Handgun caliber sound levels

simonrichter · November 5, 2024, 05:19 PM

On the shooting range, there is quite an audible difference between handguns and rifles, obviously. Now I wondered: Is there also an audible difference between different common handgun calibers in standard loadings, like .25, .32, .380 acp, 9mm, .40 S&W, .45 acp etc. (I excluded revolvers here because they appear to be louder by design, cylinder gap...)

Are these just measurable, but not actually audible differences or does it matter in terms of how loud it is experienced with mufflers and how far the sound might travel? If the latter is the case, what would be the least noisy caliber?

Again, I'm referring to usual centerfire calibers and loads in usual barrel lengths, so not a 1" 9mm or a .380 out of a 10" barrel, and unsuppressed...

PatientWolf · November 5, 2024, 09:19 PM

Very likely the only difference is not decibels, but also the sound frequency. In some cases equally loud, or even slightly louder may be less irritating than a different frequency. Not that I did NOT say safer for hearing.

**44 AMP** · November 5, 2024, 11:24 PM

Basically, the sound is the result of the type and amount of powder burned, the size of the "pipe" (diameter and length) and the distance of the muzzle from one's ears.

You can buy a decibel meter pretty cheaply these days, and I believe that there are programs to allow your smart phone to function as one.

the OSHA standard for some kind of hearing protection program is 85Db (time weighted average over an 8hr workday. The higher you go the more physical protection is needed and allowable exposure time is reduced.

A quick search says a 9mm Pistol is about 160 Db.

**Aguila Blanca** · November 5, 2024, 11:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 44 AMP

You can buy a decibel meter pretty cheaply these days, and I believe that there are programs to allow your smart phone to function as one.

Yes, there are definitely cell phone apps for sound meter. When our club was considering buying a larger property to expand the range, we faced a decibel limit in the zoning regulations. I put two sound meter apps on a Samsung Android tablet, parked across the street on a S

https://play.google.com/store/search...s&hl=enaturday morning, and took a bunch of readings. The two apps seemed to be pretty close to one another. I don't own a real sound meter, so I have nothing to correlate the cell phone against.

**JohnKSa** · November 6, 2024, 02:19 AM

All else being equal, lower chamber pressure will mean a quieter report.
All else being equal, a larger caliber (bullet diameter) will mean a quieter report.
All else being equal, a longer barrel will mean a quieter report.

jetinteriorguy · November 6, 2024, 07:02 AM

Just as a personal observation to me I feel like .40 S&W is noticeably louder than 9mm. At least whenever the person in the booth next to me seemed extra loud they were usually shooting.40.

1972RedNeck · November 6, 2024, 10:46 AM

I don't know about the common pistol calibers, but a hot 357 is significantly louder than a weak 38 out of the same revolver.

FrankenMauser · November 6, 2024, 01:35 PM

As mentioned, chamber pressure is a major factor.
Case capacity (and gas volume) seem to also matter.

Plenty of people can hear a difference between .357 Mag and 9mm at 200 yd. And some might be able to distinguish .357 Mag from .44 Mag.

But shotgun fire is easily confused with common handgun reports, at some distances.
"I'm not sure. Seems like 9mm, but maybe a shotgun...?"

WmMunny · November 6, 2024, 03:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnKSa

All else being equal, a larger caliber (bullet diameter) will mean a quieter report.

Larger would be louder, no?

totaldla · November 6, 2024, 04:31 PM

As an example of powder type causing sound level difference, trap shooters would complain if somebody used Longshot in their loads - they called it "loudshot"

**JohnKSa** · November 6, 2024, 05:55 PM

Quote:

Larger would be louder, no?

If the starting pressure and barrel length are the same (remember, all else being equal is important) then the larger bore diameter means that there will be more space to be filled as the projectile moves down the bore. That means the pressure by the time the projectile exits will be lower and therefore the report should be less noisy.

