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Top 5 Subsonic Competition Ammunition in Canada 2025 — Best Rimfire Rounds for Suppressed Precision Shooting

Published on Monday, August 25, 2025

Specialized subsonic rimfire rounds designed for suppressed rifles and precision target shooting prioritize minimal velocity variation, low report, and tight groups. Competitive shooters, tactical marksmen, and range users in Canada choose subsonic competition ammunition because it reduces recoil and muzzle blast, avoids the transonic instability that can open groups, and pairs effectively with modern suppressors to improve comfort and repeatability in training and matches. Buyers look for consistent muzzle velocity (low standard deviation and extreme spread), premium projectiles with predictable ballistic coefficients, and manufacturing lot control that delivers repeatable point of impact. In the Canadian market, these rounds appeal to competitors using indoor and urban ranges, clubs with strict noise policies, and shooters who value match-grade performance in a suppressed setup while complying with licensing and transport rules.

Quick Menu

1. Best Suppressed Semi-Auto

2. Best Premium Match Subsonic

3. Best Match-Grade Precision

4. Best Controlled Expansion Subsonic

5. Best Value Standard Velocity

1
BEST SUPPRESSED SEMI-AUTO

CCI Quiet-22 Semi-Auto

CCI

CCI Quiet-22 Semi-Auto is positioned as the value-focused subsonic option for suppressed semi-automatic competition rifles, offering reliable feeding and reduced report compared with full-power rounds. It trades some of the absolute precision of premium match rounds for consistent, affordable subsonic performance, making it a practical choice for high-volume training and multi-stage competition where cost and reliable cycling matter more than the last fraction of inch of accuracy.

4.2
★★★★☆
  • Ultra-quiet report

  • Reliable cycling

  • Ultra-quiet report

  • Reliable cycling

Review Summary

84%

"Users appreciate the very low report and pleasant accuracy for plinking and suppressed shooting, though some report occasional cycling failures in lightweight semi-auto actions."

  • Garden-friendly pop

  • Formulated to reduce report for suppressed .22 semi-automatic rifles

  • Garden-friendly pop

  • Formulated to reduce report for suppressed .22 semi-automatic rifles

Recreational Enjoyment

Skill Development & Mastery

CCI Quiet-22 Semi-Auto is positioned as the value-focused subsonic option for suppressed semi-automatic competition rifles, offering reliable feeding and reduced report compared with full-power rounds. It trades some of the absolute precision of premium match rounds for consistent, affordable subsonic performance, making it a practical choice for high-volume training and multi-stage competition where cost and reliable cycling matter more than the last fraction of inch of accuracy.

  • Ultra-quiet report

  • Reliable cycling

  • Garden-friendly pop

  • Formulated to reduce report for suppressed .22 semi-automatic rifles

  • Reliable feeding and extraction in semi-auto platforms for competition use

  • Ultra-quiet report

  • Reliable cycling

  • Garden-friendly pop

  • Formulated to reduce report for suppressed .22 semi-automatic rifles

  • Reliable feeding and extraction in semi-auto platforms for competition use

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$180-240 CAD

2
BEST PREMIUM MATCH SUBSONIC

Eley Subsonic Hollow

Eley

Eley Subsonic Hollow is the premium, match-grade subsonic cartridge on this list, optimized for the tight groups and extreme consistency demanded in subsonic competition. While it carries a higher price than the CCI and RWS options, its hand-sorted manufacturing and bullet consistency often deliver measurable accuracy advantages in dedicated target rifles, making it the technical leader for shooters chasing the smallest vertical dispersion at suppressed velocities.

4.6
★★★★☆
  • Match-grade quiet

  • Pinpoint accuracy

  • Match-grade quiet

  • Pinpoint accuracy

Review Summary

91%

"Shooters praise its exceptional consistency and very tight groups for subsonic competition use; it's noted as expensive but worth it for precision suppressed shooting."

  • Competition-ready hush

  • Match-grade manufacturing with tight velocity and weight consistency for precision shooting

  • Competition-ready hush

  • Match-grade manufacturing with tight velocity and weight consistency for precision shooting

Skill Development & Mastery

Recreational Enjoyment

Eley Subsonic Hollow is the premium, match-grade subsonic cartridge on this list, optimized for the tight groups and extreme consistency demanded in subsonic competition. While it carries a higher price than the CCI and RWS options, its hand-sorted manufacturing and bullet consistency often deliver measurable accuracy advantages in dedicated target rifles, making it the technical leader for shooters chasing the smallest vertical dispersion at suppressed velocities.

