What's the loudest *impulse* sound I can regularly expose myself to, wit
March 21, 2017 11:24 PM Subscribe
I'm trying to determine my options for suppressed handguns that I can use without hearing protection.
A number of organizations, including OSHA, publish safe limits for exposure to continuous noise, but I have yet to find any authoritative source that outlines the safe limits of exposure to impulse noise (such as gunshots). The general consensus is that you need hearing protection for any impulse sounds over 140 dB, but this seems to be based on hearsay. I have no idea whether it's an accurate cut-off.
(From my research, the sound range for unsuppressed handguns is 150-170 dB, while the sound range for suppressed handguns is 118-149 dB.)
A number of organizations, including OSHA, publish safe limits for exposure to continuous noise, but I have yet to find any authoritative source that outlines the safe limits of exposure to impulse noise (such as gunshots). The general consensus is that you need hearing protection for any impulse sounds over 140 dB, but this seems to be based on hearsay. I have no idea whether it's an accurate cut-off.
(From my research, the sound range for unsuppressed handguns is 150-170 dB, while the sound range for suppressed handguns is 118-149 dB.)
I won't even shoot a .22 without hearing protection. Pretty much all guns produce damaging level noises. Hearing damage is permanent and my ability to hear well is precious to me.
What problem are you trying to solve where you regularly need to shoot a pistol without hearing protection?
posted by Candleman at 4:57 AM on March 22, 2017 [2 favorites]
What problem are you trying to solve where you regularly need to shoot a pistol without hearing protection?
posted by Candleman at 4:57 AM on March 22, 2017 [2 favorites]
You want subsonic ammo and a barrel long enough that all the powder is burned before the bullet is out of the barrel.
posted by SemiSalt at 5:45 AM on March 22, 2017
posted by SemiSalt at 5:45 AM on March 22, 2017
CDC Exposure to impulsive noises at indoor and outdoor firing ranges ... summarizes a number of standards. 140dB seems to be the DOD guidelines.
You might consider air rifles/pistols or lasers.
posted by Comrade_robot at 6:53 AM on March 22, 2017
You might consider air rifles/pistols or lasers.
posted by Comrade_robot at 6:53 AM on March 22, 2017
Also, don't forget to minimize your lead contact.
posted by mecran01 at 10:12 AM on March 22, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by mecran01 at 10:12 AM on March 22, 2017 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Candleman: Safety and convenience. It'd be one less thing to worry about during practice. I'll absolutely wear hearing protection if I need to, but I'm interested in the possibility that I might not need to.
This attitude is generally met with skepticism, which I understand. However, I'm motivated by the following observation: by my research, certain common firearms (e.g. .357 revolver) are many times louder to a person wearing both good earmuffs and good earplugs than certain other weapons (e.g. suppressed .22lr) are to a person wearing no protection at all. Therefore, either the former is essentially never safe to fire, or the latter is essentially always safe to fire (with respect to hearing). Either one of these outcomes would greatly affect my behavior towards the firearm in question.
posted by CustooFintel at 11:52 AM on March 22, 2017
This attitude is generally met with skepticism, which I understand. However, I'm motivated by the following observation: by my research, certain common firearms (e.g. .357 revolver) are many times louder to a person wearing both good earmuffs and good earplugs than certain other weapons (e.g. suppressed .22lr) are to a person wearing no protection at all. Therefore, either the former is essentially never safe to fire, or the latter is essentially always safe to fire (with respect to hearing). Either one of these outcomes would greatly affect my behavior towards the firearm in question.
posted by CustooFintel at 11:52 AM on March 22, 2017
I also came to suggest the CDC NIOSH guidelines posted above. As you can see from that document, exactly what type of impulse noise and how you integrate and measure it is quite complicated and makes it difficult to make an exact cut-off guideline or fire-arm specific recommendation. Hence why the CDC says you should always wear hearing protection when shooting.
Anecdotally, I see bad noise notches in my patients from shooting all the time. I've seen them in people who don't even shoot very regularly.
