Gunfire audible range

[Caradhras]

Ok - I realise this is like 'how long is a piece of string' but maybe I can narrow the parameters somewhat.

If a few short bursts of M-16 fire occured in a relatively quiet rural area - I was wondering how far the sound would travel eg neighbouring farms/towns.

Obviously applying modifiers for other aural activities - but as a general rule (because I have no idea at all!) with no real interference, how far would gunfire (using M-16 as a base) carry to be easy to hear.....

[Targan]

Wow, good question. I'm not sure either but wind speed and direction would make a difference as would precipitation and intervening cover and or structures.

[Caradhras]

Yea Targan - it is a bit of a crazy question I know - I just need a baseline to start throwing such modifiers in as I have never fired or heard automatic fire so have no clue..

My players are landing on a small island only a few km across (?15km by 4km) and there are a few separate enclaves of bad guys - once it kicks off somewhere, there will be bad guys within a few km (maybe as few as 1km or as far as 10km). I want to apply at least a basic amount ofd realism rather than a total wild guess. And obviously it will be useful for future gaming.

[Targan]

I reckon that under calm conditions on open ground you can hear small arms fire for at least 2km. I further reckon that unless it is under a kilometre away it would be difficult to estimate the distance or the calibre of weapon.

[Caradhras]

Cheerrs Targan - at least I got a starting point there.

[leonpoi]

I know that Merc2000 lists the following:
Sounds are categorised as:
clear - the distance at which the sound can be heard clearly. At this range, the direction from which the sound originated can be discerned, and I guess it can be identified as a gunshot.
max - is the maximum distance at which the sound can be heard—direction can be determined only within a 90° arc (left, right, forward or rear quadrants).

Silenced weapon, clear 10m, max 20m (same range as talking)
Suppressed weapon, clear 40m, max 80m (same range as shouting)
Small arms, clear 500m, max 1000m
heavy weapons, clear 1000m, max 2000m
explosions, 1500m, max 3000m

Having grown up on a farm and having heard neighbours shooting shotguns/rifles I'd say that the small arms ranges are about right, though you get a good echo of hills and mountains stretching max out to about 2km at a guess.

This is by no way definitive, but I hope it helps a bit.

[edit] just read Targan's post which he must have done while I was writing and I thought I'd add something: until I knew that the neighbours were using guns I didn't know what the sound was, though a solider would be better trained than I.....

[TiggerCCW UK]

Sound travels well across water as well - I can remember being a couple of k across bay from an army range and being startled by how near the shooting sounded.