Hushpower questions for owners/users

[ajsnelling]

Hi all

I was thinking of buying a Hushpower shotgun, mainly so my springer can come out with me, he doesn't appreciate the bang of a 12g but he is an excellent retriever of birds so id really like him beside me, so my question is: how quiet is a hushpower really? is there a comparison anyone can think of to give me a better idea, as i don't want to buy one only to find out there isn't much difference and waste my money. And also is there much difference between a 20g and 12g  hushpower? the quieter the better, thanks in advance

Alex

[Ultrastu]

If its hearing protection your interested in then any hushpower gun will be much better than even an unmoderated .410 shooting 11 grm carts .

I use modded guns mainly for that reason .

They also reduce the long distance carry of a shot gun blast so don't wake neighbours on a Sunday morning 

But as far as birds in a wood 200 yds away not hearing the shot  - no  

Wind direction and direction of shot makes the biggest difference to the noise you hear and the noise a person or creature at distance will hear and how they react to it .

Edited November 15, 2020 by Ultrastu

[oowee]

Hi Alex I am shooting several days a week from a hide as well as walked up and my 4 year old Cocker is suffering with his hearing. Often picking up birds and not wanting to come back in the hide. I am now using a20g Hush power O/U with 30g no5 subs. I don't need ear protection and the dog returns much more readily. They are basically pretty horrible guns to use. They are cumbersome and want to point rather than swing. The lever cocks the hammers as the gun is opened and has to be pushed right across its not a natural or pleasant action. The carts when extracted produce lots of smoke which cant be good for the operator.  

That said they are truly awesome but they do take a lot of getting used to. I can now (after about 4000 shells) shoot it as well as my 12g and swap between the two. I don't use it for walked up stuff. The range is not noticeably different except for high flying slow crows which you can drop with an ordinary 12g shell but whilst you can hit them the subs won't drop them. What is nice is that you can hear the pellet strike.

The 23g no 7 are next to useless even on squirrels. The 30g no5 shells are @ £385 a 1000 from Just Carts. You must regularly take off the mod and wipe down the threads as otherwise they can jam. It is worth getting a few spare screws for the mod fitting as they are soft and easily damaged. 

[ajsnelling]

Thank you for the replies, very informative.

The reason for purchase is solely to take my dog with me, he is quality but he just turns off at the sound of loud bang. So if it is quiet enough I think he will stay interested in the birds, but I don't want to buy one and it be pretty much a regular shotgun and just a bit of a gimmick, if that makes sense

[Walker570]

I use a moded 410 pimper and to be honest I don't notice a lot of difference but on here I have previously reported that a farmers wife a 100yrds from where I must have fired 50 shells one morning did not know I was shooting BUT up close in a hide I think your little dog might just know the shot had been fired. The answer is to try hime out.

Pity your so far away from me or you would be welcome to give it atry.

Just now, Walker570 said:

I use a moded 410 pumper and to be honest I don't notice a lot of difference but on here I have previously reported that a farmers wife a 100yrds from where I must have fired 50 shells one morning did not know I was shooting BUT up close in a hide I think your little dog might just know the shot had been fired. The answer is to try hime out.

Pity your so far away from me or you would be welcome to give it atry.

 

[Shotkam]

1 hour ago, ajsnelling said:

Thank you for the replies, very informative.

The reason for purchase is solely to take my dog with me, he is quality but he just turns off at the sound of loud bang. So if it is quiet enough I think he will stay interested in the birds, but I don't want to buy one and it be pretty much a regular shotgun and just a bit of a gimmick, if that makes sense

IMO the 20g OU has to be the most effective and usable available. As has been said, it is rather cannon like  and it will never be a real pleasure to use. 

That said it is the perfect tool for pest control on quieter days and when the need arises for other reasons.

Smoke from barrels is not an issue as its reloaded too quickly for much to concern you.

Top lever - at 1st weird - with use you don't even consider it an issue.

