Last night while discussing firearms and related topics with my brother we got on the side-topic of gun blasts and hearing. Since most people wear ear protection when they know they or someone around them will be shooting, our main thrust was the consequences of shooting without protection, namely in self-defense situations and in law enforcement.
This left us with many questions, which I will pose to you all. First, what kinds of studies have been done on the effects of gun blasts on the human ear and its hearing ability, and where can I find them? What are the consequences of shooting without hearing protection, indoors and out? Can one permanently lose all or a significant portion of one's hearing ability with just one or a few blasts? Should potential hearing damage, especially as may be caused with powerful rounds being discharged indoors, be a consideration when choosing a self-defense round? I'd like to hear any real-life stories, first, second, third-hand, etc., of people being exposed with unprotected ears to gun blasts, and any temporary/permanent consequences (aside from the obvious ringing in the ears), especially from LEOs who have been in shootouts, and from folks who posted in the Famous Firearm Follies thread over in "Handguns and Pistol Craft". I would assume that the vast majority of accidental discharges occur without hearing protection, since they are unexpected. I read the Famous Firearms Follies thread last night, after talking with my brother, and read of all kinds of discharges with many types of firearms, many indoors or close to people. What effects, if any, did these events have on your permanent hearing?
Thanks all.
This left us with many questions, which I will pose to you all. First, what kinds of studies have been done on the effects of gun blasts on the human ear and its hearing ability, and where can I find them? What are the consequences of shooting without hearing protection, indoors and out? Can one permanently lose all or a significant portion of one's hearing ability with just one or a few blasts? Should potential hearing damage, especially as may be caused with powerful rounds being discharged indoors, be a consideration when choosing a self-defense round? I'd like to hear any real-life stories, first, second, third-hand, etc., of people being exposed with unprotected ears to gun blasts, and any temporary/permanent consequences (aside from the obvious ringing in the ears), especially from LEOs who have been in shootouts, and from folks who posted in the Famous Firearm Follies thread over in "Handguns and Pistol Craft". I would assume that the vast majority of accidental discharges occur without hearing protection, since they are unexpected. I read the Famous Firearms Follies thread last night, after talking with my brother, and read of all kinds of discharges with many types of firearms, many indoors or close to people. What effects, if any, did these events have on your permanent hearing?
Thanks all.