The report is basically the noise of the gases escaping out of the bore when the bullet exits. So the higher the pressure at that point, the louder the noise it will make.

simonrichter · November 6, 2024, 06:09 PM

wouldn't that imply that out of the most common calibers mentioned .32 acp must be a bit less obnoxious since it has by far the lowest chamber pressure?

**JohnKSa** · November 6, 2024, 06:21 PM

Barrel length is a factor (longer is quieter all else being equal), and the bore size is a factor (larger being quieter, all else being equal), but yes, lower pressured rounds should generally be quieter, all else being equal.

In other words, it's possible that a very short barreled .32ACP using a round loaded to max pressure could be louder than a mild 9mm load shot from a pistol with a longer than usual barrel, but one would generally expect a .32ACP to be somewhat quieter than a 9mm pistol.

https://earinc.com/gunfire-noise-lev...ktjbp8reWoUL6K

Obviously this table is terribly oversimplified since there are many different possible loadings of each caliber, there's a difference between revolvers and semi-autos, and barrel length is a factor, but here it is anyway.

.25 ACP--155.0 dB
.32 LONG--152.4 dB
.32 ACP--153.5 dB
.380--157.7 dB
9mm--159.8 dB
.38 S&W--153.5 dB
.38 Spl--156.3 dB
.357 Magnum--164.3 dB
.41 Magnum--163.2 dB
.44 Spl--155.9 dB
.45 ACP--157.0 dB
.45 COLT--154.7 dB

**44 AMP** · November 6, 2024, 08:56 PM

The values are relative though close enough for illustration.

I expect there will be some difference dependent on where the meter is, where the muzzle is, and where your ear is.

Some of this ought to be obvious, like where the muzzle is, compared to your ear. Shoot the same ammo from your .22 LR rifle and pistol, and you can notice the different in the report.

with the same ammo, pressure and powder amount will be the same, and while I'm sure that the longer barrel has a measurable effect, I think the biggest reason for the difference to the ear is the fact that from the rifle the muzzle is farther away from your ear.

Overall, the most common loudest pistol round I can think of is the .357 magnum. I think it is due to the "size of the hole" and the pressure involved. A 44 Mag at the same pressure might be as loud in Db (I don't know) but it does sound different. Pitch/frequency, the larger bore area changes something, and while it may be as loud, or perhaps even louder the sound is different enough to be noticeable.

**Aguila Blanca** · November 6, 2024, 09:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jetinteriorguy

I don't know about the common pistol calibers, but a hot 357 is significantly louder than a weak 38 out of the same revolver.

Oh, yeah!

A number of years ago I visited friends in another state. I had recently purchased a new 1911 and the male half of the couple I was visiting is a gun guy, so I brought the new pistola along to show it to him. For whatever reason, we decided to go to an indoor range near their house, at least in part so my friend could try out my new pistol, and partially because I guess we didn't have anything better to do.

So we went. My friend's wife came along, because she felt that she needed some practice. We lined up at the firing line. I started shooting, my friend started shooting (he also had a 1911 in .45 ACP), and then all of a sudden I heard BOOM! and I felt the whole building shake. I was sure someone had sneaked in with an elephant rifle. I looked over at my friend in the next lane and asked, "What the [bleep] was THAT!?"

To which he calmly replied, "Oh, that's just Sandra and her .357 magnum."

ballardw · November 6, 2024, 10:17 PM

I know that my 7.62x25 gets some notice at indoor ranges. Maybe not the loudest but definitely a very sharp crack.

georgehwbush · November 6, 2024, 11:44 PM

one thing not mentioned, and i'm not a pistol guy, but the speed of the projectile is a major factor. if it is supersonic there is a "big bang" if it is not there is the gas report.
a lot of people dont even know that most of the noise from a rifle is the bullet and not the gas.

**44 AMP** · November 7, 2024, 02:23 AM

Quote:

a lot of people dont even know that most of the noise from a rifle is the bullet and not the gas.

Only when you are down range a bit...

The usual standard for the speed of sound is about 1125fps (sea level, 68 degrees) an will vary somewhat due to altitude and temperature.

