Evaluation of the noise disturbance and noise limit from a riding horse shooting competition

Shooting ranges have turned into an unwanted activity in rural communities due to high levels of impulse sound pressure. Permanent complaints from neighbors or neighborhood associations pertaining health concerns and noise pollution around areas nearby shooting ranges are a driving force to create state noise control laws. As such, examining zoning will limit (restricting licenses) to the use of agricultural or residential land to be used for shooting events. Gun noise is measurable and therefore is able to be quantified and characterized. This study evaluates with field noise measurements the events from a “shooting ranch” which currently operates offering a shooting competition while riding a horse emulating the Old West. The analysis of field data looks at metrics such as Leq (A-weighted equivalent sound level), L90 (noise level exceeded for 90% of the measurement period). The gun used in the competition is a .45 caliber pistol firing blanks ammunition. The field measurements were conducted in different nearby residences to characterize the sound levels. Additionally, experimental measurements were performed to quantify the spectral difference and sound pressure levels between real and non real (blanks) ammunition.