legal noise suppression

[on_one_wheel]

Just found this picture it alone says one thousand words.

FB_IMG_1474352776055.jpg (36.38 KiB) Viewed 11361 times

Looks like a 205L plastic drum lined with dimpled foam.
Surely a bunch of these would be nice at the range.

Not being attached to the rifle would mean that it's perfectly legal.

[Supaduke]

I think it would certainly take the edge off a muzzle brake for your neighbouring shooters. Would reduce the concussive effect of shooting, I have my doubts how much noise it would actually reduce though.......but I'm no acoustic engineer

[deadkitty]

Anyone know if these things work?, if they do, my neighbors will love me!.

[AusTac]

I think it would certainly take the edge off a muzzle brake for your neighbouring shooters. Would reduce the concussive effect of shooting, I have my doubts how much noise it would actually reduce though.......but I'm no acoustic engineer

Or blow the thing apart :p

[brett1868]

Clever idea, couldn't hurt to try it out I guess as I've got the foam, just need to find a drum.

[Apollo]

Not so portable but the old story is a whole series of tyres mounted to form the tube relies on the same principle, ie to break up the sound wave into smaller parts and a different timing pattern. Another one is to enclose the area with a number of layers of simple shade cloth, say at least two or more with a gap between.
All the noise modifiers work the same basic way. The single spike which is all the noise is broken into several smaller spikes and the result is perceived as not the same sharp loud bang.
Been meaning to try it at home and give the neighbours a break for when Brett brings up the new toy to do some tests with....
Of couse all of this is the same as the muffler on your vehicle, just a different result.

[Gwion]

I'm lead to believe this still may not be legal to the letter of the law. Need to recheck the Act but I believe it refers to 'any device to reduce sound' with no reference as to the device being fixed to the firearm.

Anyone?

[Gamerancher]

A lot of ranges have to do certain things with the shooting positions to reduce the noise for "neighbours". Mostly it consists of an awning over the front of the firing line angled down that usually reflects a lot of the noise / blast back at the shooter. Might make it more pleasant for the neighbours, aint real nice for the shooter. Anyone who has shot at Belmont SSAA range from under the concrete will know what I mean. Sidewalls and earthen banks are other methods that are used. Whether the above is "legal", dunno. Does look like it would stop a lot of blast from the bloke next to you and vise-versa.

[Squiddy]

Its not fixed to the firearm - isn't the whole legal issue about fixed attachment noise suppression?

Probably a grey area at best but I wouldn't think illegal.

[Gwion]

The bit in RED is the part that i am unsure of. Does it mean the item is illegal only if it is part of or can be affixed to the firearm or that it doesn't matter either way???

Part 1—Preliminary
Firearms Act 1996
No. 66 of 1996
25

DEFINITIONS:

silencer means any instrument or thing by means of which the sound caused by the discharge of a firearm is rendered less audible, whether the instrument or thing forms part of the firearm or is or can be affixed or attached to the firearm;


single shot antique handgun means an antique handgun that is a black powder handgun that is capable of firing one shot only before requiring reloading;

Part 1—Preliminary
Firearms Act 1996
No. 66 of 1996

PART 2, Division 10

57 Permits to possess, carry or use silencers or prescribed items
(1) A non-prohibited person must not possess, carry or use a—
(a) silencer; or
(b) prescribed item—
unless that person does so under and in accordance with a permit issued under this section.
Penalty: 120 penalty units or 2 years imprisonment.
(2) The Chief Commissioner may grant a permit to a person who is of or over the age of 18 years to possess, carry or use—
(a) a silencer; or
(b) a prescribed item.
(3) The Chief Commissioner may impose any conditions on the permit that the Chief Commissioner thinks fit.
(3A) The conditions that the Chief Commissioner may impose on a permit granted under this section may include conditions for or with respect to—
(a) the circumstances in which the Chief Commissioner may cancel or suspend the permit and any other matters related to any such cancellation or suspension; and

[Squiddy]

silencer means any instrument or thing by means of which the sound caused by the discharge of a firearm is rendered less audible, [color=#FF0000]whether the instrument or thing forms part of the firearm or is or can be affixed or attached to the firearm;

So anything to make it less audible?

[Apollo]

silencer means any instrument or thing by means of which the sound caused by the discharge of a firearm is rendered less audible, [color=#FF0000]whether the instrument or thing forms part of the firearm or is or can be affixed or attached to the firearm;

So anything to make it less audible?

