"Sound Reducer", 4'X8' board

[Coastie]

Anyone ever use those 4'X8' sheets of "sound proof" boards that the local lumber yard carries for home theater construction in homes? I wonder every time I walk by them if they would work to cut down my shooting "noise". If I built a box lined with them around my shooting bench (port open to target - with the muzzle still inside the box ) - maybe even a sheet for the ceiling and a couple of baffles on the sides of the open port if it would help cut the sound and by how much. I have a great short home range and it's ok for long range (80+ acres), safe and bermed, but there is a neighbor a bit over a 1/4 of a mile away who complains loudly every time I shoot. They are misguided about firearms and not interested in learning to shoot.
I have shot and still shoot reduced loads and can use the clubs very nice range about 25 miles away, but I shoot mostly cast and I'm cheap. I want to reuse my lead, so I like to shoot at home out to 50 yds.
Any ideas on how to sound proof my "shooting booth" would be appreciated.
Thank you.

[lead-1]

I seen a set up on a different site that the shooter had a 55 gallon plastic drum anchored so it couldn't roll, both ends were cut out and it was lined with egg crate foam like you get for bedding, cheap at wal-mart. The smooth side was toward the drum and the dimpled side to the middle where it could breakup and absorb some of the sound waves, he claimed it was just the ticket to deaden the sound. I looked like he had his muzzle about 8-12 inches into the opening of the drum.
You could build a sawbuck out of a few 2x4's to hold the drum up and it would be light enough to move around, I will post picks if I can find them again.

[shotman]

The sound board you are talking about is more for wall constuction to stop low level noise. get you some old carpet and make several layers in you box. It will do a much better job. I used to shoot in the basement and it would keep the one neighbor from calling to cops.
First time they moved in I was in basement and was going to test a couple of new loads in my 30-06. I shot 3 loads and in about 10 min 2 cop cars were in drive. I was out of city so they really couldnt do much. One cop went to talk to the people and the other one stayed and we burnt up a box of shells in my 45. I miss the neighbor, I think she was going to go to Washington or something about gun control. Anyway they moved out after only about a month

[Southern Son]

I saw somewhere (I think in a magazine) a bloke had a similar problem, so he welded 2 or 3 44 gallon drums together with the tops and bottoms cut out. He lined it with something (I think it was that playground rubber they put under the swings to stop kids hurting themselves) and mounted the drums on some 4x2 timber. Muzzle goes in one end about 8 inches. Don't know how well it worked. I don't know what your local laws are like, but here in Queensland, if you have a block that big, and none of the projectiles leave your land, then tough luck for the neighbour. It has always been my dream to get a big block so I could have a 1000 meter range, but knowing my luck, I would get a butt head neighbour, who is on the local council so they could make a local law banning anything fun.

[Bret4207]

It won't help much as long as your loads are supersonic. Develop slow loads and all they'll be is a slight "thump". Supersonic will still give you the "crack" and the faster it is the louder the "crack".

An alternative is to look up the laws in your area, make sure you are within the law and the necxt time the guy complains tell him to ind his own beeswax. You can always pursue legal action against him, but that's an iffy thing.

[softpoint]

I've heard the best noise suppressor is to build a rack that will hold a number of old tires standing up in it ,making kind of a tunnel, I'm sure the longer the better.
I've intended on doing this on my place, even though I don't have any neighbors that are complaining. Of course, a rack full of old tires around the house might not be eye pleasing.:drinks:

[Hardcast416taylor]

A Dr. friend of the family made such a rig as described above out of 55 gal. empty ink barrels from a local paper. He lined them with the egg crate foam and held in place with chicken wire. He used up to his .300 Win. mag. with factory loads with no complaints. It sounded more like a muffled CRUMP sound than a loud BANG! As far as your neighbor, who lived where first, you or him? If you then you have the "grandfathered claim" of being there first. Besides that far away from you is just plain being a PITA type person. We have a 911 system here that gets calls all the time about "hearing gunfire" but no idea from what direction or how far away. Most of these calls turn out to be nervious nellies that moved out here from the larger cities to enjoy the "urban"experience, but brought their phobias with them. You can imagine the "gunfire" calls on the 4th of July that are recieved.:confused:Robert

[RNyogi]

"As far as your neighbor, who lived where first, you or him? If you then you have the "grandfathered claim" of being there first."


Maybe it depends on where you live. Our club in Vermont has been in it's current location for 60+ years. Someone from "away" bought a farm near the club (on Gun Club Rd), and has spent the last few years dragging us through various courts because of "noise". So far we have won these battles but at a cost of Hundreds of thousands of dollars. It hasn't been pleasant.
Even though the decisions have favored out club, it came close to breaking us.:castmine:

[No_1]

+1 on what softpoint said. A long time ago there was a range in Charleston, SC (Johns Island to be exact) named RPM. Their was plenty of woods / farmland all around it until the old places got sold off and turned into housing developements. Anyway, people complained about the noise and the fix was to use ditch culvert pipes line with car tires at bench height for the rifle range. It worked pretty good IMO as all you could hear was a muffled thud.
As far as "whomever is there first has rights" idea. I guess it depends on where you live and the city council's thoughts on guns. In this case the gun range eventually lost out and closed down. Shame there are so many fun spoilers out there isn't it?

