Does A Longer Barrel Reduce Noise Of Fired Shot?

[Member 3687]

If I lived closer I would be happy to let you shoot mine. I have a 7, 10.5, 11.5, 14.5, 16, 18, and a 20 inch. I did have a 24 long time ago but it was just to dang long for my taste.

The other thing you need to be aware of is in an AR platform you have sound coming out of the ejection port next to you ear and on the shorter barrels you will have more sound coming back because of the higher pressure of the short gas system to cycle the bolt along with more gasses and debris.

With the longer gas system of the rifle length gas tube your built up pressure coming out of the ejection port is much less so less noise.

I have named my 7 in barrel the "Noisy Cricket" from men in black as it is loud and close to your face.

 

[Mike_M57]

It seems to me that cauliflower ears would be an advantage for shooters. Kinda like having built-in suppressors on your head.

 

[Flopsweat]

I have a single shot 22 rifle with a 30" barrel that when shooting sub sonic ammo is quieter than any of my pellet guns. the same ammo from an 18" barrel sounds like a 22 rifle. DR

Same experience with a 28" 22LR bolt action. I could hear the bullets impact the berm 100 yards away. Pop, pak!

 

[Certaindeaf]

A full auto G3K 7.62 NATO will peel your teeth.

 

[asiparks]

many years ago, I had a DPMS 7" "kitty Kat" upper and took it along to an ARFcom Oregon board arranged gathering at Browns Camp. I'd only stood behind it whilst firing, it was loud, but fun.
One of the guys there wanted to try it so I cheerfully said " sure".
My next words were " F$%^ing Mo#%%##er !!!!!", rather less cheerfully. I thought something had gone wrong and was half expecting to see half a gun and a bloodied arm stump...
No, he was smiling like an idiot, ready to fire another round, so I smartly moved from his 9 to his 7 before he could.
My right ear hasn't been the same since. Seriously.
I try not to shoot less than 16 without a can these days

 

[rjmt]

I can shoot my son's M1A without ear protection in it's original configuration - get more noise off the bolt cycling

but I installed one of those California legal muzzle brakes - will rock the windows and actually hurt your ears

reinstalled the GI flash hider, much happier now

I've fired my 24" bbl Garands for over 30 years without ear protection, except at rifle ranges with roofs and baffles

 

[Flopsweat]

many years ago, I had a DPMS 7" "kitty Kat" upper and took it along to an ARFcom Oregon board arranged gathering at Browns Camp. I'd only stood behind it whilst firing, it was loud, but fun.
One of the guys there wanted to try it so I cheerfully said " sure".
My next words were " F$%^ing Mo#%%##er !!!!!", rather less cheerfully. I thought something had gone wrong and was half expecting to see half a gun and a bloodied arm stump...
No, he was smiling like an idiot, ready to fire another round, so I smartly moved from his 9 to his 7 before he could.
My right ear hasn't been the same since. Seriously.
I try not to shoot less than 16 without a can these days

Get a linear compensator for that thing. It directs most of the concussion forward. It's made a huge difference for me on every AR pistol I've tried it on. I can't imagine the fire from a 7" barrel would do your suppressor much good. I know some of them are pretty tough internally but still.

 

[Yarome]

I stood next to a .50 M2 while it was shooting. I felt it. I also felt some dynamite go off about 40' in front of me.

Concussive brain impact. That explains a lot.......




On Edit: You're lucky! I have no excuse.

 

[The Heretic]

I had a Glock 21 with a hybrid comp mod (slide cut, AroTek Schuemann type comp silver soldered to top of barrel).

When I shot at a covered range, people noticed - one asked what it was. Louder but definitely less recoil/muzzle flip.

 

[rjmt]

I had a Glock 21 with a hybrid comp mod (slide cut, AroTek Schuemann type comp silver soldered to top of barrel).

When I shot at a covered range, people noticed - one asked what it was. Louder but definitely less recoil/muzzle flip.

I installed a heavy tungsten guide rod on my Glock and it really reduces muzzle flip with no modification to the pistol

 

[asiparks]

It's long since gone, but yeah, a couple of my shorter 556's have the Levang… I did have a Noveske flaming pig for a moment too…..

 

[The Heretic]

I installed a heavy tungsten guide rod on my Glock and it really reduces muzzle flip with no modification to the pistol

IIRC I tried that too with no discernable difference.

At one point I had two G21s, on with the comp, the other bone stock. I used to let people shoot both back to back and they always noted the difference.

 

[rjmt]

IIRC I tried that too with no discernable difference.

