How loud is artillery?
US Army impulse noise data give peak levels at the gunner's position of 178 dB for the M198 155 mm towed howitzer, 176.9 dB for the M110A2 8-inch self-propelled howitzer and 183 dB for the M119 105 mm towed howitzer at charge 8. Inside a Paladin self-propelled howitzer's fighting compartment the figure is 166.1 dB.
- Level
- 166.1–183 dB peakunweighted peak sound pressure level
- Daily limit
- No safe unprotected exposureimpulse noise
What the numbers mean
How it was measured. US Army impulse noise table: peak levels (dB(P)) at the gunner or crew position for 105 mm, 155 mm and 8-inch howitzers, from 166.1 dB (inside a Paladin's fighting compartment) to 183 dB (M119 towed howitzer, charge 8).
The Army notes that for 155 mm towed and 8-inch self-propelled howitzers the levels are below the training exposure limit for soldiers wearing hearing protection, while in self-propelled guns the compartment walls lower the peak but reverberation adds to the exposure. Mortars can be even more extreme for the loader, whose head is near the muzzle: an M224 60 mm mortar measured 185 dB at 0.5 m from the muzzle.
Shoulder-fired weapons top the table: the M3 MAAWS recoilless rifle is listed at 190 dB at the gunner. An older Army fact sheet places TOW missile and rocket launches at 180.
How dangerous is a 166.1–183 dB peak?
A peak of 183 dB is at or above 140 dB, the impulse limit used by NIOSH and OSHA and the EU and UK exposure limit value. A single exposure at close range can damage hearing.
| Rule | Peak limit | This sound |
|---|---|---|
| UK and EU lower exposure action value | 135 dB(C) | Above |
| UK and EU upper exposure action value | 137 dB(C) | Above |
| UK and EU exposure limit value; NIOSH and OSHA impulse ceiling | 140 dB | Above |
Protecting your hearing
Crews wear double hearing protection; for some charges the Army requires hatches closed during training fire. Distance from the muzzle is the biggest single factor.
Earplug and earmuff ratings (NRR in the US, SNR in the UK and EU) are lab figures; real-world protection is usually lower. How to read the ratings.
Questions
How many decibels is a howitzer?
US Army data give 176.9 to 183 dB peak at the gunner's position for towed and self-propelled howitzers, and 166.1 dB inside a Paladin's fighting compartment.
What is the loudest weapon a soldier fires?
In the Army's impulse table, the M3 MAAWS recoilless rifle is listed at 190 dB peak at the gunner, and a 60 mm mortar at 185 dB at 0.5 m from the muzzle.
Sources
- Noise levels of common Army equipment: steady noise (Table A-1) and impulse noise (Table A-2), US Army hearing conservation programme, Fort Campbell (archived 2013). Supports: dB_high: 183 dB(P).
M119 105MM towed howitzer at charge 8 Gunner 183
Checked 2026-11-03. - Noise levels of common Army equipment: steady noise (Table A-1) and impulse noise (Table A-2), US Army hearing conservation programme, Fort Campbell (archived 2013). Supports: 178 dB(P) M198.
M198 Gunner 178
Checked 2026-11-03. - Noise levels of common Army equipment: steady noise (Table A-1) and impulse noise (Table A-2), US Army hearing conservation programme, Fort Campbell (archived 2013). Supports: 176.9 dB(P).
M110A2 8-inch self propelled howitzer firing Gunner 176.9
Checked 2026-11-03. - Noise levels of common Army equipment: steady noise (Table A-1) and impulse noise (Table A-2), US Army hearing conservation programme, Fort Campbell (archived 2013). Supports: dB_low: 166.1 dB(P).
M109A5/6 Paladin, 155mm self propelled In fighting 166.1
Checked 2026-11-03. - Noise levels of common Army equipment: steady noise (Table A-1) and impulse noise (Table A-2), US Army hearing conservation programme, Fort Campbell (archived 2013). Supports: body: mortar 185 at 0.5 m.
M224 60mm mortar, M888 round, charge 4, 0.5 m from the 185
Checked 2026-11-03. - Noise levels of common Army equipment: steady noise (Table A-1) and impulse noise (Table A-2), US Army hearing conservation programme, Fort Campbell (archived 2013). Supports: body: 190 dB(P).
M3 MAAWS recoilless rifle Gunner 190
Checked 2026-11-03. - Noise levels of common Army equipment: steady noise (Table A-1) and impulse noise (Table A-2), US Army hearing conservation programme, Fort Campbell (archived 2013). Supports: body: Army notes on howitzers.
Howitzers without fighting compartments
Checked 2026-11-03. - Noise and Hearing Loss, fact sheet 51-001-0902, US Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine (archived 2004). Supports: body: TOW 180.
TOW Missile, Rocket Launching Pad — 180
Checked 2026-11-03.
This page is general information, not medical advice. If you have ringing in your ears, muffled hearing or any change in your hearing, see an audiologist or your doctor.