  • Match-grade quiet

  • Pinpoint accuracy

  • Competition-ready hush

  • Match-grade manufacturing with tight velocity and weight consistency for precision shooting

  • Optimized subsonic performance for suppressed competition rifles

  • Match-grade quiet

  • Pinpoint accuracy

  • Competition-ready hush

  • Match-grade manufacturing with tight velocity and weight consistency for precision shooting

  • Optimized subsonic performance for suppressed competition rifles

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$350-450 CAD

3
BEST MATCH-GRADE PRECISION

Lapua Center-X

Lapua

Lapua Center‑X occupies the top-tier competition niche thanks to Lapua's industry-leading production tolerances and component quality, giving it exceptional shot-to-shot consistency that benefits shooters running tuned subsonic systems. Though Center‑X is often viewed as a standard-velocity match cartridge, its manufacturing precision and uniformity make it highly competitive when loads are tuned for subsonic setups, putting it on par with or just behind Eley for pure accuracy while retaining Lapua's reputation for ballistic consistency.

4.7
★★★★☆
  • Tournament precision

  • Tight groups

  • Tournament precision

  • Tight groups

Review Summary

93%

"Consistently rated as one of the most accurate subsonic match rounds, delivering match-grade groups and extreme uniformity, though it carries a premium price. Widely preferred by competitive shooters for reliability in precision rifles."

  • Consistent flight

  • Lapua’s high-quality components and strict tolerances deliver repeatable accuracy for smallbore matches

  • Consistent flight

  • Lapua’s high-quality components and strict tolerances deliver repeatable accuracy for smallbore matches

Skill Development & Mastery

Recreational Enjoyment

Lapua Center‑X occupies the top-tier competition niche thanks to Lapua's industry-leading production tolerances and component quality, giving it exceptional shot-to-shot consistency that benefits shooters running tuned subsonic systems. Though Center‑X is often viewed as a standard-velocity match cartridge, its manufacturing precision and uniformity make it highly competitive when loads are tuned for subsonic setups, putting it on par with or just behind Eley for pure accuracy while retaining Lapua's reputation for ballistic consistency.

  • Tournament precision

  • Tight groups

  • Consistent flight

  • Lapua’s high-quality components and strict tolerances deliver repeatable accuracy for smallbore matches

  • Designed for exceptional consistency shot-to-shot under competition conditions

  • Tournament precision

  • Tight groups

  • Consistent flight

  • Lapua’s high-quality components and strict tolerances deliver repeatable accuracy for smallbore matches

  • Designed for exceptional consistency shot-to-shot under competition conditions

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$300-420 CAD

4
BEST CONTROLLED EXPANSION SUBSONIC

RWS Subsonic Hollow Point

RWS

RWS Subsonic Hollow Point strikes a compromise between cost and competitive performance, delivering reliable subsonic expansion profiles and tight groups in many match rigs without the premium price of Eley or Lapua. It is often the best choice for shooters who want better accuracy and terminal consistency than economy rounds like CCI Quiet-22 while avoiding the top-tier expense, making RWS a market leader for balanced performance in subsonic competition.

4.3
★★★★☆
  • Soft report

  • Smooth trajectory

  • Soft report

  • Smooth trajectory

Review Summary

86%

"Reviews highlight quiet performance, good terminal effects for small game, and solid accuracy, with occasional reports of feeding issues in some semi-automatic rifles."

  • Hollow-point hush

  • Subsonic hollow-point design balances reduced report with predictable terminal behavior

  • Hollow-point hush

  • Subsonic hollow-point design balances reduced report with predictable terminal behavior

Recreational Enjoyment

Skill Development & Mastery

RWS Subsonic Hollow Point strikes a compromise between cost and competitive performance, delivering reliable subsonic expansion profiles and tight groups in many match rigs without the premium price of Eley or Lapua. It is often the best choice for shooters who want better accuracy and terminal consistency than economy rounds like CCI Quiet-22 while avoiding the top-tier expense, making RWS a market leader for balanced performance in subsonic competition.

