Shooting a gun without ear protection
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Spats McGee
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I've never done it in an emergency situation, but I plinked and hunted without hearing protection for years. Not a great idea, but we all did it back then.
Older is older and sometimes wiser.
Hearing protection was not considered a big deal when I was younger.
When I used to squirrel hunt, I never had hearing protection and did not think anything of it.
When I was about 25, I bought a Ruger Blackhawk in .42 mag. I was out in the country when I shot it the first time and had a farmhouse on my left.
I fired one round and really damaged my ear. I heard "swishing" sounds for days. My ears have not recovered. If you have to shoot in an emergency situation, I really doubt you will even hear the shot, but you will have done some if not a lot of damage to your hearing.
If you have the option, use protection. You will regret it if you don't.
Hearing protection was not considered a big deal when I was younger.
When I used to squirrel hunt, I never had hearing protection and did not think anything of it.
When I was about 25, I bought a Ruger Blackhawk in .42 mag. I was out in the country when I shot it the first time and had a farmhouse on my left.
I fired one round and really damaged my ear. I heard "swishing" sounds for days. My ears have not recovered. If you have to shoot in an emergency situation, I really doubt you will even hear the shot, but you will have done some if not a lot of damage to your hearing.
If you have the option, use protection. You will regret it if you don't.
2ndsojourn
New member
I've never done it in an emergency situation and never wore any hearing protection in my earlier years. I too, have some tinnitus in both ears, probably from all the shooting in the military.
I don't think one shot will damage your hearing much the first time, but repetition sure will.
Several years ago, on my first range trip in years,(an indoor range) I used those foam earplugs and afterwards my ears were ringing so bad I could hardly hear until the next day. Since then, indoors, I use earplugs and earmuffs. Outdoors, it's not so bad and I just use the earmuffs.
Do yourself a big favor while you're still young. Wear good hearing protection. You'll appreciate it later.
I don't think one shot will damage your hearing much the first time, but repetition sure will.
Several years ago, on my first range trip in years,(an indoor range) I used those foam earplugs and afterwards my ears were ringing so bad I could hardly hear until the next day. Since then, indoors, I use earplugs and earmuffs. Outdoors, it's not so bad and I just use the earmuffs.
Do yourself a big favor while you're still young. Wear good hearing protection. You'll appreciate it later.
No matter how much you believe that the sound of gunfire of any caliber "doesn't bother you" it IS doing permanent damage to your ears. I spent years working on USAF flight lines and gunnery ranges and our hearing was tested monthly. All of the guys who did not wear protection because the noise "didn't bother them" lost large portions of their hearing and developed tinnitus (ringing). In every case. Protect your ears and eyes. They are not replaceable. Not using protection because the noise doesn't "bother you" is like saying nuclear radiation doesn't "bother you". It will if you keep doing it.
Yes. Even more likely if you do it more.
I don't know if about scary, but it's certainly unpleasant. The scary part is wondering when (or even if) the ringing will stop. Because if you do it enough one day it won't.
This is a common misconception. Being in a stressful situation can distract you enough that you don't notice the sound. Your ears are subjected to the same damage nevertheless.
Occasional exposure to loud noises doesn't measurably damage hearing, assuming they aren't so loud that the pressure wave causes burst ear drums. Frequent or constant exposure does damage hear through fatigue of the moving parts. If you shoot a gun and hear a ringing for a while afterwards, that's a sign that you don't want to routinely do that, but not that you have permanent measurable damage. If you limit these experiences to few and far between, genetic factors are more likely to have an impact on your ability to hear in old age.
On what do you base that claim, Cesure?
Audiologists and OSHA would disagree; you don't have to burst your ear drums to do permanent damage.
Nerve cells regenerate very slowly, if at all. Until a few years ago, it was thought that they simply did not regenerate, period.
The amount of potential permanent damage is a function of peak noise decibels and duration of exposure. If a sound is loud enough, the duration required for potential permanent damage is measured in seconds.
So, I'd really like to see you back up your last post. I don't think you can, and I think you are giving stupidly dangerous advice.
Audiologists and OSHA would disagree; you don't have to burst your ear drums to do permanent damage.
Nerve cells regenerate very slowly, if at all. Until a few years ago, it was thought that they simply did not regenerate, period.
The amount of potential permanent damage is a function of peak noise decibels and duration of exposure. If a sound is loud enough, the duration required for potential permanent damage is measured in seconds.
So, I'd really like to see you back up your last post. I don't think you can, and I think you are giving stupidly dangerous advice.
FoghornLeghorn
New member
Any noise above 140 decibals will damage your hearing. All centerfire calibers start at well above that. Like some have already mentioned, back in the day we never used hearing protection. Back then, they didn't have hearing protection.
I just had my hearing checked for the first time ever. I have low to moderate hearing loss in my left ear (I shoot left handed) and low hearing loss in my right ear. I always hunted without any protection. I'd dread that first shot because it was literally painful. Now I hear cicadas 24/7.
Some of you are talking about shooting without protection. I want you to move away from your computer. Done that? Ok, now slap yourselves. Once your hearing is damaged (and a single shot has the potential to do that), it can never be repaired.
