.357mag too much noise?

[Full Metal Jacket]

one of my favorite calibers is .357 magnum, and I am considering buying a revolver chambered in it. However, a big concern for me is the intense noise it creates when fired. At the range, i was standing next to one that was loaded with 125 grain Cor-Bon loads (1500fps) and my ears had a slight ring in them for about an hour after leaving the range. Keep in mind i was wearing 27 decibel reducing headphones. Now consider a defensive situation in which you are forced to fire a .357magnum load INDOORS (with tile floors in my case!!!) at night, possibly after being just woken up and running to the gun.
Now i know that your adrenaline will be pumping so high it will cancel out most of the noise, but wouldn't you be inclined to flinch just a little before firing? (indoors, tile floor, night time). It would be so deafening a second shot may not be possible, or if so, very inaccurate. just my speculation. what do u guys think?

[JohnKSa]

I fired one (4"bbl, 125gr JHP Federal) inside without hearing protection. I was pretty much totally deaf for a few minutes and badly hearing impaired for the rest of the night.

In spite of steroid therapy, I have noticeable hearing loss that appears to be permanent (it's been a few months now) as well as mild tinnitus (ringing) from time to time.

[Jungle Work]

That's the reason the VA has valued the hearing loss in my ears at 10% disablility. Spend much time in combat and you'll loose your hearing later on in life.

I highly recommend that you wear ear plugs and muffs when shooting. I have when I could.

Jungle Work

[Boilermaker]

I've never fired one inside without hearing protection but I have while hunting. It is definitly going to be very loud inside, but my experience outside is that it's pretty similar to a heavy shotgun load. (i.e. shotguns are very commonly used in HD with heavy loads)

If your worried about flinching then you should take it to the range and get used to the bang that happens when you pull the trigger and practice your second shot accuracy. If you can handle it at the range for a box of ammo at a time then you should be able to handle it in a SD situation. My ears ringing wouldn't be of much concern when my life is in danger though.

[chris in va]

FMJ, you're gonna want to get some 30 or 32 NRR muffs for the indoor range. 27 really isn't enough IMO.

You should hear a 454 or 500 go off two slots down. Holy eff. Thought my eyeballs were gonna bust out.

[osirus101]

i think it may be loud..but if you ever noticed when you go hunting...for me without earplugs...its as if your so focused that you dont even hear the shot go off or feel recoil most the time....i think it may be near the same...in a burgular situation....IMO...

[PsychoSword]

Yes, the often mentioned "auditory exclusion". You still get the same hearing damage though, regardless of whether you hear it at the time.

That's one of the main reasons why I don't favor .357 for a defensive firearm anymore. Just too loud. The thing about it is, I know I'll be hesitating when I should be shooting because I don't wanna lose my hearing unless absolutely necessary.

Everyone should really have a pair of earplugs on their nightstand though. Grab the firearm(s) first, but put the plugs in too if you have time. If you're in your own house visual is much better than auditory when it comes to scoping for the badguy anyways.

People are always like "but I want every bit of my hearing to help me", well you won't have any hearing after the first shot anyways. Soldiers use earplugs too ya know.

[dasmi]

Are you serious? I would NEVER plug my ears. I hear better than I see when it's dark. Just get a quieter round don't plug your ears in a home defense situation.

[PsychoSword]

Or get silencers. Course guns are still loud with them too, but not quite as loud.

[Jungle Work]

101,
The funny thing in a firefight is that you hardly here your weapon go off. The senses become so focused that you don't even hear the rounds being fired. The explosions of grenades, satchel charges, etc. are reduced to little bangs. Unless you have a M-60 fired about two inches from your left ear.

Jungle Work

[osirus101]

The funny thing in a firefight is that you hardly here your weapon go off. The senses become so focused that you don't even hear the rounds being fired. The explosions of grenades, satchel charges, etc. are reduced to little bangs. ....thats my point ....
im not sure what the argument is...i mean your choosing between hearing loss..and possible death...to you, your family...if it came down to it the last thing on my mind would be my hearing in that situation....there are other alternatives (quiter guns)....in actuallity no matter what you shoot indoors short of a 22 or something of the sort is gonna cause hearing damage one way or another...

