.22 Cause hearing damage?
- Thread starter dvn00
- Start date
WOW - how about if you have nothing good to say, keep it to yourself. The guy in the video obviously has a problem.
Way to rep yourself.
I've had conversations on hearing loss with doctors, since I am involved in aviation. My hearing is tested once a year. A sonic round, regardless of the grains of the bullet will eventually cause some form of hearing loss. Especially the constant repetition of the sound. One shot once and a while: probably not. But 4 or 5 add up, and don't allow your ears to recover from the shock of such a loud noise. Wearing hearing protection allows you to fully enjoy your hobby without negative repercussions. Sub-sonic rounds are always a fun alternative.
So for everybody that is 'miffed' with my previous comment and perspective on the video - i edited the post so its much nicer now, and supportive of the hearing damage that .22 calibres can cause - I myself will ensure that I wear CSA approved hearing protection at all times and whenever I use any type ammo. I have further tortured and self-disciplined myself by reading Liberal produced political propoganada so that I may be more sensitive the feelings of others........my sincerest apologies!
Hate to be the bearer of bad news, and it doesn't apply to rimfire (usually), but even with approved hearing protection you could be damaging your ears. Especially with the louder rounds/firearms. I know my SKS is loud enough to damage your hearing even with ear buds and guns get way louder then that. It seems silly but you're probably best off using both ear muffs AND ear buds and even THAT might not be enough. Hopefully Canada with allow silencers one day so people who enjoy going to the range don't have to damage their hearing. (even if your using rimfire, the guy next to you might not be). Plus, "silencer" is really a relative term and may be not that "silent" at all. I know m16's with a silencer just sound like a loud .22lr. And 5.56 is a pretty mild round considering whats commonly available for hunting ect...
- Location
- London, Ontario
Yeah, I went to rock shows when I was a teenager/early 20's and I didn't even consider hearing protection, and virtually no one else was wearing protection either that I can remember.
It's been a long time since I been to a concert, maybe that's changed since I was a youngin', hopefully
It hasn't and the music is louder now...due to better equipment today
Our indoor club mandates hearing and eye protection. If you think a 44Mag full load is loud, you really do need to experience the sharp, high frequency shock of an old olympic rapidfire pistol with ports just ahead of the chamber, and that is from a 22 short at very subsonic (600 - 700 fps). Now that's LOUD!
--Dr J
--Dr J
unicorn gravedigger
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Failed State
Ceasefire: you make an excellent case for the use of "Sound Management Devices" to aid in and reduce the effects of exposure to damaging audio sources, I believe that a united movement with the goal of saving our hearing would create a new class of compensator, not "Silencer" but an effective sound dampener that wouldn't eliminate the report but lower it to safe levels, how?,,, and who?,, could be opposed to that.
In case some don't know, "silencers" are legal in both New Zealand and the UK. The argument being that you don't disturb the neighbours when hunting - in NZ apparently you can hunt "possums" at night with silenced 22LR and lights. Just for fun, eh?
Dr J
Dr J
You are wrong. Sorry.
An unsuppressed .22 rifle will produce an SPL (sound pressure level) of approx 140 dB one meter to the left of the muzzle. The limit for hearing damage is 139-140 dB. However the noise level at the shooter's ear will typically be 5-8 dB lower than the level at the muzzle.
There is a BIG difference between constant noise and impulse noise. The 85dB level is for constant noise. Gunshots are typically very short lived duration (ca 50 microseconds). As you know hearing damage involves a time-exposure combination.
I measured the sonic crack for a .30 cal bullet at 155 dB. The larger bullet will produce a louder crack but there is no way a supersonic .22 bullet can possibly operate anywhere near the vicinity of 120 dB. Once the bullet is past the sonic barrier, the noise does not get any louder as the bullet goes faster.
I am not sure I understand what you are trying to say here.
If we split apart the sonic crack (bullet flight noise) from the muzzle report .... say by using a silencer. The shooter is never directly exposed to the sonic crack because it moves away from the plight path of the bullet at 90 degrees, like the wake from a motor boat on a smooth pond.
Large caliber subsonic rounds can still be loud enough to cause hearing damage. While they are a lot quieter than a supersonic round, they are not nearly as quiet as you think they are.
Any sound dampener that could reduce the muzzle report of a rifle to hearing safe levels will make for a pretty good silencer. Consider that a 308 rifle produces roughly 165 dB at the muzzle and the hearing safe limit is 140 dB then it takes a 25 dB reduction to get there.
The best silencers in the world only produce 30-35 dB reduction depending on the caliber.
In case you don't know, silencers are legal in just about every developed nation on earth except Canada. When it comes to sound suppressors and health care, we Canadians are positively old school communist in our approach.
- Location
- Burlington On
I made a device at the cottage to quiet things down a bit for the neighbors.
