SilencerCo is a big name in suppressors. With a quiet lineup of suppressor options for firearms that vary from SilencerCO rimfire suppressors to 9mm handguns all the way up to 12-gauge shotguns. SilencerCo offers a can for nearly any need.
This piece of writing is an overview that contrasts the suppressor that “made” SilencerCo: the SilencerCo Sparrow. We’ll also cover its successor: the SilencerCo Switchback 22.
Both of these SilencerCo rimfire suppressors are ideal for rifles and handguns. And both have their own mechanical advantages to get rather quiet.
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SilencerCo Sparrow
When SilencerCo started up in West Valley City, Utah in 2008, their sole initial product was the Sparrow, a humble .22-caliber suppressor. The Sparrow is a traditional style silencer manufactured from 17-4 stainless steel. It also includes one removable end cap. Removing this end cap will expose the Sparrow’s ½ x 28 inch threaded monolithic baffled core. Not only can this core be removed, but it’s also made from 17-4 stainless steel.
For that simple removal, the stainless steel core is sandwiched between two aluminum shields inside the housing. The core has seven baffles, and the front and rear of the core are sealed with rubber O-rings that create a seal against the housing itself.
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Overall, the SilencerCo Sparrow weighs a modest 6.6 ounces and has an overall length of 5.1 inches.
For SilencerCo, starting with a rimfire suppressor made a lot of sense. Rimfire ammunition operates at lower pressures which allows the manufacturer to create a lighter duty (and less expensive) silencer. It also helps that rimfire ammo’s mild quality lends itself well to suppression. These factors also make for a practical, yet affordable option for those looking for their first or next suppressor.
SilencerCo Switchback 22
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In 2018, SilencerCo gave the Sparrow an updated stablemate by introducing the Switchback 22. The SilencerCo Switchback 22 is named after its ability to easily convert from a shorter to longer unit, depending on the firearm of choice.
The Switchback 22 has two removable outer endcaps, but the suppressor body itself can be twisted in half. Its baffle stack consists of removable baffle plates as opposed to the monolithic core that’s found on the older Sparrow. The Switchback 22’s internals are still machined from that 17-4 stainless steel material.
The Switchback 22 has four different possible configurations. In its shortest form, this silencer is ideal for handguns like the Ruger Mk. IV or the Beretta 20X Covert. When set up in its full length configuration, the Switchback 22 gives you more baffles and more noise suppression. You can even reverse baffles in one half of the suppressor to reduce gas pressure even further. In a rifle-optimized configuration, the Switchback 22’s baffles that are closest to the muzzle face outward. Those baffles closer to the muzzle face inward.
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Like the Sparrow, it features ½ x 28 threads per inch. The Switchback 22 is also rated for the same calibers including .17 WSM, .17 HMR, .22 LR, .22 Magnum, 5.7×28, and .22 Hornet. Both silencers are rated for full auto use with the .22 LR cartridge.
At its shortest, the Switchback weighs 3.6 ounces and three inches in length. In its full-length configuration, the length is 5.2 inches and weighs 6.5 ounces. The chief difference between the Sparrow and the Switchback 22 is the Sparrow’s modularity and its use of a titanium outer tube assembly. This increases the price from the Sparrow’s $349 list price to $539 for the Switchback 22.
Going Quiet with SilencerCo Rimfire Suppressors
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I put the SilencerCo Sparrow and Switchback 22 suppressors through their paces using a few different firearms with an emphasis on calibers. The test firearms included a pair of .22 LR rifles—a CZ 457 Scout and a Ruger 10/22 Carbon. A Bear Creek Arsenal 202 made its way into the picture to have a representative for a .22 Magnum. Finally, I also tested both using a 5-inch barreled PSA Rock in 5.7×28.
Both suppressors performed well across all platforms, but their particular effectiveness varied across gun and ammunition combinations. With the .22 LR chambered rifles, subsonic Federal 45 grain solids gave no report at all. The only indication that the rifles fired was that their firing pins physically dropped and clicked.
Both silencers were able to quell the sounds and blasts of the more substantial rounds like .22 Magnum or 5.7×28 to make them hearing safe. However, because these cartridges are vastly different from .22 LR, you will still hear the bullet cracking the sound barrier. In fairness, the cracking sound is deadened to the point of being able to hear the bullet hit the berm or a wooden backer. With the PSA Rock, I also fired suppressors with Fiocchi 62 grain subsonic loads. These reduced the noise down to .22 LR supersonic levels. Only the crack and impact were audible.
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Sparrow & Switchback 22: Head To Head
Between the two silencers, I found the Switchback to be marginally more effective when set up in its rifle-optimized mode. To test that subjective opinion, I brought along a decibel reader on a calm day to the range with the CZ and a few different types of ammunition. I tested the Sparrow, followed by the Switchback in rifle configuration, and finally with the Switchback in its shortened form.
To start, I fired those Federal 45 grain subsonics unsuppressed and got a reading of 110 decibels. The Sparrow deadened the noise down to 83 decibels. In its full length configuration, the Switchback reduced the sound down to 75 decibels. At this point it was difficult to tell the difference audibly. The Switchback in short mode generated 78 decibels.
But as the ammunition changed and became hotter, the Switchback’s effectiveness dropped off and reached parity with the Sparrow.
The most powerful ammunition I tested was a box of Winchester Super X 40 grain hypervelocity rounds with an advertised velocity of 1,430 feet per second. Unsuppressed, this round clocked in at 119 decibels. The short Switchback barely took the edge off and the meter read 116 decibels. In rifle configuration, the Switchback deadened the sound down to 107 decibels. Meanwhile, the old Sparrow got the report down to 100 decibels.
A Clear Favorite?
The SilencerCo Sparrow and Switchback 22 suppressors are two effective options for suppressing small-caliber cartridges. Both are made of quality materials that will withstand the worst rimfire wear and even stand up to quite a few rounds of hot 5.7×28 ammo too. Both of these SilencerCo models can be easily taken down by the user for easy cleaning and consistent performance. While there isn’t a wrong answer whether you choose the Sparrow or the Switchback 22, do I have developed a clear favorite. Although less expensive, the less modular and heavier Sparrow increasingly got left behind for the Switchback 22–particularly for the hiking hunts I carry out where weight matters. However, that lighter weight and modularity comes at a cost. And for some, that cost might not be justified. With the long view in mind, you won’t regret owning either of them.
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