Is an AK-47 louder than an AR-15?
The truth is, the range of measured decibels coming from these rounds is virtually the same. So the only real difference would come from the action. The bolt in the AR15 tends to not bang around as loudly as the ak platform… but compared to a gunshot, it's not that big a difference.
How loud is a gunshot? Decibel levels for firearms average between 140 and 165 dB.
The loudest gun in the world is the 460 Weatherby Magnum with an 18″ barrel and a muzzle brake at around 170–180 decibels.
At 130 dB, the SPL of the quietest suppressed .
The De Lisle carbine or De Lisle Commando carbine was a British firearm used during World War II that was designed with an integrated suppressor. That, combined with its use of subsonic ammunition, made it extremely quiet in action, possibly one of the quietest firearms ever made.
Rifles decibels level examples | ||
---|---|---|
Winchester 70 XTR | 7mm Mauser | 159.2 |
M14 | 7.62x51mm (.308) | 159.0 |
Colt AR-15 | 5.56x45mm (.223) | 158.9 |
Marlin 917 VS | .17 HMR | 147.1 |
Car horn: 110 decibels. Nightclub: 110 decibels. Ambulance siren: 112 decibels.
Sound is measured in decibels (dB). A whisper is about 30 dB, normal conversation is about 60 dB, and a motorcycle engine running is about 95 dB. Noise above 70 dB over a prolonged period of time may start to damage your hearing. Loud noise above 120 dB can cause immediate harm to your ears.
Human screams can be quite loud, possibly exceeding 100 dB (as of March 2019, the world record is 129 dB!) —but you probably want to avoid that because screams that loud can hurt your ears! You should also have found sound levels drop off quickly as you get farther from the source.
Special Coverage: SHOT Show 2016
This firearm uses Glock 17 (9mm) magazines and drops the noise level to 139 decibels or below, compared to 160 decibels from a standard pistol.
How loud is an AR 15 vs 9mm?
The 9mm cartridge averages about 166 decibels while the 5.56 cartridge averages about 169 decibels. Either way, that's still very loud and well above the threshold of 140 decibels for hearing damage.
Understanding Decibel Levels
For comparison purposes, a shotgun produces 155 dB on average. Prolonged exposure to high decibel levels can come from everyday sounds. When we're continually exposed to these noises, hearing loss gradually happens.

The safe distances from the noise source (less than 140 dB peak SPL) were 50-200 m for large-caliber weapons. Rifle impulses (assault rifle, caliber 7.62) had a peak SPL of 154 dB at a distance of 4 m from the muzzle.
The outside of aircraft engines (around 140 dB at takeoff) and conditions on other aircraft may have higher or lower noise levels.
125 – 155 decibels: Like, firecrackers or fireworks, or a jet engine. 170 – 190 decibels: For example, a shot gun blast or a rocket lift off.
Decibel Level | Source |
---|---|
110 dB | Jackhammer, power saw, symphony orchestra |
120 dB | Thunderclap, discotheque/boom box |
110-125 dB | Stereo |
110-140 dB | Rock concerts |
Some noises that are above 140 decibels would be fireworks (150 dB), shooting off a pistol or rifle (160 dB), and near a rocket launch platform (180 dB). Here are how some sounds rank based on decibels: Normal conversation: 60 dB. Heavy city traffic: 85 dB.
130 dB is extremely loud and equivalent to: a jet take-off. the loudest rock concert ever recorded. a gunshot at close range.
Noise Source | Decibel Level | comment |
---|---|---|
Jet take-off (at 25 meters) | 150 | Eardrum rupture |
Aircraft carrier deck | 140 | |
Military jet aircraft take-off from aircraft carrier with afterburner at 50 ft (130 dB). | 130 | |
Thunderclap, chain saw. Oxygen torch (121 dB). | 120 | Painful. 32 times as loud as 70 dB. |
How many dB is a concert?
The average noise volume at a concert or festival is around 100 decibels.