For ease of use, lets say 1100fps. Bullets going faster than that break the sound barrier and that is the sharp "Crack" one hears, its the sonic boom. many pistol rounds will do this, and nearly all rifles not intentionally held subsonic.

The shooter hears the "boom" of the muzzle blast and the sonic "crack" of the bullet at the same time. People down range do not. They hear the crack of the bullet, IF/when it passes a solid object close enough to be heard, and the sound of the muzzle blast some amount of time later, when it reaches their ears, traveling at the speed of sound. Think thunder and lightning. You see the lightning (even miles away) instantly (speed of light) but you don't hear the thunder until seconds later (speed of sound) and counting the time between the flash and the boom gives you an idea of how far away it was.

A suppressor (aka silencer) will reduce or even nearly eliminate the muzzle blast, but does nothing about the supersonic crack of a high speed bullet.

jetinteriorguy · November 7, 2024, 06:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnKSa

Barrel length is a factor (longer is quieter all else being equal), and the bore size is a factor (larger being quieter, all else being equal), but yes, lower pressured rounds should generally be quieter, all else being equal.

In other words, it's possible that a very short barreled .32ACP using a round loaded to max pressure could be louder than a mild 9mm load shot from a pistol with a longer than usual barrel, but one would generally expect a .32ACP to be somewhat quieter than a 9mm pistol.

https://earinc.com/gunfire-noise-lev...ktjbp8reWoUL6K

Obviously this table is terribly oversimplified since there are many different possible loadings of each caliber, there's a difference between revolvers and semi-autos, and barrel length is a factor, but here it is anyway.

.25 ACP--155.0 dB
.32 LONG--152.4 dB
.32 ACP--153.5 dB
.380--157.7 dB
9mm--159.8 dB
.38 S&W--153.5 dB
.38 Spl--156.3 dB
.357 Magnum--164.3 dB
.41 Magnum--163.2 dB
.44 Spl--155.9 dB
.45 ACP--157.0 dB
.45 COLT--154.7 dB

Interesting list, I have noticed that hot loads from my .41 mag Model 57 6” tend to get people’s attention at the range.

georgehwbush · November 9, 2024, 02:24 AM

yeah most things super-sonic will. even if you run a muffler on the end of your barrel.

well i shouldn't say most. but a lot of them will.

tangolima · November 9, 2024, 02:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jetinteriorguy

Interesting list, I have noticed that hot loads from my .41 mag Model 57 6” tend to get people’s attention at the range.

So does my old Enfield #2 revolver in rather weak s&w .38. It was so loud that people would think I have a .44 magnum or something. It just has excessive cylinder gap.

Revolvers tend to be louder for the same reason. The gas leaked out of the cylinder gap has pretty high pressure. By the same token, if you can lower the gas pressure before it exits, you have a suppressor. Theoretically a really long barrel can do that.

Bigger caliber is more effective in dropping gas pressure because there is more volume increase as the bullet travel down the bore.

-TL

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

**JohnKSa** · November 9, 2024, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Revolvers tend to be louder for the same reason. The gas leaked out of the cylinder gap has pretty high pressure.

Also, the venting is out the side and not out the muzzle which makes it relatively louder to the shooter and people standing next to/around the shooter.

tangolima · November 9, 2024, 06:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnKSa

Also, the venting is out the side and not out the muzzle which makes it relatively louder to the shooter and people standing next to/around the shooter.

True. Sort of like muzzle brake.

-TL

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

Pumpkin · November 22, 2024, 07:37 AM

Great topic!

Personally from past experience, a 6-1/2” 44spl loaded with the traditional 246gr LRN has to be the mildest pistol round I have ever shot, 22’s included.

To add to the large bore dB statistics, a 24” 1895 45-70 Marlin shooting the old 405 load has to be by a fair amount, the quietest center fire rifle round I have ever shot. It does sound like a shot gun!

The worst pistol I can remember shooting was a 4” 629 loaded with some Federal 180gr HP’s. I could feel the concussion on my teeth! Nasty little Bugga!

