Thread: 16" vs 22" barrel noise level

I shortened my first Tikka, a 7mm-08, from 20" to 18.5" to save a bit of length and weight - I couldn't believe the difference when I fired my first shot out hunting. That 1.5" difference was all it took to go from from comfortable without hearing protection (in open country) to distinctly uncomfortable. I do have sensitive ears, but it was surprising how different it was.
Needless to say all my subsequent rifles have 20" barrels, even though I'd love to cut some down to save weight! My ears are worth more.

Iv gone from a 308 22'' barrel to 16 back to 22.All suppressed,i had the 16'' about two month,just toooo loud.Got rid of it.

6" makes a hell of a lot of difference.....

Originally Posted by Trout

Iv gone from a 308 22'' barrel to 16 back to 22.All suppressed,i had the 16'' about two month,just toooo loud.Got rid of it.

Supressor your using must be pretty average. I run a 14" 7mm08 supressed with a atec h2 supressor as my bush rifle and can shoot it quite happily without hearing protection. How good the supressor is at doing its job makes all the difference.

Longer length barrel only gets in the way when it is slung over your shoulder or in your pack's scabbard when pushing thru bush. Carrying rifle, it's neither here or there, you still have to poke it thru thick shit leading the way.

Sell the 30-06 and get a 308 , it wont be worth much with a 16 inch barrel and will probably be unpleasant to shoot.

Originally Posted by 6.5 CRD

Supressor your using must be pretty average. I run a 14" 7mm08 supressed with a atec h2 supressor as my bush rifle and can shoot it quite happily without hearing protection. How good the supressor is at doing its job makes all the difference.

I think a few thousand GunWorks suppressor owners are pretty happy with theirs.

Originally Posted by Trout

I think a few thousand GunWorks suppressor owners are pretty happy with theirs.

No doubt. Doesnt mean there isnt others out there that do a better job especially in the instance of short barrels where your really needing them to shut it up.


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Originally Posted by stickman

I shortened my first Tikka, a 7mm-08, from 20" to 18.5" to save a bit of length and weight - I couldn't believe the difference when I fired my first shot out hunting. That 1.5" difference was all it took to go from from comfortable without hearing protection (in open country) to distinctly uncomfortable. I do have sensitive ears, but it was surprising how different it was.
Needless to say all my subsequent rifles have 20" barrels, even though I'd love to cut some down to save weight! My ears are worth more.

I should have noted that this was WITH a DPT suppressor. So paying to cut 1.5" off the barrel, I then paid some more to add another 1/2" module to the suppressor, and I'm almost back to where I started

Shortened my 308 to 18 inches thinking that I wouldn’t run a suppressor in the bush.horrible to shoot.Horrible.
Have to use supressed full time.

I recall from the old suppressor test Rod n Rifle did, that the first shot through a suppressor can be significantly louder (3-5db) than subsequent ones. For most of us, the first shot may be the only shot, so follow up performance is irrelevant

Identify your target beyond all doubt because you never miss (right?) and I'll be missed.