The popular AK is very well suited to suppressor use due to its piston-driven operation. And, with a quality-made rifle with properly configured muzzle threads, installing a suppressor can be simple. The popular AK is very well suited to suppressor use due to its piston-driven operation.
22-caliber rifle can produce noise around 140 dB, while big-bore rifles and pistols can produce sound over 175 dB.
Quietest AR-15 Suppressor (Elite Iron Delta)
Known mostly for their larger bore silencers in 338 Lapua Magnum and 50 BMG (Browning Machine Gun), the Elite Iron Delta was designed with smaller diameter bores in mind. On an AR-15 the Elite Iron Delta may be a bit heavy, but it is also extremely quiet.
The average 10-round results were: Unsuppressed: 163.1 dB. Suppressed: 129.9 dB.
Source of sound | Sound pressure level (dB) |
---|---|
M1 Garand rifle being fired at 1 m | 168 dB |
Jet engine at 30 m | 150 dB |
Threshold of pain | 130 dB |
Vuvuzela horn at 1 m | 120 dB |
The muzzle blast reached peak levels of 162 dB, while the ballistic shock reached 154 dB.
One full throttle NASCAR in the pits can reach sound levels as high as 130 dB, while fans who are enjoying the race can experience sounds levels around 100 dB. To put that into perspective, 100 dB is as loud as a lawnmower, while 130 dB is as loud as a thunderclap, or a chain saw at its loudest.
I cough (87dB), then I get up and nip to the loo. Flushing the toilet registers 84dB.
The effective distance of a 100 dB(A) sounder in a very noisy environment is 1.8m, the distance for a 120 dB(A) sounder is approx 18m (10 times the distance).
How loud is the sun?
DeForest pegs the sun's din on Earth at around 100 decibels, a bit quieter than the speakers at a rock concert. That's during the day, of course. At night, as we turn away from the sun, the roar would fade.
Hearing damage or hearing loss can occur when your exposure to noise levels of 100 decibels exceeds 15 minutes. If you enjoy listening to loud music (that can exceed 100 dB at full volume) or regularly use loud power tools, you should always wear hearing protection and/or limit your exposure time.
It has 36 massive loudspeaker horns (properly called "noise sources") covering one entire wall. These speakers, driven by pressurised nitrogen gas, can saturate the room with 163 dB of continuous noise for up to 10 minutes.
Apparently, a sound of 1,100 decibels would create so much energy, it would act as a immensely high quantity of mass. This would, in turn, create enough gravity to form an extremely large black hole! Larger, in fact, than our observable universe.
Also note: Loud singing, measured at the lips, can reach levels of 130 dB re 20 μPa RMS and peak levels above 150 dB re 20 μPa.
On the morning of 27 August 1883, on the Indonesian island of Krakatoa, a volcanic eruption produced what scientists believe to be the loudest sound produced on the surface of the planet, estimated at 310 decibels (dB).
The AK-47 has a slightly lower pitched sound while the M16/M4 has a higher pitched sound to it and they have different rates of fire. But their both pretty loud.
One of the ways it matches a Hellcat is in noise, with an "exhaust" that Dodge says reaches 126 decibels—the same volume as that supercharged Hellcat V8.
For example, a chain saw has a sound intensity of about 109 dB. Without proper hearing protection, running a chain saw for only 2 minutes can cause hearing loss!
On average, rifles are slightly louder than shotguns. Looking at test data shows that the decibel levels of shotguns and rifles are similar. The average decibel level of shotguns is 154.112. Centerfire rifles come in at 157.54 decibels.
How loud is a 22 with a silencer?
For instance, a suppressed . 22 pistol could have around a 95 dB noise level, while the unsuppressed one could go up to 135 decibels. If you want a quieter round that won't bother your neighbors, a . 22 caliber subsonic round can be the way to go.
#6 – NAIL GUN (97 dBA)
Two sources of loud noise emit from a nail gun.
1100 dB is loud beyond any imagination and it is incincievable that any sound of this level could be produced on earth.
