Analysis of Options to Reduce Noise Exposure to Shooters on Sport Shooting Ranges

The intensive development of sport shooting and the significant increase in the number of people using sport and recreational shooting ranges also increases the risk of hearing damage to shooters, due to exposure to impulse noise from the shots of firearms. This article discusses the methodology for assessing shooters’ exposure to noise and identifies and extensively discusses possible ways to minimise this exposure. It then describes a research experiment carried out to measure and calculate the effectiveness of noise reduction by means of acoustic silencers when shooting with typical weapons in the most popular sporting and hunting calibres. The experiment also included firing tests with subsonic ammunition. On this basis, conclusions were drawn regarding the possibility of reducing impulse noise during shooting and the possibility of eliminating the risk of hearing damage.