Silencer part deux

[gunny2]

Not sure why the first one was locked, I guess it digressed into some back n forth...asking folks to keep it civil

In the other thread, someone suggested ear plugs if I wanted less noise. My hearing/ears are very sensitive, which is why I'm interested in the silencer and why I hate anything in or on my ears, so I'd much rather have a silencer than have to put in and take out ear plugs every day.

Anyway, thanks to those who provided useful information. I am surprised how expensive they are, but glad to know they are more accessible than I initially assumed.

 

[CapnMac]

My hearing/ears are very sensitive, which is why I'm interested in the silencer and why I hate anything in or on my ears

Well, barring only a few, middling extreme examples (like the Welrod or Hushpuppy) the average silencer is still in the 125-145dB range.
OSHA calls 140dB, once per 8 hour shift "hearing safe" but, human hearing damage typically occurs around 100 to 110dB.

I will suspect that you will trend to the lower end of that, e.g., 100dB.

So, a suppressor-fitted firearm is still likely to be beyond your comfort level. If not as much as an un-suppressed firearm.

 

[mavracer]

I don't know why folks get so contentious about it. My guess would be the confirmation bias from not wanting to pay $200 to put your name on a government list.

Without getting too far off in the weeds no most suppressed guns aren't that Hollywood quiet, but they're often easier on the ears than the same gun unsuppressed with ear protection.

 

[12Bravo20]

As CapnMac stated, most centerfire rifle calibers and some pistol calibers will still be loud enough to cause permanent hearing damage. I have fired suppressed full auto guns without any kind of hearing protection and my ears still rang afterwards. Believe me, I wished I had worn some type of hearing protection while shooting those suppressed firearms. Shooting once or twice while hunting will not be as bad as shooting a few magazines at the range, but hearing damage can and will still happen even with a suppressor.

That being said, buy a suppressor (for more) if you want them.

 

[MachIVshooter]

In the other thread, someone suggested ear plugs if I wanted less noise. My hearing/ears are very sensitive, which is why I'm interested in the silencer and why I hate anything in or on my ears, so I'd much rather have a silencer than have to put in and take out ear plugs every day.

Assuming a highly effective suppressor:

-Semi-automatic rifles are not hearing safe

-Supersonic big bore rounds and supersonic pistol cartridges are not hearing safe

-High velocity small and medium bore rifle rounds may be somewhat safe in the open, really depends on environment, what may reflect the sonic crack back to your ears.

-semi-automatic pistol caliber carbines firing subsonic loads may be somewhat safe, depends on port noise.

-subsonic rounds from manual action guns are generally safe.

-subsonic rimfire can be legitimately safe; an impulse noise in the 115-120 dB range should not cause damage as long as those impulses are decently spread out. Most of us will be subjected to more harmful sounds (probably lower intensity but much greater duration) on an almost daily basis.


I do not wear ear protection with suppressed .22s or 9mm pistols, nor my .25-20, .32-20 & .38 spl lever actions, using subsonics in all.

I generally do not with my bolt rifles in calibers from .223-.375 RUM if I'm out on our private range either.



With semi-automatic centerfires or my .45-70 and similar firing supersonic rounds, I do wear ear pro. Same for 5.7x28 handguns, and I generally find .45 ACP pistols pretty borderline, will use ear pro if it's gonna be more than a single magazine.

YMMV. I use our own highly effective suppressors, but some host weapons will always have offensive port noise, and slower supersonic rounds, especially those with more blunt projectiles, produce a crack that bothers me; this includes all supersonic pistol rounds and basically anything else running between Mach 1 and about 2,000 FPS

 

[hoardingthemanual]

My wife had our first child, a son. He makes the cutest cooing noises. I would not trade hearing my family for not wearing ear pro. I always double up with ear buds and ear muffs. I’ve been waiting two months for my suppressor; 7 more months to go.

 

[gunny2]

Yeah, but I can't really wear hearing protection when I sleep at night on the off chance someone breaks into my house. It's disappointing to hear that the diff when using a silencer isn't as much as I'd hoped.

 

[Soonerpesek]

Yeah, but I can't really wear hearing protection when I sleep at night on the off chance someone breaks into my house. It's disappointing to hear that the diff when using a silencer isn't as much as I'd hoped.

The difference is MORE than you think/ have been told….
Suppressing a home defense gun is a good idea if you choose to go that route…IMO…

 

[Jim Watson]

I am not a silent person but I have heard a few.
A HK USP .45 with Osprey was very quiet, the slap of the bullet against a steel plate was subjectively louder than the report.
I wouldn't plink all day with bare ears but it would sure let you repel boarders in comfort.

 

[mavracer]

Yeah, but I can't really wear hearing protection when I sleep at night on the off chance someone breaks into my house. It's disappointing to hear that the diff when using a silencer isn't as much as I'd hoped.

One of the reoccurring themes that pop up suppressor threads seems to be a lot of cherry picking to satisfy a confirmation bias.
People compare the loudest suppressed guns to average to even relatively quiet unsuppressed guns.
Yes my 12.5" 5.56 with the short 9mm K can on it is loud, probably as loud as an unsuppressed 9mm carbine sure it's uncomfortable sans ear pro but not something I'd sweat in a self defense scenario.
But how about some perspective without the can my SBR is probably ~168 Db and it's painful to shoot with just ear plugs.

 

[CapnMac]

on the off chance someone breaks into my house

There is an argument that such a case means you do not have enough "layers" of security around your domicile.
That you ought be set up that something else wakes you up before the sound of the door being kicked in.

That's an entirely separate argument of course, but, it does factor in.

 

[mavracer]

but, human hearing damage typically occurs around 100 to 110dB.

That you ought be set up that something else wakes you up before the sound of the door being kicked in.

Except my ring alarm and the dogs are both in the 100-110db range.
Guess we could just accept the fact that surviving a home defense encounter might cost a tiny amount of hearing damage.

 

[MachIVshooter]

It's disappointing to hear that the diff when using a silencer isn't as much as I'd hoped.

You have to keep in mind that decibels are logarithmic, that every 10dB is a 10x increase in sound power. 160 dB isn't 23% louder than 130 dB, it's literally 1,000 times greater sound power & 100x greater amplitude.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dec...ture of,manner similar to scientific notation.


You also need to understand the importance of duration with sound pressure exposure. 130-140 dB is very loud for a constant noise, but gunshot peak sound pressure is an impulse sound measured in milliseconds. That's why we have to use very specialized and expensive meters to measure it accurately. No general purpose class 1 or 2 meter has anywhere near the requisite rise time, which must be faster than 20 μs (microseconds), preferably faster than 5 μs. The $30k B&K Pulse system I believe has a rise time of 3.7 μs.

 

[Speedo66]

Yeah, but I can't really wear hearing protection when I sleep at night on the off chance someone breaks into my house. .

I suppose you could keep a set of electronic muffs near your bed.

 

[gunny2]

You have to keep in mind that decibels are logarithmic, that every 10dB is a 10x increase in sound power. 160 dB isn't 23% louder than 130 dB, it's literally 1,000 times greater sound power & 100x greater amplitude.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decibel#:~:text=The logarithmic scale nature of,manner similar to scientific notation.

Huh, I admit I did not know that and I bet most people don't.

I realize a brief sound of gunfire probably wouldn't do any serious damage, but i prefer to err on the side of caution. I think if I hit someone with a 9mm or 380, either way they're in a world of hurt.