  • Soft report

  • Smooth trajectory

  • Hollow-point hush

  • Subsonic hollow-point design balances reduced report with predictable terminal behavior

  • Manufactured for consistent accuracy in both bolt-action and semi-auto platforms

  • Soft report

  • Smooth trajectory

  • Hollow-point hush

  • Subsonic hollow-point design balances reduced report with predictable terminal behavior

  • Manufactured for consistent accuracy in both bolt-action and semi-auto platforms

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$220-320 CAD

5
BEST VALUE STANDARD VELOCITY

CCI Standard Velocity

CCI

CCI Standard Velocity is the market-leading, widely available option that offers excellent reliability and low cost per round; while not always sold as a dedicated subsonic match load, it frequently performs near-subsonic in many barrels and is a go-to for economical practice and volume shooting. Its main advantage in the subsonic competition ecosystem is financial and logistical: easier sourcing and far lower training costs than premium subsonic match rounds, though it typically won’t match the ultimate precision of Eley or Lapua.

4.4
★★★★☆
  • Budget practice

  • Consistent feed

  • Budget practice

  • Consistent feed

Review Summary

88%

"Buyers report dependable cycling, consistent accuracy for practice and training, and good value, though it is not as quiet as dedicated subsonic loads."

  • Classic ping

  • Affordable, widely available standard-velocity option suitable for practice and rimfire competition

  • Classic ping

  • Affordable, widely available standard-velocity option suitable for practice and rimfire competition

Recreational Enjoyment

Time-Saving Convenience

Skill Development & Mastery

CCI Standard Velocity is the market-leading, widely available option that offers excellent reliability and low cost per round; while not always sold as a dedicated subsonic match load, it frequently performs near-subsonic in many barrels and is a go-to for economical practice and volume shooting. Its main advantage in the subsonic competition ecosystem is financial and logistical: easier sourcing and far lower training costs than premium subsonic match rounds, though it typically won’t match the ultimate precision of Eley or Lapua.

  • Budget practice

  • Consistent feed

  • Classic ping

  • Affordable, widely available standard-velocity option suitable for practice and rimfire competition

  • Reliable ignition and feeding across a broad range of rifles and pistols

  • Budget practice

  • Consistent feed

  • Classic ping

  • Affordable, widely available standard-velocity option suitable for practice and rimfire competition

  • Reliable ignition and feeding across a broad range of rifles and pistols

Order Now

$160-220 CAD

What research and testing say about subsonic competition ammo

Ballistic research, manufacturer test data, and independent range testing collectively explain why subsonic competition ammunition produces tighter groups and reduced report when used with suppressors. Key scientific principles include stability across the transonic region, the role of projectile mass and shape in retaining energy and stability at lower speeds, and the major influence of velocity consistency on vertical dispersion. Practical testing emphasizes measuring standard deviation (SD) and extreme spread (ES) as predictors of match performance and using sound pressure level (SPL) meters to quantify suppression benefits.

Velocity consistency matters: lower SD and ES correlate strongly with tighter group sizes in controlled testing.

Transonic avoidance: staying below the speed of sound prevents shockwave formation that can destabilize small-caliber projectiles and increase vertical dispersion.

Projectile design: heavier bullets with appropriate ogive and balance retain stability and energy better at subsonic speeds, improving long-range consistency in rimfire competition.

Suppressor synergy: independent measurements show suppressors reduce peak sound pressure; combined with subsonic loads the perceived report and recoil are reduced significantly, aiding follow-up shot speed and shooter comfort.

Manufacturing controls: lot-to-lot consistency, primer and powder uniformity, and quality control in bullet seating greatly influence match-grade performance, according to industry test protocols and ballistic lab reports.

Safety and standards: consult SAAMI and CIP specifications and follow Canadian firearms and ammunition regulations; using loads within published safe limits is essential.

In Canada for 2025, subsonic competition ammunition remains a smart choice for suppressed precision shooting, indoor ranges, and noise-sensitive environments. The top five options on this page — CCI Quiet-22 Semi-Auto, Eley Subsonic Hollow, Lapua Center-X, RWS Subsonic Hollow Point, and CCI Standard Velocity — each offer strengths for different setups. For pure subsonic competition performance the Eley Subsonic Hollow stands out as the best choice for shooters focused on match-grade consistency and suppressed accuracy, while CCI Quiet-22 Semi-Auto and RWS Subsonic Hollow Point are excellent for suppressed semiautos and versatile tactical use. Lapua Center-X and CCI Standard Velocity remain strong options where proven match performance and wide availability matter. We hope you found what you were looking for; refine or expand your search by caliber, grain weight, suppressed versus unsuppressed use, or lot consistency using the site search.

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