Good afternoon everyone and welcome back to TFB’s Silencer Saturday brought to you by Yankee Hill Machine, manufacturers of the YHM R9 Multi-Host suppressor. Last week we brought you an initial look at the ECCO Machine Salamander rimfire suppressor – it’s thin, it’s light, and it’s priced right. This week we continue the .22LR journey with a look at the Hansohn Brothers Vidar 22 silencer. Does this can have what it takes to take on the big dogs? Let’s find out.
More @ TFB:
- KVP MACH Linear Comp’s 3-Lug Mount Available at Hansohn Brothers
- The Rimfire Report: The Miniature Tippmann Arms 1919 Belt-Fed Pistol
- TFB Review: Armi Jager AP-15 Rimfire M-16
- The Rimfire Report: The Antique $5 Mossberg Brownie Pocket Pistol
Upcoming Reviews:
- The Prairie Tactical PTAC30-S
- Hansohn Brothers Mod-F4
- Ballistic Research & Machine
- M249 Para – LMT vs KAC
- M249 Para – 300BLK
- Daniel Defense SoundGuard
SILENCER SATURDAY #251: The Hansohn Brothers Vidar 22 Rimfire Suppressor
SILENCER SATURDAY #251: The Hansohn Brothers Vidar 22 Rimfire Suppressor
Before we begin, let’s talk about biases. I have them, you have them, apparently even robots have biases baked into their code. A bias is a preconceived belief that someone or something will behave or perform a certain way based on past experiences, observations, or beliefs. Because biases can be based on feelings alone, their scientific relevance for testing performance is basically zero. For example, just because I believe early model Ford F150 pickup trucks were well built machines doesn’t not mean I can assume the 2023 Ford F150 Lightning will automatically follow suit.
Unless we are committed to double-blind, peer reviewed testing, the best we can do is admit that biases exist and perform a self assessment as our observations and conclusions are being formed.
Case in point, I have known the Hansohn Brothers team for the better part of a decade and believe they prioritize customer satisfaction over raw profit. And I believe that their entrance into the rimfire silencer market will be no different. But I did want to make you all aware of my biases when I review products from people I consider to be be my friends.
On with the show.
The Rimfire Reality
SILENCER SATURDAY #251: The Hansohn Brothers Vidar 22 Rimfire Suppressor
There are few greater joys in the shooting world than .22LR firearms. They are usually inexpensive, cheap to shoot, have almost zero recoil, and can be just as accurate as their centerfire friends. And the biggest attraction, in my opinion, is the ability to lob 40 gr bullets it almost complete silence. That means you won’t anger the neighbors, you can leave the hearing protection hanging on the lawnmower*, and your overall shooting experience is a lot more enjoyable.
*You do wear hearing protection when using power equipment, right?
SILENCER SATURDAY #251: The Hansohn Brothers Vidar 22 Rimfire Suppressor
As a reminder, there are a few must-have features when I consider buying a new rimfire silencer:
1. Extreme Quiet
Above all else, a .22LR suppressor has to be extremely quiet. When it cone to rimfire noise reduction, there is no trophy for second place.
2. Ease of Disassembly
Rimfire silencers get dirty fast. The only way to keep them in tip top shape is regular maintenance. A good can should be easy to take apart, clean, and reassemble. For some of you, this means avoiding aluminum parts because of their intolerance for some chemicals.
3. Low Profile
A great rimfire suppressor will have a minimal amount of impact on the host weapon. This means a diameter of 1 in or less, a weight of less than 5 oz, and a length of 6 in or less.
4. Cost
A sweet spot for a leading rimfire suppressor is $400 or less (at some point we may need to adjust this number for inflation).
5. Preserve Accuracy
A quality rimfire suppressor will not have an impact on the accuracy of the host.
Everything else that applies to centerfire silencers like barrel length restrictions, mounting systems, and full auto ratings are basically irrelevant for .22LR cans. Let’s see how the Vidar 22 numbers stack up.
Hansohn Brothers Vidar 22
SILENCER SATURDAY #251: The Hansohn Brothers Vidar 22 Rimfire Suppressor
Our Vidar 22 rimfire silencer was designed with performance, size and price in mind. A strong, DFARS certified 6Al-4V titanium tube milled from solid bar, houses the 17-4 stainless steel baffles. The titanium rear cap is threaded 1/2×28 with knurling and wrench flats. The titanium front cap is knurled and uses an O ring to keep it in place while allowing for easy disassembly without the need for tools.
Manufactured in USA using USA sourced DFARS Certified materials.
- Manufacturer’s Page: https://hansohnbrothers.com/shop/hansohn-brothers/silencers/rimfire/hansohn-vidar22-rimfire-silencer/
- MSRP: $385
- Order Here
- Caliber: All Rimfire Rounds
- Material: 6Al-4V Ti tube and end caps, 17-4 stainless steel baffles
- Length: 5.40″
- Diameter: 1.0″
- Weight: 4.6 oz.
- Mount: 1/2×28 direct thread
- Finish: Cobalt, Hightemp Cerakote
SILENCER SATURDAY #251: The Hansohn Brothers Vidar 22 Rimfire Suppressor
The eight K-style baffles are notched to keep everything in line and each one features a single mouse hole. There is one blast baffle and seven standard baffles.
SILENCER SATURDAY #251: The Hansohn Brothers Vidar 22 Rimfire Suppressor
Hansohn Brothers is a high volume, small footprint NFA dealer that offers a variety of manufacturers in all of the major categories. I trust them to offer solid purchasing advice without being motivated by profit. If a cheaper option fits your needs better, you won’t get a high pressure up sell. While they have released their own mounts the past, the Vidar 22 and the Mod-F4 are their first entrance into the suppressor manufacturing world. We’ll feature the Mod-F4 separately in a few weeks.
Vidar – The Norse God of Silence
Wiki commons – Vidar Defeats Fenir
In Norse mythology, Vidar, son of Odin, defeated the wolf Fenir during the great battle of Ragnarök and was known as the silent god because he was mute. I’ll update the Vidar Wikipedia page later to reference the naming of the Hansohn Brothers rimfire suppressor.
Aesthetically, I appreciate the cobalt Cerakote color as a standout from other market options various shades of black. The slight bit of knurling on either end gives the Vidar 22 some depth over a plain tube.
SILENCER SATURDAY #251: The Hansohn Brothers Vidar 22 Rimfire Suppressor
Above: I unscrewed the tube about 1/8th of a turn to be able to see the markings.
Out on the range, the Vidar 22 is very quiet. I would describe the tone as deep push instead of a sharp pop – reminiscent of a suppressed PCP airgun. There was no first round pop and I didn’t experience any point of impact shift even after unmounting and remounting it between strings of fire.
If I had been shooting out in to nothingness, this Vudoo-Vidar combination with Lapua Midas+ ammo would have almost been completely silent.
SILENCER SATURDAY #251: The Hansohn Brothers Vidar 22 Rimfire Suppressor
The Vidar 22 is lightweight, made of titanium and stainless steel, and is about as quiet as .22LR can get out of a bolt action host. We’ll get it on a pistol and a select-fire host when we pull out the next Hansohn Brothers rimfire suppressor (a modular can) in the weeks ahead. The Vidar 22 has the Silencer Saturday stamp of approval.
Thanks for reading. Be safe, have fun, and we’ll see you back here next weekend for another Silencer Saturday.
Silencer Saturday is Sponsored by Yankee Hill Machine
