What makes different guns sounds different? (In same caliber) - The Firearms Forum

Albtraum · 09-21-2011, 11:53 AM

So, the last time I was at the range, I noticed the AR15s had a deep, percussive 'thump' or 'boom', while a nearby Mini 14 had more of a sharp 'crack' like a "ppkew" sound. How would these sound different if they're using the same round? There were also bolt actions (big and small bore)which also had a high pitched "pkew"

Is it the action of the AR15s? The short barrel? The muzzle brake? Or was it just because I was far away and I perceived the sound differently? I never noticed this before.

woolleyworm · 09-21-2011, 12:05 PM

The brake is the biggest impact on the sound; barrel length 2nd. The velocity of the bullet is a factor too. The brake diverts gases at angles, so the direction that you would "normally" hear them is changing drastically.

Probably not a great example, but it is somewhat similar; think of the muzzle brake kinda like a reverse thruster on a jet engine.

JLA · 09-21-2011, 12:15 PM

Yep you were hearing the muzzle blast being redirected by the brake on the ARs.

The minis and the boltguns most likely werent wearing brakes and you were actually hearing the sonic crack of the bullet before you were hearing the echo of the muzzleblast, which is what gave it the drawn out 'overlapping cracks' effect instead of the KABOOM (ouch my brain is wiggling) effect.

BTW, the brain wiggling comment is originated with my 8 yr old daughter being closeby when i used to shoot my .30-06 w/ muzzle brake. Shed say it was making her brain wiggle thru her earmuffs.

Arent kids great. They have the best way of explaining things.

carver · 09-21-2011, 02:15 PM

And let's not forget that the AR is gas operated, while some guns, like the bolt actions are not.

howlnmad · 09-21-2011, 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by carver

And let's not forget that the AR is gas operated, while some guns, like the bolt actions are not.

That was going to be my answer too but I'm sure the brake makes a difference as well.

JLA · 09-21-2011, 04:41 PM

The gas system on an AR doesnt make that much extra noise. If youve ever heard a supressed AR at work you know what i mean. It makes a bit of a poof and you hear the bolt slam and the empty brass hit the floor. The sonic crack of the super sonic bullet is far louder.

Albtraum · 09-21-2011, 06:21 PM

Ok, that's what I thought. The Mini might have had a brake, probably just not an aggressive shaped one, and it's also gas operated like the AR, but it sounded more like the bolt rifles with no brake at all. Interesting, those AR15s sure sound awesome. At the time, I was thinking they were AR10s, or shooting 6.5 or 6.8, but those seem to be very rare. I wonder if a piston-operated AR would have a noticeably different sound

Can a muzzle brake be put on a rifle that didn't come with one?

JLA · 09-21-2011, 06:57 PM

The mini 14 is piston operated. It most likely didnt have a brake if it sounded like a bolt action. Probably the large front sight sleve just looked like a brake.

The .223 is a very loud round. Most high pressure smallbores are. especially from a short barrel.

Yes, most any barrel on any gun can be fitted with a brake/comp

218bee · 09-21-2011, 08:05 PM

I also depends what powder is used. Load a .44 mag cartridge with Unique and another with W296. They will both sound very different when fired............ Don in SC

JLA · 09-21-2011, 08:06 PM

yep. Ill concur with that one as well.

Brisk44 · 09-21-2011, 08:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 218bee

I also depends what powder is used. Load a .44 mag cartridge with Unique and another with W296. They will both sound very different when fired............ Don in SC

Not to mention the flame factor is much much different.

Regular Joe · 09-22-2011, 03:54 AM

Admiring the sound of your muzzle blast will encourage you to waste a LOT of ammo. I hear this all the time when I'm out in my favored haunts. I once had a 16" barrel on a TC Contender, chambered in .30-30. Using 36 gr. of BLC-2 behind a 135 gr. Sierra single shot pistol bullet, that thing had an amazing bass timber sound. It caused sawdust to come down from the roof of the Lee-Kay center, in Utah. It also killed a 2 pt. Buck, with ammo that was NOT wasted!

bluesea112 · 09-24-2011, 08:19 PM

I have never quite understood the justification behind brakes on AR15's. A .223 rifle barely kicks without a brake. It's funny because my AR15 came with a brake and didn't need it. However, my AR10 did not come with a brake and could use one. I think muzzle brakes on AR15's are more of a sales gimmick to catch the attention of the Rambo wanna be's. They definately make them sound louder at the range, which is a real irritant to the guys on the bench next to you.

JLA · 09-24-2011, 08:59 PM

Its mainly there charles because the full auto military counterparts do indeed benefit from the brake when shooting full auto, and most civilains want that military look..