1/2 and full choke - yes some days when birds are closer you need to be more accurate.

Subsonic cartridges, yes they ARE slower. Close range not that noticeable, >30 yards definitely need more lead, especially with heavier loads like 30g 5's. They are below 1000fps on a chrono.

Best day 95 using Just Cartridges CSP 21g fibre 7 1/2 - not subsonic but low powder charge, so effectively subsonic with full length moderator. Need to hold back on the longer range birds of course.

 

[ajsnelling]

Some great info received here. Many thanks 

[Ultrastu]

Don't discount the mossberg pumps 

They have only one barrel and tube so are a bit lighter on the front end .especially  the .410 its lighter than most 12b ou. ders   imo.

[tiny tim]

I use one all the time and don’t pick up any other gun now 

I,ve used it for everything decoying ,roost shooting ,pest control. 
there’s no need for ear defenders

i don’t use subsonic but notice some carts are quieter than others.    I find eley 5 30 grams are pretty quiet

Should have said it’s the 20 o/u

[Dead-Eyed Duck]

I have a 20g o/u Hushpower and a hushpower mod for my 12g Berretta semi.

As others have said they are very effective in noise reduction but the added weight can be hugely off-putting. 

I would happily pay for a hushpower moderator to be made in titanium if this was possible, but an enquiry to Hushpower indicated that they were not willing to consider this. Rather short sighted I think, as if this was possible it could transform a horrible lump into something more practicable.

Whether we like it or not noise will have an increasing effect on shotgun shooting and vermin control, and moderators seem to be the way to go. I have twice been approached by the police in response to complaints about the noise even though I was shooting hundreds of yards from the nearest houses.

[Ultrastu]

And was that with your modded guns at the time .? 

[Dead-Eyed Duck]

No it was not, sorry that I did not explain this more fully.

Since using the modded guns (especially the 20g) I have been able to shoot a lot more closer to houses and farms with no complaints whatsoever. No only that but I find that by saying that I use a shotgun 'with a silencer' this has helped discussions for potential vermin control enormously.

[tiny tim]

Does the semi cycle ok,with the mod on 

any pics.   I was thinking of getting my beretta 302 done

[Dead-Eyed Duck]

I have not noticed any difference at all in cycling using the hushpower mod on my semi. It is louder than my 20g Hushpower o/u but this is to be expected as the mod is obviously smaller, and semi's are in my opinion louder than their o/u or sbs equivalent. My semi is a Beretta model 391.

The mod is not lightweight by any means, but in my opinion it is well worth as it gives you options. Options are always good.

 

[billytheghillie]

What about a pair of doggie ear protectors?

[Remimax]

On 15/11/2020 at 11:45, ajsnelling said:

Hi all

I was thinking of buying a Hushpower shotgun, mainly so my springer can come out with me, he doesn't appreciate the bang of a 12g but he is an excellent retriever of birds so id really like him beside me, so my question is: how quiet is a hushpower really? is there a comparison anyone can think of to give me a better idea, as i don't want to buy one only to find out there isn't much difference and waste my money. And also is there much difference between a 20g and 12g  hushpower? the quieter the better, thanks in advance

Alex

reading your post you prob need to try the quietest which is  the 410 full length mod or the pump for more follow up shots.

not the best for shooting but you could always move on to a 20gauge if it was working for the dog.

 

 

whats the story with the Springer, has it been shot over  to soon and messed up or is it just in the breeding?

read its very hard to do anything with the condition.

[ajsnelling]

1 hour ago, Remimax said:

reading your post you prob need to try the quietest which is  the 410 full length mod or the pump for more follow up shots.

not the best for shooting but you could always move on to a 20gauge if it was working for the dog.

 

 

whats the story with the Springer, has it been shot over  to soon and messed up or is it just in the breeding?

read its very hard to do anything with the condition.

Ok thank you, you mean a pump 410? 

