.22 Rimfire Weapons
The .22 long rifle (.22 LR) is the most
widely used firearm cartridge in the world. The very low cost of ammunition is
the major strength of .22 LR rifles and handguns. The low noise and lack of
recoil of this class of weapons has also added to their popularity. The .22 LR
is, however, a low powered cartridge which propels a small (usually under
45grain) bullet. The effective lethal range against human targets would be a
maximum of 50 yards for rifles and less than half that for handguns. I will
hasten to add that the lack of penetrating power of these weapons makes a hit
to a vital area, such as the heart or brain, necessary. The .22 LR cannot be
relied upon to penetrate a target’s skull or even thick clothing except at
close range.
The only use the White resistance fighter
will have for .22 LR weapons is as silenced tools of assassination and
sabotage. The .22 LR cartridge is ideally suited for use in a silenced,
assassination weapon due to these factors:
- It is subsonic when fired from most
weapons. When fired from a very tight, long barreled weapon it will be just
barely supersonic and will produce a brief sonic crack.
- Its muzzle blast is minimal and easily
muffled with a well constructed silencer.
- The small size of the bullet itself offers
us a secondary benefit: If a jacketless hollow-point bullet is used, forensic
firearms investigators will have a nearly impossible task in trying to match
the bullet to the firearm which fired it with any certainty. (Note: this will
not prevent paid "expert" witnesses from claiming otherwise.)
- Subsonic loadings of this cartridge, should
they be necessary, are widely available. Subsonics are used for pest and vermin
control in urban areas where noise would disturb and alarm neighbors.
(Coincidentally this is exactly how we plan to use them as well!)
Silenced .22 LR Rifles
The .22 LR rifle can be silenced quite
effectively with a very simple silencer. This type of weapon is ideal for use
as an assassination weapon to be fired from concealment at close to medium
range. A good scope of between 3x and 6x power, well zeroed in, is essential
for effective work with this type of weapon because precision will be necessary
to ensure a kill. Aim for the target’s head if at all possible, remembering
that the eye sockets are the most vulnerable part. The low power of the .22LR
makes this the only really reliable target for assassination with this type of
weapon at anything beyond very close range. Hollow point bullets or modified ammo
should be used to increase lethality.
Semi-automatic rifles will make a superior
assassination weapon because quick follow-up shots almost certainly will be
necessary to ensure target destruction. However any reliable .22 LR rifle can
be used if a semi-auto cannot be obtained. I will recommend the Ruger 10-22,
the Marlin 90 series and the Remington 597 series semi-auto rifles to name but
a few of the good quality rifles you should consider. Be sure that the rifle
has a 3/8th" dovetail receiver scope mount or can be fitted with a scope
mount. A weapon which uses detachable box magazines should be selected over
tube magazine or single shot weapons. The stock of a weapon of this type should
be camouflage or flat, non-reflective black synthetic.
Build the silencer and install it on the
weapon as described later. The rifle should then be test fired to determine the
following:
- Does the silencer effectively muffle the
muzzle blast?
- Does the rifle produce a sonic crack? (this
is unlikely but can be remedied with the use of subsonic ammo or a larger
silencer)
- Is the weapon’s action able to function
with the silencer in place? (this applies only to semi-autos and it is very
unlikely that the presence of a silencer will hinder the cycling of the action)
- Is the weapon’s accuracy drastically
affected by the addition of the silencer? (some loss of accuracy is normal but
drastic inaccuracy will likely be due to misalignment of the silencer and will
have to be corrected)
Once the silencer installation is finalized,
zero the scope in with the silencer attached. Using a benchrest or a bipod you
should be able to shoot a 1-4" grouping at fifty yards. This will depend
on a number of factors including your own marksmanship, how accurate the weapon
is and how well aligned the silencer is with the barrel. Be sure that the
weapon can penetrate a good sized phone book or a piece of ¼" plywood at
fifty yards, this will be sufficient for headshot penetration at this range.
Ruger 10-22, a reliable and affordable .22lr
rifle
A professionally silenced 10-22
Notes:
- Choose semi-automatic rifles with
detachable magazines over other action types
- Be sure that a scope of between 3x and 6x
power can be mounted on the weapon
- Camouflage or flat-black synthetic stocks
are preferred to wood for this weapon system
- Be sure the weapon functions accurately and
reliably with silencer installed before using it in the field
- Use hollow-point or other modified
ammunition
Silenced .22LR Pistols
Close range assassination work can be done
with a semi-automatic pistol fitted with a silencer. The basic pistol should be
a .22LR (.22 short will also be serviceable for this type of work)
semi-automatic pistol with a fixed barrel. A good example of the type of weapon
required is the Ruger MK I to MK IV series pistols. In fact these very pistols
have seen a lot of use by government spooks, underworld hitmen and various
other homicidal types the world over for many years. Don’t try to use a
revolver, it cannot be effectively silenced because the cylinder/frame junction
is generally not tight enough to contain the propellant gasses.
Discharging revolver - notice the hot gasses
escaping at the cylinder/frame junction
The effective killing range of this type of
weapon is a maximum of 25 yards. To be really effective shots should be fired
from between 3-12 feet. Fire at least three shots into a vital area such as the
heart or head. Be sure not to be at point blank or contact range as you will be
splattered with your victim’s blood. Use hollow-point or other modified bullets
to increase lethality.
Choose a deep gun-blue or flat-black weapon
with dark, non-reflective grips. Most .22lr pistols use 10 round detachable
magazines, be sure to have at least two extras… you may have to shoot your way
out of a sticky situation.
Build and install the pistol silencer
described in the Improvised Silencers section. The pistol should then be test fired as described for the
silenced rifle.
Once silencer installation is complete test
the weapon’s accuracy and penetrating power at 25 yards. If you are able to
shoot a 2-5" grouping at this range that will be good enough, this weapon
is really meant for close-up work. It should be able to punch through a thick
telephone book or ¼" plywood at this range.
Ruger MK-2 semi-automatic pistol
A professionally silenced MK-2
Notes:
- Only semi-automatic pistols with fixed
barrels should be considered
- Choose a pistol which is gun-blued or flat
black with dark grips
- Obtain extra magazines if possible
- Use hollow-point or modified ammo