Noise - 18.5" 12-gauge shotgun vs. 14.5" 5.56 rifle

Status
Not open for further replies.
LH, is that just the general sound of the report, or the sound from the shooter's perspective?
Click to expand...
Good question. The dB level will change with the distance from the noise source, so a good chart will list the distance (typically, 1 foot or meter away), but "good" charts are hard to find.

I haven't seen one that specifies directionality; I assume that in front of the muzzle is louder than behind it. And I share your observation that the muzzle-break makes things louder from the shooter's position.
Which is "louder" is 100% subjective
Click to expand...
True, and not true.

True in that "loudness" involves hearing, and so is subjective. Not true in that the more energy a sound puts out (at the same frequencies), the louder it will seem to any individual (unless he is quite deaf, or the sound frequency is out of the detectable range). In the same way that if you shine a higher-energy-output light at someone (without changing the color), it will seem brighter (unless he is blind, or the light is not in the visible range).

The general rule is that when energy increases by 10 times (10 bB higher), the noise will sound "twice as loud." Subjective, but consistent.

Pertinent: I keep long guns ready for HD, and I keep electronic muffs on top of the nearest one.
 
If you want an AR for home defense, why would you get one with the shortest, blastiest legal barrel? A 14.5" barrel with a muzzlebrake is going to be noticably worse than a 16" barrel with a flash hider. A 20" AR is even more pleasant to shoot, getting whatever blast there is that much farther from your ears.

A 20" AR15 with a regular flash hider and a fixed A2 stock is as about long as an 18" barreled shotgun with a stock. Neither are that ungainly inside a house. Maybe a 20" barreled AR with a flash hider, and a collapsable stock would make more sense for a home defense rifle?

If I hear something in the middle of the night, the last thing I'm going to do is to put hearing protection on. I would rather risk some hearing damage than not be able to hear the small scrapes and bumps that could give away someone's position and help save my life.
Click to expand...

Couldn't agree more. I have trouble believing that someone would actually deafen themselves before a fight, and possibly be killed because of what they didn't hear, out of fear of harming their hearing later on, after the fight is won.
 
IMO if you have to use one of these inside a house to stop a threat, noise will be the least of your worries.

I would wear both plugs and muffs if shooting these for practice on an indoor range.

Anything that will reliably stop a threat will go through sheetrock. For the complete 411 on what penetrates sheetrock, go to www.theboxotruth.com.

Just my .02,
LeonCarr
 
"Over-penetration" usually refers not to defeating barriers (like sheetrock) but to passing through an attacker to pose a threat downrange.

Neither 12 gauge nor .223 has an advantage in avoiding over-penetration, as it is controllable by what load you choose.
 
With any gun designed to stop an attacker at an odd angle, overpenetration is almost inevitable in most cases. With that said, the AR vs. shotgun debate is never ending (I'm still going through it in my head). This thread is specifically regarding sound.

I was going with the thinking of Mr. Orange, that I don't want to miss sounds before I have to fire. Typically, someone breaking in at night is going to try to be quiet, and I want the advantage.

Rat, the reason I would go with a 14.5" barrel is because for HD I want the smallest long gun I can legally get. At point-blank range the 14.5" barrel still gives the .223 enough velocity to reliably fragment, and is easier to store or use in the hall.
 
Rat, the reason I would go with a 14.5" barrel is because for HD I want the smallest long gun I can legally get. At point-blank range the 14.5" barrel still gives the .223 enough velocity to reliably fragment, and is easier to store or use in the hall.
Click to expand...

I understand, but is 1.5", or even 5.5", that much of a difference in use?

I've gone through "hallways" at a 3D range with both 20" (M16A4) and a 14.5" (SBR) and didn't notice that much difference in maneuverability, but did notice a hell of a difference in blast and flash.

Good luck with whatever you decide :)
 
Well, for now it's shotgun. I don't like any of the rifle ranges nearby (I'm very picky about where I go to shoot) and a shotgun is cheaper than a rifle, so it fits my needs better. What I'm trying to figure is when I can afford it, do I want to make the switch or stay with my shotguns.

