Can .357 Sig be made hearing safe with a good can?

blueroot · 04-02-2010, 14:28

I realize the .357 Sig is not the best option if looking for nice and quiet, but if one just wanted to reduce the sound to levels that would be safe without ear protection, are there any cans that can do this dry?

Fireman1291 · 04-02-2010, 14:41

The problem is the round will still be supersonic. You might be better getting a .40 conversion barrel for your weapon and a .40S&W suppressor and shoot 180grn through it.

Or you could prob..after a quick talk with the manufacturer to make sure its safe, use the 40 can with .357sig. Although youll still get sonic crack.

blueroot · 04-02-2010, 14:55

Thanks. I had considered getting a .40 can (since I already have the barrel for it) and using it for both rounds. I wonder how much loss in reduction there is using a .40 can on a 9mm sized round vs. a 9mm can on the same round.

Is the supersonic crack always "non-hearing safe"? So even if you were to quiet down the gases, it'd still be too loud to use without ear protection? I'm not trying to ask silly questions, I just don't know.

Fireman1291 · 04-02-2010, 15:05

Ive never seen the .357sig metered. However a 5.56 with a state of the art can, will meter below 140dB supersonic and 140 is the cutoff for instant hearing damage. Of coure you can damage your hearing at 115dB but it would take approx ~10min of constant fire to damage to where a 140 single shot would be....get it?

Id say its safe in an open field, but id stick with the .40 for best results.

blueroot · 04-02-2010, 19:00

Thanks for the feedback.

Jakk · 04-02-2010, 23:25

If you handload, you could load subsonic .357 Sig ammo. But then, that will do nothing that subsonic 9mm doesn't do.

r2kba · 04-03-2010, 09:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by blueroot

I realize the .357 Sig is not the best option if looking for nice and quiet, but if one just wanted to reduce the sound to levels that would be safe without ear protection, are there any cans that can do this dry?

As was said, it would be easier to go with a different caliber altogether.

blueroot · 04-03-2010, 10:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by r2kba

As was said, it would be easier to go with a different caliber altogether.

Understood. Again, I do realize .357 sig is a very loud round and not ideal for suppression when trying to achieve the quitest possible results is the goal. I'm really just looking for a yes/no answer on if it is possible to at least make it safe with no ear protection. If it isn't possible then that's a fine enough answer and I'll consider other options. It sounds like I might have to pick one up and test with the round myself. Which is fine. I do not want to download .357 to get there. I'll pick a different round to suppress if I have to.

Jakk · 04-03-2010, 10:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by blueroot

Understood. Again, I do realize .357 sig is a very loud round and not ideal for suppression when trying to achieve the quitest possible results is the goal. I'm really just looking for a yes/no answer on if it is possible to at least make it safe with no ear protection. If it isn't possible then that's a fine enough answer and I'll consider other options. It sounds like I might have to pick one up and test with the round myself. Which is fine. I do not want to download .357 to get there. I'll pick a different round to suppress if I have to.

There are a number of good silencers out there that will likely give you safe sound levels with supersonic ammo. Look at cans from SWR, Gemtech, AAC, and a few others.

While shooting supersonic suppressed still sounds like a gunshot, it is not the same as an unsuppressed sound. For one thing, the sonic boom does not start to form until the bullet is 5 to 10 feet in front of the muzzle. I've shot supersonic .22LR through a suppressor a number of times, and it sounds like the gunshot is coming from 50 yards downrange.

Shooting .357 Sig through a can may likely sound similar to shooting an unsuppressed .22 rifle. You won't have the "boom", but will still have the "crack" sound.

The idea of getting a .40 cal. silencer is not a bad one. You might try emailing some manufacturers and ask if they have tested their .40 cans with supersonic 9mm and ask them if it would be hearing safe. Tell them what you are thinking of, and they may have some good advice to give as well.

r2kba · 04-04-2010, 16:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by blueroot

Understood. Again, I do realize .357 sig is a very loud round and not ideal for suppression when trying to achieve the quitest possible results is the goal. I'm really just looking for a yes/no answer on if it is possible to at least make it safe with no ear protection. If it isn't possible then that's a fine enough answer and I'll consider other options. It sounds like I might have to pick one up and test with the round myself. Which is fine. I do not want to download .357 to get there. I'll pick a different round to suppress if I have to.

Well I'm not sure its a matter of the round being loud. I think it's more of an application issue. I'm not sure if .40 or .45 can's would work with .357 or not. You would have to ask the various MFGs and see what they say.

What you can do I think is go with a different barrel/caliber, maybe drop it to .40 or 9mm and your options open up quite significantly and maybe use the same gun.

Liff · 04-04-2010, 17:32

Yes, the hearing level is safe.

I know, I have a Gemtech Tundra on a G35 with a Jarvis 357 sig barrel. I also have a threaded barrel for my G33 for the same can. It is hearing safe in both set ups. It sounds like 115 gr supersonic 9mm.

If you are in Phoenix and want to hear for yourself, let me know.

Also, 5 grains of universal and 147gr xtp is very quiet and reliable in this setup.

blueroot · 04-04-2010, 21:32

Excellent. I guess I'm going to need to get some paperwork rolling one of these days.

I'm nowhere near Phoenix, but thanks for the offer.

***RWBlue*** · 04-04-2010, 22:04

Technically, NO.

If you talk to a hearing expert, they will tell you that most if not all suppressors are still to loud to use without hearing protection.

This being said, I use my suppressors without hearing protection and think you can get the 357sig to a level that is doable.

r2kba · 04-05-2010, 06:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by RWBlue

Technically, NO.

If you talk to a hearing expert, they will tell you that most if not all suppressors are still to loud to use without hearing protection.

This being said, I use my suppressors without hearing protection and think you can get the 357sig to a level that is doable.

Right, but damage to your ears is not going to be caused by intermittent noise thats within a certain range. Most can's are within this range with normal ammo.