Use It or Lose It - Hearing Protection

[Ash Hess]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

~ 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.

[quirino21]

Good post, thanks for the vid...