Noise Control

M

Mr Beta

New member
I don't know if this is the correct section but I'm looking for a way *w/o a suppressor* to reduce the audible noise to the world.
I have some property up in the hills and I shoot on it regularly. Neighbors complain and I don't really want to irritate them. I'm have sufficient land and not violating any laws, but the best shooting lane is not too too far from a neighbor.
If I build a room and shot out of a window or something, would that contain a majority of the noise or would it matter?
Any ideas, experiences, tips appreciated.
 
Your idea will work, but it will be awfully loud in the room! Soundproofing the room will help. You should have good ventilation-push/pull fans with airfow from behind you.
Here is an outdoor idea I have though about: a giant silencer that is rigidly mounted, and you shoot through it. A glasspack truck muffler would work, but the opening is too small. Perhaps 4 or 5 tires screwed together and filled with fiberglass or polyurethane foam, rigidly mounted in a frame. The more tires the quieter it will be.
Bill
 
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Inside noise would be bad yes, but I guess I could always double up with plugs and muffs.
I might have to try the tire idea.
 
The tire idea is a pretty good one, but it will essentially limit you to bullseye shooting at one fixed distance, unless you design a rig to move it around.

Here's an idea; any chance you can do a sit-down with your neighbor? Tell them you're concerned about bothering them, and wonder if you can agree on a set time/day that you can shoot that will bother them the least.

Most folks would be so impressed that you showed concern, that they would agree to it, even if it really is still bothering them ;) .
 
The sitdown is a no-go. We tried and she threatens to call the police.
I went out to the range today and happened to see a few cops. Struck up conversation and asked them about the legality of it. He said the law was on my side.
Be that as it may, I don't want to lose a good neighbor. I'm going to try to talk to her again. She came running down my hill screaming when I started shooting my Desert Eagle. She complained that I was going to give her dogs heart attacks.

On another note, I've got a metal skinned workshop out there and it's big enough to shoot pistols in. Think that shooting inside it would help? I imagine it would but how hard would it be to fashion a bullet trap and?
 
The metal building will help. Hang pieces of carpet or old blankets around to have something absorb the sound waves. Backstops can be made of sheet steel, angled downwards into a sand box.
No matter what you do, the neighbor's dogs will still hear it. Underground is the only way to go to stop all the noise.
Bill
 
Yeah, I thought about that kind of metal bullet trap.
What kind of thickness would I need? My guess would be 1 inch. Am I close. I shoot mostly jacketed ammo. Would that be suffcient? I guess I could start casting bullets and shoot lead.

I dunno yet.
 
I have seen the tire idea work....there was a range I used to go to that had made tire baffles by bolting a stack of car tires together to about 6 feet long, made a horizonal stand for the stack and placed it in front of the rifle bench...you shot with the muzzle just inside the first car tire. It did tame the reports from the range neibors. (it works kinda on the same principle as a suppressor)
 
Now would 3/8 work if I was making shooting plates?
I was thinking of cutting out a humanoid shaped plate and using that for practice. Would that work or would I need to switch to lead bullets?

On the noise issue, I've got a date with the lady for another sit down so we'll see how that goes. I'm thinking about throwing up a shack somewhere anyway.
 
3/8 mild steel plate, will work fine unless you plan on shooting a 44mag, at it. I use truck frame material, for mine, and it wont dent. No need to switch to lead. For rifle shooting, I double up the 3/8 truck frame. Heres a pic of my humanoid shooters:D
miniarsenal009.jpg
 
If I did want to shoot a 44 mag at it, could I just double up on 3/8 plates?

Any idea on price quotes for that thickness of material?
 
I have a range right by my house, and i would like to be a member, but I cant see paying 60$ a year. I would probably only go 5 or 6 times a year. you can hear their shoots all the time. think their is a way to get a discount for the "trouble" I go through?:)
 
The truck frame steel might hold up to the 44mag, haven't shot one at the new targets I fabed up with the truck steel. A 12ga slug didn't hurt it, however. Doubled up truck steel, will take a .308, .270, no problem:)
 
range noise

I would use a small shed. Hopefully you can set your range so your neighbor's property is behind the shed. Then plant evergreen trees such as aborvite around the shed and out the front of the range to help absorb the sound waves energy. You can some times find evergreens at christmas farms. My uncle has a farm and had some trees that didn't suit anyones tastes. He had to dispose of them. You might find some for the taking.
Remember if changing things around to try to shoot north if possible.
Our club tried the tire baffles with little success and many headaches.
 
noise

at my club we have a large drainage plastic ribbed piece of 'pipe' its about 36" in dia & 5 ' long. interior has 4" insulation held in place by chicken wire. raised up to above bench height in a cradle of 2x3's on wheels. with your muzzle about 1' in, fov at 100 yards is about 20'. a 50 bmg sounds less than a 30-30. i'll try to post a picture in a day or 2. for mostly hand gun the tube length could be reduced & therby opening-up your field of fire a whole lot. as an aside: some1 correct me if i am wrong, but since JFK it is a federal offense to shoot out of a window.
 
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