Range noise suppression

[Carole Baskins]

We live out of town quite a ways and recently had a new neighbor move in across the road. I’ve been shooting on my property for a little more than ten years and it’s suddenly become a problem...even while shooting suppressed. I’d like to keep the peace as best I can and install some sort of fencing to deflect the sound away from their place. My 100 yard range runs almost parallel to the road that they live across.

Any advice or a good source of information? I’ve not been able to dig up much in my searching.

 

[Newbie2020]

What about a concrete block wall immediately adjacent to your shooting bench parallel to the road? Maybe 15-20 feet long x 8 feet high?

Should deflect a lot of the high frequencies directly away from the road.

Wouldn’t cost much and you could do it all yourself.

 

[PURPLE05]

Invite the neighbors over to join in shooting. You never know....

 

[Nfrantz87]

What about a concrete block wall immediately adjacent to your shooting bench parallel to the road? Maybe 15-20 feet long x 8 feet high?

Should deflect a lot of the high frequencies directly away from the road.

Wouldn’t cost much and you could do it all yourself.

This isn't a bad idea. If they are complaining when you're even shooting suppresed there's likely not much you're going to do to make them happy by the sounds of it.

 

[gunsnjeeps]

I was going to suggest a berm between your shooting bench and your neighbor. The problem may not be noise, they just may be urban refugees and are afraid of your guns. Our friends in North Carolina had that problem as Virginians moved across the state line to get big rural properties.

 

[sea2summit]

If you’re primary shooting from one position these are very effective and cheap.

 

[softcock]

In front of your Shooting bench . Hang a small stack of used Auto tires, that are joined together to make a tube shape, hanging in front of bench, and pointed at your Target and berm .
Place your muzzle end of barrel just inside the stack and pull trigger . For a fact, It is the Most effective bare muzzle ' Range Noise Dampener ' I have ever used . and If you are wearing a Suppressor on muzzle and then shoot threw the tire tube stack, It just makes a drum beat 'Thud' sound .
.

 

[XLR308]

Even if you offer free douche to a total douche bag you are never going to come out on top.
Look into local laws and the overall feeling of the local LE and citizens around you for the answer and if you are in tje majority tell them to suck a dick and quit wasting your time or thought on usless douche bags.

 

[jeffl838]

If you’re primary shooting from one position these are very effective and cheap.
View attachment 7453386

be careful - the atf might call that a suppressor haha

 

[sea2summit]

be careful - the atf might call that a suppressor haha

So some guys on ARF actually argued that when I recommended one over there. Could not believe it.

 

[sinister]

Privacy trees and hedges look nicer than tires. May take a while to grow in.

 

[XLR308]

To fucking simple get LEO on your side and local GOV as sson as possible, if your enemy beat you to tje punch tough shit.
You were to slow.

 

[Choid]

Where are you in MT? In general, unless you are putting somebody in clear danger, you have the absolute right to shoot on private property. My sheriff would legit laugh at somebody who complained that a neighbor was shooting too much.

 

[wade2big]

Don’t change what you have been doing for 10 years now. Your neighbors will get used to it or they can move again. If you want to be curtious then just don’t shoot early in the morning or after dark. If they don’t like the noise ask them if they are willing to fund the barrier?

 

[XLR308]

We live out of town quite a ways and recently had a new neighbor move in across the road. I’ve been shooting on my property for a little more than ten years and it’s suddenly become a problem...even while shooting suppressed. I’d like to keep the peace as best I can and install some sort of fencing to deflect the sound away from their place. My 100 yard range runs almost parallel to the road that they live across.

Any advice or a good source of information? I’ve not been able to dig up much in my searching.

Given your crickets response to all that have been giving advice on the your innitial question i have to ask if you are actually the person that has an issue with the shooting?

 

[Carole Baskins]

Given your crickets response to all that have been giving advice on the your innitial question i have to ask if you are actually the person that has an issue with the shooting?

