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Old August 22, 2014, 01:13 PM   #1
BarryLee
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Car Gun: Decibel Level

Ok, got a friend who drives about an hour east of Atlanta for work. His trip takes him along some lightly traveled roads and he wants to carry a gun in his car. Yes, he’ll leave the gun in his car while at work and I mentioned the potential problems, so let’s not get into all that.

So, he wants to get a .22lr pistol because he believes it will provide less risk to his hearing if he fires the gun inside the vehicle. Is this true?

Just a little brief research seems to indicate that a .22lr would be in the dangerous levels. Would a .380 or 9mm be that much more hazardous?

Also, does anyone have experience with the Quiet-22 rounds from CCI? I assume they are lower powered and may need to be used in a revolver, but I suppose they might meet his needs.
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Old August 22, 2014, 01:37 PM   #2
RX-79G
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This is a bit like saying that you're looking for a seatbelt that won't rumple your suit if you're in a head on collision.

If you actually need to fire a weapon inside your car, you're very lucky if your hearing is the only thing that was hurt.

There are some reasonable arguments for using .22 for defense, but long term hearing loss isn't one of them. It is not an effective choice, and will have to be fired more times than a noiser cartridge, and will allow the assailant to fire their very loud gun more times, too.
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Old August 22, 2014, 01:53 PM   #3
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It is not an effective choice, and will have to be fired more times than a noiser cartridge, and will allow the assailant to fire their very loud gun more times, too.
Yes, I sort of thought the same thing. I recommended he get a .38 caliber S&W J-Frame and be done with it. However, I think he’s sort of settled on the .22lr thing and I guess if he’s comfortable with it that’s all that matters. I was just curious what expertise others might have on the subject and maybe offer him a little more advice.
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Old August 22, 2014, 02:57 PM   #4
Bill DeShivs
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All I can tell you is DO NOT use a pistol in .30 carbine! Even with the window down.
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Old August 22, 2014, 04:25 PM   #5
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no it is not true

ANY handgun fired inside a car will be really friggin' loud.

Try it some time for yourself (but put earplugs under your earmuffs).
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Old August 22, 2014, 04:49 PM   #6
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I seem to remember a funny scene in the Sopranos where the character Silvio (If my memory is correct) discharges a gun in a car. He shoots the guy sitting next to him in the car and afterwards he bails out of the vehicle grimacing and clutching his ear in pain as he runs down the street. I remember thinking that was probably one of the times where Hollywood got it right when depicting a shooting.
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Old August 22, 2014, 05:16 PM   #7
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My .32 S&WL J frame is much less loud than the .22lr revolvers I've shot. It might still do hearing damage, especially in a car.
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Old August 22, 2014, 06:02 PM   #8
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I'll side with RX-79G-your friend has some misplaced priorities.

Maybe a baton would suit him better.
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Old August 22, 2014, 06:20 PM   #9
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I carry a .38 special snubby in the car with low-pressure rounds specifically due to this consideration, and I'm sure it would be loud enough as it is. I figure that anyone far enough away NOT to be stopped by my shots is far enough away to allow me to leave. No way I would use a .40 S&W, 9mm or .357 for this duty, a .45 or a .44 special would also be good selections assuming they fit the space available.

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Old August 22, 2014, 08:10 PM   #10
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In all reality if someone is in a car and still can't get away from the threat, then they're in some serious doo doo. And a little hearing loss is the last thing they should be worried about.
Maybe he should invest in a taser. It can be very effective without the loud bang.
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Old August 22, 2014, 08:33 PM   #11
lee n. field
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Quote:
So, he wants to get a .22lr pistol because he believes it will provide less risk to his hearing if he fires the gun inside the vehicle. Is this true?
No matter what he shoots in that confined space, it will be horrendous.
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Old August 22, 2014, 08:43 PM   #12
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Really? I read "misplaced priorities" and totally agree.
Re: CCI Quiet ammo. It's NOT by any stretch defense ammo.
Forget that silly notion.
It's suited for dispatching vermin like chipmonks & such.
I haven't a clue what might lead a person to find it necessary to fire
a gun inside ones own vehicle but whatever.
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Old August 22, 2014, 10:18 PM   #13
BillM
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Car gun. Subsonic is better than Supersonic. If everything
goes sideways to the point that you need to fire it in the car,
then larger caliber/energy is better than smaller caliber.


Size really isn't an issue if it's going to stay in the car, but
a shorter barrel would be preferred. Less of a handle for the
bad guy to grab.

I'm guessing your friend isn't a reloader---so the choices are
limited to factory ammo.