Almost always with noise exposure you are best to be overly conservative. Your older self will thank you. Hearing aids suck.
posted by Lutoslawski at 1:25 PM on March 22, 2017 [2 favorites]
Anecdotally, I see bad noise notches in my patients from shooting all the time. I've seen them in people who don't even shoot very regularly.
Almost always with noise exposure you are best to be overly conservative. Your older self will thank you. Hearing aids suck.
posted by Lutoslawski at 1:25 PM on March 22, 2017 [2 favorites]
Therefore, either the former is essentially never safe to fire
And yeah, this may very well be the case.
OSHA says that for well-placed earplugs, the actual attenuation is (the listed NRR - 7)/2. So if the NRR is 30, you're probably getting closer to 12 dB NR. A pair of ear muffs on top of that gets you about another 12 realistically, so you're looking at about a max of somewhere around 24 dB NR. If you're firing a weapon that's putting out 170 dB, you're still gonna come out above the exposure limit.
posted by Lutoslawski at 1:29 PM on March 22, 2017 [1 favorite]
And yeah, this may very well be the case.
OSHA says that for well-placed earplugs, the actual attenuation is (the listed NRR - 7)/2. So if the NRR is 30, you're probably getting closer to 12 dB NR. A pair of ear muffs on top of that gets you about another 12 realistically, so you're looking at about a max of somewhere around 24 dB NR. If you're firing a weapon that's putting out 170 dB, you're still gonna come out above the exposure limit.
posted by Lutoslawski at 1:29 PM on March 22, 2017 [1 favorite]
It'd be one less thing to worry about during practice. I'll absolutely wear hearing protection if I need to, but I'm interested in the possibility that I might not need to.
Is anyone else shooting at the range at the same time? If so, you can't control what they're using and will need hearing protection because of that as well.
I find condoms and hearing protection annoying and inconvenient, but use both devoutly because the stakes of not doing so is high.
posted by Candleman at 3:35 PM on March 22, 2017 [2 favorites]
Is anyone else shooting at the range at the same time? If so, you can't control what they're using and will need hearing protection because of that as well.
I find condoms and hearing protection annoying and inconvenient, but use both devoutly because the stakes of not doing so is high.
posted by Candleman at 3:35 PM on March 22, 2017 [2 favorites]
I can't tell if you're also asking about what pistol options would be the quietest. If so:
I think a suppressed Cricket bolt-action .22LR pistol using subsonic ammo, maybe even shorts (providing the bullet will actually exit the barrel) would be extra quiet. With a 10.5" barrel and no semi-auto action, all of the sound is directed out the front.
I remember reading somewhere that a suppressed Ruger 22/45 or Mark III pistol might not cycle with subsonic ammo, but they're pretty easy to cycle by hand.
posted by MonsieurBon at 10:41 AM on March 23, 2017
I think a suppressed Cricket bolt-action .22LR pistol using subsonic ammo, maybe even shorts (providing the bullet will actually exit the barrel) would be extra quiet. With a 10.5" barrel and no semi-auto action, all of the sound is directed out the front.
I remember reading somewhere that a suppressed Ruger 22/45 or Mark III pistol might not cycle with subsonic ammo, but they're pretty easy to cycle by hand.
posted by MonsieurBon at 10:41 AM on March 23, 2017
If you just want to work on your form, there are a lot of very high quality air pistols out there.
posted by mecran01 at 11:15 PM on April 6, 2017
posted by mecran01 at 11:15 PM on April 6, 2017
This thread is closed to new comments.
Hazardous Exposure to Impulse Noise
NATIONAL ACADEMY PRESS
Washington, D.C. 1992
Or from http://acoustics.org/pressroom/httpdocs/159th/hale.htm:
"In another study, permanent hearing loss is documented in unprotected workers exposed to intermittent, repeated impulsive peak noise levels as low as 120 dB."
posted by the Real Dan at 12:37 AM on March 22, 2017 [2 favorites]