November 5, 2024, 05:19 PM	#1
simonrichter Senior Member Join Date: December 3, 2011 Location: Austria Posts: 771	Handgun caliber sound levels On the shooting range, there is quite an audible difference between handguns and rifles, obviously. Now I wondered: Is there also an audible difference between different common handgun calibers in standard loadings, like .25, .32, .380 acp, 9mm, .40 S&W, .45 acp etc. (I excluded revolvers here because they appear to be louder by design, cylinder gap...) Are these just measurable, but not actually audible differences or does it matter in terms of how loud it is experienced with mufflers and how far the sound might travel? If the latter is the case, what would be the least noisy caliber? Again, I'm referring to usual centerfire calibers and loads in usual barrel lengths, so not a 1" 9mm or a .380 out of a 10" barrel, and unsuppressed... __________________ "Get off of my lawn!" Walt Kowalski . ISSC PAR .223

November 5, 2024, 11:24 PM	#3
44 AMP Staff Join Date: March 11, 2006 Location: Upper US Posts: 30,438	Basically, the sound is the result of the type and amount of powder burned, the size of the "pipe" (diameter and length) and the distance of the muzzle from one's ears. You can buy a decibel meter pretty cheaply these days, and I believe that there are programs to allow your smart phone to function as one. the OSHA standard for some kind of hearing protection program is 85Db (time weighted average over an 8hr workday. The higher you go the more physical protection is needed and allowable exposure time is reduced. A quick search says a 9mm Pistol is about 160 Db. __________________ All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.

November 6, 2024, 02:19 AM	#5
JohnKSa Staff Join Date: February 12, 2001 Location: DFW Area Posts: 25,560	All else being equal, lower chamber pressure will mean a quieter report. All else being equal, a larger caliber (bullet diameter) will mean a quieter report. All else being equal, a longer barrel will mean a quieter report. __________________ Do you know about the TEXAS State Rifle Association?

November 6, 2024, 01:35 PM	#8
FrankenMauser Senior Member Join Date: August 26, 2008 Location: In the valley above the plain Posts: 13,769	As mentioned, chamber pressure is a major factor. Case capacity (and gas volume) seem to also matter. Plenty of people can hear a difference between .357 Mag and 9mm at 200 yd. And some might be able to distinguish .357 Mag from .44 Mag. But shotgun fire is easily confused with common handgun reports, at some distances. "I'm not sure. Seems like 9mm, but maybe a shotgun...?" __________________ -Unwilling Range Officer -Unwilling Match Designer -NRL22/PRS22/PRO -Something about broccoli and carrots

November 6, 2024, 04:31 PM	#10
totaldla Senior Member Join Date: August 11, 2009 Location: SW Idaho Posts: 1,496	As an example of powder type causing sound level difference, trap shooters would complain if somebody used Longshot in their loads - they called it "loudshot" __________________ Keltec P15 at 1200 rounds

November 5, 2024, 09:19 PM	#2
PatientWolf Senior Member Join Date: October 20, 2012 Location: NC Posts: 956	Very likely the only difference is not decibels, but also the sound frequency. In some cases equally loud, or even slightly louder may be less irritating than a different frequency. Not that I did NOT say safer for hearing.

November 6, 2024, 07:02 AM	#6
jetinteriorguy Senior Member Join Date: April 28, 2013 Posts: 3,465	Just as a personal observation to me I feel like .40 S&W is noticeably louder than 9mm. At least whenever the person in the booth next to me seemed extra loud they were usually shooting.40.

November 6, 2024, 10:46 AM	#7
1972RedNeck Senior Member Join Date: December 8, 2015 Posts: 374	I don't know about the common pistol calibers, but a hot 357 is significantly louder than a weak 38 out of the same revolver.

