Use It or Lose It - Hearing Protection [Archive]

Suwannee Tim

12-11-11, 08:51

One of my deepest regrets is a failure to more carefully protect my hearing when I was younger. Now, I never, NEVER fire a shot without muffs at least and better plugs. Beware, muffs may not be enough for sustained shooting of loud guns.

ptmccain

12-11-11, 08:57

Yup, and I should have mentioned that if you are shooting at an indoor range, this is even more of a concern and problem.

Anyone shooting with only muff is making a big mistake, and if that is all you have on at an indoor range...

Well, like I said, start saving now for the hearing aids you are going to need when you get to be in your forties or fifties.

tb-av

12-11-11, 09:15

I'm glad you posted that. Among all the great advice you can get here on this forum, it seems like hearing protection is given little concern.

New shooters need to understand that they will ruin their hearing without protection. I don't understand why some here suggest it's ok to shoot without it ( such as screw on a suppressor and let 'er roll ).

Then it occurred to me that those making that claim have probably already lost a significant bit of their hearing.

Here's a basic hearing test if anyone is interested.
http://www.phys.unsw.edu.au/jw/hearing.html

NoveskeFan

12-11-11, 09:45

At 30, my hearing of conversations in crowded rooms is crap. My guess is years of loud music in a confined space...my car. I pay close attention to use ear pro when I go shooting. Good tip on the double plugging.

QuietShootr

12-11-11, 09:52

I'm going to start double plugging. The PWS brake on my SCAR17 has caused (so far) permanent tinnitus in my right ear. I've had it for several months now, and it shows no signs of abating.

montanadave

12-11-11, 09:56

Excellent advice.

I suffer from tinnitus (ringing in the ears) which is unrelated to shooting but, nonetheless, makes one appreciate good hearing and the need to protect it.

Trajan

12-11-11, 10:00

I had a scare this past summer due to standing next to some guy with a SCAR 16 with the PWS comp for two days. I didn't even realize it had hurt my ears, just that it was annoying as hell. I went in for a normal check up, and had my doctor check my hearing because two days prior I shot Grants suppressed MK18 without earpro. Said I had some serious hearing loss in my left ear. Recommended me to an audiologist.

Last week I went to the audiologist and he told me I'm fine. Needless to say I'm definitely going to be more careful from now on.

duece71

12-11-11, 10:08

During my college years, all those nights spent boozing at clubs, dancing with the throngs of young ladies to the sound of Ultra high volume dance music has given me tinnitus that is permanent. Total regret on my part. Now that I am older, I work in an environment that can be extremely loud (jet engine noise) and therefore I wear moldable ear plugs ALL the time. The plugs I use have an NRR of 29db and they work very well. I want to save what I have left. Indoor shooting=moldable ear plugs plus muffs. Outdoor shooting= one or the other except when the range is crowded, then its time to double up. Great video, thanks for posting.

warpigM-4

12-11-11, 10:30

I still live with ringing in my ears being around a Abrams Main gun going off with out hearing protection big mistake on my part:suicide2:

Pork Chop

12-11-11, 10:40

Excellent advice.

I suffer from tinnitus (ringing in the ears) which is unrelated to shooting but, nonetheless, makes one appreciate good hearing and the need to protect it.

Me too and it sucks.:(

I've been using the surefire EP3's and electronic muffs together. Since the ringing started a couple years ago I've been MUCH more proactive in hearing protection. Wish I would've been more concerned years ago.

SomeOtherGuy

12-11-11, 10:40

Two comments. First, not all ear protection is the same. I rely mostly on muffs, but I have NRR 29db muffs from Howard Leight - vs. around 20 NRR for typical muffs. Every bit helps. Some earplugs are only in the low 20's while the best foam ones are up at 33db NRR. The decibel scale is logarithmic so a 10db difference means 10 times more noise, and a 3db difference is twice as much noise. In other words, 33db NRR is twice as good as 30db NRR, and 23db is only one-tenth as good as 33db.