It's not so much about the difference between 1.5" or 5.5", it's the difference between "will I hit the wall when I turn around half-asleep or not?" And yes, 1.5" can make the difference there. Tested with $40 airsoft AR by collapsing the stock a bit.
 
After you fire one shot without hearing protection you will not be able to hear small sounds at all for a while. What if there is more than one bad guy lurking around? My plan is to take cover while the wife dials 911. I am not going to get up and search the house but stay put and blast anything that comes through my bedroom door, and no, there are no children in the house.
 
Sparks, the problem is that with hearing prot on, I wouldn't hear them to begin with, regardless of if there is one or more BGs.
 
I have a .45 acp rifle with a 16" barrel (HK USC to UMP conversion) and was amazed how quiet it was first time shot. If i weren't able to own a silencer or didn't live in a state that made me feel safe legally using one for home defense i'd probably go with a my USC as the go-to house gun.
 
The people talking about ear pro are most likely talking about electronic.... which enhance everything EXCEPT the shot... so it may not actually be a terrible idea.
 
The people talking about ear pro are most likely talking about electronic.... which enhance everything EXCEPT the shot... so it may not actually be a terrible idea.
Click to expand...
There's no reason to avoid electronic, since only the sound amplification stops working without charged batteries.

Sent using Tapatalk 2
 
If some bad guy(s) make it past my seven barking dogs and break down my heavy double locked cypress door or crash through a window, I no longer need to hear them, I will be working on visual cues. The plan is to take cover and blast whatever comes through the bedroom door. I would prefer not to have my hearing damaged in the process.
 
If I hear something in the middle of the night, the last thing I'm going to do is to put hearing protection on. I would rather risk some hearing damage than not be able to hear the small scrapes and bumps that could give away someone's position and help save my life.
Click to expand...

Couldn't agree more. I have trouble believing that someone would actually deafen themselves before a fight, and possibly be killed because of what they didn't hear, out of fear of harming their hearing later on, after the fight is won.
Click to expand...
Um....do you guys even know what E-muffs are? They are electronic muffs that actually enhance your hearing, so you'll hear better what you want, like small movements and such, and shut off for blasts like gunfire. They work as advertised. There are many on the market and not all are expensive.:rolleyes:
 
I am not going to get up and search the house but stay put and blast anything that comes through my bedroom door
Click to expand...

Some of us here have children to worry about. If I think someone is in the house, I'm not going to bunker down in my bedroom until everyone is in there with me. Because I need to worry about carrying small children, I also prefer a handgun to a long gun.
 
There are many on the market and not all are expensive.
Click to expand...

Many of the less expensive ones, and even some of the expensive ones, destroy directional hearing.
You may hear things, but you won't be able to pinpoint where it is coming from like you can with your normal ears.
Some of the expensive ones are a little better, and some are just as bad for pinpointing location.

With bare ears you can pinpoint the location of a movement in the dark if you have good hearing. Your brain instantly interprets the difference in the amount of time it took the sound to get to your ears, as well as the intensity, and you know right where the noise came from.
With electronic muffs you just hear the noise, and may be able to tell if it was louder on the right or left muff, but on many won't have much sense of direction beyond that.
 
You can always wear the electronic muffs; they can actually make your hearing more sensitive but still cut out the noise peaks.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

C
  • Locked
Sheslinger and the 12 Gauge :0)
Replies
3
Views
680
Bowlcut
B
S
  • Locked
HD shooting and minimizing hearing damage
2
Replies
39
Views
2K
HowardC
HowardC
B
  • Locked
Home defense noise considerations
2
Replies
35
Views
2K
AStone
A
T
  • Locked
Looking for a muzzle brake for AR-15
2
Replies
32
Views
3K
Griffin Armament
G
E
  • Locked
Confused about recoil.
Replies
18
Views
1K
rcmodel
R
Back
Top