Do you regret getting your suppressor?

[z987k]

Muzzle brakes are great for low volume, high recoil hunting rifles

I strongly disagree with the hunting rifle part. Brakes are good for 1 thing. Target shooting at a range that no one is within 20 feet of you or you're alone AND where you're only putting a few down range. Where you can put in really high dollar ear plugs and put a good pair of muffs on top of those.

If you're hunting at such distance that you always have time to put plugs and muff on, that I guess that's the exception. I cannot overstate how much I hate brakes. The greatly increased noise, the concussion. The blast to anyone around you.

 

[z987k]

It does, but at 130db, the exposure for hearing damage is less than 1 sec.

Most 8 baffle or so suppressors offer roughly the same or more db reduction as a pair of ear plugs. If the suppressor isn't hearing safe at 130db, the plugs are not safe at a typical 160-165db rifle shot. And very unsafe from a braked rifle.

 

[Jstumbaugh]

I regret living in NYS where cans are highly dangerous and no one should ever need or want one.....someday I will have one.

 

[chutinlead]

Most 8 baffle or so suppressors offer roughly the same or more db reduction as a pair of ear plugs. If the suppressor isn't hearing safe at 130db, the plugs are not safe at a typical 160-165db rifle shot. And very unsafe from a braked rifle.

You're on the right track there. If you really care about your hearing you need both. Take a 165db shot down to 130, then the best earmuffs you can get reduce around 30. Now you are at 100db where the OSHA limit is 2hrs of exposure. A gunshot lasts what? 5 milliseconds? Shoot all day.

A braked rifle takes it over 170db so even if you do plugs and muffs, those db reduction number don't stack, plus at that extreme pressure the sound literally goes through your facial bones and sinuses. So maybe you get your braked rifle shot down to 135db. And you still get ringing in your ears and a headache after all day exposure.

 

[justin davis]

Got my 1st suppressor this summer. Now all I want is to get another one lol

 

[ryjack70ss]

You're on the right track there. If you really care about your hearing you need both. Take a 165db shot down to 130, then the best earmuffs you can get reduce around 30. Now you are at 100db where the OSHA limit is 2hrs of exposure. A gunshot lasts what? 5 milliseconds? Shoot all day.

A braked rifle takes it over 170db so even if you do plugs and muffs, those db reduction number don't stack, plus at that extreme pressure the sound literally goes through your facial bones and sinuses. So maybe you get your braked rifle shot down to 135db. And you still get ringing in your ears and a headache after all day exposure.

Exactly my thoughts.


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[chutinlead]

Exactly my thoughts.

Ask a RO at a match which one they would rather be around all day. Every match I've been to, even NRL22X matches, at least 1 RO has thanked me for shooting suppressed.

 

[Bearded Bowhunter]

As others have stated, when you buy one, all the sudden you'll have 2 more on order.

 

[mullmann]

I enjoy shooting my .243 suppressed and I really like it on the 25 PRC I recently finished. I hated it on my 300RUM. I will never shoot a large magnum suppressed again.

 

[z987k]

You're on the right track there. If you really care about your hearing you need both. Take a 165db shot down to 130, then the best earmuffs you can get reduce around 30. Now you are at 100db where the OSHA limit is 2hrs of exposure. A gunshot lasts what? 5 milliseconds? Shoot all day.

A braked rifle takes it over 170db so even if you do plugs and muffs, those db reduction number don't stack, plus at that extreme pressure the sound literally goes through your facial bones and sinuses. So maybe you get your braked rifle shot down to 135db. And you still get ringing in your ears and a headache after all day exposure.

Yup. It's better to just have nothing than a brake.

I've made the claim before, and I'm fairly sure it's backed by exactly what you just said, but it's not possible to have a hearing safe braked magnum. No matter how much hearing protection you put on. Even a 308 is 170db at the ear with a brake, so it's not just magnums either. I'm sure a 223 or a 9mm pcc with a brake might be low enough at the ear to have hearing protection protect you, but most stuff it doesn't.