[Jungle Work]

I can't recommend any hearing exclusion device if your life is on the line, other than electronic Peltor Hearing protection. When your in combat or a shooting incident, you want all of your senses. Sight, hearing, smell, etc....they've all saved my fouth point of contact more than once.

Target Ranges are a different matter.

Jungle Work

[reildeal]

Full Metal Jacket

I don't think a 357 mag is a great choice for home defense. You are right, the noise is unforgiving, but another thing to consider is the muzzle flash and how much they kick. I was out shooting a friends a few days ago, and it was like a friggin flame thrower. No doubt you would be blind after the first shot. I don't know how well you shoot with one, but I know I was having somewhat of a difficult time. Hers was a S&W 357 mag hammerless revolver with like a 2 1/4" barrel. All I know is that when it came time to shoot my S&W .45, it handled like butter compared to the 357. I was considering buying a 357, but this last trip to the range made me decide that I'll trust my ability to shoot the .45 over the .357 any day.

[MrBill]

I suffer from that ringing in my ears. I've been around gunfire for a longtime, but I can sadly recall when I suffered the most damage..from S&W 65 with 125 grainers just inside a garage. Never got quite right after that. But in life and death situation, you have to do what you have to do. If you have time, put on those electronic aids, increase sounds and decrease the gunblast, best deal I say.

[Watch-Six]

I have hearing loss in my left ear. Probably from shooting and being around machinery for a life time. I always wear hearing protection now, but when I was young nobody did. Any powerful gun is going to be load, especially indoors. I wouldn't choose my weapon based on how much noise it makes. You don't think that the often recommended home defense shotgun is not very loud, do you? If you really need the weapon, you won't mind the noise. Watch-Six

[MarcAngel]

Although my hearing was fine with both 33db plugs and 29 db muffs at our indoor range, the shock-wave from the report of the .357 I had rented reflecting on the wall was still enoug to produce a stinging sensation on the skin on my arms and chest when I was firing the darn thing... :eek:

Yes, I had the lane by the wall, but still...that's when I decided I couldn't really enjoy shooting something that big that and stuck with .45ACP.

So why do I want to try a 10mm? Sometimes I just don't make any sense. ;)

[Magnum88C]

Really, the best advice is to keep a set of electronic hearing protectors on the night stand next to the flashlight and the gun.

I don't care what you use, it's LOUD inside. A 9mm or .45 will blast your ears too.

Failing that, better deaf than dead. The .357 is a well proven, very effective round. There's no reason not to use a full sized revolver either, it will both mitigate the blast and flash.

As for the flah blinding you, yeah, and it'll blind THEM. Is it a big factor? If the shooting's started why is your flashlight off?

[boston strangler]

22, 25, 32, 380, 38, 357, 9, 40, 45, 12ga. doesn't matter all fall within the realm of "too loud" in terms of decible level. Especially when indoors with the sound waves bouncing off of hard walls. All can/will cause permanent hearing damage. If you are more concerned with your hearing than you are with actually surviving I suggest you get a bible of some sorts and pray to whoever you call god.

[PsychoSword]

from S&W 65 with 125 grainers just inside a garage. Never got quite right after that.

Wow, I once fired a .22 magnum from inside a vehicle, never again.. :eek: I can imagine.

I've fired .22lr's out of pistols indoors and yes it's very loud even with hearing protection.

I've fired quite a few 210gr. .41 mag loads out of a Taurus Ti ported snub without hearing protection in an enclosed shooting range though, but I can still hear.





Luckily...

[Para Bellum]

I have read (damn, where did I read that!?), that a .357 is sure to damage your hearing when fired indoors without ear-protection. I remember the same source (gr-rrr, still no recall!) saying that the 9x19mm was the strongest gun which probably could be fired indoors without surely damaging your ears. Maybe I read this on www.chuckhawks.com, not sure :confused: . Seems like the 9x19mm damages your brain and not your hearing :p .