The best suppressors reduce the peak sound level to around 130-150 dB. While this is a tremendous reduction in noise level, it is still as loud as a jet engine at takeoff (140 dB).
90 decibels is a high noise level, equivalent to the noise generated by a leaf blower or the sound level of a concert. Compared to 80 dB, 90 dB is 10 times more intense and twice as loud. Whenever you are exposed to this noise level, you should wear hearing protection.
Being close to gunfire many times over many years can cause hearing loss that will last the rest of your life. In some cases, firing just a single shot can damage your hearing. In rural areas, hearing loss caused by the sound of gunfire is a major issue.
Smith & Wesson 460 Magnum and 500 Magnum… they literally scare the bejeebus outta anyone around that doesn't know you about to light it off. If you are the one firing it, you can feel the acoustic percussion in your chest when you pull the trigger. There are no handguns more powerful than these two…
Car Model | 80 km/h | 120 km/h |
---|---|---|
Tesla Model 3 Performance | 67.2 dB | 71.1 dB |
VW e-Crafter | 65.8 dB | - |
VW e-Golf 36 kWh | 65.0 dB | 70.0 dB |
VW e-up | 66.3 dB | 71.3 dB |
Bring and use protection for your ears—the higher quality, the better. F1 races typically reach 140 decibels, just below the level that causes permanent hearing loss.
Sonic booms generate enormous amounts of sound energy, about 110 decibels, like the sound of an explosion or a thunderclap.
Is an AK louder than an AR?
Which gun is louder, the AK 74 or the AR 15? The ak74 shoots a round (5.45x30) that is very similar to the AR15 (5.56x45). The truth is, the range of measured decibels coming from these rounds is virtually the same. So the only real difference would come from the action.
As a firework display averages a staggering 120dB, just a few seconds of standing too close to fireworks can potentially cause permanent hearing damage, such as noise-induced hearing loss or tinnitus.
Loud. A . 22 rifle firing standard velocity ammunition will have a decibel rating of about 140 db. Loud enough to damage your hearing with a single event.
At 194 dB, the energy in the sound waves starts distorting and they create a complete vacuum between themselves. The sound is no longer moving through the air, but is in fact pushing the air along with it, forming a pressurized wall of moving air.
Over 1,000 scientific papers have been published on the Tunguska event, but it's impossible to know just how strong the sound was — it's quite likely that the Tunguska event could have reached 300 dB. This could almost certainly be the loudest sound ever experienced by mankind, if it were not for another event.
A sound of 500 decibels is not physically possible. includes a table relating sound in decibels to power in Watts. A Saturn V rocket emits a sound of 200 dB, or 100 million Watts. An increase of 10 dB corresponds to a factor of 10 in power, so 210 dB is 1 billion Watts.
Sounds above 90 dB can lead to chronic hearing damage if people are exposed to them every day or all the time. Hearing becomes uncomfortable if the sound pressure level is above 110 decibels (threshold of discomfort), and it becomes painful above 130 decibels (threshold of pain).
The maximum volume level for the train horn is 110 decibels which is a new requirement. The minimum sound level remains 96 decibels.
First 1000 dB is a physical impossibility, anything over 150dB would burst your eardrums, anything over 194dB is no longer sound and anything over 200dB is fatal.
Car horn: 110 decibels. Nightclub: 110 decibels. Ambulance siren: 112 decibels.
Can humans hear 180 dB?
The 'normal' hearing frequency range of a healthy young person is about 20 to 20,000Hz. Though a 'normal' audible range for loudness is from 0 to 180dB, anything over 85dB is considered damaging, so we should try not to go there.
Common Sources of Noise and Decibel Levels
Noise above 70 dB over a prolonged period of time may start to damage your hearing. Loud noise above 120 dB can cause immediate harm to your ears.
The loudest controlled manmade sounds in history were produced this week--not by a rock band, but by a physicist.
