Tyro,
thanks for taking the time to post your experience.
I have a question. What was the barrel length of the 870 you used? Was the area you fired it in, in any way enclosed (e.g. porch, alleyway)?
The reason I ask is that I whenever I hunt pheasant for example, I may shoot 15 rounds in the field. I have never experienced ringing in my ears, from the shots I fire. I use a 28 inch barrel. I also shoot a lot of skeet with a 26 inch tube, but I wear plugs for this.
I have never fired my HD (18 inch) shotgun without ear protection, and was wondering if barrel length might affect perceived volume at the shooters ears. Indoors however, I doubt it would!
I also got to thinking that those electronic ear muffs MIGHT be a good idea for HD situations. They amplify sounds that an intruder might make, as well as attenuating gunshot noise. I realise that one would be foolish not to test them out for ambient noise in your house first, so you are not startled by ordinary noises that you wouldn't ordinarily hear.
Thanks,
Bowser.