Background
I have been a fan of Dead Air suppressors for a long time. The company does a great job of keeping up with the latest and greatest manufacturing techniques. Dead Air suppressors are durable, quiet, and prevent the user from getting gassed in the face.
Ruger is one of the country’s largest firearm manufacturers, with a long and storied history. Recently, the company has started collaborating with other major manufacturers. In 2024, the Ruger RXM was released as a joint project with Magpul, showcasing the company’s desire to push toward the growing modernization of the firearms market.
The RXD22Ti is another joint project, this time between Dead Air and Ruger, and it involves much more than Ruger just slapping its name on a product. Considering that the Ruger MK series and the 10/22 might be the most popular rimfire firearms in the world, Ruger has significant expertise in the .22-caliber arena.
RXD22Ti
In collaboration with Ruger, Dead Air developed a .22-caliber suppressor 3D-printed with Dead Air’s Triskelion baffle design. This baffle layout helps spin and push the gas forward to dissipate at the muzzle instead of building up in the face of the shooter. The titanium suppressor is incredibly light at only 5.6 ounces but is full-auto rated for .22 LR.
The Triskelion baffle system is a one-piece, 3D-printed part that sits in a titanium sleeve.
This might be the only .22-caliber suppressor that is made with a QD muzzle device. As part of Dead Air’s research with Ruger, designers realized that rimfire cartridges tend to foul up suppressors at an extremely high rate, especially with lead. To combat this, the RXD22 mounts to the XRF muzzle brake, which catches the buildup of debris, preventing it from depositing into the suppressor.
This versatile .22-caliber suppressor is rated all the way up to 5.7x28 for semi-auto fire.
On the Range
No matter how cool the design, what matters is how the suppressor performs on the range. I had a chance to try the RXD22 on several firearms to gauge its performance with different calibers.
First, it would be a sin not to put this suppressor on a Ruger 10/22. Since it’s a lightweight suppressor, only a light carbon 10/22 would suffice. The 10/22 is probably my favorite .22-caliber firearm on the market, and shooting it suppressed is a blast. The RXD does a great job at sound reduction, making .22 LR hearing safe.
It was easy to feel the advantage of the Dead Air Triskelion baffle design with the Ruger 10/22 Carbon. As you blast through rounds, you don’t get gassed in the face. Since .22 is such a dirty cartridge, it’s important to prevent debris from building up and venting in your face as you breathe in pathogens. The lightweight nature of both suppressor and rifle makes this a perfect pairing.
I have been pocket carrying a Beretta 20X for a few weeks, so I had to try the RXD22 on this .22-caliber Beretta. I was blown away by how quiet the handgun was, even with the short barrel. The 20X tilting barrel design is perfect for shooting subsonic rounds. It easily pops open to replace a spent casing, and with subs, you basically only hear the hammer drop.
Even with a Smith & Wesson M&P pistol chambered in 5.7, this suppressor does a great job of dropping the decibels. While the supersonic crack can still be loud, it is amazing how much of a difference the can makes.
Other Notes
Outside of the range, I cannot tell you how many rounds I have shot through this can. In addition to plinking and training, I took the RXD22 raccoon hunting. I have abused this suppressor, but it has performed well regardless of the round count and the platform.
