With no flash hider - What happens to noise level?

[FloridaWoodsman]

It stands to reason that the muzzle device directs the sound as directs the gasses and my experience supports that theory. We shot one rifle with a bare muzzle and it gave off a large, roundish flash and the sound was omni directional. After we installed an A2, the flash was much smaller and how loud it sounded depended on where you stood.

In any case, it's easy to answer the question by simply shooting the rifle and finding out for yourself

Looks like that's what I'll have to do. I may buy a sound level meter first so I can do it objectively.

[SurplusShooter]

Looks like that's what I'll have to do. I may buy a sound level meter first so I can do it objectively.

Just jumping in here about sound measuring:: you'd need some really expensive professional measuring equipment to accurately measure gunshot SPL. Those cheap consumer Meters sold on-line or at Radio Shack (for home Theater setup) won't work. (I have tried a few, don't waste your money).

[BufordTJustice]

Just jumping in here about sound measuring:: you'd need some really expensive professional measuring equipment to accurately measure gunshot SPL. Those cheap consumer Meters you see sold on-line or at Radio Shack won't work (I have tried several, don't waste your money).

I have an extensive background in professional audio. Surplus shooter is right. One would need a medium or large diaphragm condenser microphone with enough spl capability to Not clip with 170 dB peaks. It also has to have the time resolution to not smear the peak and give a reading that is artificially low.

The radio shack meters use a dynamic Mic diaphragm, not condenser.

[FloridaWoodsman]

I have an extensive background in professional audio. Surplus shooter is right. One would need a medium or large diaphragm condenser microphone with enough spl capability to Not clip with 170 dB peaks. It also has to have the time resolution to not smear the peak and give a reading that is artificially low.

The radio shack meters use a dynamic Mic diaphragm, not condenser.

My plan was to do it in an open field with a cheap meter placed some distance away (in multiple directions) so it would not overload. Do you think that would give a relevant result? Another thought was to skip the meter purchase and use my Tascam digital recorder some distance away, then look at the resulting signal on an audio edit program to see what made the highest peaks.

[Savior 6]

You could easily assume that it is since there is nothing "disturbing" the path of the hot gasses raipdly dispersing and cooling them as they expand in the open atmosphere. Now whether one would be able to tell difference is doubtful. Someone with the proper equipment could meter them in the near future but for your purposes could be a waste of time and resources.

[NickySantoro]

If your going to remove it, I'd get a thread protector if you can find one in case you want to reinstall it. It might not be worth the effort.

This^. You can get a thread protector at ADCO or Ebay should you so desire. It's been some time but I don't recall any substantial difference in noise level with or without an A2 flash suppressor.
FWIW
YMMV