Heh. I saw what you took out. I WAS JUST ABOUT TO POINT OUT it seems more like a Tea Party thought out weapon...
Sound wise, I did mean levels, partly, but really also the distinctive sound of gunfire, that cra-ack. And, yeah, it should be louder than most everything else when it fires, but not as loud as to make it painful.
That would make a pretty cool side-effect, eh? Firing off anything above .22 in close quarters and have the unprotected NPCs in the <bus station> <washroom> <whatever> go reeling back holding their heads in pain.