Author Topic: How loud? (Read 1584 times)

jk3006 · « **on:** July 03, 2005, 08:34:47 AM »

My mind has been turning lately about the .500 smith and wesson. I have a .480 Ruger in a 7.5 RSRH, and also a .357 in a 4 in. 686.
The .357 is incredibly loud, way more with a sharper crack than the .480 or .44 mag.

So, my question is, where does the .500 rate WITHOUT the muzzle brake attached. Is it that sharp crack, or is it more of a boom? I might consider getting one, but not if my ears are gonna get blown out. I don't wear hearing protection when I hunt, and I'm not about to start.

Has anyone shot the .500 without the compensator?

Thanks,

Jon

Carwi · « **Reply #1 on:** July 03, 2005, 09:50:11 AM »

I can't remove the brake on my .500 but I shot it without hearing protection to just see what it was like and I can tell you it wasn't as loud as my Ruger SP101 snubby in .357 Mag. with heavy loaded 125gr bullets. The .500 seem to have more boom than a loud crack.

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #2 on:** July 03, 2005, 12:38:38 PM »

Quote from: jk3006

My mind has been turning lately about the .500 smith and wesson. I have a .480 Ruger in a 7.5 RSRH, and also a .357 in a 4 in. 686.
The .357 is incredibly loud, way more with a sharper crack than the .480 or .44 mag.

So, my question is, where does the .500 rate WITHOUT the muzzle brake attached. Is it that sharp crack, or is it more of a boom? I might consider getting one, but not if my ears are gonna get blown out. I don't wear hearing protection when I hunt, and I'm not about to start.

Has anyone shot the .500 without the compensator?

Thanks,

Jon

My advice is don't get a 500 MAG. They are loud weather they are ported or unported. I speak from experience. I have 2 S&W 500 Mag's, a 8 3/8 and a 4 inch. So I know how loud they are ported. I had a BFR with a 7 inch barrel unported and it was almost as load as the ported. I use to not wear hearing protection, I thought it was not cool and I could not hear good in the woods. Well I wised up and got some electronic ear muffs and they work great. My wife says I talk load, and so does all my friends. I guess it was from those years of not wearing hearing protection.

JMHO.

jk3006 · « **Reply #3 on:** July 03, 2005, 05:51:45 PM »

Redhawk1,

Thanks for the response. If I had a .500 I would shoot medium loads with 440 or so hard cast. With medium loads is it still too loud? The medium loads would be because I wouldn't want to use the compensator. However, maybe my line of thinking is unrealistic, as far as the loudness factor is concerned.

I always use ear protection for anything but hunting. Someday I may change my mind, but I don't think it will be anytime soon.

Thanks,

Jon

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #4 on:** July 04, 2005, 12:41:05 AM »

Quote from: jk3006

Redhawk1,

Thanks for the response. If I had a .500 I would shoot medium loads with 440 or so hard cast. With medium loads is it still too loud? The medium loads would be because I wouldn't want to use the compensator. However, maybe my line of thinking is unrealistic, as far as the loudness factor is concerned.

I always use ear protection for anything but hunting. Someday I may change my mind, but I don't think it will be anytime soon.

Thanks,

Jon

If you plan on shooting medium loads in the 500 MAG, why not just get a 44 MAG or 454 Casull. The whole reason for the 500 MAG is to shoot a powerful round, not to down load it. But even the medium loads are loud. But that is just my opinion. If you know anyone with a 500 MAG, talk to them and see if they will let you shoot there gun. Or even stand back from the gun and listen how loud it is. I shoot at an indoor range and when I shoot my 500 MAG, people in the parking lot even think the gun is loud. People have come into the range just to see what I was shooting. It is a very powerful round and just plain loud.

Hope this helps.

jk3006 · « **Reply #5 on:** July 04, 2005, 05:12:07 AM »

Redhawk1 & Carwi,

Thanks for your input. I appreciate it.

Jon

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #6 on:** July 04, 2005, 05:24:21 AM »

Quote from: jk3006

Redhawk1 & Carwi,

Thanks for your input. I appreciate it.

Jon

Don't think I am trying to talk you out of the 500 MAG. I think everyone should own one.

:-D

Savage · « **Reply #7 on:** July 04, 2005, 11:24:42 AM »

JK,
I can't think of one good reason not to wear amplified hearing protection when you hunt. Save those ears, AND hear better at the same time!
Savage

Tom W. · « **Reply #8 on:** July 04, 2005, 12:41:09 PM »

Jk3006, There are a lot of us here who thought like you're thinking now, and we hear crickets and buzzing noises in our heads 24/7. Invest in a good pair of amplified muffs and you won't frustrate your grandchildren later.

rockbilly · « **Reply #9 on:** July 05, 2005, 06:11:59 AM »

Take a piece of advice from an old dog that has "been there, done that."

Make it a practice to wear hearing protection when shooting any firearm. I don't mean ear plugs, I mean a quality set of muffs. I don't have hearing aids yet, but they are in the future. You may be able to avoid them if you heed this advice.

Dand · « **Reply #10 on:** July 05, 2005, 11:57:41 PM »

I don't always hunt with ear protection but I'm trying to more and more. What really got me convinced was the day I shot a caribou with my 41 mag. I had several misses as well as several poor hits - no I'm not proud of that day but for the rest of that day and part of the next my ears rang and I couldn't hear very well at all. I'm sure I did permanent damage.

