doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Why does my 16 gauge have a subdued muzzle report?

Steve-I think the 16 gauge Reloaders Group had some data on a spreadsheet including factory loads. If I remember correctly, the Federals were not particularly low pressure. I hear that shells with paper base wads have less felt recoil than the plastic so that may be the answer.

Mike, if memory serves the Federals were tested at 7,000-8,000psi chamber pressure. However, that was years ago and may have changed.

Buzz, as far as felt recoil, the 16 gauge I'm discussing weighs 5 lbs 1 ounce and kicks like hell. I shot a round of sporting clays with it once and after 100 shots my shoulder ached for 3 days. It's odd that something that kicks so hard could do it so quietly. Maybe it's a new definition of SBD (silent but deadly).

Steve

I never remember hearing a gun when I am shooting it. Others' guns, more so.

SRH

Steve; If you haven't tried the RST 7/8 oz 16 ga loads, you ought to. They kill birds pretty well and are real soft. Their 1 oz loads are really nice too, but a little more thump (but still pretty light on recoil). I really like their shells but they cost about $11 a box. Best, Buzz

Since you say these are the standard 1 oz load I assume they are not hanging right around the speed of sound for the velocity but are well above it. Crossing that barrier can make a tremendous difference in the sound. I have noted this on occasions when firing standard velocity .22 LR's. These are sometimes loaded to just about equal the SOS. Often you can fire them & pick out the rounds which went just over those which were just under. Those just under are like a healthy Spit, & those just over have a distinct Crack.
As a general rule a shorter barrel will produce more muzzle blast as the gasses have a higher escape velocity. Assuming these loads are supposed to give 1200 FPS or more velocity a 27" barrel should not drop that enough to make the sound barrier of importance. From memory I recall that is down around 1115 FPS.
If you can do it conveniently though a Chronograph test would prove that one way or the other. Beyond that I simply have No Idea.

I don't have an in-depth knowledge of acoustics, either.....or even a shallow-depth knowledge.
Does the apparent "reduced" report occur year round, or only in colder weather during hunting season??
Have you used your Federal ammo in YOUR 16GA shotgun, and OTHER 16GA shotguns with similar barrel lengths AT THE SAME TIME, and SAME firing place? "Health & Safety" folks should be able to supply a decibel reading instrument - that you could place at a constant/fixed distance from each muzzle when fired.
If there is something unusual about your French SxS barrels' report projection, it would probably show up as quite different from the other shotguns' decibel readings.
Just a thought.
Curious. Interesting thread.

To answer your question, my guns minimum wall is around .060. French barrels are typically struck more robustly than other European guns, because, by law, French proof is the highest in Europe.

The chokes were opened on my gun, as well. There is also a pimple bulge in the left tube. WIth all that is wrong with it, the manufacturer inspected it, and figured it had more than a couple human lifetimes use left in it.


Best,

Ted

I'm confused on the Federal Featherlights. Do we mean Winchester? A check of the Federal website doesn't show any Featherlights. There are Gold Medal lights, both plastic and paper, but those are still 1100 fps loads. There is a Top Gun Sub-Sonic, at 900 fps, which would be close to the Winchester low noise-low recoil loads. But none of those are available in 16ga.

I've heard the Win low noise-low recoil shells give off a pretty poofy sound in cold weather, but I don't think that helps the original poster. I've shot 7/8 oz RST 16's, and they're not poofy sounding. There's also a 3/4 oz 16ga load from RST, but it and the 7/8 oz loads are 1100 fps.

Probably caused by all the voids in the unsafe Damascus barrels.
You should send it to me for evaluation.

Does it sound normal in the old ring test, maybe the fore stock fits up with some unusual pressure on the barrels. Maybe a different vibration pattern might make it sound different than the other guns around it.