Second, hearing loss does not primarily come from direct physical damage, but from cell death caused by chemical changes from the noise exposure. There are studies indicating that keeping your body topped up with certain vitamins and antioxidants can largely prevent hearing loss related to short-term exposure. See:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/03/070328111138.htm

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090212093704.htm

I believe there was also a US Army study on the same thing but I can't find it right now. Let me emphasize, THIS IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR HEARING PROTECTION. However, for someone who's doing a lot of shooting, every bit helps, and I would include good vitamins and/or good diet in your hearing protection list, along with plugs and muffs.

Heavy Metal

12-11-11, 11:07

Ever since I stepped-up my anti-oxidant vitamin consumption, my hearing loss stopped. I have an annual physical.

If you see me popping pills at a class, you now know what I am doing.

Heavy Metal

12-11-11, 11:08

I still live with ringing in my ears being around a Abrams Main gun going off with out hearing protection big mistake on my part:suicide2:

Exact same thing happend to me. They called the range hot on the radio and did not bother to tell the range support.

deadlyfire

12-11-11, 11:38

I've suffered hearing loss from my time in service (firefights, being mortared) Needless to say, I never shoot with out earpro now.
Too easy to protect it. too easy to lose it.

TacticalSledgehammer

12-11-11, 11:59

Brimstone

12-11-11, 12:23

This has been a big deal for me with my two boys (7 & 9) when we go shooting. No firearms are fired without eye and ear pro on. They are very good about wearing their protection now, but did give me some grief early on. I remember my 9 yr old complaining about wearing the eye pro and on the very next round the spent casing hit him in his safety glasses. I couldn't have planned it any better.

Heavy Metal

12-11-11, 12:26

I had a Russian M44 go off next to my head at a range once. I had a ringing in my ear for a solid week. Needless to say hearing in that ear is at 10% now. This is what happens when you remove your protection for a second to hear a conversation during live fire. I regret it over and over again.

If you had only popped a few of the right vitamins in the following 24 hours. If I had known on that tank range in 1994 what I know today.

VaeVictis

12-11-11, 12:51

I've got permanent tinnitus in my right ear from shooting my AR with only surefire plugs in. When I was out in the open they worked fine but as soon as I was shooting in any sort of enclosed area they didn't seem to work very well.:suicide2: I now double up on ear protection and wish I was smart enough to do so from the beginning.

TacticalSledgehammer

12-11-11, 13:03

If you had only popped a few of the right vitamins in the following 24 hours. If I had known on that tank range in 1994 what I know today.

I wish I coulda read your post back in 1998. ;)

H3br3wHamm3r81

12-11-11, 14:29

rojocorsa

12-11-11, 15:43

Pistol Shooter

12-11-11, 16:23

Made this public service announcement style video on hearing protection and thought I'd pass it along.

Video here. (http://youtu.be/vke_3G-dTT8?hd=1)

Great post and video ptmccain, thanks for sharing. :)

I use muffs and plugs because hearing loss seems to run in my family.

Not trying to change the subject but what do our troops in battle do to protect their hearing? Anyone know?

Turnkey11

12-15-11, 11:03

I always double and always have unless I'm at a rimfire only range, then I just wear muffs.

Not only does doubling up make training/practice safer, it's only more pleasant not having to deal with as much of the noise, especially when guns are going off on either side of you.

Wish I had done that before I felt like I had a cotton ball in my ears at all times. I double up on public rangesperiod, and 90% of my shooting is suppressed. Never know who will line up next to you and with what.

35percent

12-15-11, 19:34

I just started shooting and knew to double up (ear plus and ear muffs). But, I just grabbed some muffs off the Academy shelf that seemed decent. Can anyone recommend a really good pair of muffs, cost not being an issue (can't put a cost on one's hearing)?

Sordins with the gel cups have gotten some great recommendations if you're not worried about spending the money.

For me i just use Surefire earpro or peltor 6S.

Turnkey11

12-15-11, 23:45

Sordins with the gel cups have gotten some great recommendations if you're not worried about spending the money.

For me i just use Surefire earpro or peltor 6S.