If/when we get invaded, the same people who have ask the GOV to take our guns away to protect us from the good guys will be the same ones asking the GOV to give the guns back to protect us from the bad guys...

R.

[markinalpine]

Building A Portable Outdoor Noise Barrier Or...
How to Make a Really Big Boom Box
By Joseph D'Alessandro Editor | RealGuns.Com

http://www.realguns.com/Commentary/comar139.htm

Mark :coffeecom

[KCSO]

I use the tires as they are esy to get 4 foot of tires on a rack does a nice job.

[crabo]

I've heard the best noise suppressor is to build a rack that will hold a number of old tires standing up in it ,making kind of a tunnel, I'm sure the longer the better.
I've intended on doing this on my place, even though I don't have any neighbors that are complaining. Of course, a rack full of old tires around the house might not be eye pleasing.:drinks:

Make sure you drill some holes in the bottom of the tires to let the water out when it rains. You could have a great mesquito farm there.

[Recluse]

If/when we get invaded, the same people who have ask the GOV to take our guns away to protect us from the good guys will be the same ones asking the GOV to give the guns back to protect us from the bad guys...

R.

Yep. And those will be the folks I willingly hand over TO the bad guys--and at gun point, no less.

:coffee:

[HeavyMetal]

Shot at an indoor range for years and the owner used the tire tunnel idea in the lower basement range for big gun noise control.

It worked very well but had the annoying habit of containing unburned powder which would catch fire from time to time!

After I moved to the OC I heard that the place burned down because the unburned powder fire got out of control!

So make sure whatever type "tunnel" you build you have a way to clean it regularly or you could have the same problem!

[Johnch]

I used 8 tires bolted togeather to form a "tube"
I installed the "tube" in the back of the gardge , next to several large windows to make sure no fool is down range
With all of the "tube" inside , with a sliding "door" to open and close as needed for shooting
I then wraped the outside with Insulation ( bats ) and built a OSB box around the whole thing to make it look better
I then cut carpet and bolted it to both ends with a 8" hole to shoot through

It makes a 12" 223 contender sound like a 22 mag rifle
When you are outside or in the gardge

Just a FYI

As I found out the hard way

The inside of the "tube" collects unburnt powder
So you need to sweep out the "tube" regulary

As I went over a year
And one day I was shooting the 12 gau through the "tube"
And I caught the unburnt powder on fire

The burn only lasted a few seconds
But I needed to change my shorts

John

[nascarkent]

I might have to give that tire tube idea a try.:lol:

[cajun shooter]

#1 hit it on the head. It depends on your local laws and what type neighbors you have. My mother lives in Mobile, Ala. and I enjoyed the range that was only a few miles from her home. They built a gated housing project across the road and closed down the range that had been there for 25 years. I live in what was once country on my little one acre of terra firma at the end of a dead end road. 10 years ago I would step into the back yard and test fire different guns by shooting into the creek that borders my acre. Now if I do so I hear people yelling that they are calling the police and that I 'm some sort of gun nut.

[DeepSouth]

Coastie,you seem to be very nice person.You apparently have a large amount of land and have taken the neccessary safety precautions.If it was me I would tell them to mind their on damned business and shutup.But thats just me.People now a days have just have to get into other peoples business.Do your neighbors keep up your land ,do they pay the taxes,probably not.I wouldn,t worry about it,unless there is more to it.

[Jim_Fleming]

Here's a thought...

It's just a daggoned shame that using a suppressor isn't feasible... When suppressors were first developed using one was considered the neighborly thing to do... Suppressors are definitely not the evil thing that the media would have you believe.

You Gents are all describing nothing more than over-sized and less effective methods than a sound suppressor.

I've been around them in use and used them, it's kind of fun in a way... All that gunfire and no need for earmuffs.

The suppressor does work for hypersonic rounds, it's that you'll hear the CRACK of the mini-sonic boom... Not the muzzle's blast.

[Lloyd Smale]

my neighbor has a set up like yours and it works suprisingly well. Me i just quit worrying about it. I once had the state police stop by to check on my shooting and they ended up spending an hour shooting with me. Luckily i have great neighbors.
I use the tires as they are esy to get 4 foot of tires on a rack does a nice job.

