Eyes and ears
- Thread starter Hoop
- Start date
dragon1965
New member
I would go to your local animal shelter and adopt a good mixed breed puppy and raise it to be your eyes and ears
Hoop, there are several brands of good ear-protection and eye-protection gear. You might want to ask yourself what sort of shooting you're going to be engaged in. Will it just be plinking on the range, or are you looking to get into competition? If it's the former, there's shooting muffs from Silencio, Peltor and a zillion other good manufacturers. If you're getting into competition, you might want to consider some of the models that allow you to hear range commands while still muffling the sound of the gunshots.
Also, what's your budget? When I got re-started in shooting back in the mid-eighties, I used hardware store orange "noise protectors" along with foam earplugs. Not fashionable, but it did the job.
Probably your best bet is to visit your local gun shop and talk to the salesperson who doesn't use the word "tactical" when he describes your options.
Also, what's your budget? When I got re-started in shooting back in the mid-eighties, I used hardware store orange "noise protectors" along with foam earplugs. Not fashionable, but it did the job.
Probably your best bet is to visit your local gun shop and talk to the salesperson who doesn't use the word "tactical" when he describes your options.
Here's my list. I double protetct on the ears:
EnkiduEOT
- Rubber ear plugs (around $3, the pair I bought a couple of years ago fit me very very well, don't know what brand, sorry).
- Peltor Ultimate 10 (around $23, this has the highest noise reduction rating I could find)
- Wiley-X Higher Ground with Rx Insert ($55 for frames and $50 for the prescription with anti-reflective coating)
EnkiduEOT
Guy B. Meredith
New member
Hoop,
I have used foam ear plugs (25 cents or less per pair in bulk), Peletor Bullseye Ultimate 10, Dillon electronic and Pro-Ears Dimension 1.
The foam plugs are always the best in terms of noise reduction, but then you are isolated from the world and feel like an idiot because of your isolation.
The passive cups are just okay. Not as efficient as the foam. Electronic cups are better in that they allow you to hear more than you ever wanted to hear (that conversation 50 yards down the range) while shutting out the loud noises. The Pro Ears are better than Dillon and others as the Dillons, etc., shut down during loud noises and interrupt your abililty to hear. The Pro Ears compress the loud noises to a reasonable level so that you never lose hearing.
As is the case with other cup ear protectors, the Dimension 1 are not super at limiting noise so when things get loud I use foam and crank up the volume on the Pro Ears to carry normal conversation past the foam plugs. Works great. Pro Ear also has cups with higer noise reduction but are more expensive and/or bulky.
Glasses are very subjective--color, perscription, etc.--but should be shatter resistant plastic rather than glass.
I have used foam ear plugs (25 cents or less per pair in bulk), Peletor Bullseye Ultimate 10, Dillon electronic and Pro-Ears Dimension 1.
The foam plugs are always the best in terms of noise reduction, but then you are isolated from the world and feel like an idiot because of your isolation.
The passive cups are just okay. Not as efficient as the foam. Electronic cups are better in that they allow you to hear more than you ever wanted to hear (that conversation 50 yards down the range) while shutting out the loud noises. The Pro Ears are better than Dillon and others as the Dillons, etc., shut down during loud noises and interrupt your abililty to hear. The Pro Ears compress the loud noises to a reasonable level so that you never lose hearing.
As is the case with other cup ear protectors, the Dimension 1 are not super at limiting noise so when things get loud I use foam and crank up the volume on the Pro Ears to carry normal conversation past the foam plugs. Works great. Pro Ear also has cups with higer noise reduction but are more expensive and/or bulky.
Glasses are very subjective--color, perscription, etc.--but should be shatter resistant plastic rather than glass.
jimsbowies
New member
Wiley-X
The "system"...that'll get you (in my case) the blue reflective lens, the standard "green" and the shooter's "yellow"....they're wraparound, provide lots of protection and look way cool...
The "system"...that'll get you (in my case) the blue reflective lens, the standard "green" and the shooter's "yellow"....they're wraparound, provide lots of protection and look way cool...
Bartholomew Roberts
Moderator
Wiley X
Yes, I really like the Wiley X glasses myself; besides being fairly affordable ($29 or so for the basics) they are also comfortable and way exceed the ANSI standards for ballistic protection.
Yes, I really like the Wiley X glasses myself; besides being fairly affordable ($29 or so for the basics) they are also comfortable and way exceed the ANSI standards for ballistic protection.
Another vote for Wiley-X, not only for the reasons already stated, but also because the company provides outstanding support. I broke the frame on mine and they quickly shipped me a new one, no questions asked. I have clear and smoked lenses for indoor and outdoor shooting.
I'm a fan of the Peltor 29db ear muff. I'm partially deaf (misspent youth) so I'm not the right person to weigh in here, but my wife is very sensitive to loud noises and they work well for her. She still prefers to double up with the muff and ear plugs, but it is no longer a game over problem if I forget to pack the plugs when we go to the range.
We also have some electronic "Tac-6" muffs that seem to work OK. The noise reduction (if memory serves, around 18 dB) wasn't enough for her to comfortably use them at the range, so they now live in our bedroom with the home gun. Nice thing about these electronic muffs is they also amplify soft noises, like someone walking around the house at night.
I'm a fan of the Peltor 29db ear muff. I'm partially deaf (misspent youth) so I'm not the right person to weigh in here, but my wife is very sensitive to loud noises and they work well for her. She still prefers to double up with the muff and ear plugs, but it is no longer a game over problem if I forget to pack the plugs when we go to the range.
We also have some electronic "Tac-6" muffs that seem to work OK. The noise reduction (if memory serves, around 18 dB) wasn't enough for her to comfortably use them at the range, so they now live in our bedroom with the home gun. Nice thing about these electronic muffs is they also amplify soft noises, like someone walking around the house at night.