But you are right, people like us are past the tacticool, and just want what works. Im with ya 100% on the .223 not needing a brake and the .308 definitely benefiting from one.

Brisk44 · 09-24-2011, 09:38 PM

They say the mini 14 benefits from compensator/flash hider.

JLA · 09-24-2011, 09:49 PM

I beg to differ.

I think the mini14 best benefits from a proper muzzle crown. I put an 11* on the kidmini and muzzle jump seemed to go away. just an even rearward push which is all but soaked up by the gas system and the bolt.

09-21-2011, 11:53 AM	#1
Albtraum Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 635	What makes different guns sounds different? (In same caliber) So, the last time I was at the range, I noticed the AR15s had a deep, percussive 'thump' or 'boom', while a nearby Mini 14 had more of a sharp 'crack' like a "ppkew" sound. How would these sound different if they're using the same round? There were also bolt actions (big and small bore)which also had a high pitched "pkew" Is it the action of the AR15s? The short barrel? The muzzle brake? Or was it just because I was far away and I perceived the sound differently? I never noticed this before. -->

09-21-2011, 12:05 PM	#2
woolleyworm TFF Moderator/Host Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: SW Fort Worth Contributor Posts: 4,883	Re: What makes different guns sounds different? (In same caliber) The brake is the biggest impact on the sound; barrel length 2nd. The velocity of the bullet is a factor too. The brake diverts gases at angles, so the direction that you would "normally" hear them is changing drastically. Probably not a great example, but it is somewhat similar; think of the muzzle brake kinda like a reverse thruster on a jet engine. __________________ . What are you gonna do, talk the alien to death? -- (on Sigourney Weaver's worry about Guns in Aliens) "Safety is something that happens between your ears, not something you hold in your hands." "I carry a small gun to compensate for my huge Blue press." . Last edited by woolleyworm; 09-21-2011 at 12:06 PM..

09-21-2011, 12:15 PM	#3
JLA TFF Moderator/Host Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Heart Of Texas Contributor Posts: 17,318	Re: What makes different guns sounds different? (In same caliber) Yep you were hearing the muzzle blast being redirected by the brake on the ARs. The minis and the boltguns most likely werent wearing brakes and you were actually hearing the sonic crack of the bullet before you were hearing the echo of the muzzleblast, which is what gave it the drawn out 'overlapping cracks' effect instead of the KABOOM (ouch my brain is wiggling) effect. BTW, the brain wiggling comment is originated with my 8 yr old daughter being closeby when i used to shoot my .30-06 w/ muzzle brake. Shed say it was making her brain wiggle thru her earmuffs. Arent kids great. They have the best way of explaining things. __________________ It takes 43 muscles to frown, 17 to smile, and 3 for proper trigger squeeze. The latest caliber or gear is no substitute for experience and skill. Rifles and cartridges don't make hits -- shooters do. Fact of life: After Monday and Tuesday, even the calendar says WTF!

09-21-2011, 02:15 PM	#4
carver TFF Moderator/Host Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: DAV, Deep in the Pineywoods of East Texas, just west of Shreveport, LA Contributor Posts: 11,266	Re: What makes different guns sounds different? (In same caliber) And let's not forget that the AR is gas operated, while some guns, like the bolt actions are not. __________________ Y'all be safe now, ya hear! Lamentations Chapter 5: 1. Remember, O LORD, what is come upon us: consider, and behold our reproach. 2. Our inheritance is turned to strangers, our houses to aliens. 3. We are orphans and fatherless, our mothers [are] as widows. 5. Our necks [are] under persecution: we labour, [and] have no rest. 16. The crown is fallen [from] our head: woe unto us, that we have sinned! 21. Turn thou us unto thee, O LORD, and we shall be turned; renew our days as of old.

09-21-2011, 04:41 PM	#6
JLA TFF Moderator/Host Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Heart Of Texas Contributor Posts: 17,318	Re: What makes different guns sounds different? (In same caliber) The gas system on an AR doesnt make that much extra noise. If youve ever heard a supressed AR at work you know what i mean. It makes a bit of a poof and you hear the bolt slam and the empty brass hit the floor. The sonic crack of the super sonic bullet is far louder. __________________ It takes 43 muscles to frown, 17 to smile, and 3 for proper trigger squeeze. The latest caliber or gear is no substitute for experience and skill. Rifles and cartridges don't make hits -- shooters do. Fact of life: After Monday and Tuesday, even the calendar says WTF!