It means something that can be attached to a Firearm or is attached to a Firearm.

[trekin]

I'm lead to believe this still may not be legal to the letter of the law. Need to recheck the Act but I believe it refers to 'any device to reduce sound' with no reference as to the device being fixed to the firearm.

Anyone?

In QLD, would not be illegal, just nigh on impossible to get licenced for, as it would be considered a Cat R weapon;
Weapons Act 1990
Weapons Categories Regulation 1997
(h) a silencer or other device or contrivance made or used,
or capable of being used or intended to be used, for
reducing the sound caused by discharging a firearm
Having said that, there is no where in QLD's Act or Regs that forbade the use of a "silencer", whether attached to a firearm or not, nor does the law stop anyone from applying for a Cat R licence so that they can own and use one.

[Squiddy]

Ok, so as far as I can tell from the wording of the legislation, technically shooting through a padded barrel is legal as it is not fixed or attached to the firearm anywhere?

I'd be interested in seeing what sort of noise reduction a unit like that actually provides, as most of the gas is still escaping the barrel quickly.

[Apollo]

Ok, so as far as I can tell from the wording of the legislation, technically shooting through a padded barrel is legal as it is not fixed or attached to the firearm anywhere?

I'd be interested in seeing what sort of noise reduction a unit like that actually provides, as most of the gas is still escaping the barrel quickly.

Agree with both statements, however it is how the gas escapes or rather what happens to the shock wave (sound) that modifies how it is perceived and results in a noise reduction.

Remember that no sound modifier reduces the resultant sound to zero. The perceived result depends on the level generated in the first place, size of the shock wave. In the case of a firearm the difference between say a .22 rimfire to that of a .308 centrefire.

In my view and looking at the designs of any of these they are the same as putting a muffler on a vehicle exhaust. The difference between an engine with no muffler. Ever been to a drag race where the exhaust is not muffled at all, the noise level is extremely high. Then a race car compared to your own, motor bikes with different exhaust muffler designs and the difference in noise levels.

The design of a Sound Modifier (Silencer) is the same basically as an automotive muffler, the drum with acoustic foam (pictured above), a line of tyres etc. Idea being that yes, the gas is still escaping the same but the single shock wave and path is broken up into smaller ones as well as the direction of that sound wave so the perceived overall noise level is much less.

A sound proof room, same idea and same result.

[Gamerancher]

I thought we'd done this before but at the risk of repeating it, car mufflers and "silencers" for firearms were both developed in 1901 by the son of the fellow who invented the Maxim machine gun. As we know, the car muffler went on to become compulsory, the other........

[raptor_256]

well from my quick research, atleast here in SA, it would be legal to a point.

our definition is anything that is part of the firearm or anything that is designed or adapted to attach to a firearm, that will reduce a firearms noise. it also extends to components that when assembled would make such a device

hence why we had the issue of an empty coke bottle and duct tape being components to make a supressor. so if they could prove your 55 gallon drum could be adapted to fit the barrel of a firearm you might get in trouble ;P

[dugachelli]

HMMMMMMmmmm....worth a try up at the farm.........not so noisy for the sheep, the cows and horses I reckon......

[ebr love]

Anyone tried it since posting?

I'm interested.

[bladeracer]

Anyone tried it since posting?

I'm interested.

Haven't tried this precisely, but sometimes in IPSC we'd shoot through barrels or from inside vehicles and the blast and noise was horrendous - even from handguns.
Ammosmith on Youtube tried a range suppressor made of tyres and I didn't think it was very effective.
I've been hankering for a while to line up several concrete culvert pipes and see how effective that is. Completely static of course but could be useful for load development I think.

[southeast varmiter]

So an indoor firing range falls under this logic then.

[Homer]

G'Day Fella's,

On One Wheel, to the best of my knowledge, the only time a sound suppression device becomes Illegal, is when it is attached to the firearm.

The other variation on this lined plastic 205litre drum, is a series car tires (10+) held together in a longitudinal frame, that is positioned forward of the muzzle/shooting bench.
The hollow inner section of the tire, act like baffles in a suppressor and work pretty well!
You may need to place spreaders in the inside of the individual tires, to keep them open and tires with more rubber on them will work better than seriously worn tires!

Hope that helps

Avagreatweekendeh!
Homer