I had to fire my Glock 19 (9x19mm, 4" barrel) in a defence situation without hearing protection recently. It was outdoors, but I felt that it was very close to a problem. My ears shut so the bang didn't feel so loud, but I sensed a whistling sound for maybe 2 seconds. Then I was totally fine (hearingwise)...

[esldude]

Yep, any decently powered handgun is TOO LOUD indoors. But that doesn't mean they are all the same. A .357 is among the loudest handguns. And will either cause more hearing damage or be more likley to cause hearing damage. And yes, even if your mental focus lets you not notice the noise at the time, the physical damage to your hearing occurs anyway. And please don't get one with a muzzle brake.

Now getting a longer barrel helps a lot on the noise. A 9 3/4 inch .357 is much less loud. Also will have lots more velocity. I don't know that a 9 3/4 inch .357 will be as quiet as a 9mm though. Just that it is much quieter than a short barrel. It will also have much less muzzle flash. One other comment, quality ammo is blended to have reduced flash versus cheaper ammo in handguns.

If you want to use a .357 indoors, get a Marlin lever action rifle.

[Z_Infidel]

Although a .357 Mag is certainly more powerful than .38 Special, as a defensive round the effectiveness of .38 Spc +P is probably about the same as .357 Mag with less flash and noise. The .38 Spl +P will penetrate just about all the way through a human torso, and good defensive ammo will offer reliable expansion. That is why I believe .38 Special +P is a better choice than .357 Mag for defensive purposes.

As for dealing with the noise inside the house, there are also ear plugs available that allow you to hear noise at normal volume while protecting against sudden loud noises such as gun shots. Go here for more info:
http://shop.store.yahoo.com/earplugstore/aosinranplug.html

I recommend a higher protection rating for indoor range use, but these might be a good idea for "bump in the night" or outdoor shooting situations if you don't want to spend a lot more for electronic muffs.

[rugerman13]

I own a Ruger GP100 w/ 6" heavy bbl, and it is fairly loud, but I think any large caliber hand gun is going to be loud. I would strongly recomend some sort of hearing protection, unless you are useing it for hunting.

[Jkwas]

After talking to friends at work, they recomended the .357 for a home defense/personal defense gun. After purchasing it, I went to the range to try it out ( taurus 605 2in bbl). A lot of difference when shooting with .357 and 38spl loads. When you shoot it, it's like a small cannon. Now after reading more on these forums, I've learned more about the importance of ammo and shot placement etc, and I also bought a 9mm. I never considered hearing loss in the equation. I could make myself, and someone in my family deaf at the same time. These are the people I'm trying to protect! I think I will restrict my snub to 38+p and just use up my .357 stuff on the range. Thanks for all the input.
Jkwas

[Guy B. Meredith]

I keep a 6" .357 magnum with 14 rounds of 140 gr Hyra-Shok and another 56 rounds of "target ammo"-.38 spl at about 900 fps. I also keep electronic earmuffs. The muff rating is too low for my comfort with prolonged shooting, but quick to put on and has ability to amplify and track BG doings.

May need to think that through some more.

Any disadvantage to the longer barrel in a home situation other than speed of movement?

[vitesse9]

Just keep it loaded with .38 +ps and it won't be an issue.

[Duxman]

I spoke to my brother in law (Navy Seal) about this and he mentioned that they fire so many rounds, his ears bleed. He definately recommends the electronic ear protectors. Not only do they work, but you can communicate with your SO and/or family members during the firefight.

That being said, worse case scenario, better to be deaf than dead.

JJ

[itgoesboom]

Some of you might laugh, but I used to consider my .357 blackhawk my negative reinforcment for gang bangers, specifically because of the noise.

Follow me on this. I usually shot 38spcl loads, and occasionally .357 mag loads when I went to the indoor range, but I kept a few boxes of Cor-Bon 110gr .357 mags in the range bag. Anyone who has ever shot these can vouch that they are loud, especially for the people in the lanes next to you. Because of that, I rarely shot with them, unless their were gang bangers in the lane next to me.

