Black Powder Comparison

Hogdaddy

St. Petersburg, Florida
How does the noise level of a generic, modern manufacture, unsuppressed .50 cal. black powder rifle compare to a suppressed rifle, say .308?
 

Ratdog68

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Not sure about suppressed, but, BP is more of a "boom", modern powder is more of a "CRACK". A sharper and higher pitch. I'd surmise that suppressed (modern) is even more pleasing to the ears than unsuppressed BP.
 
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Hogdaddy

St. Petersburg, Florida
Shoot, I thought I might be able to hunt with BP instead of spending a grand for a suppressor! :p
 

RattlesnakeDan

San Antonio Texas
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I have shot a lot of Black Powder in Colorado and Montana for the extra seasons it offered. There is certainly no small "Boom" from it. Also in high humidity there is a nice big cloud of smoke and a muzzle rise on most that leaves you wondering if you hit your target. lol Obviously there is no follow up shot either. BUT, they are fun! I used to shoot Prairie dogs with a Winchester in-line muzzle loader for practice and have a record book(for muzzleloader) mule deer in velvet from a early season high country Colorado hunt.
 

Jake

Bandera, Texas
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I have shot a lot of Black Powder in Colorado and Montana for the extra seasons it offered. There is certainly no small "Boom" from it. Also in high humidity there is a nice big cloud of smoke and a muzzle rise on most that leaves you wondering if you hit your target. lol Obviously there is no follow up shot either. BUT, they are fun! I used to shoot Prairie dogs with a Winchester in-line muzzle loader for practice and have a record book(for muzzleloader) mule deer in velvet from a early season high country Colorado hunt.
I knew I liked you Dan! When I'm not chasing pigs I'm toting my smoke pole around the deer haunts.Jacob\'s axis 2-1.jpg
 

FrankT

Destin FL
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oh man that is a nice one Jake, did you have it mounted?
 

Chopperdrvr

Deep East Tx
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Dang nice rack there. Also, some mighty good tasting venison.
 

Jake

Bandera, Texas
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oh man that is a nice one Jake, did you have it mounted?
Thanks, yes Frank first deer I ever mounted. Took it to Schott's for processing and Rodney told me I'd be crazy not to. He said he doesn't get any in there with that frame.
 

FrankT

Destin FL
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Just beautiful and big too!
 

Ratdog68

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Shooting smoke poles is one of my favorites. Much more relaxing, stuff to do between shots... barrel stays cooler, less money burned through than semi-auto. Shots tend to "count" more too.
 

RattlesnakeDan

San Antonio Texas
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Jake from Bandera, that's a nice Axis there! The big smile says it all. Smoke poles are fun an offer another way of playing for sure.
 

Hogdaddy

St. Petersburg, Florida
Thanks guys, very interesting, but my question was noise comparison.
I have four spots in my hunt club and if I shoot something with my 6.8 I might as well give that spot up for a few weeks and hunt the others...
 

RattlesnakeDan

San Antonio Texas
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We know, it's just not a viable option to less noise really. I suggest hunting from one of the other guys' areas and then sneaking back to yours. :p
 

Hogdaddy

St. Petersburg, Florida
We know, it's just not a viable option to less noise really. I suggest hunting from one of the other guys' areas and then sneaking back to yours. :p

HaHa! We got enough members that I believe are doing that already.:mad:
Okey, guess I'll have to wait until hellery get's in office and signs the hearing protection act so I can save 200 on can :eek:
 

Afalex1

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If you're worried about noise, don't want to buy a suprressor, and only chasing Gane anaimals. Have you considered a compound bow or crossbow?

Compounds require a little more practice, but a crossbow is completely legal for anyone to use. Extends deer season by 30 days or more. Almost completely quit compared to a rifle of any kind. Shots out to 75 yards aren't hard if you practice and the wind is low. Just a different angle on your situation.
 

Hogdaddy

St. Petersburg, Florida
If you're worried about noise, don't want to buy a suprressor, and only chasing Gane anaimals. Have you considered a compound bow or crossbow?

Compounds require a little more practice, but a crossbow is completely legal for anyone to use. Extends deer season by 30 days or more. Almost completely quit compared to a rifle of any kind. Shots out to 75 yards aren't hard if you practice and the wind is low. Just a different angle on your situation.
Good point, thanks. I do have a Barnett Buck Commander. I'll start working on that angle.
 

Ncorry

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Thanks guys, very interesting, but my question was noise comparison.
I have four spots in my hunt club and if I shoot something with my 6.8 I might as well give that spot up for a few weeks and hunt the others...

I have a 450 yard range at our family farm/ cabin. Big field (25 acres) bordered by a road to the North and Forest Service to the South, cabin to East and more field t oWest. Can't tell you the number of times we've been shooting 30-06, 300 Win Mag (50+ shots over an hour) with no suppressors and seen deer walk out WHILE we were shooting. THe cabin is on top of a 80' hill, and we'd be shooting over their heads at 400 yards and they don't mind the BANG or the TWANG when it smacks the gongs. In the woods, they seem to mind the scent a lot more than the thunderclaps, at least in my experience.
 

dman62

LSB Member
I got an Elmer Keith streak in me and love large caliber projectiles on flesh and bone targets. Once you get away from the brain and spine, size does matter. Everyone should experiance 300-500 grains of lead thumping a big critter. My personal favorite was a large cow elk at ten yards with a .50 cal Knight pushing a 350 gr .45 cal sabotted lead bullet by 150 gr of Pyrodex. She made it about 20 yards.
 

Drift

LSB Member
Let me answer your question this way. "It depends". If you push the black powder bullet to supersonic speeds (>1100 fps) the black powder rifle will be louder. If you keep the black powder bullet subsonic you will not have that supersonic crack and the sound levels will be very comparable (to my ear anyway) to a suppressed center fire rifle. But..modern black powder rifles allow you to push the bullets >2000 fps so as to increase range. I have nothing bad to say about black powder rifles.. they sure teach you how to clean your rifle. They sure put a lot of the excitement back into hunting. While I dont know for sure, I would hesitate before I put an expensive thermal on a rifle shooting hydrophilic black powder . hope that helps
 
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