Sorry @XLR308. Moving snow all afternoon. I’ll work on my response time moving forward. Shame on me.

 

[Carole Baskins]

Where are you in MT? In general, unless you are putting somebody in clear danger, you have the absolute right to shoot on private property. My sheriff would legit laugh at somebody who complained that a neighbor was shooting too much.

I have no intentions of stopping and I did make them aware of the state statute about private land shooting. I did recommend they contact the sheriff’s office. Like I said; I’m just trying to be courteous.

 

[XLR308]

Sorry @XLR308. Moving snow all afternoon. I’ll work on my response time moving forward. Shame on me.

No reason for. appologies was just curious to the original qustion, we all hqve or own duties and prioritities but geniuonly curious.

 

[Carole Baskins]

Mostly, I was wondering about some indication of voodoo carpentry that’s scientifically proven to deflect sound...

 

[Choid]

I have no intentions of stopping and I did make them aware of the state statute about private land shooting. I did recommend they contact the sheriff’s office. Like I said; I’m just trying to be courteous.

I hear you. We had an incident a couple of years ago where a neighbor got a little pissy about another neighbor shooting a lot. He tried to be nice about it, but it was never enough. We are way the fuck out in the middle of nowhere, though.

Being nice is the best you can do. I'd hesitate at building things to make them happy, because then they will never stop. Just my opinion. Complainers complain.

 

[XLR308]

You will never be able to appease a liberal douche bag unless they move or stop breathing.
Sucks to say that but its the truth.
There is only a couple of cures to some diseases.

My point is you said even shooting suppresed is no good, so either you are the complaintentent and full of shit or thier is no real reasonining to be had with an unreasonable asswipe complaintant.

 

[Edgecrusher]

I'd simply explain to them that you're within your legal rights and that they can get fucked.

 

[ma smith]

OP what calibers and targets are you shooting?

 

[7WSMShooter]

If they are complaining about the suppressed shooting as well, you’re not gonna ever make them happy. They just don’t want you shooting period. If there are No noise laws governing your area, then fuck em. Had a asshole call On us time and time again. And we have dirt track 3/4 a mile down the road. They raise hell till 12:00 to 1 AM sometimes. Had a deputy come by once and he ended up asking if he could shoot with us after he got off work. We just don’t go at it to late or before church is out on Sunday.

 

[TIMMYTOY]

Maybe someone else is shooting around you and your getting blamed for it.
We (Gun club) stay in contact with local gov. So we know the law and stay informed.

 

[308pirate]

I have no intentions of stopping and I did make them aware of the state statute about private land shooting. I did recommend they contact the sheriff’s office. Like I said; I’m just trying to be courteous.

You've done enough

If this asshole keeps it up, invite everyone you know for a range day and do the biggest mag dump you all can.

Add Tannerite for even more fun

 

[Lunchbox27]

You've done enough

If this asshole keeps it up, invite everyone you know for a range day and do the biggest mag dump you all can.

Add Tannerite for even more fun

This!

If you have been doing this for years in a safe manner, within your county law and with a suppressor, tell them to double up their hearing protection while they watch CNN.

 

[Mr.BR]

 

[smoothy8500]

My 100 yard range runs almost parallel to the road that they live across.

Maybe it's not a noise issue, but a concern of a stray projectile striking their residence. Is there a berm separating their property from the line of fire? I'd be kind of worried if my house was parallel to the line of fire....

 

[Praetorian_6]

So, if you can build something, so can they. Your only responsibilities are to do your due diligence to ensure they, and all human lives, are outside of the SDZ, and that you follow all laws. Putting on a suppressor is polite of you. Anything else you do is also polite, but don't take it too far, because it probably will be expensive and futile.

Beyond that, to be neighborly, get to know them if you can, and maybe you can work through things. It should probably start with a clear discussion about the law, like you've done, then an explanation of the mitigations in place and why they're safe, and then an olive branch about what you'd be willing to do out of a voluntary nature to appease: time of day, special occasions, tire barrier/ suppressors on the bigger rifles, etc...