In that case, I would wait until one of them was mid way through a string of fire, and I would let one loose, and that usually would send their next shot way ofcourse. After that I would try to time my shots so they would be fired just before the gangbanger pulled the trigger. Inevitably this caused the banger to develop a nice flinch. I would do this until the banger could barely hit the backstop. It sometimes took a whole box, even 2 occasionally, but it always worked like a charm.

I figure anything that I could do to help make bangers have worse marksmanship is worthwhile. :D

Because of that noise though, I wouldn't want to let one loose in an enclosed space without hearing protection.

I.G.B.

[jburtonpdx]

Jungle Work, Dasmi, and Osirus

I think you guys are all correct. I would want to be able to hear everything happening if something were to be happening in my house. I would also choose deaf over dead in a heartbeat...

I have been involved in Search and Rescue work in the recent past and can tell you that when its dark and I can only see part of what I usually do my ears kick in big time. I know I know, auditory exclusion... I'd be willing to bet that will kick in when I get my site picture. What I want to hear though is, Daddy I cant sleep or Daddy I just puked or any other reason my kids were walking around the house in the middle of the night. If I have my range ears on I wont hear that...

I think maybe I will invest in some of the electric ears that cancel out high decibel sound, but increase low decibel sounds.

[Jkwas]

I recently had a conversation with a friend who told me he was shooting his 9mm in the house. He was remodeling the bathroom, and being the walls were concrete, he saw no harm in it. I don't condone this by the way. He said after 4 shots, the only problem he had was the room filling up with smoke, and his neighbors came over to investigate. He's lucky it wasn't the cops. I asked him if the noise was a problem. He said it was no problem, and didn't experience any hearing loss or ringing in his ears.
Don't try this at home.
:eek:

[JohnKSa]

I hope he's using lead free ammunition...

Or has the money to do lead abatement on his "shooting range" when he moves.

[Troponin]

I must have super sensitive ears. I have always had ear problems when I was litle, possibly scarred from ear infections and such. I ALWAYS shoot with ear protection, but once I shot my .380 at the range without out of curiosity. When I fired, it felt like my ears popped and they hurt sooooo bad. It took me a second to recoop from it. I was only using regular Winclean .380 rounds though it too.

I can't imagine ever having to fire my .357 mag, or, when I finally get my .45, shooting that. I imagine the .45 will be a little better than the .357 mag though.

[Nnobby45]

I have no hearning in my left ear, and my right ear is at 80%. A life time of shooting in civilian and militrary life is an obvious contributor to the problem. The thought of a loud .357 Mag. indoors or out, messes with my head, even though they say that one doesn't think of those things in a life and death encounter---I just don't want the added psychological baggage, if you know what I mean. :cool:

It has been pointed out that audio exclusion is common in self defense shootings, but my ear specialist assures me that the sound can damage the nerves of the ear, even if we don't consciously hear it. A .357 Mag. is one caliber than can damage the ears noticeably--even with few rounds being fired.

[Triple000]

Quote:
"Although a .357 Mag is certainly more powerful than .38 Special, as a defensive round the effectiveness of .38 Spc +P is probably about the same as .357 Mag with less flash and noise. The .38 Spl +P will penetrate just about all the way through a human torso, and good defensive ammo will offer reliable expansion. That is why I believe .38 Special +P is a better choice than .357 Mag for defensive purposes."

Actually I have seen the ballistic reports on both from a short (2 to 3) inch barrel and the differences are very small in favor of the 357 of course but not enough to put up with all the noise, flames and recoil of the 357. Now when you get up to the 5 and 6 inch barrels the 357 shines. I have a S&W Performance Center 627 and love it but can think of others in my collection to use around the house better suited for home protection.

[perception]

The first pistol i ever really shot was a s&w 686 with a 2.5 in barrel. For a while it was my carry weapon, as i have never had a problem handling it. one time at the range, which has excellent noise deadening ceiling tiles, i pulled my ear protection off for just one shot. I couldnt hear very much for quite a while, and promptly decided to select a different ccw as the noise from the 357 was deafening. i can only imagine what it would sound like in an enclosed area with hot rounds instead of the range rounds I was using.