Neighborhood Quiet

[acjones20]

I'm building a house on 4 acres in a small residential neighborhood in the county. I'd love to be able to shoot some in the back yard, but I don't want to make the neighbors too angry. Is there a combo that would let me shoot and not have the noise be much louder than an air rifle? I'm looking at a Glock 17/Osprey combo, a 300 blackout subsonic/some silencerco suppressor combo, and a 22lr/silencerco sparrow combo...any real world thoughts on running these dry in a neighborhood? My backstop is ~50 yards away and is water. I'd secure it with a berm also, so I'm not worried about safety (the back of the property slopes down aggressively into the water, no rounds would hit more than 25 feet into the water if at all). Thanks for the opinions. There are no other laws/covenants preventing firearm discharge.

[Ick]

In what state are you located? If there isn't a local ordinance that addresses discharge of a firearm that prevents such activity... there is likely a statewide rule about discharge of a firearm within a certain distance of a home (yours, others) or public property (road, park, school, etc.).

Off the cuff... this doesn't sound like a good idea to me. For example, here in Pennsylvania you need to be in a rural township with no zoning adopted before even a private firing range is really doable. You can forget any kind of range in any boro, city, or populated township.

In any event, your best strategy is to stick with sub-sonic loads. Muffling the powder is one thing. The super-sonic crack is yet another.

[GrahamKAC]

I couldn't imagine how water would constitute a safe backstop regardless of locale. Rounds hitting water will ricochet, just like skipping a stone.

To help with your question, a .22 is going to be one of your quietest suppressed options. I'm often able to hear rounds impact cardboard or paper with my 10/22 / Sparrow combo.

[Ick]

That reminds me... do you own a suppressor now? Have you shot one before?

Before you move in this direction find a dealer or a friend with a suppressor. Shooting one is its own education... make sure you understand what suppressors are like before you move in this direction.


From my experience most systems have the volume level of a slamming car door. If you would get irritated with the sound of a neighbor constantly slamming a car door.... plan on them figuring out what is going on.

Obviously some systems can be quieter, but most are not. I suspect you won't want to find that out after a $2,000 rifle, a $1,000 suppressor, a $200 tax and a 6 month wait for approval... only to find you are in front of the local cop answering questions when you finally take your first few "legal" shots.

[acjones20]

sorry, should have clarified...would have a berm, lots of water behind it. I don't have a suppressor now, and there are no local dealers unfortuntely.

[GrahamKAC]

I'd agree that getting some hands on time with a suppressor is really going to be your best option. Many hope for that elusive "hollywood quiet" when in reality you still need to account for things like action noise, etc.

That's not to say you won't meet your needs with a suppressor. I often shoot my 300 BLK, .22's, or suppressed 9mm off the back porch.

I don't have neighbors to contend with, but those inside the house often don't realize I'm shooting and we're only separated by an exterior wall.

[Eurodriver]

How close are the neighbors?

Things I never took into consideration was the bullet itself hitting the target and action noise.

A G19 and 300BLK AR15 are loud suppressed. 4 acres they will hear you. Maybe not "oh man, that's gunfire" noise, but it'll sound like a nail gun for sure.

[williejc]

My county has no firearm ordinances most likely because the Texas constitution purposely made county authority weak. In the county when neighbors complain about gun noise, a sheriff's deputy will visit the shooter and convey the information.

[Rayrevolver]

I run a 9.25" 30cal can on a 9" 300BLK upper and my wife says it sounded like an air rifle from 50 yards away. My closest neighbor is about 175 yards away with a hill/dense woods between us. I don't think they can hear my suppressed 300BLK and maybe not even the 22LR UNsuppressed.

...the ringing steel seems really loud though but the wife heard none of it watching TV in the house (or the 22LR without a can). I can hear folks shoot on the weekends from 2 directions, which is nice. 'Merica.

You can do it, but you might need to shop for the most quiet can possible and thus give up on some other priorities. Mine is all titanium and the internet says no full auto or rapid fire. The good news is 300BLK subsonic really does not stress a can designed for 300 Win Mag/308.

[acjones20]

How close are the neighbors?

Things I never took into consideration was the bullet itself hitting the target and action noise.

A G19 and 300BLK AR15 are loud suppressed. 4 acres they will hear you. Maybe not "oh man, that's gunfire" noise, but it'll sound like a nail gun for sure.

The neighbors are 70-90m away...as long as they don't hear the noise inside (both have brick exteriors) I'm good. I'd be shooting subsonics. I could probably legally do whatever I want, but I respect these people and just don't want to be a nuisance. The duck and quail hunters around here make it sound like Mogadishu when they get going.