Anyone ever build a range silencer? My neighbor had one 55 gal barrel with 8" hole in each end stuffed with fiberglass insulation. I never heard it work but was told it really kept the noise down he lived in country and nobody knew when he was shooting. I live way out and its legal to shoot on my property only have one neighbor that might hear rifle but would like to eliminate noise for the wife and animals.
Range silencer
- Thread starter Garand101
- Start date
I can see how this would reduce the amount of noise to be heard by neighbors. It would be something like firing from inside the building.
While it may make shooting quieter, it does not make it safer. These contraptions have the potential to reduce visibility for the shooter and to conceal from observers the behavior of the shooter.
Couple that reduced visibility with the less formal safety regulations one may see at private ranges, and you have a recipe for tragedy.
While it may make shooting quieter, it does not make it safer. These contraptions have the potential to reduce visibility for the shooter and to conceal from observers the behavior of the shooter.
Couple that reduced visibility with the less formal safety regulations one may see at private ranges, and you have a recipe for tragedy.
Never used or seen one, but read a bit about them. In some circles they are called mufflers, with the common feature being sound absorbing materials, usually fiberglass insulation. If one of these could be brought to market it might save a great many places to shoot, as it seems to me that noise - not safety concerns - is the most often cited reason ranges are closed.
My thoughts were to build a plywood box maybe 3' long and say 2'x2' with ends on it that have holes say 6-8" in dia. stuff it full of fiberglass insulation and make a cylinder of fence wire to hold the fiberglass out of the path of bullets. put it on saw horses in front of bench with muzzle of rifle either just inside or just outside of it. I don't care about noise level at rifle because I always wear protection and where I'm shooting the field of vision is such that I can see anyone or thing approaching the firing line and I think with only a 2'x2' square in front of me i will be able to see around it. Only wondering if all the effort is worth it or not, was hoping someone had done something similar to tell me.
Here is a write up on building a range silencer: http://www.realguns.com/Commentary/comar139.htm
Lost Sheep
New member
3 sound sources to consder
It will reduce the noise of the discharge, but can do nothing with the tiny sonic boom that bullets at supersonic velocities produce (I use the word "tiny" under advisement), nor the sound of impact downrange.
Lost Sheep
It will reduce the noise of the discharge, but can do nothing with the tiny sonic boom that bullets at supersonic velocities produce (I use the word "tiny" under advisement), nor the sound of impact downrange.
Lost Sheep
Last edited:
That is correct, however, from experience with effective gun mounted suppressors, it is amazing how quiet standard .308 rounds are when effectively suppressed, even with the sonic crack.
If a range suppressor could be built that would be half as effective as a good gun mounted suppressor, I would think it would be well worth the effort if one had close neighbors.
If a range suppressor could be built that would be half as effective as a good gun mounted suppressor, I would think it would be well worth the effort if one had close neighbors.
Magnum Wheel Man
New member
^^^ hopefully not shooting back at you 
I have read threads in the past where guys shot through a number of tires fastened together.
I was recently thinking about trying to build something like this but that article posted earlier looks interesting. The problem I see with these things is that you have to remain in one position, and I was interested in practicing shooting a .22 rifle from prone/sitting/offhand. I thought about putting the thing on an ATV jack if I could find one cheap enough.
FWIW: I have 18 acres and could legally shoot on my property (I am not in any city limits), however I don't want to make it known (any more than it already is) that I am a gun owner. I also would like to avoid being known as that nut that is shooting all the time.
I was recently thinking about trying to build something like this but that article posted earlier looks interesting. The problem I see with these things is that you have to remain in one position, and I was interested in practicing shooting a .22 rifle from prone/sitting/offhand. I thought about putting the thing on an ATV jack if I could find one cheap enough.
FWIW: I have 18 acres and could legally shoot on my property (I am not in any city limits), however I don't want to make it known (any more than it already is) that I am a gun owner. I also would like to avoid being known as that nut that is shooting all the time.