Hearing protection.

C

capflyboy05

New member
Do you use earplugs, a headset, or both?
Personally, I'd rather use just earplugs.
But is it safe?
The ones I have reduce the sound 31 decibels.
I'm just assuming thats normal.
But I just wanted to see.
 
I tried ear plugs and just didn't like them. I'm sure they are safe to use, it's just a matter of personal preference. I purchased earmuffs recently and am sure I will be much more comfortable with them. Some people probably only use double-protection...others plugs...others earmuffs. Just all depends on what you like.
 
I use the Peltor Tactical Pro electronic muffs, and just recently started doubling up with concert earplugs. Doubling up with normal high NRR foam earplugs block everything, including the normal sounds, which defeats the purpose of electronic muffs. The concert earplugs take the edge off the really loud blasts (like the .44 and .500 Mags), but still let me hear a normal conversation.
 
I shoot outside. When shooting rifles and shotguns I use plugs. Handguns, I use muffs. If I were to shoot indoors I'd probably use both.
 
Hello,capflyboy05. I only use plugs with rimfires & Hornet..anything larger & my ears tell me! Yes I double up..especially if not alone at range..too easy to pull muffs off if hot & get nasty surprise when someone lets one off.
One thing that does disturb me though..our private club has mandatory ear protection..but nothing is said about eye protection. This makes no sense..While you certainly can have hearing damage from a single gunshot..it usually is cumulative...wheras a blown primer, defective case, or burning powder grain can take out your eyesight in a milisecond! I see people shooting all the time without it..Me..I don't have the guts to pull a trigger without glasses.
 
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Thats a good way to be.
I cant shoot either without both "eyes and ears."
Actually, I cant imagine shooting without eye protection.
It even bugs me when friends play airsoft without glasses on.
When I've played, glasses have saved me 3 times, in a few years.
Even though it's rare, it still happens.
That goes with real shooting too.
I do the same thing you do also.
Plugs with my .22 and if I shoot anything bigger, I use a headset.
I feel thats sufficient enough.
Thanks for the input everyone!
 
Silcone expanding ear plugs most of the time.
Muffs occasionally when at a range. Sometimes use both.
I keep a set of plugs in my pocket in case I find myself in some really noisy environment.
Wore then when I had my farm and was using tractor, chain saw, etc.
They are a 'must' when shooting my Redhawk .44 mag. Shoot without and ears ring painfully for a couple days.
Would like to have a set of the Wolf Ears type plugs/aids. They just don't fit budget yet.
 
Expanding plugs + a quality earmuff. The bursts can get quite loud on the range and you want to keep those ears working into your golden years..

what? I can't hear ya....
 
I know my original post was about hearing protection.
What about eye protection?
Does any kind of plastic safety glasses work?
Or do you all have personal brands/types that you like more?
I see ones with yellow lenses alot.
I think that would just bug me... haha
 
I wear both. The nice thing about wearing both is that if one set has a problem, the other usually doesn't. For example, you can forget to cover your ears with muffs until the shooting starts and that isn't pleasant if you aren't wearing plugs. Or, plugs sometimes manage to work loose (I have tried numerous brands and sooner or later they all work loose). It is a bummer when one pops out while you are firing.
 
When I first started shooting I used only earplugs. They tended to get rattled out by my shooting buddies M1a SOCOM though. That thing is unholy loud.
I also had hearing loss for a few days afterwards.

I quickly switched to ear muffs from walmart.

Now I use Howard Lite electronic ear muffs. They are amazing. Shots get muffled and flies sound like motorcycles. Its kind of odd at first, but its neat to be able to talk normally while someone is blasting away.
 
Both!

Especially when shooting long guns. Pistols in competition are loud as well especially those open guns with muzzle brakes. My plugs are rated to 31db and I'm informed by hearing docs that adding muffs adds at least another 5db of protection. Shotguns, compensated rifles like 556 & 308 are very loud to my ears. My next door neighbor is an ex-11B who's idea of ear protection is cigarette butts in each ear and sometimes nothing at all. No surprise when his son tells mine his daddy's going deaf ( at 38!). Two friends of mine competed in sporting clays and skeet from an early age and neither used earplugs. One guy is 95% deaf with $4K hearing aids and had to retire at 60+ and has learned to read lips. The other guy stopped shooting at 30 and is now an executive but has permanent hearing loss as well. I use my hearing for my work and though in the beginning a few guys made fun of me double plugging, it's now a common practice in competitive pistol/3gun matches.
 
The cost of good hearing protection is a drop of water in a barrel if compared to the cost of a decent hearing aid. If you don't use the prior, you will be paying for the latter. I was unfortunate (and ignorant) (or unfortunately ignorant)while growing up when it came to hearing protection, and am now paying the price at 42 years of age. Not fun watching my little girls lips move or bending over so that my best ear is right in her face to figure out what she is saying. Needless to say I now double up for pretty much anything.
 
The cost of good hearing protection is a drop of water in a barrel if compared to the cost of a decent hearing aid
Click to expand...

That's for sure. $4200 for aids this year sure would of bought a lot ammo.

To many hours growing up in a plane, race car and shooting without protection had my hearing gone at 30.
 
I wear both plugs and muffs, first because of the sound reduction, and second because I find that muffs alone are irritating to me. I get a weird amplification of heartbeat and breathing noise with muffs if I don't also wear plugs.

Ideal Tool said:
One thing that does disturb me though..our private club has mandatory ear protection..but nothing is said about eye protection. This makes no sense..While you certainly can have hearing damage from a single gunshot..it usually is cumulative...wheras a blown primer, defective case, or burning powder grain can take out your eyesight in a milisecond! I see people shooting all the time without it..Me..I don't have the guts to pull a trigger without glasses.
Click to expand...

My private range requires both as well, but I see folks shooting with only ear protection frequently. Usually their eye protection is sitting on the bench next to them.

I don't believe it to be a purposeful violation of the rules, it's just easy to forget to put eye protection back on after looking through a spotting scope or similar. I've done it myself on several occasions. (Doesn't make it right, I'm just saying it's easy to do...)
 
I have lost noticable hearing and I know it was from years of using no protection. Now I use both, even if it's just cotton in the ears. I have had guys laugh about it on the shooting line after cease fire but have since seen some of em exercise the same practice. Once gone it doesn't come back.
 
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