Now I wear ear protection when driving my outboards and have some soft plugs in my pocket when I hunt. When I have time, I put the plugs in before shooting. It helps. I've also experimented with some of those ear plugs on a metal band. I have looped the band around my neck while hunting with the idea I could ease them quickly to my ears before shooting. Never had a chance to put them to use, then misplaced them for a while.

All I have to do is try to talk to my 89 yr old dad who did a fair amount of shooting in his day (and 4 yrs airplane mechanic in WW2) to remind me why I want to protect my ears. He's deaf as a stump and very frustrated just trying to conduct every day business. Plus the poor neighbors have to listen to his TV booming away through our 6 inch thick Alaskan house walls.

Van/TX · « **Reply #11 on:** July 06, 2005, 01:42:35 PM »

My ears are shot. I can hear very well but if I think about it there is a constant ringing 24/7. The .357 for me hurts the most without ear protection. If your ears can handle a .357 then they can handle most anything

.....Van

Dand · « **Reply #12 on:** July 07, 2005, 10:14:43 AM »

Van /TX I bet if you consulted audiologists you'll find they say NO ears can "handle" repeated exposure to fireams discharge without sustaining damage, including .22 rimfire and many air guns. Let alone .357 or any similar arm.

At least that's the message I've gotten from them and from an extensive and excellent post on GB several years ago regarding ear protection.

My ears ring constantly at a low level from shooting, exposure to unmuffled commercial fishing boat engines, and many hours around outboard motors.

Old Griz · « **Reply #13 on:** July 12, 2005, 06:56:16 PM »

:cb2: Never wore hearing protection when I was young, and I hear just great. As a matter of fact, I hear constantly. The ringing never goes away! :eek:

At the range I wear plugs and muffs. Hunting, I wear electronic muffs. Need the amplification now to hear anything smaller than an 18-wheeler creepin up on me. Gotta save what I have left. If I had known then what I know now . . . . (Don't we all.)

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #14 on:** July 13, 2005, 12:46:31 AM »

There's an old saying, Old hunters never die they just don't hear good. :-D :-D :-D :-D

RGS · « **Reply #15 on:** August 06, 2005, 06:51:35 PM »

I have used the disposable plugs with a muff type protector over the top for many years. I recently bought an electric muff protector. I can hear conversations well with them, but the blast of the guns hurts about the same as the $30 muff without the disposable plugs.

That was $100 down the drain as far as I am concerned. I went back to what works for me and enjoy the peace and quiet. I don't necessarily want to hear the conversations of people 2 or 3 positions away anyhow.
I'd rather spend the $100 on powder and brass.

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #16 on:** August 07, 2005, 02:12:27 AM »

Quote from: RGS

I have used the disposable plugs with a muff type protector over the top for many years. I recently bought an electric muff protector. I can hear conversations well with them, but the blast of the guns hurts about the same as the $30 muff without the disposable plugs.

That was $100 down the drain as far as I am concerned. I went back to what works for me and enjoy the peace and quiet. I don't necessarily want to hear the conversations of people 2 or 3 positions away anyhow.
I'd rather spend the $100 on powder and brass.

Electric muff are for hunting situations for me. I use plugs and muffs at the range. The electric muff help in hearing game and help when you shoot.You would not be shooting a lot while hunting, one or two shot.

jro45 · « **Reply #17 on:** August 07, 2005, 03:22:09 AM »

I always wear ear plugs they cut the sound down to about 60 DB when I shoot while hunting and I can still hear with them on. Not a 100 per cent, but they help. At the range I wear muffs they cut the sound down to about 40 DB. I think anything over 80 is not good.

RGS · « **Reply #18 on:** August 07, 2005, 07:42:39 AM »

Quote from: Redhawk1

Electric muff are for hunting situations for me. I use plugs and muffs at the range. The electric muff help in hearing game and help when you shoot.You would not be shooting a lot while hunting, one or two shot.

I can see your logic here. The electric muff I have amplifies background sounds like my footsteps and songbirds. I would have to spend time on a stand or other hunting situation with them to see if they would be an over all help or not. Right off the bat I can tell directional awareness is different with the muff. My real ears are better at locating where the sound came from.

It sure is better than nothing when it comes to the shot. As hunters, we have a lot of gear to choose from. So much so, that some of us get very tied up in gear accumulation. I know it has been an issue with me in the past. I think my gun safe is getting smaller. :-)

In any case, I hope you and anyone else that tries these things in a hunting scenario, runs a thread or two on the advantages and disadvantages you run into

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #19 on:** August 07, 2005, 10:01:04 AM »

There are advantages and disadvantages to everything. The advantages is amplified hearing, and protection from gun blast. The disadvantage is sweatie ears. It takes a little getting use to, but you will be able to tell sound direction with the muffs.

Old Griz · « **Reply #20 on:** August 07, 2005, 05:46:42 PM »

:cb2: They are pretty sweaty in the Summer, but I shor do love 'em when it's 20 degrees! Nice and toasty. :grin:

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #21 on:** August 08, 2005, 01:24:01 AM »

Quote from: Old Griz

:cb2: They are pretty sweaty in the Summer, but I shor do love 'em when it's 20 degrees! Nice and toasty. :grin:

You got that right.