I got my most recent and what I feel to be most damaging amount of hearing loss and ringing with the surefire earpro; having a sig 228 and a MP5 muzzle next to my ear for two separate strings of fire during qual didnt help any.

35percent

12-16-11, 01:37

I got my most recent and what I feel to be most damaging amount of hearing loss and ringing with the surefire earpro; having a sig 228 and a MP5 muzzle next to my ear for two separate strings of fire during qual didnt help any.

They do have their limitations, and obviously close range it's going to be worse. You also have to make sure they're seated securely and pushed in tight to your ear. Most of the time when I'm on the line I'm at least a few feet away from each shooter, if it's going to be closer I'll toss on a set or earmuffs.

ricksterr

02-06-12, 23:25

Tinnitus is one of the main reasons why I'm investing in a suppressed setup.

Trajan

02-07-12, 22:47

Tinnitus is one of the main reasons why I'm investing in a suppressed setup.
Just remember that rifle suppressors aren't hearing safe.

And it still won't do anything about the guy next to you with a comp. :mad:

Ash Hess

02-08-12, 10:49

Right ear, M24 from about 15 inches away. He got the kill, I got the hearing loss

Left ear M249 short barrel. 6 feet away, long burst. same story.

Finally wised up, and bought a set of Peltor's. But 2 more tours, and tons of range time later, I am still able to hear people call me a Geardo

IYAAYASwarrior

02-09-12, 08:29

I am AD AF and have worked the flightline off and on the majority of my career. Double HP (hearing protection) is a requirement to all and only a few adhere. Since joining in 04 my annual hearing test's have actually shown an increase in what I am able to hear and my theory is that prior to joining I used no HP and since that time have been a firm believer in defending my hearing. Fighters, bombers and all in between can get pretty loud. Without HP you are doing yourself a complete injustice. HP is a must!!!

Mark71

02-09-12, 11:41

Great thread! I finally wised up and have started to double up every time I shoot. I wear Surefire EP4 plugs underneath my Peltors. Being a huge music fan I attend a lot of concerts and have also been wearing the Surefire EP4 plugs at every show I go to now.

maximus83

02-09-12, 14:49

I've been double-plugging for many years and always had excellent hearing. The last 5 to 7 years, I've done a lot more shooting at indoor range, and often at my indoor range there are guys in the next lane blasting away with AK's or large-cal handguns, extremely loud even when double-plugged.

A couple years ago I got my hearing tested, and I had lost some hearing in a certain frequency range in my left ear. It is VERY easy to damage hearing, even when you've taken precautions, and you may not even realize it has happened. Some of the weapons, especially indoors, are INCREDIBLY loud.

yellowfin

02-09-12, 18:38

Suppressors need to get de-regulated and become commonplace. There is absolutely ZERO justification for not encouraging people to reduce hearing damage. One of these days I'm going to get back to living in a free state and every one of my guns is going to be suppressed. I do plugs and muffs but still nothing beats a can plus plugs.

BattleFurby

02-21-12, 21:31

Thanks for posting this i always used plugs and never really had a second thought about using both of them together, i just hope i won't regret later down the line just using plugs.

loupav

02-22-12, 10:04

Wow. This is really starting to bother me. All these years I've been shooting with just ear phones. Years ago I just used the gun store el cheap-o ear phones, never plugs. Plugs always bothered me. I got my first pair of MSA's a while ago and love them. But now this thread really go me thinking. Maybe I should double up. I know a few of my friends do it.But damn, I hope I didn't put anything at risk.

Doc Safari

02-22-12, 10:11

If you use earplugs it's important to occasionally use one of those earwax removal kits from the grocery store, otherwise you can get an earwax buildup and temporarily lose your hearing. I've experienced that a few times.

BRAZZEL

05-09-12, 15:49

~ Going to order the ear protection from SIG ... about $18 after discount ... not including shipping of course .. Or should I just go to Academy .. Walmart ? .... done about 90 rounds without .... *ring ring ring* .... won't be doing that again.