 

[bsnedeker]

I'm sure a 223 or a 9mm pcc with a brake might be low enough at the ear to have hearing protection protect you, but most stuff it doesn't.

That might be true for the shooter, but I doubt it's true for people next to them. I shoot at an underground rifle range with a couple of 100 yard tubes. I've had multiple experiences where I'm shooting next to a dude whose gun just blows through my ear pro like its nothing. I always think to myself they must be shooting some big magnum. Every single time it's been a dude shooting a 223 with a brake.



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[z987k]

That might be true for the shooter, but I doubt it's true for people next to them. I shoot at an underground rifle range with a couple of 100 yard tubes. I've had multiple experiences where I'm shooting next to a dude whose gun just blows through my ear pro like its nothing. I always think to myself they must be shooting some big magnum. Every single time it's been a dude shooting a 223 with a brake.



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Ya, I've had the same experience.

 

[wesfromky]

The PEW Science team has a pretty good ranking system. I was hoping for my DA to be here in time for this season, but that whole 90 days thing is stretching into 230 days now.

Suppressor Sound Rankings — PEW Science

What is the quietest silencer for your suppressed firearm? The quietest suppressor for your use case is listed on this page with detailed links to the Silencer Sound Standard test data. PEW Science test data with PEW-SOFT is the most accurate suppressor test data available.

pewscience.com

 

[James_Miller]

It's in a number of places online that impulse exposure below 140db is considered safe and will not lead to hearing loss per the CDC and OSHA. In my experience shooting 300 win mag I feel comfortable after taking shots without hearing protection. Shooting this rifle braked with muffs alone is a mildly uncomfortable experience between the concussion to the face and limited protection from the muffs.

It's amazing how much energy the can absorbs. When it was hot out this summer I could take 1 shot and the can was hot, 2 shots and much too hot to grab with my bare hand. Interestingly when I was checking zero just before elk season and temps were lower, I was able to take 5 or so shots and still be able to grab the can.

 

[peaches]

Only regret is waiting so long

 

[Samson7x]

It's in a number of places online that impulse exposure below 140db is considered safe and will not lead to hearing loss per the CDC and OSHA. In my experience shooting 300 win mag I feel comfortable after taking shots without hearing protection. Shooting this rifle braked with muffs alone is a mildly uncomfortable experience between the concussion to the face and limited protection from the muffs.

It's amazing how much energy the can absorbs. When it was hot out this summer I could take 1 shot and the can was hot, 2 shots and much too hot to grab with my bare hand. Interestingly when I was checking zero just before elk season and temps were lower, I was able to take 5 or so shots and still be able to grab the can.

Even after covid, you trust the CDC?

 

[Gadjet]

I enjoy shooting my .243 suppressed and I really like it on the 25 PRC I recently finished. I hated it on my 300RUM. I will never shoot a large magnum suppressed again.

I'm curious, what is your reason for not wanting a suppressed large magnum?

 

[Antares]

You're on the right track there. If you really care about your hearing you need both. Take a 165db shot down to 130, then the best earmuffs you can get reduce around 30. Now you are at 100db where the OSHA limit is 2hrs of exposure. A gunshot lasts what? 5 milliseconds? Shoot all day.

I love the combo of an electronic headset over nice silicone earplugs at the range. I can turn the volume way up, so that it overwhelms the plugs, then I can hear normal conversation, hits on steel, etc., but when the electronic headset kicks in, it's double protection. Also, I like to turn the headset off when there's a lot of people chattering on the line that I don't want to listen to.

 

[Weldor]

Love my suppressed 308 for hunting and shooting.

 

[chutinlead]

I love the combo of an electronic headset over nice silicone earplugs at the range. I can turn the volume way up, so that it overwhelms the plugs, then I can hear normal conversation, hits on steel, etc., but when the electronic headset kicks in, it's double protection. Also, I like to turn the headset off when there's a lot of people chattering on the line that I don't want to listen to.

I tried the electronic earmuffs and went back to simple stuff in plugs when I need them. I actually make my kids wear the electronic earmuffs on the range so they can hear my instructions.