If they don't respond well to this, then they aren't as reasonable as you, and should be treated as such. When someone is unreasonable, everything defers back to fundamental rights, and the letter of the law.

 

[1moaoff]

I live in farm country... my neighbor has roughly 3k acres he farms. I was on 1 of the properties a dew yrs ago wher I set some steel up... shooting into a hill with woods behind it and no thing behind that. Across the road(I was shooting away from the road and I was 400 yds from the road) there are a couple houses... while I was shooting the sheriff showed up... he asked questions and said i needed a man-made berm...

now im former LE and know the state laws. I asked him nicely why etc... he was kind of stumped and then changed to the fact that the house 400 plus yds behind me was saying splatter was hitting their house... (targets with down angle) come to find out that someone called and they know the sheriff. They just didnt like it. It more than pissed me off and my buddy who is 3rd generation farmer that owns that land... had he been there it would have gotten ugly...

Bottom line some people don't like it. People move to rural areas and want to change it to the suburbs. My wife and I have been buying every house that comes up for sale near our property because we can play the game too.

 

[wade2big]

Maybe it's not a noise issue, but a concern of a stray projectile striking their residence. Is there a berm separating their property from the line of fire? I'd be kind of worried if my house was parallel to the line of fire....

These people chose to move to this location. The OP already said he is legal.

Outside of my town, there is an airport for a crop dusting service. People were building houses around it and then complaining about the noise. Idiots. The flying service put a huge signs on their property facing the roads that says “Future site of a hog farm”. They are trying to be proactive it seems.

 

[308pirate]

Maybe it's not a noise issue, but a concern of a stray projectile striking their residence. Is there a berm separating their property from the line of fire? I'd be kind of worried if my house was parallel to the line of fire....

You failed at geometry in school didn't you?

The neighbor is 90 degrees from the line of fire. Tell me how a bullet fired downrange will end up there?

In any case, the neighbors are not entitled to consideration over illogical and imaginary fears either.

City people either learn to adapt when they move to the country or they can find themselves made very unwelcome.

 

[308pirate]

he was kind of stumped and then changed to the fact that the house 400 plus yds behind me was saying splatter was hitting their house...

That's when deputy dog would get called out for lying and told to get the fuck off private property forthwith.

 

[Carole Baskins]

Maybe it's not a noise issue, but a concern of a stray projectile striking their residence. Is there a berm separating their property from the line of fire? I'd be kind of worried if my house was parallel to the line of fire....

A bullet would have to have to stray roughly 75 degrees from the shooting point to hit their house. Additionally I have an 80’ Quonset it would have to pass through. There is no line of sight from shooting point to house.

I think I am going to kill them with kindness and invite them over for dinner and some shooting.

Thanks for the insights so far!

 

[opeagle]

Are your shooting steel or paper targets?

There is an incident I’m aware of where it was less about the shooting and more about the impact noise. Just a thought.

 

[Jefe's Dope]

I assume you have access to their address?

Try step one first. If a no go, proceed to steps 2 and 3.

1. https://www.amazon.com/Earplugs-Reu...uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl


2. https://www.amazon.com/Quikrete-Pla...=1&keywords=bag+of+sand&qid=1603640880&sr=8-4


3. https://www.amazon.com/Companies-In...child=1&keywords=tamper&qid=1603640918&sr=8-2

 

[Vexent]

As long as your good with local ordinances and city guidelines you’re ok. I would explain that. You’ve been doing this for years and he’s welcome to come shoot!

 

[Choid]

A bullet would have to have to stray roughly 75 degrees from the shooting point to hit their house. Additionally I have an 80’ Quonset it would have to pass through. There is no line of sight from shooting point to house.

I think I am going to kill them with kindness and invite them over for dinner and some shooting.

Thanks for the insights so far!

Did they move here from California?

 

[bobk538447]

I have seen the military build baffles with walls along with a U shaped berm.

