Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 12
Results 11 to 15 of 15

Thread: M4 with 14" barrel and Muzzle Blast?

  1. #11
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    Littleton, CO
    Posts
    3,921
    Feedback Score
    1 (100%)
    Good God my hearing must be worse than the VA has my disability listed for.

    Earlier this summer I shot a few rounds of M855 from my LMT 10.5" sans hearing pro just to see how bad it really was. I remember thinking "OK...it's loud I guess but not that bad." LOL...crap. Heck, I think my 14.5" LMT with a Vortex and AK101 with muzzle brake are downright quiet and pleasant to shoot now.

    Then again I fired a lot of damn rounds from my M4 in Iraq with no hearing pro whats so ever, and the whole "auditory exclusion will protect your hearing" is a crock of shit.

  2. #12
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Location
    PNW
    Posts
    1,196
    Feedback Score
    17 (100%)
    Quote Originally Posted by RetreatHell View Post
    True dat! My dumbass sat there and watched Belmont load his Mk12 upper with an Ops Inc brake on it, flip the safety onto "fire," and squeeze the trigger... all while my electronic earpro was sitting on top of my head.

    My right ear rang like a son of a bitch!
    One time I was asked to spot for zeroing a M107 (.50 Barret) and I was so used to spotting for M14's that I assumed my usual spot to the left of the shooter... exactly in the baffle blast of the muzzle break. Thank god I was wearing ear pro, for a couple seconds I thought I'd gotten RPG'd again. Let's hear it for being retarded!

    Anyway, I've never really noticed the difference between M4's and M16's. The 10.5 SBRs I was around didn't seem too much louder either, but I've always had my ear pro on for those.
    Last edited by kaltesherz; 08-12-10 at 18:43.
    PRAISE THE FALLEN
    SSG Kevin Roberts KIA 7-May-08
    1Lt Nick Dewhirst KIA 20-July-08
    Cpl Charles Gaffney KIA 24-Dec-08
    Spc Peter Courcy KIA 10-Feb-09
    PFC Jason Watson KIA 10-Feb-09

  3. #13
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Posts
    68
    Feedback Score
    1 (100%)
    Quote Originally Posted by MichSteve View Post
    ...the muzzle blast or noise from the M4 is 3 to 4 as much as my .223 bolt action rifle...
    It's interesting that you feel you are able to quantify the difference in sound level to such a level of accuracy (3-4 times as much). I assume that your bolt action has something like a 22-24" long barrel, so it's clear that the shorter barrel (you stated 14") will be louder. There is no question about that.

    The muzzle device does make a difference, but you said that your carbine had a flash suppressor, although you didn't specify a model. Although flash-suppresors are generally less noisy than muzzle brakes, it also depends upon where the listener is standing, as you mentioned. It also depends upon the particular model of muzzle attachment. I know that a 20" with a "loud" muzzle brake is MUCH louder than a 16" with an A2 GI flash suppressor.

    Still, if your ears were ringing after your shooting session, then something is very wrong and you should not reapeat the experience without making a major change. Either you need to wear better earplugs, good earmuffs, plugs and muffs, shoot at a different range, or shoot a rifle that is more quiet.

    Yes, the range, itself, can make a difference in the noise level felt on your eardrum. In the worst case, a small indoor range will reflect more of the muzzle blast back to the shooter. Shooting at an outdoor range can be reasonably quiet if the area is is very flat with nothing to reflect the sound except the earth and the backstop. However, an outdoor range can also reflect a fair amount of the muzzle blast back to the shooter, depenending upon the surroundings.

    Again, if your ears were ringing, either try to use better hearing protection, shoot something else, or shoot somewhere else.

  4. #14
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Edmonds, WA
    Posts
    1,845
    Feedback Score
    1 (100%)
    Quote Originally Posted by RetreatHell View Post
    True dat! My dumbass sat there and watched Belmont load his Mk12 upper with an Ops Inc brake on it, flip the safety onto "fire," and squeeze the trigger... all while my electronic earpro was sitting on top of my head.

    My right ear rang like a son of a bitch!
    I used to do that shit all the time (zone out watching the shooters), or I'd wake up to my crazy friends waking everybody up with AR fire when we'd go camping in Alaska. I'm pretty sure I have some tinitus going on, I rock Surefire EP4s now all the time on the range just in case I forget to pull my electronic earpro down.
    Last edited by spamsammich; 08-12-10 at 20:52.

  5. #15
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Kennett Square Pa
    Posts
    2,826
    Feedback Score
    13 (100%)
    I have noticed no real difference from my 16" rifles running a 14.5 with this>http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sourc...zEZJNLkCVyXXLQ

Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 12

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •