dieselbeef said:
seems to me the smaller claibers are worse than the bigger ones...my 357 doesnt seem to nearly make my ears hurt as much as the 22 rifle does..i found that odd for some time..now i just cover em both if possible
That's... Beyond odd. I routinely shoot my 10/22 without protection. I shouldn't, but I always have. I use CCI Stingers and other high-velocity ammo. Even though a 22 is in the range that can cause damage, it doesn't seem loud at all.
Handguns, on the other hand, are atrociously loud regardless of caliber. Even 22. I can't imagine a 357 without protection.
The ONLY gun I shoot without protection is the 10/22.
I shot all manner of guns without protection when I was young. It was a "macho" thing, I guess. I didn't know anyone who even owned hearing protection. We'd laugh about our ears ringing.
Stupid.
It never seemed to have caused any permanent damage... Until I worked in the hearing industry and got tested. I had significant damage in the high decibel ranges and I was only in my 20s.
I haven't shot without protection in years but sometimes all it takes is one mistake. About 2 years ago I was getting ready to shoot my 15" Encore Pro Hunter chambered in 7-08. "Loud" doesn't do justice to that sound. Apparently my right plug wasn't sealed correctly on the first shot. One shot. My ears been ringing ever since.
Regarding "auditory exclusion", this is your brain ignoring unnecessary inputs. It doesn't mean the same damage isn't done, it means your brain is ignoring it.