09-21-2011, 06:21 PM	#7
Albtraum Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 635	Re: What makes different guns sounds different? (In same caliber) Ok, that's what I thought. The Mini might have had a brake, probably just not an aggressive shaped one, and it's also gas operated like the AR, but it sounded more like the bolt rifles with no brake at all. Interesting, those AR15s sure sound awesome. At the time, I was thinking they were AR10s, or shooting 6.5 or 6.8, but those seem to be very rare. I wonder if a piston-operated AR would have a noticeably different sound Can a muzzle brake be put on a rifle that didn't come with one?

09-21-2011, 06:57 PM	#8
JLA TFF Moderator/Host Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Heart Of Texas Contributor Posts: 17,318	Re: What makes different guns sounds different? (In same caliber) The mini 14 is piston operated. It most likely didnt have a brake if it sounded like a bolt action. Probably the large front sight sleve just looked like a brake. The .223 is a very loud round. Most high pressure smallbores are. especially from a short barrel. Yes, most any barrel on any gun can be fitted with a brake/comp __________________ It takes 43 muscles to frown, 17 to smile, and 3 for proper trigger squeeze. The latest caliber or gear is no substitute for experience and skill. Rifles and cartridges don't make hits -- shooters do. Fact of life: After Monday and Tuesday, even the calendar says WTF!

09-21-2011, 08:05 PM	#9
218bee V.I.P. Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: SC Posts: 93	Re: What makes different guns sounds different? (In same caliber) I also depends what powder is used. Load a .44 mag cartridge with Unique and another with W296. They will both sound very different when fired............ Don in SC

09-21-2011, 08:06 PM	#10
JLA TFF Moderator/Host Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Heart Of Texas Contributor Posts: 17,318	Re: What makes different guns sounds different? (In same caliber) yep. Ill concur with that one as well. __________________ It takes 43 muscles to frown, 17 to smile, and 3 for proper trigger squeeze. The latest caliber or gear is no substitute for experience and skill. Rifles and cartridges don't make hits -- shooters do. Fact of life: After Monday and Tuesday, even the calendar says WTF!

09-22-2011, 03:54 AM	#12
Regular Joe V.I.P. Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 269	Re: What makes different guns sounds different? (In same caliber) Admiring the sound of your muzzle blast will encourage you to waste a LOT of ammo. I hear this all the time when I'm out in my favored haunts. I once had a 16" barrel on a TC Contender, chambered in .30-30. Using 36 gr. of BLC-2 behind a 135 gr. Sierra single shot pistol bullet, that thing had an amazing bass timber sound. It caused sawdust to come down from the roof of the Lee-Kay center, in Utah. It also killed a 2 pt. Buck, with ammo that was NOT wasted! __________________ Around here, we don't say "Oh shucks", or "oh man". We say Oh BAMA!!

09-24-2011, 08:19 PM	#13
bluesea112 Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: West, TX Contributor Posts: 1,257	Re: What makes different guns sounds different? (In same caliber) I have never quite understood the justification behind brakes on AR15's. A .223 rifle barely kicks without a brake. It's funny because my AR15 came with a brake and didn't need it. However, my AR10 did not come with a brake and could use one. I think muzzle brakes on AR15's are more of a sales gimmick to catch the attention of the Rambo wanna be's. They definately make them sound louder at the range, which is a real irritant to the guys on the bench next to you.

09-24-2011, 08:59 PM	#14
JLA TFF Moderator/Host Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Heart Of Texas Contributor Posts: 17,318	Re: What makes different guns sounds different? (In same caliber) Its mainly there charles because the full auto military counterparts do indeed benefit from the brake when shooting full auto, and most civilains want that military look.. But you are right, people like us are past the tacticool, and just want what works. Im with ya 100% on the .223 not needing a brake and the .308 definitely benefiting from one. __________________ It takes 43 muscles to frown, 17 to smile, and 3 for proper trigger squeeze. The latest caliber or gear is no substitute for experience and skill. Rifles and cartridges don't make hits -- shooters do. Fact of life: After Monday and Tuesday, even the calendar says WTF!

09-24-2011, 09:38 PM	#15
Brisk44 Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Iowa Contributor Posts: 1,747	Re: What makes different guns sounds different? (In same caliber) They say the mini 14 benefits from compensator/flash hider.

09-24-2011, 09:49 PM	#16
JLA TFF Moderator/Host Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Heart Of Texas Contributor Posts: 17,318	Re: What makes different guns sounds different? (In same caliber) I beg to differ. I think the mini14 best benefits from a proper muzzle crown. I put an 11* on the kidmini and muzzle jump seemed to go away. just an even rearward push which is all but soaked up by the gas system and the bolt. __________________ It takes 43 muscles to frown, 17 to smile, and 3 for proper trigger squeeze. The latest caliber or gear is no substitute for experience and skill. Rifles and cartridges don't make hits -- shooters do. Fact of life: After Monday and Tuesday, even the calendar says WTF!