Indoor use -- 9mm -vs- 223

[michael_aos]

I've noticed at the steel matches, the timer microphone has as hard a time -- maybe even more so -- registering the shots from my 9mm AR than from a 10/22.

I've noticed something similar in the mountains at my favorite "shooting amphitheater".

I'm starting to think a 9mm carbine (357-magnum handgun performance) would be a better choice as a "house gun" than a .223, from the perspective of not causing permanent hearing damage.

At first blush, a 9mm carbine seems perfectly adequate for a typical home-defense situation.

Thoughts on either topic?

Mike

[Hoser]

Bring the two to an indoor range and try them side by side without ears on and decide.

Or, get cans for both and call it good.

[StagLefty]

I think any gun fired in a house is going to cause hearing damage regardless of caliber.Just my .02

[Colorado Osprey]

I think hearing loss is not going to be a concern if your life is on the line and you need to fire a few rounds in the house.

Now if you are practicing room clearing in a shoot house you should be wearing hearing protection either way.

That said the 9mm carbine with 147 grain sub-sonic loads are actually very quiet compared to a 16" 223....I mean very quiet.

Do you already have a 9mm upper?
They are very accurate...even out to 100 yards, but the recoil will surprise you....it's almost the same as the 223. I recommend the Oly over the Colt/RRA style as it does not need a dedicated lower.

A 9mm in a carbine is very adequate for personal defense under 100 yards. It's not fair to even compare with the pistol 9mm....if you reload you can get energy and velocity exceeding the 357 magnum.

[Ridge]

My 9mm carbine:



Hi Point 995. Great weapon for the price (paid $160 for it) and its a fun little toy...Advanced Technologies, Inc even makes a new stock for it that makes it look like a Beretta CX-4 carbine...

[michael_aos]

Did a little informal testing yesterday.

Pulled out one of my earplugs while my wife was shooting the 9mm carbine on steel. Outdoors and a little windy.

Definitely doesn't even seem as loud as a .22 pistol.

In fact, the sound of her hitting steel was louder than the carbines report.

I've also noticed as the shooter, I tend to hear buffer-spring making more noise than anything else.

Sort of a puh-squish...

:-)

Mike