 

[Ridgeback80]

I've been dealing with this same situation for many years, they called the law alot for the first few years. I am well within my rights and haven't changed anything. I tried the whole inviting them over to shoot and playing nice, but nothing worked! I ended up telling him and his cow of a wife to eat a fat dick, and now they don't fuck with me anymore. Give it time they'll lose interest!

 

[I Spot 4U - "Eagle Eyes"]

Fuck that! So whats next? ..Are they going to complain about the make and model of your vehicle being driven on the road because they don't like it too? Will you buy a different car to appease them? (sarcasm over) If you want to shoot on your own property: then continue to shoot as you have been. ...Since they don't like it, TFB tell them to go buy some ear plugs or move back to a city because you're going to continue to shoot on your own property!

 

[jphil108]

Typical urbanite bullshit, move somewhere and force changes to happen to suit your wishes. I got in an argument with a liberal in-law about range noise a while back and told them it wouldn’t be an issue if suppressors weren’t an NFA item and pointed out they could get on board with legislation to change that. I Was treated to a tirade about how people that wanted to exercise their 2A rights or defend themselves should have to pay for a $1000 permit every year and carry $1 M insurance policy to cover any victims they had. I pointed out that those policies were discriminatory and meant that only rich people would be able to afford to defend themselves and that it would leave people who live in low income Minority housing, who typical have no police presence, without a means to defend themselves against a home invasion or other criminal activity. I thought their head would explode when I pointed out that the people most affected would be underprivileged minority single mothers.
I had fun, but we haven’t talked in a while.

 

[Mike Casselton]

As long as your good with local ordinances and city guidelines you’re ok. I would explain that. You’ve been doing this for years and he’s welcome to come shoot!

I'm pretty sure city guidelines have diddly squat to do with anything outside the city limits.

The city has a boundary for a reason...

Fuck the dirty assed cities and the people that live in them.

 

[gunsnjeeps]

I can honestly understand a noise issue. I was thinking of moving next to my club. One Saturday I stopped to get gas after a match, the club was busier than usual and fairly loud. The neighbors all moved in 50 years after the club opened so I don’t care about them, but from my point of view I'd move further away. The club is 4000 feet from the 7-11. Scotch pines or another evergreen may help with some noise diffusion.

Like I said if its just a gun fear issue they'll have to live with it.

 

[Carole Baskins]

A friend of mine just bought a 50. He’s bringing it out in a couple of days. That should really raise their hackles.

 

[Clearlight]

My local range has been there near 100 years, in the past 30 housing estates have sprung up.
Noise complaints are very dependent on wind direction: anything from NE to E will see a
bunch of profane and abusive emails, other wind directions don’t seem to be a problem.

Good advice above regarding maintaining civil relations with your neighbour. Try to establish if
the issue is noise, or just an irrational fear of firearms. Make sure you are 100% compliant
with locals laws. Try to work with them about which times of day will be less of an issue
for them. Invite them to have a bbq and a few shots, hopefully you might induct some new
shooting enthusiasts. Invite local LE for a bbq also!

Building sound mitigating structures is expensive, and going to ugly up the place. if you
have to go down that path, consult professional sound engineers don’t just bang up a
plank fence and hope for the best.

 

[gunsnjeeps]

My club mentioned above is surrounded by developments. We had to put up a gate and no trespassing signs whe the developers started walking on our property saying how they were going to use it. We also reminded them the lake was ours not theirs.

Anyhow after that they filed a noise complaint to try to shut the club down. DEQ came out and set up noise measuring equipmemt on the firing line and on the property lines. We had to have a shooter on every point, 37 shooters, on the line. Just as he was ready to have them fire the first plane of the morning flew into there airport. He looked at the map said we were in a glide slope, the planes are louder than we are. He packed up and left.

 

[308pirate]

Anyhow after that they filed a noise complaint to try to shut the club down.

Doesn't your state have a range protection law?

This is exactly what they protect ranges from.

 

[Fig]