A $9 dampener that works on your rifle? Yes, to even up the odds if you compete. It is not cheating! Maybe worth a try. 

I have tested these Barrel Dampeners before on a few big game rifles.  Cost is $9 dollars on Amazon. Cheap enough! They do work! 

The question becomes; How much accuracy do you really need? For hunting say at 50 yards, one inch is fine, but for competition 1/2 to 1/3 inch groups is more the norm.

 Ammo used for hunting and plinking is inexpensive compared to competitive target ammunition, $6 a box of 50 for plinking and $10 to $20 competition. In the middle are $8 or $9 dollar boxes that can work magic in some rifles. I know these barrel dampeners can help tighten groups of so called lesser ammo.

UPDATE

For the Limbsaver deresonator test I used some Winchester Super X High Velocity 22 hunting ammo I’ve had for years. 

The test rifle is my Savage A22 Semi-Auto with Vortex Diamondback 6-24×50 set at 20x.

The ammo and rifle are not even close to use in 22LR competition, thus the results from “with” deresonator to “without” should be clear. I found that moving the deresonator down the barrel found that at 4 inches from the muzzle, groups tightened. Moving more than 4 inches groups got wider. 

Target shown below G1, G2, G3 are With Deresonator set at 4 inches from muzzle. Groups 4 and 5 are without the deresonator.

G1 1 3/8″ with flyer. 7/8″ without flyer.

G2 3/4″ with flyer. 1/4″ without. 4 shots in ragged 1/4″ hole.

G3 3/4″ with flyer. 1/4″ without. 4 shots in ragged .1/4″ hole.

G4 1.0″ with flyer. 3/4″ without flyer. No tight groups.

G5 1.5″ with flyer. 7/8″ without flyer. No tight groups.

 The Limbsaver Deresonator groups are strikingly tighter, even with this older hunting ammo and a semi-auto 22 rifle. 

Good Shooting!