At one point I had two G21s, on with the comp, the other bone stock. I used to let people shoot both back to back and they always noted the difference.

maybe not with your .45, granted, I felt the difference from the first shot in my 9mm

but that's for another post

 

[GWS]

I've often heard that AR pistols produce more noise than AR rifles. Has anybody accurately measured this? Assuming you were firing the same type of ammo from each barrel, does a longer barrel reduce noise from fired shots? If so how much noise reduction percentage wise per inch of additional barrel length. Also if it's true, does it apply to smooth bore barrels as well?


Edit: How could you use different powders to achieve similiar velocities but reduce noise?

I have an AR pistol with a7"barrel
It is indeed ear-splitting. Conversely, I have a .300 Blackout with a 16 in barrel that had range masters asking if it was suppressed when I was shooting subsonics So yes barrel length can make a difference.

 

[gmerkt]

A .22 CB cap fired in a rifle barrel is no louder than a pellet gun. A .22 CB cap of the same type fired in a pistol or revolver is much louder.

 

[The Heretic]

A .22 CB cap fired in a rifle barrel is no louder than a pellet gun. A .22 CB cap of the same type fired in a pistol or revolver is much louder.

Any .22 fired in a rifle is quieter than the same in a handgun.

 

[Helocat]

My bolt 300BLK with a 9" barrel is crazy quite. Vrs. My 16" barrel AR




Ok it also has an over the barrel can that is about 14" long!

 

[Mike_M57]

Shortly after getting my .45-70 T/C Contender Carbine barrel (16.25" with a MuzzleTamer brake), I was at the range getting ready to shoot it. Standing nearby were a couple of other members of the range, one of whom thought he was God's Own Range Safety Officer and ANY imagined infraction in his eyes warranted his getting in-your-face in an unfriendly manner.

In other words, he was a total donkey cock.

He happened to be facing away from me when I gave a warning for everyone to put on hearing protection.

Mr. Poopdontstink looked around, saw what appeared to be a small-caliber rifle, and proceeded to ignore my warning. The person he was talking to told him he really should put on some ear protection (he was paying attention and saw the ammo I was loading into the rifle), but to no effect.

Have it your way, dipstick...


KA-EFFING-BOOM, with an emphasis on the EFFING.

Not being a scientist, I have no way to prove it, but I'm pretty sure Mr. Dingleberry created a wormhole with his sphincter and briefly time-travelled to another dimension through his own rectum.

Or maybe he just crapped his pants. Either way, it was worth watching.

 

[rjmt]

Shortly after getting my .45-70 T/C Contender Carbine barrel (16.25" with a MuzzleTamer brake), I was at the range getting ready to shoot it. Standing nearby were a couple of other members of the range, one of whom thought he was God's Own Range Safety Officer and ANY imagined infraction in his eyes warranted his getting in-your-face in an unfriendly manner.

In other words, he was a total donkey cock.

He happened to be facing away from me when I gave a warning for everyone to put on hearing protection.

Mr. Poopdontstink looked around, saw what appeared to be a small-caliber rifle, and proceeded to ignore my warning. The person he was talking to told him he really should put on some ear protection (he was paying attention and saw the ammo I was loading into the rifle), but to no effect.

Have it your way, dipstick...


KA-EFFING-BOOM, with an emphasis on the EFFING.

Not being a scientist, I have no way to prove it, but I'm pretty sure Mr. Dingleberry created a wormhole with his sphincter and briefly time-travelled to another dimension through his own rectum.

Or maybe he just crapped his pants. Either way, it was worth watching.

LOLLL
one of the biggest advantages in shooting on your own property is you don't have to put up with over zealous Range Officers, just pissed off wives

couldn't shoot Dragon's Breath at old Dodge vans if I had to

I fired my Mosin M38 in front of the house, not knowing my wife had lust pulled in behind the house
she had just stepped out of her Subaru with a Starbucks in her hand - KABOOOM and 3 foot flame came out of the M38
cup of Starbucks went up in the air and came down all over her
he language would have turned a Navy Chief red as she came around the house

 

[rjmt]

LOLLL
one of the biggest advantages in shooting on your own property is you don't have to put up with over zealous Range Officers, just pissed off wives

couldn't shoot Dragon's Breath at old Dodge vans if I had to

I fired my Mosin M38 in front of the house, not knowing my wife had lust pulled in behind the house
she had just stepped out of her Subaru with a Starbucks in her hand - KABOOOM and 3 foot flame came out of the M38
cup of Starbucks went up in the air and came down all over her
he language would have turned a Navy Chief red as she came around the house

for those who have never fired an Mosin M38, a standard Mosin 91/30 has a 28" bbl - ammo and powder designed for this length
a Mosin M38 has an 18" bbl
mull that over in your mind for a while