in my bolt gun now. Just get some CCI standard velocity and have fun. It should cycle your slide and it will be nice and quiet. Holding the slide closed does significantly cut back on the blowback/port noise from the slide cycling.

[cpc989]

I cancelled the CCI quiet, I've got plenty of CCI Standard Velocity. I think it really was the FRP, that now after researching more I see others have a problem with. I'm not worried about it, after I get 500+ or so rounds down it I think it will go away. Honestly it sounded better last range trip after 100 through it.