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Firing line shade covers & noise reduction/reflection input

PatMiles

PatMiles

My club in Albuquerque, Zia R&P, is rebuilding the covers over the firing lines and installing new benches. I'm looking for some input regarding cover design to lessen the sound waves reflected back down on the shooters. I have some ideas but as always known designs trump ideas. The roof will be wooden decking supported by rafters.
Also wanting input regarding sound deadening materials that can be nailed/screwed to the bottom of the rafters.
Any info will be greatly appreciated!
 
Two things to think about: The material that you use and also the angle that the material placed. I suspect that if you slope the roof/cover outward away from the shooter then the sound will reverberate/deflect outward away from the shooter. The type of material used for construction will also impact the amount of noise that is either absorbed or deflected back. At the very least coating the underside of the sheet metal with a rubber spray on bed line (not rhino-guard, but rather one of the softer textured rubber types) would soften the noise. Just a couple of ideas to consider.

I think there is still benefit to coating the plywood sheeting, and as Dusty said break of the surfaces to fracture the sound waves. At the office they are using a series of baffles to reduce noise. By baffles I mean simply sheets of cloth material dangling from the ceiling, which effectively capture or disrupt the sound waves. Because you are outdoors maybe something made out of 1/8" thick rubber sheets. I just got an image of redneck club reading this and then doing a scavenger hunt at local 76 Truck Stop to steal mud flaps.... just you wait... there will be a news story in next week along these lines. It will be the quietest range in the South.
 
Google - anechoic chamber technology & then look at images. https://www.soundproofcow.com/produ...w4r3N9WrorXPXHMAU8jpvsu4f3BnafeBoCSWUQAvD_BwE

An enclosed building with ports to extend the muzzle outside helps.
Shot from one back in the 60 &70s . Building had a kerosene heater in it. Great in the dead of winter or rain. But as the wood rotted, with no repairs, it was taken down.

IMO, there is no sound deading or noise asorbing materals that will help tame a rifle blast for the shooter, other then suppressors.

The neighbors may not like the noise, but my state has a grandfather law that provides protection to older clubs. Many states have them writen into law.
 
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PatMiles said:
My club in Albuquerque, Zia R&P, is rebuilding the covers over the firing lines and installing new benches. I'm looking for some input regarding cover design to lessen the sound waves reflected back down on the shooters. I have some ideas but as always known designs trump ideas. The roof will be wooden decking supported by rafters.
Also wanting input regarding sound deadening materials that can be nailed/screwed to the bottom of the rafters.
Any info will be greatly appreciated!
Click to expand...
Batt insulation is the one thing I know that deadens sound quickly,
We have heavy roll down tarps that surrounds three sides of a firing line used for 50 caliber among others buildings with walls for keeping sound under control.
Addendum - the shade screens are simple enough
 
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Fast14riot said:
Taller ceilings help, too.
Click to expand...

I agree. We have this example at our range. The first bench cover was installed at about 7' on the back to about 8' on the front. Later bench covers were installed at about 8' in the back and 9' in the front. The muzzle blast is much louder with the lower roof.
 
Taller, slanted sheet ply roof lined with asphalt board as sound deadening. I would not put up fiberglass insulation as this will rain down glass fibers with each shot. But soft materials held in place with wire mesh, weed cloth, etc might work well as a sound deadening.

Any non treated paper products will be eaten by bugs, so forget about the egg crates.

The same board, available at home improvement store like H.D. can be used as a baffle between benches to deaden noise from those who'll be shooting short barreled assault weapons with muzzle breaks, and keep brake exhaust out of others faces.

You could also install suspended baffles, made of easily changed material such as non rigid foam sheet in a permanent frame such as aluminum angle. Your dry climate will help prevent corrosion and rot.

Concrete benches are the best, IMOP. Seen way too many wobbly wooden benches.

In a perfect world, we'd all have suppressors available for a reasonable cost.
 
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I mentioned bubble wrap insulation, not because it's the best sound deadener, but for practicality. It has a fair r value as well, so placed against the metal roof, it'll dampen sound and prevent condensation as well as keep it a little cooler by insulating the inside from the radiant heat from the roof in bright sun. It's relatively inexpensive and easy to put up. Tape the seams well and any condensation won't end up dripping up you and your equipment. I'm certain there are more efficient means of sound deadening but like batting, some just aren't practical.
 
We used old roll up split bamboo shades meant for balconies/decks for a while when I first joined a local club 25 yrs ago.
They were handy to adjust for wind blocking and sunlight in our faces in winter.
We also noted that muzzle blast was attenuated at the firing line because typically the muzzles were 10-24" beyond the bottom of the bamboo. This partially deflected the sound wave from echoing off the slanted roof above us.
I know this may not translate to your needs, but it certainly diffused sound signatures for us.
GotRDid.
 
How about a piece of concrete pipe on the bench and put the muzzle inside it. Concrete is dense material and should stop the radial noise travel, a pipe may cause other problems!
LC
 
beemanjohn said:
We ended up having a contractor put spray on foam on the bottom of it, and it helped a bunch.
Click to expand...

This sounds like it might be the ticket.

I'm also wondering about sound absorbing (as opposed to sound proofing) ceiling tiles. Easy enough to nail up 1"x2" stringers and then staple the ceiling tiles up. Thoughts?

Keep the suggestions coming boys and girls.
 
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