considering a home defense rifle

[Kevinkris]

ive been thinking of getting an ar-15 for home defense some time in the next few months and through my research ive been more and more concerned with sound. going the pistol or sbr route seems to make it louder but will a suppressor make any significant difference? should i maybe consider a smaller caliber also?

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[ZA_Survivalist]

What about noise canceling head phones or even quick ear plugs?

I gave up on the suppressor idea and just started doing indoor drills.
Picking up my HD firearm and throwing on a pair of plugs and just building that muscle memory.

 

[erudne]

Plugs with the ridged head band to hold them in place

 

[ZA_Survivalist]

Plugs with the ridged head band to hold them in place

Yep, thats exactly what Ive got.

And they rest nicely on my little HD setup area.

 

[simon99]

Why are you concerned about sound? For the bad guys or yourself?

If you have a need for a home defense weapon, in stressful situations when a weapon is needed, you'll have so much adrenaline pumping that loud sounds are the last of your worries.

 

[Kevinkris]

Why are you concerned about sound? For the bad guys or yourself?

If you have a need for a home defense weapon, in stressful situations when a weapon is needed, you'll have so much adrenaline pumping that loud sounds are the last of your worries.

youre probably right but i would like to think i will be able to hear again if i were unlucky enough to be in that situation. the rigid ear plugs sounds like a great idea, as a plus i would not have to double the cost of the rifle. anyone have a recommendation for selection? seems like something i can throw in with my current HD weapon without breaking the bank. it may be a silly question too but does anyone think you loose much accuracy 100 yards with a 16" barrel as opposed to 20"? its mostly just a question for range fun, i realize the shorter barrel is much more effective for HD.

 

[simon99]

youre probably right but i would like to think i will be able to hear again if i were unlucky enough to be in that situation. the rigid ear plugs sounds like a great idea, as a plus i would not have to double the cost of the rifle. anyone have a recommendation for selection? seems like something i can throw in with my current HD weapon without breaking the bank.

I've shot a lot of rounds sans hearing protection in the military...but, I would just get some basic muffs and keep them strapped to your stock of your new AR. Just one other thought, its nice to hear the bad guys creeping through the house prior to dumping a mag into them.

 

[ZA_Survivalist]

If push came to shove I wouldn't be fiddling with hearing protection, I would be more concerned with putting the intruder down.. but its a matter of 1.2 seconds of applying your hearing protection and then going onward.

Id rather be deaf than dead.. But Id rather retain my hearing if that options on the table.
Hearing firearms go off indoors is a whole lot worse than outdoors.

 

[Kevinkris]

i agree maybe muffs would be a better choice so that i can keep them with the weapon easier and remove them more quickly but there isnt many places they could be with the way my house is set up but my bedroom does leave me in a position where i would have to look both ways.

sorry about the late edit, looks like you were faster than me.

 

[Kevinkris]

If push came to shove I wouldn't be fiddling with hearing protection, I would be more concerned with putting the intruder down.. but its a matter of 1.2 seconds of applying your hearing protection and then going onward.

Id rather be deaf than dead.. But Id rather retain my hearing if that options on the table.
Hearing firearms go off indoors is a whole lot worse than outdoors.

true but my bedroom is past a noisy flight of stairs so it will give me a chance to consider the options.

 

[fyrediver]

Accuracy difference at 100 yards with a carbine (16") versus rifle (20") is minimal. I didn't see any significant difference until we were out to 300 & 400 yards and then the guy with the rifle barrel was getting better groups than I was with my carbine. Of course, his eyes were also 20 years younger. I was still getting 10 inch groups at 400 yards from prone. Probably could shrink that with better optics and a good trigger job though.

Suppressed would be nice for the noise reduction. If not, then electronic muffs would be my choice.

 

[Squidly]

What did he say?

 

[cookie]

Accuracy difference at 100 yards with a carbine (16") versus rifle (20") is minimal. I didn't see any significant difference until we were out to 300 & 400 yards and then the guy with the rifle barrel was getting better groups than I was with my carbine. Of course, his eyes were also 20 years younger. I was still getting 10 inch groups at 400 yards from prone. Probably could shrink that with better optics and a good trigger job though.

Suppressed would be nice for the noise reduction. If not, then electronic muffs would be my choice.

The main advantage of a longer barrel is Feet per second at longer ranges and bullet fragmentation. All things equal barrel length has little to do with accuracy. Yeah a longer barrel has a longer sight radius with iron sights. I am really liking the electronic ear muffs ,they amplify ambient sound yet cut off when the gun blast hits them.I have lost much of my hearing due to loud motorcycles and working around engines all my life and I wore hearing protection . It adds up until you can't hear so good.

 

[Kevinkris]

sounds great, thanks for helping me get back on my path for research.

 

[GuyBMeredith]

What Salted Weapon said. I've been listening to an incessant chorus of idiot crickets for years now. Sometimes I can ignore them, other times they SCREAM.

I prefer a sound compressing headset so I can turn up the volume and listen to their conversation/movement and be protected from the noise. I may have my ears tested and if hearing aids are a benefit, I'll be pushing for a sound compression set which would also be useful for self defense situations away from the house.

My preferred firearm for the home is a Mossberg 500 loaded with buckshot and a couple of slugs at the end of the magazine in case the assailants are too big and mean for the 00. I find it extremely easy to be on target at any distance available in our house.

 

[GuyBMeredith]

I like the quick action sound compressing hearing gear. It DOES work on the quick loud noises, but you can turn them up to hear stuff you could not normally hear.

I think I saw comments that some hunters may be using them now to listen for game and protect their ears when shooting, but I haven't followed up on that.

 

[John H]

Do compressing headsets really protect hearing well?
I think that would be great, I just was unsure about the tech on them.

They do work well, but the actual db reduction rating is less then a good pair of basic muffs. But what make them so nice is the fact you can hear afterwards.

 

[2506]

They do work well, but the actual db reduction rating is less then a good pair of basic muffs. But what make them so nice is the fact you can hear afterwards.

I have some Peltors that are great for shotgunning. But for benchwork, they don't quite do the job and I opt for basic muffs. The difference is quite noticeable, especially from people shooting next to me.

 

[hotSAUCE]

If noise is of concern get a ar15.22

sent from a typewriter not a samsung galaxy s3.

 

[Botte Hork]

They do work well, but the actual db reduction rating is less then a good pair of basic muffs. But what make them so nice is the fact you can hear afterwards.

Depends on what you get. The Howard Leight (or whatever) Impact Sport ones are nice, but not super. The Pro Ears brand has a Pro Mag Gold series, with a few different options and those apparently are the bee's knees when it comes to electronic muffs, plus their bulkiest model has an NRR of 33, which is pretty much the best you can get in muffs.