Hate to ask a dumb question but how loud is a .223 ???
 

Thinking about getting a NEF .223 and I imagine it's louder than a .22 mag or .17 cal................but is it as loud as something like a .243 ,.270 ETC. ???

I will probably get a .17 to plink around with if a .223 is "real" loud !

Thanks for any help !

RE: Hate to ask a dumb question but how loud is a .223 ???
 

Some friiends of mine have them, not much muzzle blast at all, little more than 22 about like a 243. I know what you mean, I got rid of an 06 once because of muzzle blast..

RE: Hate to ask a dumb question but how loud is a .223 ???
 

.243 is a LOT louder than a .22. Dont know about the 223 , I doo believe it pretty loud but not like the .243. However I'm looking for something in the NEF as well, I think I am gonna go with a 22 hornet. maybe even in a T/C

RE: Hate to ask a dumb question but how loud is a .223 ???
 

I've a .22 mag pistol and I've been around .223s...if my memory serves right they were about the same (I dare say the pistol was louder)

Here's the thing: Worse case scenario you'll have to take the 15 seconds to put those foam earplugs in.

RE: Hate to ask a dumb question but how loud is a .223 ???
 

.22 mag pistols are prettty impressive to shoot. Loud and lots of muzzle flash. At least my .22 auto mag with a six inch barrel was. I bought one of these years ago and a buddy of mine bought a .44 mag revolver at the same time. We went out and shot his .44 first. It was impressive and didn't recoil nearly as bad as I thought it would. We went to shoot my my .22 mag as it was starting to get dusk out. I fired the first round and we looked at each other and both said "Holy ----- (fill in the blank)! This thing was loud and blew flames like 3 inches out of the barrel. If you didn't know what it was it would be very intimidating. Wish I would have kept it since you can't get them any more:(.

I have never noticed much of a difference in centerfire rifles to be honest. .223, .243, 7.62x39, or 30-06, they were all pretty loud, and it depended more on the gun then the round used. Shorter barrels tend to be louder, and if you have a muzzle break forget it, they are like twice as loud! My shotgun is ported and if I shoot more than twice without good hearing protection my ears are ringing for the rest of the day.

I own a 17hmr and have shot .223's before (AR's and M16's, never a bolt action) and I would say the .223 is considerably louder than the .17 hmr rifle. All pistols are loud though in my opinion because of the short barrels.

Depending on what gun shop you go to they may let you fire one of each or do it for you so you can hear the difference.

Paul

RE: Hate to ask a dumb question but how loud is a .223 ???
 

After thinking about it for while, there is a difference in some of the calibers I think. I have owned an SKS and a AK47, both 7.62X39's. Plus a 30-06 and an 8mm mauser. Both the larger guns where louder if I remember corectly. I remember shooting the AK for the first time and commenting that I though it would be louder. The action makes more noise than anything, still it gives off a pretty good report. And If I remember correctly the .223 wasn't quite the same as the AK or SKS. I don't know if there is a decibal difference or not, but you can for sure tell the diffence between an AK and a AR/M-16 when they are fired. As far as bolt actions go, I couldn't tell you.

I know my inline muzzle loader is louder, you can feel it when one is fired.

I think any of the centerfires would be fairly louder than a 17hmr. It sounds about like a .22 mag rifle. More of a loud POP than a BANG really. Of course I may be half deaf as well;).

Paul

RE: Hate to ask a dumb question but how loud is a .223 ???
 

igot a mini 14 it is loud but it is a good gun and i think it would be better then a 17 hmr because you can hunt deer with a mini 14 and mine is a semi automatic and it is not that loud but you get used to any guns sound after awile
good luck

RE: Hate to ask a dumb question but how loud is a .223 ???
 

THe .223 is much louder than a .22, but a little quieter than a .243. If your considering a NEF, get the Ultra Varmiter. I bought one a couple of years ago and I love this gun. I topped it off with a Simmons 6-24 x 50mm scope and it is a tackdriver. At 100 yards I typically get 5 shot groups that can be covered with a dime, and I'm not tha great of a shooter. It's a good looking gun and shoots great, expecially for the money. I have a little over $300 in the gun & scope.