How about a Taurus Judge? They have been around long enough that
affordable used ones are out there. Hornady Critical Defense Triple
Defense or similar from other manufacturers is sub-sonic and packs a heck of
a short range punch.
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Old August 23, 2014, 01:50 AM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RX-79G
This is a bit like saying that you're looking for a seatbelt that won't rumple your suit if you're in a head on collision.
I can't think of a better way to put it than this.
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Old August 23, 2014, 07:47 AM   #15
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It's still not all that clear as to how and when he would need to shoot his gun inside the car.
If the threat is outside, then wouldn't he either be driving away or at worst be shooting out through the driver's side window, with the gun out there, too?
If he drives around prudently, with the car doors locked and windows up, and picked his friends well, who would he be shooting at inside the car?
Is he planning for a circumstance that doesn't really exist?
Just asking.
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Old August 23, 2014, 08:43 AM   #16
lee n. field
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Quote:
If he drives around prudently, with the car doors locked and windows up, and picked his friends well, who would he be shooting at inside the car?
I guess not everyone does those things.
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Old August 23, 2014, 10:02 AM   #17
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Quote:
Originally posted by g.willikers:

It's still not all that clear as to how and when he would need to shoot his gun inside the car.
If the threat is outside, then wouldn't he either be driving away or at worst be shooting out through the driver's side window, with the gun out there, too?
If he drives around prudently, with the car doors locked and windows up, and picked his friends well, who would he be shooting at inside the car?
Is he planning for a circumstance that doesn't really exist?
Just asking.
Seems the OPs friend is not that gun savvy and has been taking advice from others without much knowledge of firearms and how they relate to SD/HD. This is a prime example of how so many folks think that all that is needed for self-protection is to buy a gun, preferably the cheapest and easiest to shoot. Whenever I hear of folks wanting to use .22 for SD because of the desire to save their hearing, I wonder for what? So they can hear the slightly wounded BG pounding the crap out of them or raping their wife?
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Old August 23, 2014, 10:17 AM   #18
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Tell your friend the decibel level is not an issue of concern. Then tell him what may be of concern is his self-defense scenario or concept of what constitutes legal self-defense situations. Ask him why driving his car away is not part of the situation. Ask him why is the bad guy sitting next to him in his car while he is driving around. Ask him just how this imagined situation came to be, and if his role in it is innocent and random or is he putting himself there.

It won't matter what he uses inside the car, his ears are going to ring for a day or two. Do tell him not to use any Magnum caliber, though, that's probably good for a week.
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Old August 23, 2014, 10:44 AM   #19
JD0x0
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My thoughts have always been, a suppressor in any pistol caliber, will be much more effective than changing to any caliber simply to reduce noise.
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Old August 23, 2014, 10:53 AM   #20
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^^^ The OP said his friend is going to leave his gun in his car while he's at work. As bad as it is to have a gun stolen from you, it's way worse to have a silencer stolen from you.
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Old August 23, 2014, 10:59 AM   #21
JT-AR-MG42
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If the OPs friend was using the gun in self defense from the vehicle?
Probably best be someone on the ground real close afterward, as it sounds similar to Ferguson.
And I am not looking to change the thread at all.

Second what Bill says concerning loud calibers.
Get the gun clear of the rig before firing.

Cylinder gap blast can seriously pit the windows, side view mirrors, or the paint.

Semis can and will eject down the defroster vent or cause small melt burns on the plastic dash or seats.
You'll hear them in the vents later if you were plugged up while shooting.

No target of opportunity (four legged) is worth hearing loss to me by firing without getting the muzzle/cylinder completely outside of the rig.
The new electronic muffs take the hassle of being plugged up away.

In a self defense situation, the noise would not occur to me. I would rather suffer damage to my sense of hearing
rather than my sense of breathing.

JT
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Old August 24, 2014, 05:08 PM   #22
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I can understand the questions a newbie friend might have (like this). That said, ears are going to suffer anytime it's fired in a confined environment be it car with windows up or down, a restaurant, residence, work and even outdoors (all of this assuming, of course, absent ear protection)...

My point is life is full of tough questions/situations and all one can do sometimes is let it roll off you like water off a duck's back...
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Old August 25, 2014, 04:16 PM   #23
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I'll just say two things:

If he DOES get a rimfire for this purpose, get a 9-shot revolver, not an auto-pistol - much more reliable in rimfire.

The .22 magnum is LOUD from a revolver - I'd just as soon have a .38 special or 9mm if going with a .22mag for that purpose. The .22lr idea, however, is a plausible one to offer materially-less noise in the event of a self-defense incident (obviously, it's between marginally-adequate and inadequate for defense in power, depending on who you ask).
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Old August 26, 2014, 02:50 PM   #24
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"...Tell your friend the decibel level is not an issue of concern..." Yep. Any firearm discharged in an enclosed place will cause permanent hearing damage. There's no such thing as less or more either.
Assuming he's legally carrying, why does he think a lightly traveled road is any more dangerous than any other road? He have an incident?
Does he really think .22 or any other handgun will stop a moving vehicle? Or deter a criminal trying to run him of the road?
"...a suppressor in any pistol caliber..." No suppressors in Georgia.
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Old August 26, 2014, 09:28 PM   #25
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Quote:
Originally Posted by T. O'Heir
No suppressors in Georgia.
Where are you getting this from? Suppressors are legal in Georgia. Heck, you can even hunt with them.
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