How far away can you hear a suppressed gunshot?
A handgun shot can be heard as far as 1 mile away depending on the conditions. More powerful shotgun ammunition can be heard up to 2 miles away.
Live tests by independent reviewers of numerous commercially available suppressors find that even low-power, unsuppressed . 22 LR handguns produce gunshots over 160 decibels. A recent study of various suppressors reported peak sound pressure level reductions between 17 dB and 24 dB.
A handgun shot can be heard about a mile away. At that distance, though, it might sound “almost like somebody tapping on a table,” Beisner says. In cities that deploy ShotSpotter, the company installs 20 to 25 sensors per square mile, to more accurately pinpoint the location of a shooter.
According to a fact sheet from SilencerCo, a Utah-based silencer manufacturer, a 12-gauge shotgun equipped with a silencer registers 137 decibels and a silenced . 22 rifle is muffled to 116 decibels, slightly louder than an ambulance siren. Still loud, just not eardrum-busting loud.
Modern day silencers typically can reduce the noise about 14.3-43 decibels, depending on a variety of factors, such as whether it's a subsonic bullet or not; length of the barrel/silencer; etc.
Although there is variation, well-engineered suppressors generally reduce noise levels by about 20-35 dB, roughly the same amount as a high-quality pair of earplugs or earmuffs.
The De Lisle carbine or De Lisle Commando carbine was a British firearm used during World War II that was designed with an integrated suppressor. That, combined with its use of subsonic ammunition, made it extremely quiet in action, possibly one of the quietest firearms ever made.
The loudest gun in the world is the 460 Weatherby Magnum with an 18″ barrel and a muzzle brake at around 170–180 decibels.
We saw comparable results for 45 ACP as we did with 9mm. The average unsuppressed levels, which were some of the loudest results for the pistol calibers, came in at average of 165-167 dB, while the average suppressed levels came in 21-26 dB lower, ranging from 141-146 dB.
This simple principle is often forgotten in the need to cover large and noisy areas. The effective distance of a 100 dB(A) sounder in a very noisy environment is 1.8m, the distance for a 120 dB(A) sounder is approx 18m (10 times the distance).
How long do suppressors last?
That means, on one hand, we can truthfully say “at least 100 years” but on the other hand, there are plenty of videos of people burning up suppressors on full-auto fire and destroying them in under ten thousand rounds.
A suppressor does reduce some of the sound though. Nothing completely silences a gun, so technically silencer is an incorrect term, but it is used by the majority of the public. The simple answer is both words can be used interchangeably - meaning the terms Silencer and Suppressor refer to the exact same thing.
22 caliber round is considered a low-intensity round, the decibel level can vary based on the ammunition and gun types being used. For instance, a suppressed . 22 pistol could have around a 95 dB noise level, while the unsuppressed one could go up to 135 decibels.
As an example of how loud a gunshot can be, a . 22 caliber rifle with standard velocity ammo creates 140 dB of sound. That's loud enough to cause permanent hearing damage and physical pain.
120 – 140 decibels: Such as, a rock concert, auto racing, or a hammer pounding a nail. 125 – 155 decibels: Like, firecrackers or fireworks, or a jet engine. 170 – 190 decibels: For example, a shot gun blast or a rocket lift off.
The Obsidian 45 by Rugged Suppressors is a modular, full auto, and belt-fed rated silencer constructed of stainless steel and aluminum that is one of the quietest pistol suppressors on the market. In its full configuration, the Obsidian 45 is 12.8 ounces and has a 8.6-inch length for optimized suppression.
Suppressors installed on the muzzles of firearms can consistently provide approximately 25 dB of attenuation for 100 percent of the shots fired (see sources). Using a firearm suppressor will reduce the risk of acquiring noise-induced hearing loss, but not eliminate it.
In general, a 16 inch AR-15 firing standard M193 produces a decibel level of around 167 dB give or take depending on environmental conditions. Averaging out a couple of the leading suppressors in the industry you see an average noise level of around 136 db with a suppressor attached.
Smyth Busters: Do I Need Hearing Protection With a Suppressor?
The best pistol to suppress is a . 45 caliber pistol. . 45 caliber pistols fire subsonic rounds, which are suppressible. 9mm pistols, on the other hand, mostly fire supersonic rounds that aren't suppressible.
How hot can a suppressor get?
Given that information, it's not unreasonable that a suppressor can reach temperatures of 300-500 degrees Fahrenheit after running through just one or two 30-round magazines. If you subject a suppressor to sustained firing, it's entirely possible for it to reach 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit.
Ultimately, over-barrel suppressors are designed for shooters who want a shorter rifle with less gas blowback and better handling, while end-barrel suppressors may be better for shooters who want a bit more sound suppression at the expense of added length and increased gas blowback.
We saw comparable results for 45 ACP as we did with 9mm. The average unsuppressed levels, which were some of the loudest results for the pistol calibers, came in at average of 165-167 dB, while the average suppressed levels came in 21-26 dB lower, ranging from 141-146 dB.
In general, a 16 inch AR-15 firing standard M193 produces a decibel level of around 167 dB give or take depending on environmental conditions. Averaging out a couple of the leading suppressors in the industry you see an average noise level of around 136 db with a suppressor attached.
And while a a . 22 caliber round is considered a low-intensity round, the decibel level can vary based on the ammunition and gun types being used. For instance, a suppressed . 22 pistol could have around a 95 dB noise level, while the unsuppressed one could go up to 135 decibels.