RE: Hate to ask a dumb question but how loud is a .223 ???
 

Thanks guys !

Mike.........it's been a while .........thanks for the info. I'll look at that one ! I'm thinking about getting this gun to goof around with and keep in the truck to shoot varmits at our club........for a few years........and then give it to my son when he's old enough to go hunting !

Oh yeh.........did you order your's with the lighter pound trigger (I think it's a 3.5 pound maybe) ??

RE: Hate to ask a dumb question but how loud is a .223 ???
 

I am not sure what you mean by loud. Can you shoot it without hearing protection? No! I tried this once with my bushmaster AR15 in 223. I had my ears ringing for 2 days. It wasn't fun.

Tom

RE: Hate to ask a dumb question but how loud is a .223 ???
 

If my Mini-14 experience is any indication, a .223 is plenty loud.

I generally wear ear plugs under ear muffs for protection. I've gotten to the age that I realize that the hearing I lose today won't be back tomorrow.

RE: Hate to ask a dumb question but how loud is a .223 ???
 

WHen I looked at this post a few days ago, no one had mentioned it, so I guess I'd better do so now....

When you're looking at how loud a .223rem is going to be, you've got to consider the action type and bbl length. Bbl length has an effect on the volume of all rounds, if you're wasting powder outside the bbl, you're getting a bigger bang and muzzle flash, if your powder is burnt more efficiently and completely, it's a bit quieter.

An AR-15 is bound to be considerably louder than a bolt action rifle as well, especially from the perspective of the shooter...when the action opens, sound gets to travel straight back in your face, and it gets pumped around in the gas system right back at you. In a bolt gun, all the sound goes out the front, it might seem REALLY quiet to the shooter, but much louder to the person standing beside him, and MUCH moreso to someone downrange.

One major difference in the .22lr and the .223 is the fact that the .223 breaks the sound barrier (by a LONG SHOT!!!) Most .22lr rounds are barely approaching the sound barrier, most .223 rounds are approaching Mach 3!! Moral of the story, if suppressors weren't illegal, a bolt action .22lr rifle could be made completely silent, you'd hear the lockwork over the shot, a .223 could never be silenced because it creates a sonic boom.

That said, the .223rem isn't that loud. It's not a very high pressure round, so even though it's a small bore (smaller bores, given equal cartridge volume, are typically louder-.243vs .308, .25-06 vs. .30-06), it's not that loud.

No, you're not going to be able to shoot the neighbors cat off her porch without her hearing a shot, but you're not going to really aggravate the neighbors a mile away if you're shooting in your backyard in the country.

Can I ask why you're worried how loud it is? Granted some people do hunt NEAR urban areas and don't like to hear complaints (I figure screw them, I've got permission to be here and make the noise I'm going to make), but Most people concerned with being quiet have rather bad intentions, why else would you be trying to hide?

RE: Hate to ask a dumb question but how loud is a .223 ???
 

I think I did mention barrel length. And most .22's are supersonic, unless you are shooting longs or subsonic LR target ammo. That is why you hear the CRAAACK when they shoot. It's the bullet breaking the sound barrier. Subsonic .22 rifles are pretty quiet even with out a silencer. A .223 is louder because it has like 5 times the powder or something. It also may have something to do with a larger object breaking the sound barrier, but I'm not sure.

And it's been my finding that closed breach systems, like a bolt action or break open are louder than a auto, not the other way around. Because you are bleeding off gasses that would otherwise go out the barrel.

I don't think the amount something breaks the sound barrier by makes it any more noisy. I don't think speed is as much a factory as size is, because of the size of the shockwave. Planes are not any louder at mach 1 than they are at mach 2, but they are waaaay louder than any rifle when they break the sound barrier.

Paul

RE: Hate to ask a dumb question but how loud is a .223 ???
 

As far as from an overall standpoint, yes, bolt guns are louder than autos, but this isn't true from the perspective of the shooter.

RE: Hate to ask a dumb question but how loud is a .223 ???
 

My .223 is loud, and I mean LOUD. I have to wear hearing protection to shoot it or my ears ring forever it seems like. It makes more noise than my 30-30 or 12 gauge.