Thread: Short barrels and decebels

Originally Posted by veitnamcam

Because I am practical?

No because you cant hear me!!!

So to reiterate.

I wear hearing protection for all range shooting and these days probably 60% of my own hunting shots.
In the past it was no protection for any shooting.
There has been 4-5 occasions in my hunting life where my own shot has rung my bell so to speak ,all in the bush and blast back to the ear from a big bloody tree or a bank/bluff.
Slow learner maybe but I now recognise those situations that will reflect blast

Those few shots a year without protection and with the age and experience to not give a fuck if I pull the trigger or not(so would now recognise a blast back situation and not fire)

My first 308 had a few inches hacked off the end and was ok noise wise if a bit louder, but when would it be obscenely loud or instant irreparable hearing damage loud?

It would not be significant from 22" to 16" noise wise. Still full exposure to too many db instantaneously sorry

120 db is instant damage to a certain degree. I thought.
My 308 is 20". Has a real boom to it. Would be well over 120 db. A mates 6.5 @20" also did the finishing touches, 3 shots and she's ringing 24/7.
I regret that stag ever showed up now.
70% of all my hunting is with plugs & have a can now also.
100% at range.

Where I am at is it would be nice to have a 18-20'' unsuppressed bush 308 if I can get away with it, going by the replies it will "make no difference" it is all hearing bad.

My first 308 had maybe 3 inches cut off so probably 19 inch and I fired many many rounds threw that without hearing protection with no ill effect that I noticed other than the "returned blast" situations mentioned above.

The 16-18 inch rossie is certainly louder but it is running a "too slow" powder load that gives good velocity and accuracy but a noticeable muzzle flash, it is run with a suppressor full time so have no reason to change the load but I would think running a fast powder would negate muzzle flash and blast hence being less loud?

To me for my hunting there is nothing gayer than a 18 inch or even 16 inch suppressed rifle, its not really any shorter, its not lighter, you have a big bulgy can on the end to catch on everything, long range ballistics are dead in the water and most importantly it is just bloody ugly.

So if a 18 inch barrel will have me totally deaf before my daughters tenth birthday (she is 8) firing maybe 4-5 shots a year unprotected then I guess I may as well go 6-10 inch permanently suppressed and forget any shot across a gully or river flat?

What say you suppressor people?

Over the years I never used hearing protection for any shooting or hunting used to have a 18" .308 and man that was bloody noisy way more than a 22" and at age 30 had lost over 40% of my hearing. Now I always use hearing protection but it is too late, I now use hearing aids in both ears and can't hear those bloody stags. My hunting rifle also has a can now wish they were around 30 years ago.

Originally Posted by Gibo

It would not be significant from 22" to 16" noise wise. Still full exposure to too many db instantaneously sorry

There is a big difference in noise & pressure from 16-22" with a 308 etc

The longer the barrel, the less the pressure at the muzzle & coincidentally the further away from you the noise is.

Suppressed rifles "aren't hearing safe" unless you are using subsonic & even then depending on calibre, surroundings & rounds fired.

Suppressed rifles are more hearing safe than unsuppressed ones

Originally Posted by Kiwi Greg

There is a big difference in noise & pressure from 16-22" with a 308 etc

The longer the barrel, the less the pressure at the muzzle & coincidentally the further away from you the noise is.

Suppressed rifles "aren't hearing safe" unless you are using subsonic & even then depending on calibre, surroundings & rounds fired.

Suppressed rifles are more hearing safe than unsuppressed ones

Do you have the db stats to highlight the big difference?
I said to an unprotected ear its not going to make a difference. Its too loud either long or short barrel unsupressed.

suppressers are cool imo, if your concerned about the extra bit and bulkiness, just remove your scope and it will make up for having the can sorry I have been drinking.....I don't now if there is a right answer for this?

Yes.

In theory I should be totally deaf by now considering my work history and play history and "things that will make you deaf", yet my hearing is not too bad.

I have no wish to make my hearing worse tho.

The big problem with cans is that for some of us they are really ugly as simple as that.

Originally Posted by veitnamcam

Yes.

In theory I should be totally deaf by now considering my work history and play history and "things that will make you deaf", yet my hearing is not too bad.

I have no wish to make my hearing worse tho.

From what I've heard it'll just go, as in you'll take one shot and never hear properly again. Just like you can lift with your back for 20 years then one day it'll just shit its self and thats that.

Originally Posted by veitnamcam

Yes.

In theory I should be totally deaf by now considering my work history and play history and "things that will make you deaf", yet my hearing is not too bad.

I have no wish to make my hearing worse tho.

Yeah my hearing f&*ked and ears ring all the time and my missus hates it, the one thing that really makes her mad is when I say "what did you say"
The legacy of owning a POS Sako Poo70 with a short barrel in my teens, had more bark than the neighbours dog and more boot than the neighbor.

Originally Posted by Toby

From what I've heard it'll just go, as in you'll take one shot and never hear properly again. Just like you can lift with your back for 20 years then one day it'll just shit its self and thats that.

I have been lead to believe you have "hairs" in your ears, every time these hairs are subjected to excessive noise they "fall over" then they right themselves. If you work construction or another loud trade your probally familar with the radio being too loud in the morning as you had temporary hearing loss during the day and turned your radio up on the drive home. Eventually the little "hairs" in your ears just stop righting themselves and that is permanant hearing loss. Im sure a large enough blast would be enough to do them in all at once.

Originally Posted by screamO

suppressers are cool imo, if your concerned about the extra bit and bulkiness, just remove your scope and it will make up for having the can sorry I have been drinking.....I don't now if there is a right answer for this?

I am pretty much convinced now if it has to have a can it will be as short as possible/legal.