What is gunshot deafness like? How long does it last?

True furnishings will have some effect, but that much hardwood will still be very reflective of sound. The room dimensions would be a larger factor in my mind. A larger room means more time between the echos.

 

@Catrin, Most gun ranges in my area require a safety test, as well as eye and ear protection. I'm not sure if this is a state reg or city or county, much less about Pennsylvania requirements. That might impose obstacles.

 

A safety test is a liability issue. I don't want to be on a range with someone who doesn't know which end the bullet comes out of.
If a safety test is required they will have a short class to cover the test requirements available.

 

I’ve only been to one range in Indiana, didn’t have to take a safety test. Maybe because I used my personal weapon?

 

My preferred range requires first time shooters at the range to get an instructor to do a safety sign off. Which amounted to about five minutes of observing the shooter, to ensure they are safe on the range. A very reasonable requirement in my opinion. I remember the instructor watched me put the weapon on the shooting table, load the mag, and said your good after the first shoot. Lol. 90% of range safety is simple common sense, even though that is becoming a superpower now adays.

 

I was taught gun safety and shooting by my uncle when I was a teen, though I did take a lesson a couple years back from a retired police officer that was super helpful.

 

I'd need a hands-on tutorial. I know a lot of gun safety in theory, but that's not enough in practice. If I really wanted to do this, it'd be best, I think, to ask around and find out if any of my friends have handguns they can demonstrate. A lot of them have deer rifles and shotguns, but those aren't relevant to my story.

 

You should be able to go to a range and get safety training. I don't know how much it would cost. But it would probably be better than just asking somebody to show you. Things that seem totally obvious to them they might not even think to mention. You probably want a certified trainer, or as you said look up videos.

 

I was range master for my high school rifle team. Basically it was my responsibility to make sure all weapons were down before allowing anyone to go check targets, and to make sure the range was clear before anyone was allowed to pick a weapon up. Even the guys (and they were all guys but me) who were idiots off the range behaved with appropriate gravity at the range.

 

The differences between long guns and hand guns is minimal. But worth the 5 to 10 minutes, to go over those differences. For example recoil with a long gun is typically up and right, where a hand gun is straight up.

 

Kudos to you!

 

Concussions, of any provenance, can produce interesting effects.

For instance, back in high school and the days of carburetors and points-and-condensor ignition systems, we discovered that we could turn off the car's key, let the motor freewheel for a few seconds, and then turn the key back on. If you were artistic with the throttle you could get a very satisfying Bang! when you turned the key back on. Damage to mufflers was possible too.

After much practice, we discovered how to add a ricochet effect. If you set off a healthy backfire next to a corrugated metal wall at an angle to the road, you could hear a clear tone after the bang from a backfire.

What was happening is the impulse from the bang was reflecting from each corrugation, each reflection taking a slightly longer path to get back to our youthful ears, creating a train of pulses. Instead of a bang echoed as a single bang, we heard a few hundred echoes, displaced evenly in time, creating a tone.

My kids thought that story was crazy until one July Fourth. Being wise to the ways of things that go boom in the night, I heard a tone effect from our position relative to some empty aluminum bleachers at nearby rodeo grounds. I got my kids to follow me to a point in line with the bleacher seats where each firework explosion created no apparent tone.

30 yards in front of the bleachers, the tone followed after every bang. Gunfire with any reflective surfaces can produce ringing effects beyond permanent ringing in the ears from hearing injuries.

Regarding the sound of gunfire on YouTube, remember that mic overload is a real thing. It's fun to learn how to safely handle firearms. Best for both education and a nice afternoon to head to a gun range for the real thing.

Be safe, be respectful, and never forget Jeff Cooper's four big rules.

 

To call those anyone's big rules, is nothing more than packaging basic safety.

 

I like them because they are concise and if you obey at least two you'll probably remain safe. The wise, of course, will always respect all four.

Jeff Cooper contributed much to sport shooting and defense philosophy. By any name, the rules commonly named for Cooper will save your bacon.

One of my mentors and a lifelong friend was a graduate of Gunsite's first class who went on to work there as an instructor. That's probably why I've long heard them called Cooper's rules.

The great object is to remain safe while having fun.