Use It or Lose It - Hearing Protection

[ptmccain]

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

Video here.

[blasternank]

Thanks. I'm all about double plugging. I wish I had when I was younger as it will catch up to you!

[Suwannee Tim]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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.