I just had my hearing checked for the first time ever. I have low to moderate hearing loss in my left ear (I shoot left handed) and low hearing loss in my right ear. I always hunted without any protection. I'd dread that first shot because it was literally painful. Now I hear cicadas 24/7.
Some of you are talking about shooting without protection. I want you to move away from your computer. Done that? Ok, now slap yourselves. Once your hearing is damaged (and a single shot has the potential to do that), it can never be repaired.
I was a US Paratrooper for 22 years and, while we always wore ear protection on a fixed range, or in the aircraft, the minute we hit the DZ, or went into the field, the ear pro went away. We figured it was more important to hear the badguys coming than to attenuate our own weapons fire.
Yes, it damaged my hearing (Just ask my wife!
She doesn't call me "sordo" for nothing!).g.willikers
New member
At the beginning of a rather lengthy competition stage, of around 24 quickly fired rounds, my ear protection fell off and I kept going, with a 9mm handgun.
Only the first round seemed loud.
For the next two days, it was like having ear congestion from a cold.
But there didn't seem to be any permanent damage.
Only the first round seemed loud.
For the next two days, it was like having ear congestion from a cold.
But there didn't seem to be any permanent damage.
Glenn E. Meyer
New member
As said, it's not the burst eardrum. It is the damage to the fragile hair cells that detect sound. Look for some images of healthy and noise damaged hair cells. That's the game. Currently, there is no way to regenerate them that is guaranteed, if at all. Fish might, mammals - no or weakly (debated).
The common misconception is that not noticing the sound due to selective attention is protection against damage. Not true.
The common misconception is that not noticing the sound due to selective attention is protection against damage. Not true.
The bit about the so-called NRA instructor who had his students practice a few rounds without hearing protection, so they could know what it was like if they got into a gun fight, made me think of other things people might want to practice (or have their more gullible students practice):
1) Have somebody kick you really, really hard in the crotch, because that is a fairly likely technique to be employed against one in a physical altercation;
2) Have somebody poke you in an eye (or both eyes, if you really want to go for hardcore training) with their thumbs, so you know what that's like;
3) Cut yourself across both hands and forearms, so you know what defensive wounds feel like;
4) You get the idea.
Deliberately doing things that are likely to cause injury, or even somewhat likely to cause injury, in order to "prepare" for what is already a fairly unlikely contingency is, how to put this gently, not smart.
1) Have somebody kick you really, really hard in the crotch, because that is a fairly likely technique to be employed against one in a physical altercation;
2) Have somebody poke you in an eye (or both eyes, if you really want to go for hardcore training) with their thumbs, so you know what that's like;
3) Cut yourself across both hands and forearms, so you know what defensive wounds feel like;
4) You get the idea.
Deliberately doing things that are likely to cause injury, or even somewhat likely to cause injury, in order to "prepare" for what is already a fairly unlikely contingency is, how to put this gently, not smart.
justplainpossum
New member
Thank you so much for all the great advice.
I already have tinnitus (rock concerts), and sometimes I can't notice it, and sometimes it's ramped up. I just want to mention that I take Arches tinnitus formula, and it has helped me a lot. I've been able to go weeks, occasionally months, and not heard the buzzing and ringing. You can send me a message if you'd like me to tell you where you can order it.
I didn't know that about the foam earplugs not being enough! I just got out my muffs, and I'm using a double clasp to attach them to my jeans. From now on, when I go out with my gun, those muffs are coming with me -- and they're going on before I shoot.
I already have tinnitus (rock concerts), and sometimes I can't notice it, and sometimes it's ramped up. I just want to mention that I take Arches tinnitus formula, and it has helped me a lot. I've been able to go weeks, occasionally months, and not heard the buzzing and ringing. You can send me a message if you'd like me to tell you where you can order it.
I didn't know that about the foam earplugs not being enough! I just got out my muffs, and I'm using a double clasp to attach them to my jeans. From now on, when I go out with my gun, those muffs are coming with me -- and they're going on before I shoot.
Foam earplugs suck. If I had to use those I may not shoot. The other plugs & muffs are kind of like sunscreen only alot worse for your hearing. My ears ring all the time anyway. Last time I went to indoor range even with muffs on you could hear & feel the 50cal.pistol. Being shot 6 lanes down in a different closed section. I can only imagine what it be like shooting without protection.
Sent from iPhone
Sent from iPhone
FoghornLeghorn
New member
In point of fact, not even plugs combined with muffs is always sufficient. There's also bone conduction of sound waves. This degrades your hearing also. IIRC, it's a factor when we're talking about heavy equipment operators or when firing heavy recoiling (think 50 BMG) guns.
Strafer Gott
New member
Mleake, you forgot the soccer kicks to the head. I never really warm up without a few of those. Fight like you train; Train like you fight.
22-rimfire
New member
Shooting firearms without adequate protection WILL damage your hearing. One shot might be enough to cause a long term permanent ringing in your ears.
Protect your hearing even when shooting 22 rifles.
Protect your hearing even when shooting 22 rifles.
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