Thread: Short barrels and decebels

Where I am at is it would be nice to have a 18-20'' unsuppressed bush 308 if I can get away with it, going by the replies it will "make no difference" it is all hearing bad.

My first 308 had maybe 3 inches cut off so probably 19 inch and I fired many many rounds threw that without hearing protection with no ill effect that I noticed other than the "returned blast" situations mentioned above.

The 16-18 inch rossie is certainly louder but it is running a "too slow" powder load that gives good velocity and accuracy but a noticeable muzzle flash, it is run with a suppressor full time so have no reason to change the load but I would think running a fast powder would negate muzzle flash and blast hence being less loud?

To me for my hunting there is nothing gayer than a 18 inch or even 16 inch suppressed rifle, its not really any shorter, its not lighter, you have a big bulgy can on the end to catch on everything, long range ballistics are dead in the water and most importantly it is just bloody ugly.

So if a 18 inch barrel will have me totally deaf before my daughters tenth birthday (she is 8) firing maybe 4-5 shots a year unprotected then I guess I may as well go 6-10 inch permanently suppressed and forget any shot across a gully or river flat?

What say you suppressor people?