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Some RFDs will refuse to sell a moderator unless it is proofed. I got into a heated discussion with one of them who had ordered me an ASE-Utra Dual Rimfire from Jackson Rifles and it arrived unproofed. He would not sell it to me until it was proofed and I had to absorb that cost.

I have numerous moderators, all in .22 and I have fired thousands of rounds through them. One of them is an unproofed A-TEC CMM4(6) which has had 12,500 rounds through it in the space of just under a year. I haven't cleaned it once, not even put any oil into it! It works just fine. That's a light-weight aluminium moderator. You can read how I am abusing it here:

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/lead-dep ... 1-bertolli

The other type I have used extensively (with a high round count) is the ASE-Utra Dual Rimfire. I have one proofed and two others unproofed. It's more difficult to clean because all the baffles are stacked loose in the can. It is all steel, even the baffles.

Those two are quality moderators, roughly the same price. I think for ease of use, reduction in weight and all-round satisfaction I would choose the A-TEC CMM4(6) which is the one with 6 baffles. It is not meant to be opened: the recommendation is to spray some cleaner into it after each session.

For those two moderators, I can't see why they need to be proofed and I wouldn't buy those from an RFD who insisted they had to be! That's for .22LR...

I'm still waiting for someone to show me an unproofed moderator that was damaged, or caused damage to a shooter or a gun because of some defect in it which would have been detected at the proof house.

I'm willing to wager that all such incidents are more likely to be caused by an incorrectly-threaded barrel or other misalignment, rather than any pressure-related failure in the can.

However, some RFDs are worried that a buyer who has an "incident" with a moderator would then be able to take legal action against the RFD if the moderator was not proofed.

My advice is to find out what their stance is before you order, and if they say the .22 can must be proofed, then buy it elsewhere.

The other thing to be aware of, is some moderators are only offered in 1/2 x 20 threads. If you have 1/2 x 28 threads on your rifle, you will then need to get an adapter.

SAK or the venerable Parker Hale will work perfectly well for .22LR I have a PH which is shared between .22LR and .22WMR , in a fit of enthusiasm I stripped it to clean it (after eating .22WMR for some time) I found the baffles in perfect condition and no sign of damage from the WMR, so I expect it to last awhile yet.
noise wise its perfectly acceptable, with subs the action makes more noise, and nothing is going to quieten the supersonic crack of HV or WMR rounds.
of course you can go for bragging rights and get a much mpre expensive mod, but don't expect a lot more performance, because it just aint there

Odd Job wrote:The other thing to be aware of, is some moderators are only offered in 1/2 x 20 threads. If you have 1/2 x 28 threads on your rifle, you will then need to get an adapter.

I have an A-TEC Wave with 1/2x28 thread, it's an off the shelf item.

Yep, you can get the A-TEC, ASE-Utra, Hausken and B&T in either thread.
But some others are only in 1/2 x 20, such as the Hogan Decimeater.

IMHO one of the best mods for a 22LR is the Parker Hale MM1, great value (can be picked up for £10-£15 second hand) and seem to last a lifetime (or so the ones I have have, one over 40 years only with minimal cleaning).
I struggled to get one apart late last year and when it was finally in pieces I put it in the SS tumbler - I now have a very nice shiny stainless steel MM1. Looks great on a stainless barrel.

SAK are also good value for money, a little bit more expensive then the PH (not much) and a bit bigger diameter.

I have a Parker Hale MM1 and to me, I personally find the A-Tec Wave to appear to be quieter. It's certainly solid though.