Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Silencers: The NRA’s latest big lie [View all]rrneck
(17,671 posts)40. Youtube video and other information.
http://www.chem.purdue.edu/chemsafety/Training/PPETrain/dblevels.htm
Noise Sources and Their Effects
Jet take-off (at 25 meters) 150 Eardrum rupture
Aircraft carrier deck 140
Military jet aircraft take-off from aircraft carrier with afterburner at 50 ft (130 dB). 130
Thunderclap, chain saw. Oxygen torch (121 dB). 120 Painful. 32 times as loud as 70 dB.
Steel mill, auto horn at 1 meter. Turbo-fan aircraft at takeoff power at 200 ft (118 dB). Riveting machine (110 dB); live rock music (108 - 114 dB). 110 Average human pain threshold. 16 times as loud as 70 dB.
Jet take-off (at 305 meters), use of outboard motor, power lawn mower, motorcycle, farm tractor, jackhammer, garbage truck. Boeing 707 or DC-8 aircraft at one nautical mile (6080 ft) before landing (106 dB); jet flyover at 1000 feet (103 dB); Bell J-2A helicopter at 100 ft (100 dB). 100 8 times as loud as 70 dB. Serious damage possible in 8 hr exposure
Boeing 737 or DC-9 aircraft at one nautical mile (6080 ft) before landing (97 dB); power mower (96 dB); motorcycle at 25 ft (90 dB). Newspaper press (97 dB). 90 4 times as loud as 70 dB. Likely damage 8 hr exp
Garbage disposal, dishwasher, average factory, freight train (at 15 meters). Car wash at 20 ft (89 dB); propeller plane flyover at 1000 ft (88 dB); diesel truck 40 mph at 50 ft (84 dB); diesel train at 45 mph at 100 ft (83 dB). Food blender (88 dB); milling machine (85 dB); garbage disposal (80 dB). 80 2 times as loud as 70 dB. Possible damage in 8 h exposure.
Passenger car at 65 mph at 25 ft (77 dB); freeway at 50 ft from pavement edge 10 a.m. (76 dB). Living room music (76 dB); radio or TV-audio, vacuum cleaner (70 dB). 70 Arbitrary base of comparison. Upper 70s are annoyingly loud to some people.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suppressor
Real world data
Live tests by independent reviewers of numerous commercially available suppressors find that even low caliber unsuppressed .22 LR handguns produce gunshots over 160 decibels.[14] In testing, most of the suppressors reduced the volume to between 130 and 145 dB, with the quietest suppressors metering at 117 dB. The actual suppression of sound ranged from 14.3 to 43 dB, with most data points around the 30 dB mark. A notable example is the De Lisle carbine, a British World War II suppressed rifle used in small numbers by Special Forces. This was recorded at 85.5 dB in official firing tests.[15]
Comparatively, ear protection commonly used while shooting provides 18 to 32 dB of sound reduction at the ear.[16] Further, chainsaws, rock concerts, rocket engines, pneumatic drills, small firecrackers, and ambulance sirens are rated at 100 to 140 dB.[17]
While some consider the noise reduction of a suppressor significant enough to permit safe shooting without hearing protection ("hearing safe" , noise-induced hearing loss may occur at 85 time-weighted-average decibels or above if exposed for a prolonged period,[18] and suppressed gunshots regularly meter above 130 dB. However, the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration uses 140 dB as the "safety cutoff" for impulsive noise, which has led most US manufacturers to advertise sub-140 dB suppressors as "hearing safe." It should be noted that current OSHA standards would allow no more than sub single second exposure to impact noise over 130 dB per 24 hours. That would equate to a single .308 round fired through a very efficient can. This result effectively requires all users of suppressors to wear additional ear hearing protection.
Edit history
Please sign in to view edit histories.
80 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
RecommendedHighlight replies with 5 or more recommendations
I'm sure the gungeoneers will be here shortly to tell us why they need silencers
Hugabear
Dec 2012
#5
They're unregulated in Finland, Norway, and France and don't seem to be a problem there
slackmaster
Dec 2012
#12
The asshole next door who has already been in front of a judge would never get his license
Kolesar
Dec 2012
#21
Most gun cultists would flip out over Norway's laws, particularly almost total ban on public toting.
Hoyt
Dec 2012
#38
It's rare here too, for most of us. Some folks are paranoid, but that is another issue.
Hoyt
Dec 2012
#41
As long as issuance of licenses is based on objective criteria only, I believe it's workable.
slackmaster
Dec 2012
#37
There are some trade-offs, but on balance I like Norway's system better because I collect firearms.
slackmaster
Dec 2012
#44
Collectors can't buy automatic weapons in California, but they can in Norway
slackmaster
Dec 2012
#80
this may be a good point, but let's keep focus on capacity and rounds/second, not on decibel levels
maggiesfarmer
Dec 2012
#13
Protect their hearing, while more of their peers are able to be mowed down?
Ruby the Liberal
Dec 2012
#14
The article was based on a false premise and got more facts wrong as it went along
ProgressiveProfessor
Dec 2012
#68
"Silencers have legitimate safety uses in competitive shooting, especially at indoor ranges."
Tempest
Dec 2012
#29
Uhhh, not BS. I own silencers and I personally know about a dozen others.
OneTenthofOnePercent
Dec 2012
#79
Have you ever used a firearm, let alone a firearm with a silencer?
OneTenthofOnePercent
Dec 2012
#77