Abstract
Law enforcement, security, and military personnel train with small-caliber firearms that present a significant risk of noise induced hearing loss for the operator and range instructors. Measurements of three rifles and one pistol equipped with suppressors were conducted at an outdoor firing range using subsonic and supersonic ammunition. Suppressed and unsuppressed recordings were analyzed. Microphones were located to the left of the muzzle, to the right and left of the shooter’s head, and one meter behind the shooter’s head at the nominal instructor’s position. Recordings were collected with a National Instruments PXI 1082 chassis with an NI 4499 data acquisition board at a 200 kHz sampling rate. Analysis of the peak sound pressure levels (dB SPL) and 8-h equivalent A-weighted energy (LAeq8) were conducted. The suppressors reduced the peak between 15 and 25 dB SPL and the LAeq8 between 8 and 28 dB. Reduced noise levels at the source will reduce auditory risk but do not necessarily eliminate the need for hearing protection. An outdoor noise propagation model based on ISO 17201-1 will be used to investigate the effect of suppressors to reduce noise in surrounding communities.
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