Whats Louder?

[Mooseman]

IMHO...It is hard to say due to bullet speed and the sonic Crack, Barrel length, and type of powder all factor in to the "Noise Factor"...as to which one is or perceived to be louder. My 50 BMG is the loudest One I own because of the Brake directing the blast backwards.

[leadman]

I had a Contender barrel in 444 Marlin with a 2 1/2" brake on it. 50grs of 4198 behind a 265 gr Hornady would take chunks out of the ceiling tiles at the range. Even with plugs and muffs it was loud!

The loudest revolver I shot was my blackhawk with the 356 GNR cylinder in it. It was a 41mag case necked down to 357. Had a .003" cylinder gap and would shred the leather shooting bags. 180gr boolits would do 1,400 fps out of a 4 1/2" barrel.

[Hang Fire]

I know that if I want some "Elbow Room" at the public range (covered firing points) all I need is to fire a 3 shot group with my .416 Taylor

The noise from a MN carbine with hot milsurp ammo is not for timid, the fire ball gives good visuals too.

[gasboffer]

Barrel length, bullet weight, type of powder all factor into the answer. My vote for loudest revolver goes to a Ruger Blackhawk in 30 carbine. Ear plugs and muffs and it still will bring out the flinches in me LOL.

I agree! On the silhouette range you could pick out the .30 carbine (revolver) over any other gun being fired!

[Crawdaddy]

I had a Contender barrel in 444 Marlin with a 2 1/2" brake on it. 50grs of 4198 behind a 265 gr Hornady would take chunks out of the ceiling tiles at the range. Even with plugs and muffs it was loud!

The loudest revolver I shot was my blackhawk with the 356 GNR cylinder in it. It was a 41mag case necked down to 357. Had a .003" cylinder gap and would shred the leather shooting bags. 180gr boolits would do 1,400 fps out of a 4 1/2" barrel.

Keep your finger away from that cylinder gap. I made that mistake with a rimfire years ago. Cant imagine it with you gun..

[cbr]

To me it seems like my .44 is not as bad as my .357's, but my .44 has a 6 inch barrel and my .357's are 2 to 4 inches long. Interesting discussion.

[mdi]

When I was shooting a lot of full magnum loads, both .44 and .357, I could tell the difference in powders used, but the sound of a .357 is, seemingly, higher pitch. I could tell the difference between a medium to hot load of Bullseye and a medium to hot load of H110 or AA9. Faster powders had a slightly higher "yelp" rather than a slower powder's "boom". But overall, I think the shrill "pop" of a med./hot .357 is no louder than a .44 Magnum loaded to a med./hot level...

[theperfessor]

Our perception of "loudness" is both physiological and psychological. I find a high-pitched supersonic crack to be more annoying than a low-pitched boom, even though they may be at the same measured sound intensity. I may think it's louder when it's not, simply because of my psychological response. Maybe it's a evolutionary coping mechanism - low pitched booms sound like far off thunder from a storm, a future problem maybe but not immediately threatening. High pitched cracks are close up lightning, or a heavy tree limb overhead cracking off and hitting you.

(I recently had a hearing test and talked to Dr about this kind of stuff. He told me I'm losing hearing in the "wife frequency" range. Better than average hearing at low freqs, below average at high freqs-the typical range of female voices. There really is an organic reason why old married men don't hear what their wife says.)

[chboats]

I agree with theperfessor. Perception is everything. The 357 has a sharper crack but the 44 has more volume. It is like the difference between a 3" speaker and 16" speaker. If they are each set to the same sound level output the larger speaker will appear much louder. If I shoot my black powder canon in the front yard it will rattle the windows of the third or fourth house down the street. A 357 won't do that.

Carl

[Janoosh]

I have done sound testing for a firearms range. The Prefessor and Waksupi are correct on this issue. It is frequency that causes the difference in sound. High pitched sound doesn't travel far, low pitched sound does. Shoot a pistol of 35 cal in the woods as compared to a large bore rifle and the large bore rifle report will resound thru the woods. The pistol report is short lived. A 44 mag revolver will have a different frequency. If the decibel level is the same, the damage is the same.

[Ghugly]

My friend and I were both surprised that his .22 mag Ruger is louder than his .357 S&W. In fact, we both were pretty impressed with the .22 mag. My .44 mag is louder than either of them. Lower pitch, to be sure, but the concussion and the boom is way louder.

[Ghugly]

Our perception of "loudness" is both physiological and psychological. I find a high-pitched supersonic crack to be more annoying than a low-pitched boom, even though they may be at the same measured sound intensity. I may think it's louder when it's not, simply because of my psychological response. Maybe it's a evolutionary coping mechanism - low pitched booms sound like far off thunder from a storm, a future problem maybe but not immediately threatening. High pitched cracks are close up lightning, or a heavy tree limb overhead cracking off and hitting you.

(I recently had a hearing test and talked to Dr about this kind of stuff. He told me I'm losing hearing in the "wife frequency" range. Better than average hearing at low freqs, below average at high freqs-the typical range of female voices. There really is an organic reason why old married men don't hear what their wife says.)

This is one old married man who just had to pick himself off the floor and wipe the tears out of his eyes. I'm still laughing.

[Boolseye]

The .357 shooting full-house loads seems to be a more penetrating blast to me. I suspect it would do more damage to unprotected ears. Wouldn't want to experiment...I shot 1 round of .38 special once with no protection, just to see how loud it was, and my ears immediately commenced to ringing. I'm a musician, so I can't afford to take those chances.

[Reload3006]

which is more annoying? lol My wife when she is really pissed is pretty ear splitting

[felix]

A music man, eh? Then I guess you know about sound pressure. An equalized hi-fi system will sound soft and pure, even WAY above normal hearing thresholds. Turning up the volume more causes immeasurable ear damage for years to come. Years ago the professional specs pushed making a room/auditorium smooth at 80db from all the instruments. The audience would better appreciate (long term) settings at 75-77 db, depending on the music type. Keep in mind that every 3db increases/decreases sound pressure by TWO!!!!! ... felix

[UtopiaTexasG19]

I remember back years ago when I shot my .357 magnum and .44 magnum for the first time during the same shooting session. As many have stated the .357 seems to have a higher pitched blast than the lower "boom" of the .44 magnum. What is impressing about the .44 magnum though is the air wave concussion from the blast you physically feel on the whole front of your body when the round goes off.

[felix]

Yeah, no different than that boom box going down the street. I can hear that racket 100 yards away, and I live through woods between that road where the hippies roam and the house. ... felix

[blackpowder man]

Interesting question. By far the most annoying firearm to have shooting beside me at the range is an AR or any similar rifle. The fact that they always seem to have 100s of rounds to shoot off of the bench at a target 25 yards away using a scope doesn't help.
I had a guy at the range "explain" to me that the .357 has the largest blast from the cylinder gap than any other revolver. I did not want to argue with him. Seems like simple physics to me. More powder or more gap=more blast. Granted there are other variables just like the volume thing.

[fredj338]

Even loaded to the same vel, I find the higher pitch or crack of the 357smag louder, especially in shorter bbls. If yo uwant shock wave, full power 357mags in a snub will remove insulation from the indoor range's ceiling, ask me how I know.

[gabe123]

For me, the loudest thing is the 38 Super Auto. I have to use muffs when I shoot it, plugs just don't cut it.