[Coastie]

Thanks for all of the ideas. It seems that I am not the only one thinking about building a "range suppressor". 38 years ago shooting here with anything and in any direction was no problem. The folks that call the police about me are nice enough people: just anti-gun, anti-hunting and somewhat out of place in this area. They bought 5 agres and want the road paved, mail delivered to the door, etc. -should have stayed in the big city - a case of sold big in So. CA and bought country cheap here when it could still be done. The County deputies are good guys: they came out a couple of times checked out my setup and now they give me a call and ask how soon I'll be finished, so that they can get rid of the pain in their "neck'.
Any good ways to clean the tire tube setup?
Thanks again.
NRA - Life Member / Proud member of Mad Mac's Raiders

[Lee]

A trouble maker at heart, I'm with DeepSouth. Schedule your shooting sessions at the maximum "piss-off-time" for these interlopers. Be very aware of your local township meetings, where the Bam-liberals will try to push through zoning changes without notification(ask me how I know).
Out here, went through that a few years ago. Google Roaming Shores, A**holes, or idiots, and the results will pop up. Seems some city yuppies, intent on becoming countrified, chose to move to scumbag shores(where the $500,000 houses are 30' from each other"!!!) mounted a campaign to shut down the dairy farm, located 2+ miles from their hovels, established in the '40's. Their argument was that the cow poo-poo smell was ruining their quality of life, and that "EVERYONE KNOWS THAT MILK COMES FROM THE SUPERMARKET". :killingpc

I'll say no more, don't get me started on these displaced Democrats............

[44man]

I live on the edge of a little town and have tried everything to cut noise but with the big stuff I shoot, nothing works. 8 foot of tires in two 55 gallon plastic drums bolted end to end. No good! Then I stuffed the tires with deadening material and put a hardware cloth tube inside, that didn't work. A huge wood box with baffles and deadening material didn't work and if I shot certain guns, the back blast would peel my hat and glasses off. No fun! Soon anything in the box was shredded and blew out on me.
Luckily, none of the people complain at all and they know it is me.
But I would still like something that works.
If I was rich I would have 100 yards of 3' cement pipe layed. [smilie=l:

[bootsnthejeep]

The range I used to belong to here in southern Maine has an ongoing problem with a twit that owns the farm next door. Citified son of the old guy who owned the place for years and years and had no problems with the club or the snowmobile trails that went thru. When the old guy died, Sonny Boy took over and decided that since he owned so much land, he was gonna run the show, and proceeded to try to make himself the king of his own little fiefdom.

Started out calling the cops everytime he heard gunshots. Said people were shooting over the backstops, hundreds of yards of 40' tall trees, and bullets were landing on his house. Said people were shooting after dark. Said people were hunting on his property.

The club lets the local police use the range for free for all the practice and training. They figured out pretty quick the guy is a kook, and started telling him to pound sand.

Nowadays I guess he wears a bright orange reflective vest (constantly) and 'patrols' (read, "Trespasses") on the club's property trying to document rule violations that he can take to the town council.

I don't get some people. I don't have the fullest social agenda, but I certainly don't have time to go LOOKING for trouble with my neighbors. Actually I'm very surprised that where I live I can walk across the street, down a wooded path between two houses about 300 yards to a small gravel pit and shoot. From the pit, as the crow flies, its probably only another 300 yards to the police station, and I've never heard a peep or run into Jon Law. I don't shoot every day but I go down in there enough and all the neighbors see that its me. I like my neighborhood. The neighbor on one side is home all the time and keeps an eye on my place while I'm gone. The neighbor on the other side has a John Deere tractor with a giant front-mounted snowblower and he snowblows my driveway every storm in the winter. If I could just shoot in my own backyard I'd have it licked.

[Coastie]

I think I'll give the tire rack suppressor a try (as soon as I can convince my wife how great it will look :) ). Seems like some drain holes in the bottoms of the tires and a wash down once in awhile should take care of the unburned powder problem. I shoot mostly cast stuff now and have begun experimenting with "lite-loads" and have started packing rubber "mulch" in a large trash can or 55 gallon drum backed with a steel plate so that I can recycle the lead. I had tried a steel plate on an angle, but the lead splatered too much. Haven't worked very much yet with the rubber mulch, so I'm not sure how that will work out as far as reclaiming the lead but the fragments so far are larger than with the steel plate. The lite-loads seem to work pretty well as far as the noise, but finding the same zero as hunting loads might be interesting. Seems that a bunch of us are working on some of the same things - I would like to hear how others are approaching it.

[NavyVet1959]

I think I'll give the tire rack suppressor a try (as soon as I can convince my wife how great it will look :) ).

It's been over 6 years now, so how well did it end up working?

[Lloyd Smale]

that's the way my range bench is set up
I've heard the best noise suppressor is to build a rack that will hold a number of old tires standing up in it ,making kind of a tunnel, I'm sure the longer the better.
I've intended on doing this on my place, even though I don't have any neighbors that are complaining. Of course, a rack full of old tires around the house might not be eye pleasing.:drinks:

[6bg6ga]

Years ago I ran a weidamatic CNC punch press for a time. It would drive you nuts depending on what it was running. The cure was a 3/4" thick blue hard foam on the outside of the machine. Noise went to a dull hardly noticeable thud.

[sthwestvictoria]

http://www.realguns.com/Commentary/comar139.htm

includes some decibel measurements for his box, using 22LR to 375H&H