I have to perform some discreet pest control, and my RWS 48 .177 is just way too loud.
While searching the 'net looking for something quiet, it seems the consensus is that PCPs are the quietest platform. What I have not found is the actual dB readings for these rifles, only very ambiguous ratings.
For those of you who own/owned PCPs, which .22 or .25 rifles would be the quietest? I understand that the pellet impact will still be loud.
Thanks,
George
Only data I've found has been from Straight Shooters, and its all about springers:
http://www.straightshooters.com/decibel ... rguns.html
Looks like your RWS is ranked in the low 80's dB range.
Really is hard to judge sound. Not just the loudness, but the sharpness/unusualness of the sound in a suburban environment. Guess one every day example is if you are talking to someone (conversation...about 60-65db) and one of you farts. Not as loud (usually), but EVERYONE notices. Meaning, if your neighbors are listening for it or it contrasts with background noise, they will notice it even if it seems quiet.
Have done a little home research. Typical suburban day-time background noise is about 40dB.
With PCPs, slower settings that use less air per shot are quieter.
Good shroud systems can keep things in the middle 60 dB with 15-20foot pounds at 20 feet.
Very very good systems can get it down ito the high 50's low 60's.
A 20 dB increase is usually seen as about 4x LOUDER.
A 5 dB increase is usally seen as noticable.
While I do not have one to test, does seem like for the $, an M-Rod tuned to about the same energy as your RWS (lets call it 20 foot pounds) would be noticably quieter.
(OF course, if you go PCP, will have to figure a way to fill it...and that adds to the cost...but can consider that fill system to be useable on another PCP...which tends to get us to buy a second.)