.556 for home defense and varmints

.308 for all the big stuff

30 cal for me.

Every argument I’ve ever heard about “noise” inside a dwelling just baffles me. Do people really shoot for the fun of it inside? Any gun shot inside a house will be loud but I don’t think you’ll notice until after the adrenaline is gone once the threat is eliminated. I’ve never shot my .22 inside, but I’d be willing to bet it’s louder inside as well. I don’t think there’s a weapon out there, other than something suppressed that’s going to be pleasant to shoot inside.

We are talking permanent hearing damage ......not if its pleasant or not

I'm not a huge fan of either.

not really saying touch off your 308 in the house or your 223 in the house for fun

yes I have shot a number of things inside , mostly indoor ranges , but some in farm buildings and basements.
9mm and 45 are not pleasant but you recover from it decently well it doesn't shake your head in a bedroom size space or larger. 22lr not to bad and it depends a lot on what 22lr load you use.
9mm carbine with hearing protection on is very pleasant from a 16 inch barrel with flash can , suppressed would be even better. but it is not punishing to shoot inside at all. not pleasant without hearing protection but not punishing and doesn't ring your head.

maybe the adrenaline works , maybe you feel like someone just clapped your ears
that is the best way I can think to describe it some one just walked up behind you and clapped your ears

yes auditory exclusion may happen some , but if the pressure wave damages your ears it doesn't just go away

so I am not saying shoot for fun indoors , but pop in some ear plugs , open the door of the shed if it is a safe direction to shoot and stand against the back wall and let 3 rounds rip to see what it is like , if your head is ringing from shooting in the confined space with ear plugs in it will be a lot worse without.

if you know what to expect you will likely better be able to keep your focus and do what you need to do.

bet it is raining dust from the pressure wave

fist time I shot from inside the cab of the truck , with a sub compact pistol , wow was my head ringing , I also did it without ear protection and all the dust from the head liner was raining down on me

so it isn't about fun ,it is about training for what you might have to do so you know what to expect

and being shaken by your own round beets being shot by some one else's for sure

There can be no definitive answer opinions until the OP chimes back in.

Bolt or gas?

Plinking/Target?

Hunting? If so, which animals?

Home defense?

SHTF/sniping blue helmets?

We need some context.

Mike

I’ll be honest, if it comes to a life or death situation, hearing loss is the least of my concern.

I hear you survive the fight above all else

but fight better having tried and tested and trained ahead.

make the best choices you can based on what you have tried and not on some untested expectation.

I've been in a house, actually same room when a rifle was fired. I don't believe for one minute the noise would ever hamper ones reactions in a life or death situation. Don't even think measurable permanent hear damage would occur just from one or two rounds.

Guess I’m not as prepared as I thought. Y’all are the first I’ve ever heard of that keeps hearing protection by their bed or in their pockets next to their home defense weapon of choice. I’m impressed.

I don't keep hearing protection on me for SD situations.

yes I have some on me most of the time because I carry some plugs in a keychain , if I have to draw my pistol I am certainly not stopping to do anything else.

nor was I saying it is a requirement. nor should you stop if there is a life threatening situation.

I have at times kept my electronics hanging next to my rifle. they have to hang someplace so if I were going to investigate something I might put them on , as they don't diminish my ability to hear each ear has it's own microphone so I still hear right sounds on the right side.

I know people who keep body armor next to the bed with their gun , they intend to slip that on and grab their gun , how realistic is it? I guess do whatever you find you have time for when it happens but it isn't hurting to have it there

I am not planning to touch off a volley of fire from a 308 with a muzzle brake inside my house either
while it is there it isn't my go to gun.

I was saying try it and maybe adjust your go-to gun based on it

this is a 5.56 or .308 thread one that oddly the original poster never seems to have come back to or given any context.

I made the statement that 5.56 is a little less blasty than 308 and maybe should have added for similar barrel length a 16 in barrel 308 is a lot of extra gas coming out the muzzle.

there may be other things to consider also if the person is sound or recoil sensitive and level of training.
have you ever heard some guy say , "yeah got my wife a SP101 in 357 (3 inch barrel 357 revolver) at the range she only shoots it with 38 target loads but when we get home I load it with really hot 357 mag ammo!"

ask yourself wouldn't she be better with some 38s that are similar to her practice load making hits is more important than what you make hits with in most things handgun. she knows what it feels like , she knows what it sounds like , she has a cadence to shooting that works for her on targets in training. why would you make a big change like that without her even knowing.
just because your counting on her not noticing during the adrenaline not everyone is wired the same so keeping things as close to the same as you can to what you train is better.

in a perfect world suppressors would be as common mufflers on lawn mowers and I suppose we wouldn't have any threats that would need us to use a gun in self defense. it is however an imperfect world and tools are restricted and human predators are left to roam.

the statement was try shooting from the confined space so that you know what to expect , so it isn't a shock if you have to do it and you can keep your focus.

If I ever shoot in training from my truck cab with a pistol again I intend to wear ears I have to hear for my occupation.

if it is SD and I can't use the vehicle to evade and the threat is against the window I will keep my focus on the threat and shooting till it is stopped knowing that firing inside a car is LOUD and you get a pressure wave and dust everywhere (maybe not if your car was new and clean) and if your not ready for it, it may distract you , you may have laser focus because of the very real threat , but trying it isn't a bad idea if you can find a safe way to do it.