When I got my Springer he was 4 1/2 years old and I was told he had some training as a gun dog. I quickly discovered he is excellent at retrieval of birds but doesn't like the gun noise. It appears as though he was shot over too soon or too full on, which is sad because I don't feel right going out to a field and leaving him at home 

[Ultrastu]

I try to keep my springer at the side of me or a touch behind if I'm using one of my un modded guns .if he is out infront then the blast will get his ears .

Having said that I prefer to use the modded guns for my own ears also .

[ajsnelling]

Could anyone tell me if a modded pump 410 will be much louder than a full length 410? I'd prefer a pump unless it's way louder. Thanks 

[udderlyoffroad]

On 19/11/2020 at 07:36, Dead-Eyed Duck said:

I would happily pay for a hushpower moderator to be made in titanium if this was possible, but an enquiry to Hushpower indicated that they were not willing to consider this. Rather short sighted I think, as if this was possible it could transform a horrible lump into something more practicable.

It would be horrendously expensive.  Thin walled tube, welded to an end plate, plus baffles.  Then you'd have to coat the thing as it would be shiny.  Welding titanium is a non-trivial thing to tool up for.

You'd likely be better off with an engineering plastic. 

Back to the OP's question:

I couldn't find a 20b O/U for sensible money, so I bought the 20b pump.  Shooting it, then going back to a regular shotgun, is akin to taking off a pair of skates or ski boots and walking normally again.  I don't have the opportunity @oowee has to go shooting as regularly, so I'm not getting the practice in.  However, with the right 30g 5 carts, it is quiet, but will still produce a bang close up, so you would have to keep Muttley behind you, or at least tight to heel.

 

 

[Dead-Eyed Duck]

I repeat, I would happily pay for a mod in titanium to save weight. What would my budget be - £1,000 or so. To me it would be worth it if it prevents aggro and the sight of the police walking towards me because someone, perhaps maliciously, has complained about a noise nuisance. There are plenty out there such inclined.....

[Windswept]

2 hours ago, ajsnelling said:

Could anyone tell me if a modded pump 410 will be much louder than a full length 410? I'd prefer a pump unless it's way louder. Thanks 

It might be worth chatting to the people at the Saddlery and Gunroom if you can't get an answer.

I have a single barrel Baikal .410 hushpower and with the Eley 3" subsonic I don't hear a bang just a a bit of a thud and a mechanical noise of the shot. So, very quiet.

A couple of points, it's also a long gun and only just fits into my cabinet. I am also concerned what I will be able to use in it after the lead ban as there's no non-toxic shot about and I don't know if there will be anything suitable produced for the moderated .410s as they recommend you don't use plastic wads.

Edited November 20, 2020 by Windswept
added huspower to gun name

[udderlyoffroad]

12 minutes ago, Dead-Eyed Duck said:

I repeat, I would happily pay for a mod in titanium to save weight. What would my budget be - £1,000 or so. To me it would be worth it if it prevents aggro and the sight of the police walking towards me because someone, perhaps maliciously, has complained about a noise nuisance. There are plenty out there such inclined.....

Plenty of engineering firms could knock one up for you.  See if you can a fabricator locally that works with Ti...that way you're not paying MOQ (minimum order quantity), and he might have on hand the material to do it.

[soulboy1957]

Have used the. 410 mossberg for a while, didn't find it enough gun. 

Now have a hushpower 20g o/U and a fully moderated LaPorte swing trap 12g o/U, have to say the best balance of effectiveness and moderation is the 20g.

[hawkfanz]

unlike some of the previous posts,i sold my ou hushy in favour of the mossy 410 modded one,oowee has it now,i just prefer the mossy better handling in my opinion,and range isnt a problem just let em get in closer thats all,gettin good results too,but not useing subs tho,eley and xpress ive tried are very quiet,fiocchi are very loud and dont seem as tho theres a mod on,but homeloads are quiet enough.