November 6, 2024, 06:09 PM	#12
simonrichter Senior Member Join Date: December 3, 2011 Location: Austria Posts: 771	wouldn't that imply that out of the most common calibers mentioned .32 acp must be a bit less obnoxious since it has by far the lowest chamber pressure? __________________ "Get off of my lawn!" Walt Kowalski . ISSC PAR .223

November 6, 2024, 06:21 PM	#13
JohnKSa Staff Join Date: February 12, 2001 Location: DFW Area Posts: 25,560	Barrel length is a factor (longer is quieter all else being equal), and the bore size is a factor (larger being quieter, all else being equal), but yes, lower pressured rounds should generally be quieter, all else being equal. In other words, it's possible that a very short barreled .32ACP using a round loaded to max pressure could be louder than a mild 9mm load shot from a pistol with a longer than usual barrel, but one would generally expect a .32ACP to be somewhat quieter than a 9mm pistol. https://earinc.com/gunfire-noise-lev...ktjbp8reWoUL6K Obviously this table is terribly oversimplified since there are many different possible loadings of each caliber, there's a difference between revolvers and semi-autos, and barrel length is a factor, but here it is anyway. .25 ACP--155.0 dB .32 LONG--152.4 dB .32 ACP--153.5 dB .380--157.7 dB 9mm--159.8 dB .38 S&W--153.5 dB .38 Spl--156.3 dB .357 Magnum--164.3 dB .41 Magnum--163.2 dB .44 Spl--155.9 dB .45 ACP--157.0 dB .45 COLT--154.7 dB __________________ Do you know about the TEXAS State Rifle Association?

November 6, 2024, 08:56 PM	#14
44 AMP Staff Join Date: March 11, 2006 Location: Upper US Posts: 30,438	The values are relative though close enough for illustration. I expect there will be some difference dependent on where the meter is, where the muzzle is, and where your ear is. Some of this ought to be obvious, like where the muzzle is, compared to your ear. Shoot the same ammo from your .22 LR rifle and pistol, and you can notice the different in the report. with the same ammo, pressure and powder amount will be the same, and while I'm sure that the longer barrel has a measurable effect, I think the biggest reason for the difference to the ear is the fact that from the rifle the muzzle is farther away from your ear. Overall, the most common loudest pistol round I can think of is the .357 magnum. I think it is due to the "size of the hole" and the pressure involved. A 44 Mag at the same pressure might be as loud in Db (I don't know) but it does sound different. Pitch/frequency, the larger bore area changes something, and while it may be as loud, or perhaps even louder the sound is different enough to be noticeable. __________________ All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.

November 6, 2024, 10:17 PM	#16
ballardw Senior Member Join Date: September 19, 2008 Posts: 1,472	I know that my 7.62x25 gets some notice at indoor ranges. Maybe not the loudest but definitely a very sharp crack. __________________ -+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ All data is flawed, some just less so.

November 6, 2024, 11:44 PM	#17
georgehwbush Senior Member Join Date: July 14, 2023 Location: down town USA Posts: 537	one thing not mentioned, and i'm not a pistol guy, but the speed of the projectile is a major factor. if it is supersonic there is a "big bang" if it is not there is the gas report. a lot of people dont even know that most of the noise from a rifle is the bullet and not the gas.

November 9, 2024, 02:24 AM	#20
georgehwbush Senior Member Join Date: July 14, 2023 Location: down town USA Posts: 537	yeah most things super-sonic will. even if you run a muffler on the end of your barrel. well i shouldn't say most. but a lot of them will.

November 22, 2024, 07:37 AM	#24
Pumpkin Senior Member Join Date: October 18, 2020 Location: Seguin Texas Posts: 981	Great topic! Personally from past experience, a 6-1/2” 44spl loaded with the traditional 246gr LRN has to be the mildest pistol round I have ever shot, 22’s included. To add to the large bore dB statistics, a 24” 1895 45-70 Marlin shooting the old 405 load has to be by a fair amount, the quietest center fire rifle round I have ever shot. It does sound like a shot gun! The worst pistol I can remember shooting was a 4” 629 loaded with some Federal 180gr HP’s. I could feel the concussion on my teeth! Nasty little Bugga!