The Bowers USS 22 is a quiet and rugged rimfire can for shutting up just about everything on the small side.

A 22 suppressor is usually the first silencer that most people acquire. The cost is relatively low, performance is excellent, and it is a great way to indoctrinate new shooters.

We have a few 22 cans of our own we bought mostly due to price, but we wanted to see what a more modern version of a rimfire silencer could do. So, once again we contacted our good friends at Silencershop.com to see what they had in stock.

They took some time out of their busy schedules to help us out and sent us a Bowers USS 22 (User Serviceable Suppressor) made by  Bowers Group.

This silencer is rated for everything rim fire including 22 Short, 22 Long, 22 Long Rifle, 22 Magnum, 17 HMR and even center fire rounds like 22 TCM, 22 Hornet, and FN 5.7 X 28mm.

Most importantly, it is completely user serviceable, which is important for rimfire cans because the ammo is very dirty.

The Bowers USS 22, User Serviceable Suppressor, from Bowers Group.

USS 22 |No first round pop

You may have heard us use the term “first round pop” regarding silencers in the past.

This refers to the temp inside the can being relatively low and the first wave of hot gas from the suppressor interacting with the cooler air causes a slightly elevated noise to occur for the first round. Subsequent rounds are in turn quieter.

[Note: read more about first round pop inthis Language Lessons article.]

The Bowers USS 22 was engineered to eliminate first round pop by using stainless steel baffles. It features eight Omega-style ported baffles and a spacer for the blast chamber. At 6.4″ long and rated for full auto; we find it perfect for silencing a rimfire rifle or pistol.

It is so quiet on a bolt gun, you may think that your first round was a squib and you could find yourself watching for the downrange dust-ups as the rounds impact the berm to be certain that a projectile has left the barrel.

We know that we did on our first outing with this can, mounted on our savage 93R!

Savage 22 bolt action 93R with Bowers Group silencer attached.

The reason for this is that a bolt action has no movement other than the firing pin striking the rim as opposed to a semi-auto that has springs, slides, pistons, bolts, etc. moving in conjunction with the fired round as well as the noise emanating from the ejection port.

If you want the ultimate in “quiet” try a suppressed 22 bolt gun! It makes for an ideal setup for a squirrel gun if you’re set on taking out a horde of tree rats or prairie dogs.

Now 22 pistols and semi-auto rifles can be different. Again, you have movement in the action, somewhat increased back pressure and most rimfire pistols are of the blowback design. we mounted it on both a Walther PPK/S and a Beretta Model 70.

A Beretta Model 70 with Bowers Group USS 22 suppressor attached.

While not as quiet as it was on our Savage, it was still one of the quieter suppressors we have used on a rimfire pistol.

One thing we should note is that the Bowers USS 22 makes use of the ATAS insert system for use on different thread patterns. Both our Walther PPK/S and Beretta Model 70 have factory threads at ½ X 20” and we bought thread adapters to bring them up to ½ X 28” which is the rimfire silencer standard thread pattern.

The ATAS inserts allow Bowers Group USS 22 silencers to fit different thread patterns, so you can suppress a variety of pistols.

Suppressed Beretta Model 70, note the ungainly thread adapter.

With the Bowers USS 22 you can order the insert correctly sized for your pistol (or rifle) without  having to use an adapter.

Quiet, Shorty! | Moving the USS 22 on up

Saving the best for last, we tried it out on our FN PS90.

It should be noted that the factory PS90 barrel is long and unthreaded. We converted ours to an SBR (short barreled rifle) a few years ago to not only duplicate the size and shape of an FNP90 but to be able to run it suppressed.

The Bowers USS 22, User Serviceable Suppressor, from Bowers Group.

Many shooters prefer a 5.56 rated can on their 5.7 guns, but a properly built silencer like the Bowers USS 22 will do the job satisfactorily.

A quiet shorty – FN PS90 with Bowers USS 22 attached.

Out of the Savage bolt action, which unsuppressed meters at about 139 dB we clocked the Bowers USS 22 at an average of 110 dB. From the Beretta and the Walther which meter at 154, we recorded 114 and 116 respectively. With our PS90 SBR that was typically at 160 dB we measured 127 dB.

Shoot suppressed whenever you can (get it?). Check out our STFU silencer page. 

Click the image to visit!

We consider the Bowers USS 22 to be a real bargain whether you are a first-time suppressor user, or you have thousands of dollars already invested in just tax stamps. Not to mention it is one of the quieter rimfire cans available, albeit on the heavy side at a little over 7 ounces in weight.

Find it online here: https://www.bowersgroup.com/product/uss-22-lr-5-7×28/.