A plastic 45 gal drum, top cut as big as I could. Bottom with a 12" hole. Line with 6" rock wool insulation. Roll up some metal fencing tight and slide it in and let it expand holding the insulation against the sides of the barrel. Wire the fence to hold it in place. Do the same with a second barrel. Screw the tops of the 2 barrels together so you have a long tube with a 12" hole at either end.
I set it up on some saw horses and stick the muzzle in one end to shoot.
I don't have the ability to measure the sound but it does seem to cut down the noise somewhat.
I only tested a .308 once while alone so I can't say if it helps that much.
The use of a muzzle brake gets you a face full of rock wool dust if the wind is the wrong way though.
Since it's not attached to the rifle would this be considered a silencer?
A plastic 45 gal drum, top cut as big as I could. Bottom with a 12" hole. Line with 6" rock wool insulation. Roll up some metal fencing tight and slide it in and let it expand holding the insulation against the sides of the barrel. Wire the fence to hold it in place. Do the same with a second barrel. Screw the tops of the 2 barrels together so you have a long tube with a 12" hole at either end.
I set it up on some saw horses and stick the muzzle in one end to shoot.
I don't have the ability to measure the sound but it does seem to cut down the noise somewhat.
I only tested a .308 once while alone so I can't say if it helps that much.
The use of a muzzle brake gets you a face full of rock wool dust if the wind is the wrong way though.
Since it's not attached to the rifle would this be considered a silencer?
I first read about the Aguila SSS a year or two ago... I've always wanted to buy some (perfect for AR15 conversions). If ever these make it to Canada I want a few bricks.
the Aguila .22 LR SSS "SubSonic Sniper" round, has a 60-grain (3.9 g) bullet on .22 Short case, providing the cartridge the same overall dimensions as a .22 Long Rifle round.
the Aguila .22 LR SSS "SubSonic Sniper" round, has a 60-grain (3.9 g) bullet on .22 Short case, providing the cartridge the same overall dimensions as a .22 Long Rifle round.
unicorn gravedigger
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Failed State
I have 2 50rd boxes of SSS, very odd looking for a .22, haven't got around to shooting them yet.
Not sure how accurate this is but, you decide:
Decibel Levels of Everyday Sounds
Soft whisper 30 dB
Refrigerator 40 dB
Light traffic 50 dB
Normal conversation 50 dB
Daytime sound in a quiet suburban neighborhood 55 dB
Noisy restaurant 70 dB
Vacuum cleaner 75 dB
Dishwasher 75 dB
Washing machine 78 dB
Blow dryer 80 dB
Electric razor 85 dB
Lawn mower 90 dB
Roar of crowd at sporting event 90 dB
Garbage truck 100 dB
Power tools 100 dB
Leaf blower 102 dB
Stereo headset 110 dB
Subway train screech 115 dB
Rock concert 120 dB
Thunderclap 120 dB
.22 caliber rifle 130 dB
Low flying aircraft 140 dB
Jet take-off 140 dB
Toy cap gun, firecracker 140 dB
High-powered shotgun 170 dB
Rocket launch 180 dB
Decibel Levels of Everyday Sounds
Soft whisper 30 dB
Refrigerator 40 dB
Light traffic 50 dB
Normal conversation 50 dB
Daytime sound in a quiet suburban neighborhood 55 dB
Noisy restaurant 70 dB
Vacuum cleaner 75 dB
Dishwasher 75 dB
Washing machine 78 dB
Blow dryer 80 dB
Electric razor 85 dB
Lawn mower 90 dB
Roar of crowd at sporting event 90 dB
Garbage truck 100 dB
Power tools 100 dB
Leaf blower 102 dB
Stereo headset 110 dB
Subway train screech 115 dB
Rock concert 120 dB
Thunderclap 120 dB
.22 caliber rifle 130 dB
Low flying aircraft 140 dB
Jet take-off 140 dB
Toy cap gun, firecracker 140 dB
High-powered shotgun 170 dB
Rocket launch 180 dB
The most serious type of noise level is generally known as painful. This category is for noises that register over 120 decibels. Sounds in this category are capable of causing temporary or even permanent loss of hearing in one or both ears. The classic example of an event that creates sounds at this level is a rock and roll concert. Along with loud music, close proximity to a jet engine revving up for takeoff, an air-raid siren, or a jackhammer in use at a construction site are also good examples of noise levels capable of causing a loss of hearing ability.
So I checked a few sites and their db ratings varied pretty widely. Not sure how they were measured, but it seems to me that .22 is at the threshold of hearing damage when used outside, without protection, so a case could be made that it wouldn't. Inside I'm sure it WILL damage your hearing due to sound bouncing and not dissipating. 130db is LOUD! Protect yourself.
So I checked a few sites and their db ratings varied pretty widely. Not sure how they were measured, but it seems to me that .22 is at the threshold of hearing damage when used outside, without protection, so a case could be made that it wouldn't. Inside I'm sure it WILL damage your hearing due to sound bouncing and not dissipating. 130db is LOUD! Protect yourself.