Sounds above 150 dB have the potential of causing life-threatening issues. Sounds between 170-200 dB are so intense that they can cause lethal issues like pulmonary embolisms, pulmonary contusions, or even burst lungs. As for exploding heads, you can expect that from sounds above 240 dB.
...
Rifles decibels level examples | ||
---|---|---|
Winchester 70 XTR | 7mm Mauser | 159.2 |
M14 | 7.62x51mm (.308) | 159.0 |
Colt AR-15 | 5.56x45mm (.223) | 158.9 |
Marlin 917 VS | .17 HMR | 147.1 |
Here is how loud a gunshot is in decibels on average:
Shotgun gunshot: 155 dB. Rifle gunshot: 158 dB.
How loud is 194 decibels? Some larger rockets have measured noise levels of 194 decibels. Between 190 and 195 decibels 50% of human eardrums will rupture.
97dB: an industrial fire alarm. 100dB: a nightclub. 110dB: a live gig or concert. 130dB: an aeroplane taking off 100m away.
AC/DC Concert – 130 dB.
In close proximity to the source, the sound pressure level of thunder is usually 165 to 180 dB, but can exceed 200 dB in some cases.
What's better an AK-47 or an AR-15?
AR-15 rifles are lighter and have a higher rate of accuracy than the AK-47, but the AK-47 is considerably cheaper and more dependable in comparison. Both are extensively used by the military and police, as well as for general purpose hunting rifles and self-defense.
The PBS-1 is a silencer designed for the 7.62x39mm AKM variant of Soviet AK-47 assault rifle in the Kalashnikov rifle family. It is 40 mm (1.6 in) in diameter and 200 mm (7.9 in) long.
Rifle impulses (assault rifle, caliber 7.62) had a peak SPL of 154 dB at a distance of 4 m from the muzzle.
The M16 had a higher rate of fire, 700-950 rpm compared to the 600 rpm of the AK-47, and most shooters — including those that have used the weapons in combat — have tended to agree that the M16 is the more accurate.
The AK-47 is the deadliest weapon ever built, on the whole. Its kill count even tops nuclear weapons in sheer numbers. But the first AK-47s were very heavy and weren't really built for aiming.
The AK-47 is OK
Like any firearm, it is not ideal for everything, but the modern semi-automatic AK-pattern rifle makes for a good house and truck gun. No, it isn't the best choice for use in thin-walled apartments and, yes, some will still stand by their sidearms as the masters of indoor defensive shooting.
A serious classic, the AK-47 is known as one of the world's most reliable firearm. In fact, because of its legendary reliability, it has become so popular that it's being produced in well over a hundred different countries.
There are several benefits to suppressing AK-platform rifles, especially because their piston- driven operating systems are built for reliability and can work very well with the unique functioning characteristics found with suppressed firearms.
On the invention of the AK-47
"It was a weapon that was designed to be issued to the communist conscripted forces. It was going to be the standard shoulder firearm. And the Soviet Union was really quite brilliant at copying its enemies' patterns. ...
The model and its variants owe their global popularity to their reliability under harsh conditions, low production cost (compared to contemporary weapons), availability in virtually every geographic region, and ease of use.
Is the ak47 loud?
The AK-47 has a slightly lower pitched sound while the M16/M4 has a higher pitched sound to it and they have different rates of fire. But their both pretty loud.
The standard U.S. military rifle (M-16) is substantially more destructive than its Russian counterpart (AK-47) when fired at short range into clay blocks, despite the fact that the AK-47 is of larger caliber and fires a much heavier bullet with a kinetic energy (muzzle) 25% greater when compared to the M-16.
Costs tend to start around $0.30 per round depending on supply.
The AK-12 and AK-15, direct descendants of the world-famous AK-47, are set to replace existing rifles and modernize the Russian military's arsenal. Russian soldiers currently carry the AK-74M assault rifle. This 5.45-millimeter rifle is descended from the 7.62-millimeter AK-47, which was introduced in 1947.