Standing in the target pits, I find the supersonic crack of a 6.5-.284, .308, or .30-06 fired from 600 yards to be fully the equivalent of a .22lr handgun fired next to me. I find it intolerable without hearing protection.
I concur. I likened it to a 45 going off about fifteen feet away,though. The very first time I worked the pits, I wondered why everyone had hearing protection.
First shots, I knew why.
Thing I remember most, visually, was the little flakes of paper, black on one side, white on the other, floating down in the morning sun, kinda blinking on-off as they fluttered down in the light.
Vibe, thank you for digging up that excellent information.